A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Isaiah 40:3-5

Who in their right mind chooses to start a new job in the middle of a global pandemic, I thought to myself as I drove to FPU’s main campus on my first day of work in April 2021? Stepping out of my comfort zone of working the same job for 12 years was tough enough in normal times. During COVID, it seemed downright crazy. Anxiety over learning new protocols and routines, fear of taking on new challenges, sadness over missing former coworkers all plagued me. And where do I even park?

But little did I know that a path had been prepared for me. A smiling coworker greeted me (at the Hamilton Parking lot), another showed me around campus, meetings were scheduled for me, a new office awaited—filled with wonderful mechanical pencils and a desk that would even allow me to stand for some of my day! Someone had lovingly prepared the way for me.

Just as the prophet Isaiah implored people to be ready to receive Jesus Christ, John the Baptist was the voice in the wilderness, pleading with people to be ready, to “make straight paths for him.” I am reminded that there have been so many people in my life who have helped make a straight path for me: my dad, who always shares his faith with me; my high school friend, who invited me to youth group; my sister-in-law, whose strength and trust in the Lord, even during adversity, is an amazing example. This Advent season, I hope that I, too, can be, even in a small way, someone who is helping to prepare the path for others.

This Advent season, I pray that our entire FPU community would be filled with hopeful anticipation and a sense of joy as we await the celebration of the birth of our savior. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” Rom 15:13.