The third week of Advent invites us to reflect on love—real love—and what it looks like in our lives.

Get your FREE Unhurried Advent Guide here.

This 25-day guide is filled with Scripture meditations, devotional readings with reflective questions, and contemplative imagery—all designed to help you slow down and savor the Advent season. Created in collaboration with Unhurried Living, a ministry I’m confident you’ll love.

What is love?
The world often says love is a feeling—but feelings change.

God tells us that love is so much more. God is love.

And his love is eternal, unchanging, and steadfast.

He demonstrated this love by sending his Son, Jesus, to take away our sins.

There is no greater love than the love of God.

But God’s love isn’t something we receive for ourselves alone. Part of knowing God’s love is the call to give it away—to love one another as he has loved us.

Yet, this can feel especially hard during the holidays, when we might face the challenge of loving difficult people in our families and communities.

This meditation will guide you to contemplate love: God’s love for you and his invitation to love others.

May you know and experience real love this Advent season.

Get your FREE Unhurried Advent Guide here.

Here are some additional helpful links:

Did you love today’s calming music by Simon Wester? If so, head here to find links to his music. I have his Spotify playlist on repeat.

You can find out more about me, Jodie, at http://www.jodieniznik.com/

Follow me on Instagram @jodieniznik

Follow me on Facebook @JodieGNiznik

Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Lectio Divina Scripture Meditation Journal here.

Join my Monday email newsletter here, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning.

Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at lifeaudio.com.

Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies here.

The entire meditation text is as follows:

1 John 4:7-10, NLT

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

The third week of Advent invites us to reflect on love—real love—and what it looks like in our lives.
Get your FREE Unhurried Advent Guide <a href="https://www.unhurriedliving.com/advent2024">here</a>.
This 25-day guide is filled with Scripture meditations, devotional readings with reflective questions, and contemplative imagery—all designed to help you slow down and savor the Advent season. Created in collaboration with Unhurried Living, a ministry I’m confident you’ll love.
What is love? The world often says love is a feeling—but feelings change.
God tells us that love is so much more. God is love.
And his love is eternal, unchanging, and steadfast.
He demonstrated this love by sending his Son, Jesus, to take away our sins.
There is no greater love than the love of God.
But God’s love isn’t something we receive for ourselves alone. Part of knowing God’s love is the call to give it away—to love one another as he has loved us.
Yet, this can feel especially hard during the holidays, when we might face the challenge of loving difficult people in our families and communities.
This meditation will guide you to contemplate love: God’s love for you and his invitation to love others.
May you know and experience real love this Advent season.
Get your FREE Unhurried Advent Guide <a href="https://www.unhurriedliving.com/advent2024">here</a>.
Here are some additional helpful links:
Did you love today’s calming music by Simon Wester? If so, head <a href="https://simonwester.com/">here</a> to find links to his music. I have his Spotify playlist on repeat.
You can find out more about me, Jodie, at <a href="http://www.jodieniznik.com/">http://www.jodieniznik.com/</a>
Follow me on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jodieniznik/">@jodieniznik</a>
Follow me on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JodieGNiznik">@JodieGNiznik</a>
Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Lectio Divina Scripture Meditation Journal <a href="https://idyllic-fashion-59593.myflodesk.com/qonerec7np">here</a>.
Join my Monday email newsletter <a href="https://idyllic-fashion-59593.myflodesk.com/enrpjoz0aa">here</a>, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning.
Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/">lifeaudio.com.</a>
Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies <a href="http://www.jodieniznik.com/studies">here</a>.
The entire meditation text is as follows:
1 John 4:7-10, NLT
7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Welcome to So Much More where we're creating space to be with God. This podcast, hosted by Jodie Niznik, introduces you to two types of bible scripture meditation experiences, Lectio Divina and Imaginative Prayer, and gives you space to practice them. It also creates space to hear what others have experienced in their time with God.

Topics Covered:

📖 What Is Lectio Divina and Why Is It a Helpful Christian Practice
📖 What Is Christian Meditation and How Do We Use Scripture to Practice It
📖 Special Church Seasonal Series Including Lent, Easter, and Advent

If you are a Christian looking for ways to pray more or meditate more on Scripture, be sure to visit Jodie's website, https://www.jodieniznik.com/ for more information! 

Welcome to So Much More where we're creating space to be with God. This podcast, hosted by Jodie Niznik, introduces you to two types of bible scripture meditation experiences, Lectio Divina and Imaginative Prayer, and gives you space to practice them. It also creates space to hear what others have experienced in their time with God.
Topics Covered:
📖 What Is Lectio Divina and Why Is It a Helpful Christian Practice 📖 What Is Christian Meditation and How Do We Use Scripture to Practice It 📖 Special Church Seasonal Series Including Lent, Easter, and Advent
If you are a Christian looking for ways to pray more or meditate more on Scripture, be sure to visit Jodie's website, <a href="https://www.jodieniznik.com/">https://www.jodieniznik.com/</a> for more information!

So Much More: Scripture Meditation (Lectio Divina)

What Is Real Love? | 1 John 4:7-10 (Advent Week 3)

This second week of Advent invites us to reflect on the theme of peace—a peace that became possible through the arrival of Jesus.

Get your FREE Unhurried Advent Guide here.
This 25-day guide is filled with Scripture meditations, devotional readings with reflective questions, and contemplative imagery—all designed to help you slow down and savor the Advent season. Created in collaboration with Unhurried Living, a ministry I’m confident you’ll love.

Jesus brought peace. Peace in our relationship with God, peace into our lives, and peace into the world.

The peace He offers isn’t a distant, someday-when-life-is-perfect kind of peace. It’s a peace we can experience right now—in the middle of the mess.

I love how Alan Fadling, from Unhurried Living and one of the contributors to the Unhurried Advent Guide, puts it:
“Anything we can do in anxiety, we can do better in peace.”

This doesn’t ignore the fact that real life is often messy and difficult. But imagine if there were an undercurrent of peace flowing through your life instead of anxiety. How would that change the way you live, love, and respond to your circumstances?

Today, we’re meditating on the announcement of Jesus’s birth to the shepherds. In this extraordinary moment, God gives them (and us) the profound gift of peace.

As you listen to this meditation, I invite you to step into the shepherds’ shoes and wonder: What would it have been like to witness this moment?

More importantly, how might Jesus be inviting you to embrace His peace this Advent season?

I’m praying that this meditation helps you pause, reflect, and receive the peace Jesus offers.

Get your FREE Unhurried Advent Guide here.

Here are some additional helpful links:

Did you love today’s calming music by Simon Wester? If so, head here to find links to his music. I have his Spotify playlist on repeat.

You can find out more about me, Jodie, at http://www.jodieniznik.com/

Follow me on Instagram @jodieniznik

Follow me on Facebook @JodieGNiznik

Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Lectio Divina Scripture Meditation Journal here.

Join my Monday email newsletter here, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning.

Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at lifeaudio.com.

Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies here.

The entire meditation text is as follows:

Luke 2:8–14, NLT

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

This second week of Advent invites us to reflect on the theme of peace—a peace that became possible through the arrival of Jesus.
Get your FREE Unhurried Advent Guide <a href="https://www.unhurriedliving.com/advent2024">here</a>. This 25-day guide is filled with Scripture meditations, devotional readings with reflective questions, and contemplative imagery—all designed to help you slow down and savor the Advent season. Created in collaboration with Unhurried Living, a ministry I’m confident you’ll love.
<hr>
Jesus brought peace. Peace in our relationship with God, peace into our lives, and peace into the world.
The peace He offers isn’t a distant, someday-when-life-is-perfect kind of peace. It’s a peace we can experience right now—in the middle of the mess.
I love how Alan Fadling, from Unhurried Living and one of the contributors to the Unhurried Advent Guide, puts it: “Anything we can do in anxiety, we can do better in peace.”
This doesn’t ignore the fact that real life is often messy and difficult. But imagine if there were an undercurrent of peace flowing through your life instead of anxiety. How would that change the way you live, love, and respond to your circumstances?
<hr>
Today, we’re meditating on the announcement of Jesus’s birth to the shepherds. In this extraordinary moment, God gives them (and us) the profound gift of peace.
As you listen to this meditation, I invite you to step into the shepherds’ shoes and wonder: What would it have been like to witness this moment?
More importantly, how might Jesus be inviting you to embrace His peace this Advent season?
I’m praying that this meditation helps you pause, reflect, and receive the peace Jesus offers.
Get your FREE Unhurried Advent Guide <a href="https://www.unhurriedliving.com/advent2024">here</a>.
Here are some additional helpful links:
Did you love today’s calming music by Simon Wester? If so, head <a href="https://simonwester.com/">here</a> to find links to his music. I have his Spotify playlist on repeat.
You can find out more about me, Jodie, at <a href="http://www.jodieniznik.com/">http://www.jodieniznik.com/</a>
Follow me on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jodieniznik/">@jodieniznik</a>
Follow me on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JodieGNiznik">@JodieGNiznik</a>
Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Lectio Divina Scripture Meditation Journal <a href="https://idyllic-fashion-59593.myflodesk.com/qonerec7np">here</a>.
Join my Monday email newsletter <a href="https://idyllic-fashion-59593.myflodesk.com/enrpjoz0aa">here</a>, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning.
Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/">lifeaudio.com.</a>
Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies <a href="http://www.jodieniznik.com/studies">here</a>.
The entire meditation text is as follows:
Luke 2:8–14, NLT
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

The Arrival of Peace | Luke 2:8-14 (Advent Week 2)

This first week of Advent focuses on the theme of hope—a hope made tangible through the arrival of Jesus.

Get your FREE Unhurried Advent Guidehere.

This 25-day guide is full of Scripture meditations, devotional readings with reflective questions, and contemplative imagery—all designed to help you slow down and savor the Advent season. Created in collaboration with Unhurried Living, an amazing ministry I’m confident you’ll love.

Why do we have hope?

As believers, our hope isn’t anchored in fleeting desires or wishful thinking. Instead, it is rooted in God’s faithfulness.

Did you know Jesus fulfilled more than 300 prophecies with His first coming—prophecies that were written centuries before His birth?

These fulfilled prophecies assure us that God faithfully keeps his promises. And that means, just as Jesus came once, He will come again. This is our sure hope.

This week’s meditation is one of the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. It is from the book of Isaiah and was written hundreds of years before Jesus’s birth. It speaks clearly of Jesus as the Light who shines in our darkness.

Just like us, the people in Isaiah’s times struggled. While our struggles may differ, we know the weight of darkness in our lives and world. We, too, need the light of hope to break through. And Jesus is that light.

No matter what you’re facing this season, let this passage remind you of your sure hope in Christ—the One who entered into our darkness to bring His glorious light. I’m praying this meditation helps you rest in His unshakable hope today.

Get your FREE Unhurried Advent Guide here.

Here are some additional helpful links:

Did you love today’s calming music by Simon Wester? If so, head here to find links to his music. I have his Spotify playlist on repeat.

You can find out more about me, Jodie, at http://www.jodieniznik.com/

Follow me on Instagram @jodieniznik

Follow me on Facebook @JodieGNiznik

Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Lectio Divina Scripture Meditation Journal here.

Join my Monday email newsletter here, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning.

Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at lifeaudio.com.

Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies here.

The entire meditation text is as follows:

Isaiah 9:2, 6, NIV

2 The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

a light has dawned.

6 For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

This first week of Advent focuses on the theme of hope—a hope made tangible through the arrival of Jesus.
Get your FREE Unhurried Advent Guide <a href="https://www.unhurriedliving.com/advent2024">here</a>.
This 25-day guide is full of Scripture meditations, devotional readings with reflective questions, and contemplative imagery—all designed to help you slow down and savor the Advent season. Created in collaboration with Unhurried Living, an amazing ministry I’m confident you’ll love.
Why do we have hope?
As believers, our hope isn’t anchored in fleeting desires or wishful thinking. Instead, it is rooted in God’s faithfulness.
Did you know Jesus fulfilled more than 300 prophecies with His first coming—prophecies that were written centuries before His birth?
These fulfilled prophecies assure us that God faithfully keeps his promises. And that means, just as Jesus came once, He will come again. This is our sure hope.
This week’s meditation is one of the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. It is from the book of Isaiah and was written hundreds of years before Jesus’s birth. It speaks clearly of Jesus as the Light who shines in our darkness.
Just like us, the people in Isaiah’s times struggled. While our struggles may differ, we know the weight of darkness in our lives and world. We, too, need the light of hope to break through. And Jesus is that light.
No matter what you’re facing this season, let this passage remind you of your sure hope in Christ—the One who entered into our darkness to bring His glorious light. I’m praying this meditation helps you rest in His unshakable hope today.
Get your FREE Unhurried Advent Guide <a href="https://www.unhurriedliving.com/advent2024">here</a>.
Here are some additional helpful links:
Did you love today’s calming music by Simon Wester? If so, head <a href="https://simonwester.com/">here</a> to find links to his music. I have his Spotify playlist on repeat.
You can find out more about me, Jodie, at <a href="http://www.jodieniznik.com/">http://www.jodieniznik.com/</a>
Follow me on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jodieniznik/">@jodieniznik</a>
Follow me on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JodieGNiznik">@JodieGNiznik</a>
Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Lectio Divina Scripture Meditation Journal <a href="https://idyllic-fashion-59593.myflodesk.com/qonerec7np">here</a>.
Join my Monday email newsletter <a href="https://idyllic-fashion-59593.myflodesk.com/enrpjoz0aa">here</a>, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning.
Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/">lifeaudio.com.</a>
Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies <a href="http://www.jodieniznik.com/studies">here</a>.
The entire meditation text is as follows:
Isaiah 9:2, 6, NIV
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Hope: The Light Has Dawned | Isaiah 9 (Advent Wk 1)

This guided meditation and prayer from Psalm 103 guides us to pause and praise God for his unwavering faithfulness.

Get your FREE Praying with The Psalms Journal here.

Psalm 103 is often called a “salvation-history” Psalm. It beautifully recounts God’s faithfulness through the ages, telling the story of how he saved and redeemed his people over and over. At its core, this Psalm reminds us: if God did it before, he will do it again. He is trustworthy, he is good, and he is worthy of our praise.

In this season of thanksgiving, take a few moments to be guided into gratitude.

You can follow along with a FREE printed guide for this meditation and the entire Praying with the Psalms series here.

Advent is coming. Get your free Advent guide here. This guide was made in partnership with Unhurried Living and contains weekly Scripture meditations, daily devotionals, reflection questions, and more. All to guide you through the Advent season at an unhurried and gracious pace.

Get your Advent guide here: https://www.unhurriedliving.com/advent2024

Here are some additional helpful links:

You can find out more about me, Jodie, at http://www.jodieniznik.com/

Follow me on Instagram @creatingspaceforgod

Follow me on Facebook @JodieGNiznik

Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Lectio Divina Scripture Meditation Journal here.

Join my Monday email newsletter here, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning.

Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at lifeaudio.com.

Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies here.

The entire meditation text is as follows:

Psalm 103:1-5, NIV

1 Praise the Lord, my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the Lord, my soul,

and forget not all his benefits—

3 who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

This guided meditation and prayer from Psalm 103 guides us to pause and praise God for his unwavering faithfulness.
Get your FREE Praying with The Psalms Journal <a href="https://idyllic-fashion-59593.myflodesk.com/psalms">here</a>.
Psalm 103 is often called a “salvation-history” Psalm. It beautifully recounts God’s faithfulness through the ages, telling the story of how he saved and redeemed his people over and over. At its core, this Psalm reminds us: if God did it before, he will do it again. He is trustworthy, he is good, and he is worthy of our praise.
In this season of thanksgiving, take a few moments to be guided into gratitude.
You can follow along with a FREE printed guide for this meditation and the entire Praying with the Psalms series <a href="https://idyllic-fashion-59593.myflodesk.com/psalms">here</a>.
Advent is coming. Get your free Advent guide <a href="https://www.unhurriedliving.com/advent2024">here</a>. This guide was made in partnership with Unhurried Living and contains weekly Scripture meditations, daily devotionals, reflection questions, and more. All to guide you through the Advent season at an unhurried and gracious pace.
Get your Advent guide here: <a href="https://www.unhurriedliving.com/advent2024">https://www.unhurriedliving.com/advent2024</a>
Here are some additional helpful links:
You can find out more about me, Jodie, at <a href="http://www.jodieniznik.com/">http://www.jodieniznik.com/</a>
Follow me on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/creatingspaceforgod/">@creatingspaceforgod</a>
Follow me on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JodieGNiznik">@JodieGNiznik</a>
Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Lectio Divina Scripture Meditation Journal <a href="https://idyllic-fashion-59593.myflodesk.com/qonerec7np">here</a>.
Join my Monday email newsletter <a href="https://idyllic-fashion-59593.myflodesk.com/enrpjoz0aa">here</a>, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning.
Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/">lifeaudio.com.</a>
Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies <a href="http://www.jodieniznik.com/studies">here</a>.
The entire meditation text is as follows:
Psalm 103:1-5, NIV
1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

What Is Real Love? | 1 John 4:7-10 (Advent Week 3)

So Much More: Scripture Meditation (Lectio Divina)

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