A nighttime proposal outside an illuminated A-frame cabin in winter.

As we enter the fourth week of Advent, we’re reminded of an important truth: “Love is Your Beginning.” Advent prepares us to celebrate the birth of Christ and to see God’s love as the foundation of everything. From creation to the arrival of Jesus, God’s story always begins with love.

In this season, love is all around us. It’s in Mary’s brave yes to God’s plan. It’s in Joseph’s trust in what he couldn’t fully understand. It’s in the shepherds’ awe and the magi’s journey to follow a star. Most of all, it’s in the baby born in Bethlehem—God’s love in human form.

This week invites us to see love in a new way. God’s love isn’t distant or complicated. It’s real and active in our lives. It starts with God reaching out to us and calls us to share that love with others.

How can this Advent season be a fresh start for you? How can you show love in your relationships, community, and daily life? Maybe it means reconnecting with someone you’ve drifted away from. Maybe it’s offering a kind word to someone having a hard day. It could be volunteering or giving to those in need. Or maybe it’s just taking time to feel God’s love for you and letting it shape how you live.

As we light the fourth candle on the Advent wreath, let it remind us of God’s love shining in every beginning. Let it inspire us to carry that light into the world, creating new beginnings rooted in love.

This week, take a moment to reflect: What’s one way I can let love guide me today? Write it down, pray about it, and act on it. As Christmas draws near, may you feel the joy of knowing that love—God’s love—is the foundation of all things and the greatest gift of all.