Rich Villodas’ new book will teach you how to wait well this Advent

In Waiting for Jesus (Rider), Rich Villodas offers a deeply reflective and interactive 25-day devotional that invites readers to slow down and rediscover the spiritual discipline of waiting, not as passive endurance, but as an active, faith-filled posture toward God.

Rooted in the rhythms of Advent yet relevant year-round, the book gently leads believers through four interconnected themes: waiting, peacemaking, rejoicing, and beholding. Each section builds upon the last, creating a spiritual journey that helps readers move from expectation to transformation.

Structured with daily devotionals, scripture passages, reflection questions, prayers, and practical invitations, Villodas’s format echoes the best kind of guided spiritual practice, one that doesn’t just inform but forms. Every reading closes with a moment of stillness or benediction, prompting readers to linger with God beyond the page. The experience feels intimate and active, encouraging the reader to embody faith through silence, reflection, and most importantly, action.

Much of the book’s strength lies in its balance between theological depth and accessibility. Villodas draws on familiar Advent scriptures while integrating other passages that expand our understanding of waiting and hope. He writes as a pastor who understands the tension between faith and frustration. One of the hardest challenges for many Christians is waiting, especially when the world urges immediacy and self-reliance. Villodas addresses this tension with honesty and grace, reminding readers that: “to grow in our ability to wait on God requires us to be honest with him.”

Throughout Waiting for Jesus, Villodas weaves together wisdom from scripture, contemplative practices, and timeless truths that feel refreshingly grounded. His reflections on community and spiritual stillness particularly stand out: “One of the greatest sources of strength, especially in times of waiting, is a community of friends who wait with us.”

In a culture that prizes efficiency and instant answers, his call to slow down feels both countercultural and liberating.

Each of the book’s four sections contains 6-7 daily readings that collectively trace a spiritual arc from longing to intimacy with God. ‘Waiting’ helps readers explore why God allows seasons of delay, guiding them through devotionals such as ‘Wait Training’ and ‘Waiting for the Child’. Here, Villodas reframes waiting as spiritual growth, a sacred space where faith matures. Next comes ‘Peacemaking’ which deepens our understanding of peace. What it is, who it belongs to, and what it truly costs. Devotionals like ‘Disrupting False Peace’ and ‘Receiving Peace’ challenge the reader to reject comfort masquerading as calm and to embrace the radical, reconciling peace of Christ. 

Ultimately, Villodas reframes waiting as worship. “Christ came. Christ comes. Christ will come again,” he writes, reminding readers that God’s timing is always redemptive, even when unseen. Through these 25 days, readers learn not only how to wait, but how to wait well with faith, peace, joy, wonder, and above all, Jesus Christ.

Waiting for Jesus (Rider) by Rich Villodas is out now