Stilling Ourselves Before God
A Review of
Waiting for Jesus: An Advent Invitation to Prayer and Renewal
Rich Villodas
Hardback: WaterBrook, 2025
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Reviewed by Rachel Goddard
Like many other church musicians, I both anticipate and dread Advent. Preparing for Christmas starts in September—at least—and by the time the Christmas Eve service is over, it is easy to find yourself sick of the whole thing. The church sometimes competes with the culture by scheduling more and louder things to bring people in, all of which must be staffed by church members who feel guilty saying no. This is added to all the non-church events and parties and to-dos, of course.
So Rich Villodas hit me right where I live in his Advent devotional, Waiting for Jesus: “The fast-paced life creates a worn-down soul.” (118) The book is a 25-day devotional through December that uses different themes than the familiar four weeks of Advent (peace, hope, love, joy). Instead, he centers waiting, peacemaking, rejoicing, and beholding. I am not particularly good at any of these virtues, but Villodas gently offers new ways to think about each both within the Christmas story and in my life right now. Each day encourages the reader to still themselves before God, read Scripture, pray, and respond through an unusually thought-provoking question. I found myself grabbing my journal regularly to capture a new insight into the familiar Christmas themes.
The prompt to stillness every day is Villodas’s true focus. By inviting us to stop for just a few moments, offering God space in the day to bless us or speak, the Advent roller coaster stops speeding down the tracks. Some days a particular phrase from Villodas’s reflection or quotes from a range of Christian thinkers resounded in my body. Some days I just took a breath and was glad for it. This book can also be used in small groups, and my own small group has decided to use it during Advent. Waiting for Jesus can help us all take the breath, “create the space to connect with God.” (126)
Rachel Goddard
Rachel Goddard is an insatiable bookworm and avid crafter. She is the Director of Operations for a small non-profit, after 14 years with the federal government. She holds a master's in Defense and Strategic Studies from Missouri State University and a Bachelor's in Political Science and International Relations from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, Richard, and her cat, Izzy.
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