This week’s Centering Prayer gathering invited us to notice how we arrive, the words we carry in, the conversations left unspoken, and the quiet challenge of entering a space as if it were a sanctuary. Through silence, writing, and release, we practiced letting go and consenting again to God’s gentle presence.

Our Week 16 gathering invited us to prepare the way for the Lord, to slow down, breathe deeply, and make room for light. Through silence and reflection, we discovered that Advent readiness begins within: clearing space for grace to take root and letting God’s presence prepare the path ahead.

Held by God is a reflection from this week’s Centering Prayer gathering during Advent. Together, we practiced settling the body, resting in silence, and releasing fear into God’s care. As we reflected on Advent’s promise, we named how love invites us forward even when fear arises. In stillness, we remembered that our whole life is prayer, and that we are always held by God.

In this week’s gathering, our Centering Prayer group reflected on gratitude, grace, and the gifts that flow through ordinary moments. Guided by a passage from One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, writes “The truly saved see grace everywhere and in everything”, we explored how thanksgiving opens our hearts to the light of God’s grace in all things.