A Christmas post
Year-end updates, and some Christmas thoughts
Tomorrow we’ll be setting out on our annual Christmas trek to Iowa, “the land of sweets and television,” as my kids long ago dubbed it.
Due to the much-anticipated arrival of a new little one in my family, our gathering won’t start until late on Christmas Eve, so we decided to change tradition just a bit. Instead of driving 11 hours straight across the bleak landscape of I-80 (and I do mean straight), we’re stopping for a day in Chicago and catching a performance of Hamilton, and maybe a museum while we’re there. (This is far more civilized than our usual travel plans, which, by popular demand, involve a lot of gas station snacks.)
Before I leave, I wanted to say a few words here. First, thank you! Thank you for reading, for following, for joining in the comments and community here. I’m not sure how long I’ll stick it out on Twitter/X, but I’ve loved having a quieter space to write and reflect. Thank you, too, to paid subscribers. Thank you for investing in this little project, and in me. I’m always rather astonished that you do, and I’m especially grateful that you don’t complain when I go 3 weeks without posting, or when I (perhaps more annoyingly?) post 3 times in a week. This flexibility has allowed me to write when I have something that needs to be said, but focus on other things when I need to be doing other things.
Speaking of other things, here’s a little update on the next book. I have 6 chapters of 11 written (fairly polished but still a bit long, as is my standard practice). I’ll send them to my editor in the new year. (Always a brutal experience, so thoughts and prayers appreciated!) The deadline for the final manuscript is October. It seems long away, but I’m already panicking. There is just so much research, so much editing, and so many other things that have to be done between now and then. But without deadlines, books don’t get written.
What I can say is that this book is hands-down the most *interesting* one I’ve written. I’ve had so many moments in my research where I just stop and think: “No. Way. Seriously?!” It’s also ambitious. I always have great plans for my books while I’m working on them. If this one comes together as I hope and dream, I think it will change the way we understand twentieth-century American religion. How’s that for ambitious? On top of that, all the fun people are in it. But they’re so much more interesting than I imagined, and in surprising ways. I cannot wait to finish the book, not just to be done with it, and not just to see the cover my publisher comes up with (honestly, this is a huge motivation to turn it in), but also to share the most jarring, poignant, and beautiful parts with the world.
Looking ahead to next year, I’ve got lots of plans for this space, too. I’ll be sharing more thoughts and resources on democracy, authoritarianism, and practical tips on advocating and organizing. I’ll also be writing some pieces on writing—on securing an agent and what an agent can and can’t do for you, on promoting work on social media (pros and cons), on more documentaries, and who knows what else may pop up along the way. Again, thank you to subscribers for sticking with this through thick and thin—it’s been such a source of encouragement and support.
Before signing off, let me share a couple of Christmas thoughts for those who are Christians or Christianity-curious.
First, I wanted to share with you my pastor’s Substack. Karen Campbell was my pastor for the past five years here in Michigan, and a few months back she and her family returned to Northern Ireland. Thanks to Substack, I can still hear her words weekly. If you are looking for fresh perspectives on old theology, or if you find yourself alienated from your own church spaces, I know many people who have found Karen’s words a source of spiritual insight and encouragement. You can follow and subscribe here:
If during this Christmas season you’d like to tune in to Christmas services, you can do so live or catch recent sermons online at my own church. Our pastor, Andrew Mead, is phenomenal (watch his latest sermon here), and in light of Karen’s departure, we are often treated to insightful guest pastors who bring their own gifts. I’ve shared links to sermons before on social media, and I know several people for whom the online worship has become a lifeline.
Finally, if you didn’t catch my last year’s Christmas post, I still love it, and I’ll close here with words from one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs:
Come and stand amazed, you people,
See how God is reconciled!
See his plans of love accomplished,
See his gift, this newborn child.
See the Mighty, weak and tender,
See the Word who now is mute.
See the Sovereign without splendor,
See the Fullness destitute.
See how humankind received him;
See him wrapped in swaddling bands,
Who as Lord of all creation
Rules the wind by his commands.
See him lying in a manger
Without sign of reasoning;
Word of God to flesh surrendered,
He is wisdom’s crown, our King.
O Lord Jesus, God incarnate,
Who assumed this humble form,
Counsel me and let my wishes
To your perfect will conform.
Light of life, dispel my darkness,
Let your frailty strengthen me;
Let your meekness give me boldness,
Let your burden set me free.
Oh, Emmanuel, my Savior,
Let Your death be life for me!
**And please add your own favorite songs, poems, thoughts, recipes, etc., in the comments. I’ll read each one on our trip.
Kristen, I must share this advent poem!
If You Want
If you want, the Virgin will come walking down the road
pregnant with the holy, and say,
"I need shelter for the night,
please take me inside your heart, my time is so close.”
Then, under the roof of your soul,
you will witness the sublime intimacy,
the divine, the Christ, taking birth forever,
as she grasps your hand for help,
for each of us is the midwife of God, each of us.
Yes there, under the dome of your being
does creation come into existence eternally,
through your womb, dear pilgrim - the sacred womb of your soul,
as God grasps our arms for help:
for each of us is his beloved servant, never far.
If you want, the Virgin will come walking down the street
pregnant with Light and sing.
- St John of the Cross (1542- 1591)
Thank you, Kristin, for your continued bravery, persistence and insight. You are a much admired and appreciated leader, and oh so deserving of some vacation time. Safe travels, and enjoy the new little one in your family.