Advent Edition: The Gift of Being Present

Presence is the gift we scribble into the margins.
Not the wrapped kind — the real kind.
The kind that looks people in the eyes.
The kind that doesn’t multitask love.
The kind that isn’t halfway out the door, moving onto the next task.

Corporate life trains us to be ultra productive, to push, go, seek, find, push, more and more, and on and on. After all, there's no rest for the wicked.
Christmas trains us to be present, here, now, hear, now.
Do you hear what I hear?

Advent is our annual reminder that He stepped into our world in person — not by memo, not by proxy, not by performance review.
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”  John 1:14
Dwelt.
Lived.
Stayed.
Present.

In a season full of shiny performances — holiday parties, cookie exchanges, forced festivity — what people actually crave is someone who sees them.
Someone who listens without crafting a solution.
Someone who isn’t scanning the room for the influence.
Someone who shows up without an agenda.
Oh, my beloved Calibri, my estranged meeting agenda.

The wonderful news is that’s how Jesus leads — not from urgency, but from presence.
Not from hurry, but from Emmanuel: God with us.
With, not above.
Near, not distant.
Attentive, not distracted.

Presence whispers:
“I’m here. Fully.”
And that alone can change a room.

What's Lost in the Moment

I’ve lived entire daysweeksmonths of my life detached from the moment in front of me.
Talking to people while thinking about tasks, while Slacking answers, while gogo scrolling.
Smiling at holiday events while mentally drafting January’s planning calendar.
Gosh, do I love a fresh January.

Present in body, absent in spirit.

But Jesus doesn’t lead like that.
He never multitasked people.
He never rushed their stories, dismissed their needs, or treated interruptions as inconveniences.

This season — this personal reset — is renewing in me what He already modeled:
Presence is powerful.
Presence is leadership.
Presence is love.

People won’t remember the gift you brought to the office exchange.
They’ll remember how they felt when you were in the room.

So I’m practicing something new:
Being in rooms on purpose.
Putting my manipulative phone in its place.
Listening to understand — not respond.
Do you hear what I hear?
Asking better questions.
Letting joy sit with me before I run ahead.

Presence is sacred.
It heals the giver as much as the receiver.
It bonds us and strengthens us.

“Be still and know that I am God” is not a command to stop.
It’s an invitation to be here.
With Him.
With others.
With yourself.

Reconcile the Expense

• 76% of employees feel more connected to coworkers after holiday events.
• 58% say the best part of gatherings is not talking shop.
• 64% wish leaders would “listen more and talk less” at parties.
• 53% of cookie exchange contributions are store-bought — freedom for the perfectionists.

Leadership & Presence Stats

• People retain only 25% of what they hear when multitasking.
• Leaders who listen are rated 40% more trustworthy.
• Eye contact increases feelings of connection by up to 70%.
• Just 15% of employees feel “truly seen and heard” by leadership during the holidays.

Being With Again

No Purchase Necessary

⬜ 1. Return to Stillness

“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10
Presence begins where hurry ends.
Slow the pace, silence the noise, and stop outrunning your soul.

⬜ 2. Put the Phone Down on Purpose

“Let us throw off everything that hinders…” — Hebrews 12:1
Distraction feels harmless until it steals every moment.
Attention is your most valuable currency.
Spend it wisely.

⬜ 3. Listen to Hear

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak…” — James 1:19
Listening without fixing is loving.
Not every moment requires advice — some simply need presence.

⬜ 4. Look People in the Eyes

“The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.” — Luke 22:61
Jesus saw people fully — each of us — beauty, messy, wild, quiet — all of us.
Eye contact communicates dignity, worth, and safety.

⬜ 5. Stay

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” — John 1:14
Jesus didn’t rush through relationships.
He stayed.
May we stay.

⬜ 6. Ask One Meaningful Question

“Do you want to get well?” — John 5:6
Jesus asked questions He already knew the answers to.
Questions invite honesty.
They slow us down to care.

⬜ 7. Stop Multitasking Love

“Love is patient… it does not rush.” — 1 Corinthians 13:4
If love feels hurried, it’s probably diluted.
Presence requires singular attention.

⬜ 8. Honor the Person in Front of You

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these… you did for Me.” — Matthew 25:40
The person in front of you is never an interruption.
They are the assignment.

⬜ 9. Let Joy Sit With You

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” — Nehemiah 8:10
Joy doesn’t need to be rushed past or justified.
Let it linger.
Let it restore you.

⬜ 10. Practice Emmanuel Living

“They will call Him Immanuel — God with us.” — Matthew 1:23
God’s greatest gift is Presence.
Not productivity.
Live like you’re not alone — because you aren’t.

Lessons Learned

I got mixed up and overconditioned. Thinking presence was production.
I stayed on — hyper-responsive, always available, moving, ready. I rarely stopped — not even when someone came to my desk. I regret that.

When I tried to be deliberate and change my icky ways, it was too late.
I multitasked people.
I answered and moved onto the next.
And I taught–no, expected others to operate at the same pace.

I see now that leadership doesn’t just set expectations — we set speed. When leaders never slow down, no one else feels permission to either.
Slowing down doesn’t mean the work disappears — it will still be there tomorrow. People, however, won’t always be.
Jesus never rushed past people.
He stayed.
He noticed.
He listened.
And in doing so, He showed that real leadership isn’t urgency — it’s nearness.

Internal Review

• Where have I been physically present but mentally absent this season?
• What signals have I missed because I was moving too fast?
• What pace am I modeling for the people who watch me most closely?
• Where might God be inviting me to slow down and notice Him again?
• What would it look like to choose wonder over urgency this week?

Action Item

This week of wonder, choose one small, holy act of presence.
Reach out to someone you’ve missed.
Send the text. Make the call.
Invite them for a slow, delicious cup of cozy.

When you’re together, put that villainous phone away.
Let the conversation wander.
Listen without fixing.
Laugh if it comes.
Sit in the quiet if it doesn’t.
And if you're like me, you may even tear up.

“They will call Him Immanuel — God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)
And “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)

The work can wait.
The moment is the gift.
Life is but a vapor, my friends.

My wish for you this Christmas is simple:
That you would feel less rushed and more held.
That you would notice the people in front of you.
That you would remember you don’t have to earn rest, love, or belonging.
You are worthy.

My prayer is this:
Jesus, Emmanuel — God with us —
Meet us in the ordinary moments this week.
In quiet kitchens and crowded coffee shops.
In text messages sent and conversations stayed.
Teach us to slow down enough to recognize You —
in each other, and in ourselves.

May presence become our offering.
May wonder return.
And may this Christmas feel a little more like peace. 🤍