239. Finding an Honest Hope This Advent (with Scott Erickson)
What if Christmas could mean something real again—not just the hustle and tinsel, but something honest that speaks to the chaos we're all feeling?
As I lean into creative rest this December, I'm re-airing one of my most beloved Advent interviews with artist and author Scott Erickson about his stunning book Honest Advent. This conversation absolutely changed how I see Christmas.
Scott shares how he went from feeling disconnected from Christmas ("elves and reindeer and buy stuff") to discovering the profound vulnerability in the Incarnation story. He invites us into an honest hope—not cheap or shallow, but real hope that can hold the weight of our exhausted, divided world.
In this conversation, we explore:
- Why creativity is a backdoor to what's really happening in our hearts
- The "haunting" or invitation we feel toward creating and saying yes to something more
- How Scott transitioned from art teacher to full-time artist and what that cost him
- Why paying attention to Mary's embodied experience and vulnerability matters for all of us
- The cost of divine revelation
- How the Incarnation—God becoming fully human—invites us to pay attention to our own humanity and find God in our midst
Scott's perspective is refreshing, honest, and deeply creative. His book Honest Advent has become one of my go-to resources every December, and I flip through it in the mornings letting his art and essays speak to my heart.
If you've ever felt like Christmas has lost its meaning in the midst of a complex, chaotic world—this conversation is for you. Because the offering of Advent is the offering of hope. And an honest Advent leads us to an honest hope.
ABOUT SCOTT ERICKSON
Scott Erickson is a touring painter, performance artist, and creative instigator. His work focuses on the collision of art, spirituality, and meaning-making through meditative art pieces that open backdoors to the heart. He's the author of several books including Honest Advent, Prayer: Forty Days of Practice, and Say Yes: Discover the Surprising Life Beyond the Death of a Dream.
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Book: Honest Advent by Scott Erickson Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, local bookstores, and at HonestAdvent.com
Follow Scott's Work: Instagram: @scottthepainter (His daily art posts are absolutely worth following!) Website: scottericksonart.com
QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE
"Revelation is a hard gift to receive. You must give up everything else to receive it." - Scott Erickson
"I don't want Christmas to feel insignificant in a complex and chaotic world. Can celebrating Christmas mean anything this year? My belief is yes. My hope is yes."
"We find a God who's not insulating itself from the human experience, but is fully participating in it. And so then we, in our full human participation, can find God in our midst."
"I want an honest Advent because the offering of Advent is the offering of hope. Not a cheap hope, not a shallow hope, but a real honest hope that can deal with the realities of the world we find ourselves in."
CREATIVE REST REMINDER
As I mentioned in last week's episode on Sacred Rest, I'm taking creative rest this December. That means I'm re-airing some of my most impactful Advent content and encounters rather than creating brand new episodes from scratch. Rest isn't failure—it's faithfulness. And I'm modeling what I preach.
COMING UP NEXT
- More Advent encounters to prepare your heart for Christmas
- Holistic wellness update for 2026
- Continuing our journey through the Psalms in the new year
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SHARE THIS EPISODE
Know someone who needs an honest hope this Advent? Share this episode with them! Tag me @kristinfieldschadwick on Instagram and let me know what resonated with you.
Wholistic Hearts Podcast Hosted by Kristin Fields Chadwick Where we encounter Jesus through Christian meditation and imagination From the head to the heart
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