• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Katie Rouse Writes

Where the gold gets made.

  • About Katie
    • Contact Katie
  • Writing
    • Blog
    • The Season of Advent
    • Categories
  • Books
  • Marketing Support
  • Subscribe

The Season of Advent

Advent is the season of celebrating the coming of Christ, and of longing for his return.

I didn’t grow up with Advent; I discovered it while living overseas, where I journaled through the season with red pen, poetry & songs, and with advent resources like books with modern literature readings. I remember sitting on balconies with blankets (India does get cold sometimes) and friends as I, for the first time, learned to savor time, slowly plod through a season, and wait expectantly for the next one: the new year.

What is Advent?

Advent is the season of celebrating the coming of Christ, and of longing for his return. It’s a season that holds the tension of hope: that we do have Christ who came to be a man and a sacrifice for us, but that we also have a Christ we must wait to return, to make all things right.

Ways I’ve Celebrated Advent

Ever since 2015, I’ve been learning and leaning into Advent (and Lent) as a season that I set a part for different study, different focus, different time spent with him. As you’ll see below, that has included writing and singing songs, poems, and short devotions.

Advent Study 2021! The Slow Rescue

Advent 2021 ebook study by Katie Rouse

Study Advent with me!

Explore the themes of Advent with fresh retellings of stories you know and love, and reflect with extra questions and reading options.

Venmo $10 to Katie-Rose-Nash to join us (please message me if money is an issue)

Click here to join us!

Resources for Advent Reading & Reflecting

Each year, I’ve done something a little bit different, whether it’s a different focus or book or style. I wrote songs weekly in 2016; I’ve read different books; I’ve listened to different sermons series. Here are some of my favorite Advent resources:

  • Light Upon Light: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Advent, Christmas, and Ephiphany. This book was the first major Advent reading I did, and it was a really beautiful, but hefty read. This same editor also has a similar resource for Lent and Ordinary Time.
  • Honest Advent by Scott Erickson. This collection from an artist I love following on Instagram is fresh and a lighter collection of readings.
  • Advent Reminds Us is a series by a fellow writer/blogger/editor who has encouraged me. These posts are weighty and beautiful – a true joy to read. Best of all: they’re online & free!

There are so many more resources than this, but these are the ones I keep coming back to.

Advent posts through the years:

  • Advent Songs, part 1: counselorDecember 1, 2016
    I love advent. Just within the past year, thanks to a friend who was with me 24/7 in our first holiday season away […]
  • Advent Songs, part 2: faithDecember 4, 2016
    Table of Contents Tiny FaithMighty God: the object of our faith Increase my faithMighty God With this week’s sermon, came two songs, of […]
  • Advent Songs, part 3: fatherDecember 12, 2016
    Table of Contents How my early father meets meHow Jesus reveals our FatherEverlasting Father It’s a quiet morning here.  And by quiet, I […]
  • advent 2016 songs: peace cover photo
    Advent Songs, part 4: peaceDecember 18, 2016
    Table of Contents From there to “then”Peace is a “then” I’ve overlooked this year. This is why He came. the prince of peace This […]
  • Advent Songs, Christmas Eve: gloryDecember 24, 2016
    The new year races towards me, but today, it’s only Christmas Eve. Still, as I read Luke 2 this morning, my thoughts went […]
  • advent devotional 2018 cover photo of candles and devotional post title
    Advent: Peace and imperfection.December 11, 2018
    “I was rounding the corner to the new year in every way. Promise had surfaced in my life. We’d had small circumstantial changes […]
  • advent 2020 week one imagery
    advent 2020, week 1: only the beginningNovember 29, 2020
    Advent is only the beginning In the gospels For the last four months, I’ve been reading & rereading the gospels each month. This […]
  • cover photo for advent poem
    poem: the advent of our shameDecember 12, 2020
    a poem for Advent 2020, week 2 The advent of our shame was in the garden where we hid ourselves, clothed ourselves: Shame […]
  • advent week 2 cover photo: God understands our shame
    advent 2020, week 2: God understands our shameDecember 12, 2020
    Table of Contents “You cannot think your way out of shame; you must experience your way out of it.”Mary’s story was affected by […]
  • advent 2020 week 3: do we deserve joy?
    advent 2020, week 3: do we deserve joy?December 19, 2020
    Table of Contents What do you deserve?Look at the storyWhat if the answer to the question “What do you deserve?” — is actually […]
  • poem: the advent of our joyDecember 19, 2020
    based on advent week 3 post: do we deserve joy? the advent of joycomes with a baby’s womb-leapingand a once-barren woman, familiar with […]
  • advent 2020, week 4: what I’ve learned about loveDecember 22, 2020
    Today, I’ve been married for 10 months. And I love the timing of this, in the final week of Advent, the week which […]

© 2020 Katie Rouse