“All is calm, all is bright,” goes the lyric in “Silent Night.” But what was that night really like? Was the birth as idyllic (or as messy) as some say? The world may never know, and yet the image of Mary, Joseph, and their little baby has inspired creative speculation for centuries. Although the facts remain a mystery, we can explore the depths of this monumental event through reflection on classic nativity figurines. As we enter the season of Christmas, we're pleased to share an excerpt from the beginning of The Art of Living in Season: A Year of Reflections for Everyday Saints. In this volume, writer Sylvie Vanhoozer describes the traditional Provençal crèche of her childhood, exploring the ways this simple Advent tradition opened the way for spiritual growth the whole year long.​

“The real art of living in the season of Advent is about learning how to welcome Jesus in my place this Christmas, and in the coming year—and not just in the ‘official’ manger scene, but in all the scenes of my everyday life: home, neighborhood, workplace, church, and heart.”

For some of us, December brings a distinct ache, a reminder of dreams wished for but unfulfilled, an awareness of painful loss, or an unavoidable situation simmering with unresolved conflict. We’re reminded of Sharon Hodde Miller’s writing on the way Advent arrives even in the darkness, with robust hope for those who suffer. And if you’re wrestling with a particular challenge, send us an email so we can pray for you — our staff team prays weekly for you all and we’d be honored to hold you up to the light.

“No matter what happens, no matter the pain or the loss, nothing erases December 25 from the calendar. Whatever we have experienced this year, or lost this year, nothing will stop this day from coming back around, the day we remember when God intervened by taking on human form, by becoming like us, so that we could become like him.”

You’re Invited!

Pray with us today! Our final prayer meeting of the year is today, December 13. Prayer meetings will resume January 17. You can join our online, 30-minute guided prayer meetings on Fridays at 8 am, 9 am, and 12 pm (Eastern). Can’t come? Send your prayer requests anyway by emailing us at wsap@intervarsity.org. Ready to pray? Join the Zoom meeting here for those Friday meetings.

Looking for an Advent devotional? We at The Well are following the 2024 Advent Project, available for free online and produced by the Biola University Center for Christianity, Culture, and the Arts. Join us if you like, and watch for opportunities to connect through this simple practice!

We learned from our poll last week that 33% of you read an Advent devotional first thing in the morning and 56% of you read a little here and there. Love your style. You do you!

Get your copy of the Spring 2025 Book Club selection! Join Women Scholars and Professionals this spring for a discussion of Habits of Hope: Educational Practices for a Weary World. Register now to receive your 40% discount for a copy of the book and prepare for online discussions about a Christian understanding of hope in academia. We hope you can join us!

IVP Faculty exam copies. Professors can request a free exam or desk copy for InterVarsity Press titles adopted for classroom use up to three times a year. Your free exam or desk copy will be sent to you within four weeks. Register for a professional account to access this benefit!

Are you an InterVarsity alum? Use promo code IVCFALUMNI to get a 25% discount at ivpress.com.

Downloadable Pocket Prayer Card from Graduate Healthcare Ministries. Medical students at Brown asked for a small resource that would prompt them to pray throughout the day. Colleague Renee Nicholas created this card with psalms and short prayers to support them — and you’re invited to use it too! Thanks, Renee!

Calling All Scientists! The American Scientific Affiliation is hosting their Winter Symposium on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 1:00 pm ET/10:00 am PT. The topic is "AI & Christianity" and features speakers Joanna Ng and Rosalind Picard. Register for this online event here.

Save the Date: February 21-22, 2025 for Believers in Business. As the largest Christian MBA gathering in the country, the 2025 Believers in Business Conference is a key intersection of the Christian MBA and Christian professional communities. Mark your calendars to join them in New York this February!

Are you a new graduate student? We invite you to subscribe to a unique newsletter from InterVarsity’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries designed to support and encourage first-year grad students as they embark on the next step of their academic journey. If you’re a first-year graduate student, click here to subscribe.

Four More Things We Loved This Week

1. Remember When Presents Were a Surprise? Not Anymore. (NYTimes, unlocked)

2. “Nativity scenes show us the loving parents we all need—and remind me that my own parents estranged me over my faith.” (Christianity Today, unlocked)

3. Author Liuan Huska writes on cultivating “a beginner’s mind” to manage those uncertainties near and far that trouble us.

4. See the Top Comedy Wildlife Pics of 2024. (We especially liked the video of a fox with the zoomies.)