The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness shall not overcome it.
Introducing:
Light in the Darkness: A Hymn Journal for Advent & Christmas
By Justin Rossow
Featuring Visual Faith™ Ministry artists
and music from Brooke Orozco and Brendan Knorp
This hymn journal is an invitation to rest in the midst of the busy season leading up to Christmas. Look for some quiet moments in all the hectic shopping, cooking, wrapping, decorating, cleaning, and traveling.
Read the devotions, sing through the hymns, pray through the faith experiments, take time with Scripture: Jesus invites you to spend time with Him as you prepare your home, your family, and your heart for Christmas.
These readings, hymns, devotions, and faith experiments are designed to help you slow down and savor time in the Word while the rest of the world is busy to distraction. As you add your own personal touch with color or sketches or notes, you make this hymn journal your own. Don’t stress about the quality of your work; just enjoy the experience. Each chapter is always an invitation, never a burden.
We often set the Christmas finish line at December 25. This year, extend your celebration of the Incarnation through Epiphany on January 6. The traditional 12 Days of Christmas help launch you into the New Year aware of your own dependence on Jesus. After all, that’s the whole point of this busy season: to cling more tightly to Jesus, the Light in your darkness. Merry Christmas!
“The people who walked in darkness have seen
a great light;
those who dwelt in
the land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.“
Isaiah 9:2
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord…”
Luke 2:10-11
Hear Brooke Orozco and Brendan Knorp perform the title song.
About the Author Justin Rossow
Rev. Dr. Justin Rossow preaches, teaches, presents, and writes at the intersection of Scripture, culture, and metaphor theory. With 20 years of ministry experience focused especially on discipleship, Justin brings a refreshing and encouraging voice to the adventure of helping people delight in taking a next step.
Justin is known for his insight and energy, and writes like he talks: with humor, humility, and profound dependence on Jesus. His PhD in Theology and Culture helps bridge the academic and the practical; in his writing you’ll find depth, nuance, immediate application, and just plain fun.
Justin and his wife Miriam live in Michigan with their four children. He is the founder of Next Step Press and The Next Step Community.
About Brooke and Brendan
C. Brooke Orozco serves as Director of Music & Worship and Family Life Coordinator at NewLife Community Lutheran Church near Flint, Michigan. Brendan Knorp is the Director for the Worship Arts at Concordia Lutheran Church in Kirkwood, Missouri.
Brooke and Brendan have been writing and performing music together since 1994. Both studied music at Concordia University, Ann Arbor, where they became friends and soon found a unique sound and musical chemistry. Since then, they have continued to compose and perform their original arrangements of Christmas and Advent music for a variety of audiences.
You can find their Advent and Christmas music on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, and YouTube.
You can hear one of their new arrangements of a traditional carol below:
About Visual Faith™ Ministry
Visual Faith™ Ministry is the collaborative effort of online and “in-real-life” learning communities to enrich, encourage, and enable the vital connections between visual and kinesthetic learning styles and the storytelling of God’s faithfulness in our lives.
Visual faith is reading, reflecting, and responding to God’s Word. It welcomes writing, drawing, designs, and color to create reminders of faith that help tell the story for followers of Jesus. Visual Faith reminds us that we are made in the image of a creative God.
Visual faith honors God’s creative sanctification of believers on a daily basis and is the basic process of bringing together our great gifts of prayer and God’s Word. It adds visual, kinesthetic, and tactile adaptations that make meaning for us in our daily lives. Visual faith is a “selfie” of our time with God, helping us to remember, retain, and be ready to share it with others.
In all of these ways and more, visual faith helps to answer the question, “What does this mean for me?”
Find more Visual Faith™ Ministry resources at
https://www.visualfaithmin.org/
More Features for You and Your Congregation or Group
- Light in the Darkness comes with Scripture readings, devotions, hymns, and faith experiments making it a great resource to read with a friend or small group.
- The Next Step Podcast, available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, and Anchor, will be dedicating Season 3 to this Light in the Darkness hymn journal. Seasons 1 and 2 also focus on hymn journals from Next Step Press.
- The Next Step Community Facebook Page and blog offers Visual Faith™ related content a special Light in the Darkness social learning group will walk through this hymn journal together in Advent 2020 and 2021.
- For sermon series materials or bulk pricing on orders of 50 or more books, please email Innovation@FindMyNextStep.org.
Other hymn journals from Next Step Press
