Waiting for Joy | Advent Week 3

What do you do when the season tells you to feel joyful—but you don’t?
In this third week of Advent, Pastor Michael Newton walks us through Philippians 4 to explore a deeper, truer joy—one that isn’t dependent on circumstances, seasons, or emotions. From the darkness of winter to the darkness of a Roman prison cell, we’re reminded that Paul’s call to “rejoice always” wasn’t written from comfort, but from suffering.

This message wrestles honestly with anxiety, seasonal heaviness, and misplaced joy, while inviting us to anchor our joy in the one place it can’t be taken from: Jesus. Through Scripture, story, and a simple practice of gratitude, we’re invited to make room for joy—even when it feels faint.

Joy didn’t arrive loudly.
It arrived quietly, in the dark.
And even a small flame is enough to push back the night.

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SCRIPTURE: Philippians 4v4-7

SPEAKER: Michael Newton