In this episode of the Next Step Podcast, professional coach, author, and CEO Jonathan Reitz joins Justin Rossow to talk about Chapter 2: Lift Up Your Heads, You Mighty Gates from the resource Light in the Darkness: A Hymn Journal for Advent & Christmas.

After a brief introduction and an opening prayer, you'll hear Jonathan read from Psalm 24 (on page 15 of the book) and, as part of the ensuing discussion, Justin will read the devotion "Open Wide My Heart, Your Home" on page 16.

After we listen to this chapter's featured hymn, Jonathan and Justin will discuss both the hymn and the Prayer Experiment on pages 18-19 with a focus on opening up places in your life to Jesus even when that seems challenging. Jonathan opens up with us about some of his own personal baggage around family, depression, and the holidays and also gives us some coaching questions to consider as we imagine inviting Jesus into the places we like to keep hidden from other people.

For more on celebrating Christmas no matter what you are feeling this year, see the blog Have A Very … Christmas.

The image that shapes the devotion in this chapter--of a back room hiding all of our clutter from a Christmas visitor--is a much-shortened version of the story that begins and ends this Advent sermon on the Key of David. (Audio only.)

Jonathan mentioned the song "King of the Glory" by the band Third Day. Do you have any favorite songs from that time period?

If you would like to find out more about coaching or about Jonathan, you can check out his book or visit the Fluxify web page. (When this podcast went live, Fluxify was still migrating from https://coachnet.org/. It's the same company undergoing rebranding.)

Jonathan and Justin also talk about the first Advent of King Jesus in light of the Second Advent of the King. For more on that topic, check out the scholarly article "If Jesus 'Came Down from Heaven,' Where Does that Leave Me?" by Justin Rossow, beginning on page 388 of the Concordia Journal, Volume 32, No. 4. Or check out this fun, five-minute video.

This podcast is designed especially to go with the Light in the Darkness Facebook learning community sponsored by Next Step Press. Join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/AdventHymnJournal.

This episode of the Next Step Podcast was supported in part by the generosity of Next Step Patrons. To see different options for support, including monthly and annual options, visit https://www.patreon.com/findmynextstep. Thank you to all of our Patrons! Patrons make it possible.

The A Light in the Darkness CD from Brooke and Brendan is now available on your favorite streaming services as well as on YouTube.