In Advent, we are called to wait, to stay alert, and to pay attention. Jesus warns, “Be on guard,” reminding us that hope is not a distant gift but something already close at hand. Advent invites us to notice God’s presence woven into small, everyday wonders―the friends who lift our spirits, the mentors who encourage us, and the simple kindness of strangers. Hope often arrives through the steady presence of others, if only we are alert enough to see it.
My father passed away when I was five, and in the wake of that loss, my hometown of Middlesboro became my source of hope. Neighbors, friends, and family gathered around, offering strength and encouragement. I spent weekends with my grandparents, sharing in my grandmother’s warm breakfasts and receiving my grandfather’s gentle kindness after his long days of coal hauling. Those acts of care were like small lights, guiding me forward, and showing me I was not alone.
Beyond family, my friends’ parents also brought joy and assurance into my life, celebrating milestones and inviting me on trips that expanded my world. Their generosity taught me that hope is woven into our connections. Each kindness was a reminder that we are upheld by one another’s love and care, even in life’s hardest seasons.
My teachers also brought hope, each in their own way. My eighth-grade teacher sparked my love for reading with Poe’s mysteries, while my speech and debate teacher encouraged me to grow beyond athletics. My senior English teacher opened my mind to ask hard questions, helping me see that hope thrives in the courage to learn and change. Each of them taught me that hope is something we cultivate by staying curious, noticing those around us, and showing up in their lives with compassion.
Advent calls us to this kind of attentiveness―to look closely at the people in our lives, for in their kindnesses, we find hope. We’re also called to stay open to those who may need our presence and support, that we might be the light they need. Through these simple acts of noticing, both giving and receiving hope, we find the true work of this season, as we await Christ, our ultimate hope.
Prayer: Lord of all hope, help us to recognize your presence in others, and make us instruments of Christ’s love. May we live as signs of your hope, bringing warmth and light into a weary world.
Alan Spade is in his thirty-fourth year in K‒12 public education. He and his wife, Hollie, began attending Highland Baptist Church shortly after moving to Louisville in 2017. They have two adult children, Bailey and Yulie.