Let it shine

By Jessica Connor

January is the clean month, the time when I ceremoniously tear off the December page in my desk calendar and gaze down upon all the fresh blank spaces, just waiting for me to plug in meetings, events and occasions.

It s a quiet time, chilly and stark, a time to cozy up with a mug of tea and reflect on the season ahead, the season past, and the hopes and resolutions I have for the year to come.

As I write this column for the January edition, it s still a full week before Christmas, so I have a heel still in Advent/Christmastide (shopping! Christmas cookies! Caroling!) and a toe in Epiphany. I cannot help but think about the ever-approaching whisper of January, the way the world takes a breath after Christmas and turns its sights on the new year and all it represents.

Epiphany is often referred to as the season of light. We remember how God revealed His presence to us, and we light candles to symbolize God s presence being revealed.

As a Christian journalist, this holds much meaning for me and the rest of our staff and board. Here at the Advocate, we use our pages to be an instrument for God s word, showcasing the stories of the Lord at work throughout this beautiful state. We do our part to help God reveal His word, His plan, His call on our lives. Through the articles we write and the photos, letters and stories we offer from around the state, our readers see the will of God at work from Walterboro to Orangeburg to Greenville and beyond.

This month, we showcase a group of motorcyclists following the Spirit to help an Anderson church; a tiny church so stung by a hate letter they took a bold step to embrace full inclusivity; a hunger ministry that has mobilized an entire congregation to reach beyond themselves; and much more.

These are the stories that reveal God at work in the world “ these and so many others.

This season, I hope you will think about how God is impacting your life and your community, how He is speaking to you and through you, to benefit the Kingdom. And we invite you to share those stories with friends, with strangers in line at the supermarket, and within the pages of the Advocate.

Let s shine some light.