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Good morning, Church.

My name is Piper King.

This is my brother Shepard and my sister Posey.

There was a time in my life where I felt like being myself wasn't enough, that I needed a mask

or to be someone else to belong. But now, through the light and love of Christ, I'm secure

in my identity as a child of God, and I don't need that mask anymore.

I'll be reading from 1 Peter 1, 8 through 9.

Though you have not seen him, you love him.

Though not seeing him now, you believe in him,

and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy

because you're receiving the goal of your faith,

the salvation of your souls.

This is the word of the Lord.

Yes,

God.

From the mouth of babes, if you have your Bibles, that's going to be our passage as we walk through

Christian joy or Advent joy or biblical joy. You could use any of those in front of that word to

distinguish what we're talking about, maybe above and beyond what you might just think of when you hear that word.

I think it's important to note that Advent joy always begins in the dark.

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