Hi friends, it's Amber here. In this episode of #RandomDevoThoughts,' I dig into the rich history behind the Watch Night service, which goes far beyond a simple New Year's tradition. Together, we'll uncover its origins from Freedom's Eve on December 31st, 1862, and reflect on how enslaved people awaited their deliverance—the Emancipation Proclamation. It’s an invitation for all of us to step out of our comfort zones, learn from each other, and better reflect the diverse beauty of God's kingdom. Join me as we seek to understand and celebrate the stories that make our faith richer and deeper.

00:00 Welcome to Random Devo Thoughts

00:51 Discovering the Sacred History of Watch Night

03:03 The Significance of Watch Night Service

05:09 Embracing Cultural Diversity in Faith

06:53 A Call to Learn and Represent the Kingdom

09:50 Prayer and Reflection

11:17 Closing Thoughts

Amber Weigand-Buckley is an award-winning author, podcaster as well as editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine. She is also co-host of Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa. Be on the lookout for her May 2026 release #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem, One Sticky Note at a Time. Follow her @barefacedgirl on socials for more.

Hey friends, it's Amber here!

Ever mix up your art history and accidentally stumble into a profound truth? Yeah, me too. That's basically how this entire episode was born.

I'm digging into what it means to be a person before your time, how to cut off the voices of critics (metaphorically, friends!), and why your "random" brain connections might actually be divine downloads.

If you've ever felt too scattered, too creative, or too different for the traditional path—this one's for you. Grab your shovel. Let's dig in the dirt together and see what God's been whispering through the chaos.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

[00:00-01:00] The Art Book Confession How my British father-in-law taught me to contemplate art, and why getting Van Gogh and Da Vinci historically confused turned out to be the whole point.

[01:00-03:00] The Innovators Were Always Misunderstood Why every person we look back on as a genius was criticized in their own time—and what that means for you and your "crazy" ideas right now.

[03:00-05:00] The Biblical Before-Their-Time Club Noah building a boat with no water. Da Vinci sketching helicopters in the 1400s. What divine inspiration looks like when nobody else can see it yet.

[05:00-07:00] When "Crazy Chaos" Is Actually God Speaking How to tell the difference between random thoughts and divine downloads (hint: you might not know until you dig deeper).

[07:00-09:00] My Van Gogh Moments: The 50-Year Journey Getting real about my journalism degree, my communication fears, my paradox life, and the four big revelations that helped me find my authentic voice.

[09:00-11:00] The Self-Inventory Questions Here's what I want you to take away: specific questions to help you figure out what voices you need to cut off and what God's been whispering that you've been dismissing.

[11:00-13:00] Prayer for the Innovators Praying for everyone who feels alone in their vision, misunderstood in their calling, or crazy for following what God's put in their hearts.

[13:00-14:00] Your Da Vinci Moment Is Waiting The call to action, the encouragement, and my signature chaotic sign-off.

Perfect for: Neurodivergent Christians, creative souls, innovators, anyone who's been told they're "too much," people who need permission to trust their messy brain, and short yellow pencil sisters who are tired of hiding their struggles.

Not for: People who want clean, systematic theology with zero paradox.

Length: 14 minutes

Amber Weigand-Buckley is an award-winning author, podcaster as well as editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine. She is also co-host of Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa. Be on the lookout for her May 2026 release #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem, One Sticky Note at a Time. Follow her @barefacedgirl on socials for more.

Hey friends! Welcome back to another episode of Random Devo Thoughts with Amber. Today, I'm diving into the messy world of writing my book #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils and all the chaos that came with it. I'll share how I almost gave up, the struggles with editing, and why I decided to break all the rules to stay true to my neurodivergent readers. We'll talk about how even Jesus was a rule-breaker with his parables and why it's so important to reach the 'one' person who needs our message the most.

Amber Weigand-Buckley is an award-winning author, podcaster as well as editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine. She is also co-host of Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa. Be on the lookout for her May 2026 release #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem, One Sticky Note at a Time. Follow her @barefacedgirl on socials for more.