We Find Joy in Connection

Dear Countryside Community, Greetings of hope, peace, joy, and love as we journey together through this Advent season. In episode 13 of our podcast, It Takes a Village, Sarah and I reflected on the profound meaning of Advent amidst the challenges and chaos of our lives and the world around us. This season calls us to lean into the promise of God’s in-breaking love—a love that meets us in the mess and invites us into co-creation of peace, joy and belonging. We discussed how peace, particularly in times of upheaval, is not merely the absence of conflict but a profound, defiant hope rooted in justice and God’s abiding presence. It’s the peace that “passes all understanding,” as Sarah beautifully reminded us—a gift that sustains us even in the most unbearable moments. This peace, when chosen, enables us to extend love  ...