G. Archer Frierson
Austin Seminary Board of Trustees
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Advent Devotional for December 12
• Psalm 126
Once upon a Christmas eve, my younger brother and I were doing our best to fall asleep. But, alas, we were too excited about the next morning and the surprises it would bring. Eventually, sleep won, “Santa” delivered, and Christmas arrived! The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, and I was awakened to only slightly muffled shouts of “Yes! Yes! Yeeeeesssss!” Without opening my eyes, I knew my brother was awake, that he was excited, and “Santa” had fulfilled his greatest annual wish.
The gift eventually wore out, fell apart, and was discarded, but the joy lasts even today. My brother and I spent hours in each other’s company, laughing until we cried. Our Psalmist smiles at these memories, knowing the true gifts that joy and laughter bring. My brother’s wish was a Nintendo with the original Super Mario Brothers, but the psalmist recalls the gift that only God could deliver. “The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.” (vs 3.)
But life is not always Christmas morning, is it? Sometimes, life is Good Friday … and our “Yes!” is veiled in the opaqueness of our shame, our hurt, and our disappointment. But I promise you that God hears our cries in the night, holds us even closer, and promises that the new day WILL come when there are no more tears and no more pain. Friends, our Christmas morning is coming, our gift will be front and center … and our rejoicing will be the loudest “Yeeeeesssss” we can ever imagine.
Ms. Carrie Winebrenner
Senior student from San Antonio, Texas
For the glory of God and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a seminary in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition whose mission is to educate and equip individuals for the ordained Christian ministry and other forms of Christian service and leadership; to employ its resources in the service of the church; to promote and engage in critical theological thought and research; and to be a winsome and exemplary community of God's people.We hope that you are preparing the way for the Lord in your life as you read these meditations and prayers. And, we hope this Advent season is a meaningful one for you. Please know that Austin Seminary’s dedicated, diverse, and loving community of faith is not complete without you. Did you know?
• Students in our masters-degree programs receive up to 85% need-based tuition aid.
• Historically, more than 80% of our graduates are called to congregational ministry.
• Our students come from more than a dozen denominations.
• Our alumni serve in ministry in forty-eight U.S. states as well as in twenty different countries across the world.
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• CLICK HERE to learn how you can support the mission of Austin Seminary
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