wordhabit
By wordhabit
My name is Michaela Lawrence Jeffery and you can find out more about me at wordhabit.com
wordhabitDec 13, 2022
Advent 2022 (my way): "This Is How We Show Up"
"And the things of earth will grow strangely dim…" is a line from a hymn titled "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus."
Advent 2022 (my way): "Okay."
FYI: My reading of Mary & Joseph's conception story is from the Message Bible.
Advent 2022 (my way): "A bit of brand new"
FYI: the verse in Matthew 11 that I reference includes the words of Jesus as recorded in the International Children's Bible. I often enjoy its clarity.
Advent 2022 (my way): "Anticipation"
FYI...This episode talks about pregnancy and miscarriage.
Advent 2022 (my way): "Adults say and do the darndest things"
Check out yesterydays for a bit more intro to this.
Advent 2022 (my way): "There are too many dead "
Welcome to Advent 2022, My Way.
In case you don’t know who I am, my name is Michaela Lawrence Jeffery. In addition to being a daughter, sister, niece, cousin, wife, mother, friend…you get the picture…I’m a pastor and I’m a writer and I’m still learning to put the two together beyond sermon writing.
Two years ago, I explored Advent for the first time.
This isn’t something Seventh-day Adventists traditionally do, it’s not something I grew up with. It is something I see a lot of value in and I’m enjoying the process of creatively exploring Advent in a way that proves relevant to what I’m experiencing today.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to shepherd you through part of the Advent season.
Ep 23: Sunset (Letter 2)
Two things:
- A few months ago, I came up with a new writing project. I need projects. This one is called Add to the Beauty (ATTB). What is ATTB? See my website for all the details.
- My daydream about visiting BBT is truly just a daydream. I don’t even know if she likes lemonade. And I certainly don't know if she likes being referred to as BBT.
This episode is about the glory of a sunset.
Be sure to leave a review.
22: Switching Gears (Letter 1)
I've begun a new writing focus. Listen in to learn more.
I reference Sara Groves' song "Add to the Beauty" which you can listen to here.
Find out more about me at wordhabit.com and on social media @wordhabit.
21: Dance
So, let's talk about!
Many thanks to Amanda for providing our word for today. You can find the second piece here: wordhabit.com/dothething/
20: Later
Here's the Chocolate Tea recipe I talk about.
You can read the rest of the show notes here: https://wordhabit.com/episode-20-later/
19: Sojourner
I have “sojourner” tattooed on my leg. My greatest spiritual growth and encouragement happened at a church named Sojourner. The life of Sojourner Truth is inspiring and reminds me not to be complacent. But mostly, as a person who always longs to be at home, the word “sojourner” encompasses my calling to travel and bridge cultural gaps; to be inclusive and open; to trust that my home is always where God is, and God is always with me; and finally, to bring others along on the journey toward wholeness, healing, and the new creation we are all called to birth.
Our word for today is: sojourner
Thank you for joining me here at wordhabit where all the words matter. My name is Michaela Lawrence Jeffery and I invite you to send me a word that matters to you (just like Wendy did) and a 100 word max description of why it matters. I will then share what you’ve written or a modified version of it, and talk about how your word is part of my world. Send your words to michaela@wordhabit.com or go to wordhabit.com and submit your words there.
In between your words, I’ll share the words that matter to me, how they came to matter and more.
Let’s do this together.
18: Unity (reflection & poem)
I recently published a piece about Unity. You can find it here. The writing process got me thinking a lot about...unity...and so I thought I'd share some recent and not at all recent thoughts on the matter. The poem was written in 1999. I was 20.
Enjoy.
17: A Conversation with hope*writer Kelly Streiff (part 2)
16: A Conversation with hope*writer Kelly Streiff (part 1)
I know you want to become a hope*writer now. Here's the link: https://michaelalawrencejeffery--hopewriters.thrivecart.com/join-monthly-jan2021/
You have until tomorrow, January 29. After that, you'll have to wait some months before you can join. Don't wait.
Now to introduce my guest.
Kelly is a writer, speaker, and former world-traveler who traded in her passport for a permanent address and now calls Atlanta, GA home. She hosts the Even If podcast, where she shares her own story of losing her first child at birth and offers words of hope for women navigating seasons of loss and longing. When she's not podcasting, she helps other writers find their next right step with hope*writers. Her one vice is Diet Coke but she maintains she can quit anytime she wants.
Here’s where you can find Kelly.
Hopewriters website: www.hopewriters.com
IG: @Kelly Streiff
Website: www.kellystreiff.com
Advent (day 9) Unexpected.
You'll get a laugh out of this one and also some good thinking time.
Enjoy!
Advent (day 8) Clarity.
Todays words are not mine at all. Most are pieces from the Bible and the last one is a poem that I got permission to read. It's by Rev. J Todd Jenkins. You can follow him on Twitter @dabar96.
Until next time...
Advent (day 7) Perfect (pt 1).
Anyone in the airwaves love to be perfect??
I'm certainly a perfectionist in recovery and I take joy in moments when messy is just fine and imperfect can remain. Listen into what I'm thinking about as I begin making connections between what is perfect and this season of Advent.
Just one piece today. You can read it here: https://wordhabit.com/2020/12/08/advent-day-7-perfect/
To get in touch, email me at wordhabit@gmail.com
Advent (day 6) Music.
One piece today, written tonight. You can read it here: https://wordhabit.com/2020/12/07/advent-day-6-music/
I love music so this one is especially meaningful. Although, last night's is actually my favorite of my Advent episodes so far.
Thank you for tuning in.
Advent (day 5) Father.
I absolutely recommend doing this, thinking about/researching Advent and then processing with one thing in mine--to know God more.
I'm enjoying this journey and definitely let me know what you think. Also, don't hesitate to share, share, share!
You'll find both pieces that I read via this link: https://wordhabit.com/2020/12/06/advent-day-5-father
Advent (day 4) Settling.
Advent (day 3) Waiting.
I am loving this journey even though it, so far, is taking me to 10pm each night to complete. It's worth it.
So is waiting. Tune in and let me know what you think.
Again, I share two pieces. The second is on my website: https://wordhabit.com/2007/06/30/inanition-continues/
Remember you can always email me at wordhabit@gmail.com. Once Advent is over, I'll return to other words and I'd love for you to share a word that means a lot to you with 100 other words telling me why.
Advent (day 2) Fear.
Day 2 of thinking about and researching Advent. I've shared two pieces again today. You can find the original post of the first one on my website. Click here.
Don't forget to reach out and let me know a word and 100 words telling me why that word matters to you. Email it all to wordhabit@gmail.com
Advent (day 1) Discovery.
Thank you for joining my Advent journey. I'm beginning on December 1 and hope to get to December 25 if not the 31st.
I wasn't raised observing this season so I'm taking time to figure it out for myself.
I share two pieces here about discovery--one I wrote today specific to Advent and the other I wrote in 2008 when my husband was my boyfriend and I was in Seminary.
If you enjoy what you hear, be sure to share it. And don't hesitate to email me at wordhabit@gmail.com with words that matter to you.
2008 blog post is https://wordhabit.com/2008/03/13/history-belongs/
The lyric "history belongs to those who pray" is in the song that I can't currently find. The artist who I heard sing it is a woman who, I believe, has a Celtic vibe.
6: Voice
I’ve never enjoyed hearing my voice played back. Does anyone? My consistent internal response is, “Who is that person and why do people listen to her?”
I am learning to listen to her. She hasn’t always been comfortable, she hasn’t always been afraid. She’s had bold moments as a child and she’s shut up an awful lot in older years.
Discovering my voice has been part of my healing.
Blackness (Ep 5)
We're taught to fear the dark, to turn on lights. Even our design sensibilities are telling, from white walls to white sneakers. This thing called skin color is heavy.
In this episode 5, I’ll share a sandwich made up of two short prose pieces and a poem in between. They all have to do with Blackness. Yup. Blackness. That’s our word for today.
Sunshine (Ep 4)
You know that scene after a good storm when the sun peeks through grey clouds along with a little bit of blue sky? Even if you like thunder and lightning, that little bit of sun does wonders for your psyche. We're getting a lot of sunshine these and could really do with more of the figurative kind.
Sunshine. That's our topic for today. Thanks for listening.
Loneliness (Ep 3)
The distancing required during the last few months and the fear of the unknown have gotten married and have made all the already bad things even worse. Like loneliness.
That's our topic for today. Thanks for listening.
Community (Ep 2)
Home (Ep 1)
an introduction
Here are the basics of what wordhabit is all about. Hope you'll send me your words (wordhabit@gmail.com) so we can get this conversation rolling.