---
title: The Season of Anticipation in a Time of Retreat
description: This year's Advent blog series features poetry and reflections surrounding this the season of anticipation in the Christian liturgical year.
image: https://blog.nes.edu/hubfs/Advent%20Blog_Retreat_12.8.16.jpg
---

![](https://blog.nes.edu/hubfs/Advent%20Blog_Retreat_12.8.16.jpg)

Space to ask questions.  
Space to listen to God’s Spirit.  
Space to let insights, impressions, and reflections  
bump into each other and converge for discovery.  
Space for your own spirit to be still, restore, integrate,  
and seek elements of faith in the certainty of God’s presence.

This is the space created by spiritual retreat. And this is why retreat is an essential part of the Northeastern experience whether it is in the midst of the ordinary, at the end of a time-compressed semester, or during Advent. The essence of retreat acknowledges that it can take time for a person to be re-oriented to the love and presence of God and offers space to do so.

Take some time this week to breathe deep the breath of God. Find a space to retreat and reflect on the gift of Jesus Christ. Use these poems written by Northeastern Seminary students, alumni, and faculty to frame your retreat during this season of anticipation.

- [Mary’s Expectation](https://blog.nes.edu/marys-expectation) by Dr. Rebecca S. Letterman
- [An Advent Meditation](https://blog.nes.edu/an-advent-meditation) by Thomas Worth
- [Like Walking on Water: A Christmas Poem ](https://blog.nes.edu/bid/106820/Like-Walking-on-Water-A-Christmas-Poem-by-a-Seminary-Graduate) by Thomas Worth

## Related Articles

[![](https://blog.nes.edu/hubfs/Advents%20Poem_Northeastern%20Seminary_12.6.16-556406-edited.jpg) ](https://blog.nes.edu/the-season-of-anticipation-in-a-time-of-remembrance)

[poetry](https://blog.nes.edu/topic/poetry) [reflection](https://blog.nes.edu/topic/reflection) [advent](https://blog.nes.edu/topic/advent) [seminary alumni](https://blog.nes.edu/topic/seminary-alumni)

### [The Season of Anticipation in a Time of Remembrance](https://blog.nes.edu/the-season-of-anticipation-in-a-time-of-remembrance)

Alumnus Thomas Worth wrote this poem in 2012 as part of a personal Advent tradition. This time of year naturally invites us to reminisce on memories of seasons past. In...

[Thomas Worth](https://blog.nes.edu/author/thomas-worth) 

[Read More](https://blog.nes.edu/the-season-of-anticipation-in-a-time-of-remembrance)

[![](https://blog.nes.edu/hubfs/Christmas%20Tree_Northeastern%20Seminary.jpg) ](https://blog.nes.edu/the-season-of-anticipation-in-a-time-of-gentleness)

[poetry](https://blog.nes.edu/topic/poetry) [reflection](https://blog.nes.edu/topic/reflection) [advent](https://blog.nes.edu/topic/advent) [seminary alumni](https://blog.nes.edu/topic/seminary-alumni)

### [The Season of Anticipation in a Time of Gentleness](https://blog.nes.edu/the-season-of-anticipation-in-a-time-of-gentleness)

In 2014, Esther Gillie first shared this poem with the Northeastern Seminary community. Since then, Esther has successfully completed both her Master of Divinity and...

[Dr. Esther Gillie](https://blog.nes.edu/author/dr-esther-gillie) 

[Read More](https://blog.nes.edu/the-season-of-anticipation-in-a-time-of-gentleness)