INTRODUCTION What? It’s time to start planning for Christmas again? Already?

Doesn’t it seem like Christmas comes just a little earlier each year? As soon as the Halloween

costumes and candy are cleared out, it begins to “look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you

go” and even though “it’s the most wonderful time of the year,” many of us struggle, even

just a bit, with the stress, activity, and expectation the last two months of the year bring

with them.

How did God sending His Son to be Emmanuel, God with us, turn into all this craziness?

I don’t believe that was His plan. That’s why I wrote this devotional guide. Using the advent

themes of hope, preparation, joy and love, these daily readings are designed to speak directly

to your heart. As you take a few moments to quiet your soul each day, I hope you will join me

on the journey of reclaiming the true meaning and spirit of Christmas.

In addition, Elsa Martin, our Faith Kids Director, has included daily questions/activities at the

bottom of each reading for families to do together. It is our desire to train our children to be

disciples of Christ and we recognize that starts, first and foremost, in the home. Perhaps you

will take some time around the dinner table to answer these questions and do these

activities?

It is with you in mind, dear church family, that I wrote this little book. As I did, I saw your

faces and remembered your stories and life circumstances. My prayer is that this simple

offering from my heart to yours will make a difference in your life this Christmas.

With Jesus’ great love,

Kate Posthuma

Sunday, November 29, 2015

The word “adventure” is everywhere you look these days. I’ve especially noticed it on the

social media of young people . . .

Yet, it seems older people have found that adulthood is as much

adventure as they can handle (*smile*).

What is it about our souls that crave a bit of adventure and what

exactly is adventure?

There are many definitions of adventure, but let’s consider two:

1) an action involving unknown risks or dangers;

2) an exciting or remarkable experience.1

Deep down, I think our souls crave something more than the

drab day to day monotony of life. And adventure, especially if

there is a bit of risk involved, makes life exciting!

This Christmas season, I invite you to join me on an ADVENTure as you prepare your heart for

Christ’s birth. He is the Hero. You are His sidekick, as you work together to find the missing

artifacts of hope, joy, and love. Certainly, we will see that there is a villain, and there may

even be some risk involved!

Are you ready? Then, let the ADVENTure begin!

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family activity: Build an advent wreath to accompany us on this adventure. Be creative, it

doesn’t have to be a wreath, or even round. All you need are 4 candles and some festive

decorations. See fun examples of a traditional wreath here and a non-traditional wreath

here.

Dinner Discussion: Tell of one of your favorite adventures, big or small, and share what you

love most about it.

1 Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary

Monday, November 30, 2015

What is it about this time of year that brings back memories of childhood? This season rolls

around and my memories transport me back in time to the simple and happy days of

Christmases gone by.

In my family, we had many Christmas traditions:

Dozens of different types of Christmas cookies tucked away in tins in the cupboard

Driving around looking at Christmas lights

The one gift (always pajamas) that we opened on Christmas Eve

Watching every single Christmas special on TV - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,

Frosty the Snowman, It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street and, the classic,

Charlie Brown Christmas

Traditions are an excellent way to prepare your

heart for the ADVENTure of Christmas. They are

like well-worn paths that lead you to what you

have been searching for.

Take some time to reflect upon what traditions

are meaningful to you and your family. Are there

any new traditions you’d like to start?

Would you allow me to suggest one? Tonight, ABC

will help the Peanuts Gang celebrate their 50th anniversary of sharing the true meaning of

Christmas.2 Why not join them? Pop a big bowl of popcorn, make some cocoa, gather some

family and friends and sit down to enjoy the one Christmas special that puts the ADVENTure

of Christmas into perspective.

I don’t know about you, but Linus’ speech gets me every time when he quotes the Christmas

story from Luke chapter 2.

Just make sure you don’t ruin it for others by quoting every line (*smile*).

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family activity: Put on your pajamas, snuggle under the blankets, and tune into ABC to watch

Charlie Brown Christmas with friends and family.

Dinner discussion: What are some of you favorite traditions? Are there any new traditions

you’d like to start? Take it one step further and start one of these new traditions!

2 Check local listings for airtime

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

A line of a recent For King & Country song sums up the human experience: “Hope is what we crave.”3

Isn’t that true? How often in a single day, do you hear people (or yourself) say, “I hope” this happens or “I hope” that . . .

The reason the word “hope” is often on our lips is because “hope” is built into the very fabric of our beings. It is, indeed, something we crave.

As we begin this ADVENTure of Christmas, I don’t think it is a coincidence that the first candle in the advent wreath is the candle of hope. Before the first coming of Jesus, as a humble baby, people were waiting for Someone who would penetrate the darkness/hopelessness and bring light/hope. I find it interesting that darkness and hopelessness are synonymous, just like light and hope are synonymous.

That Someone they were waiting for was Jesus himself, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life,” John 8:12b.

As one author said, “As we begin Advent, we light one candle in the midst of all the darkness in our lives and in the world. It symbolizes our longing, our desire, our hope.”4

People are the same now as they were 2000 years ago. Hope is what we all crave. We, too, are waiting for Jesus to show up in the darkness of our lives. Because He came the first time many years ago, we can trust that He will come again, both in the day to day circumstances we find ourselves in, through the power of the Holy Spirit, and He will physically come once again to take us home to be with Him.

Yes, hope is what we crave, but aren’t you grateful that hope is what He gave?

Men, a great way to hope in the Lord is by meeting with other believers. Join us tonight at

CFC for some time in God’s Word and a meal together. See you tonight at 6pm.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family activity: Make a list of things, circumstances, and events your family is hoping for and

hang it on the fridge. Pray over this list at dinner tonight. Light the first candle of your

advent wreath for Hope. (Further, when you light this candle each week, pray over this list.)

Dinner discussion: Can you remember a time when you hoped for something and then saw that

hope fulfilled? Share how you felt at this moment with your family.

3 Hope is What We Crave by King and Country

4 Author Unknown

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

As we take the next few days to reflect upon the missing artifact of hope this Christmas

season, let’s read the first 10 verses of Psalm 25 from the New Living Translation.

1 O LORD, I give my life to you. 2 I trust in you, my God! Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat. 3 No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. 4 Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. 5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. 6 Remember, O LORD, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. 7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O LORD. 8 The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. 9 He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way. 10 The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.

Psalm 25:5b says, “All day long I put my hope in you.” What would happen if we carried

those nine little words around with us “all day long” today?

To put your hope in God means you wait or eagerly look for God in every detail of your life.

You expect Him to show up. What does it look like to put your hope in God “all day long”?

1. You begin the day by placing your hope in Him.

2. As situations arise during the day, you refocus

your hope upon Him.

3. As you lay your head on the pillow at night,

you recount the ways you’ve seen Him show up

and you ask Him to help you trust Him for the

situations where He has yet to show up.

Make no mistake, it’s not a matter of if He will show up, it’s just a matter of when. Will you

join me in putting your hope in God?

All.

Day.

Long.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Activity: Memorize Psalm 25:5. “Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the

God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.”

Dinner Discussion: Recount the day together. What are some instances from your day where

you saw God show up?

Thursday, December 3, 2015

In any great adventure story, there is always a

villain. In our ADVENTure, the villain is our

archenemy the Devil. Because he knows the peace

and power that hope, joy, and love can bring, he

tries to keep us from finding them, much less fully

experiencing them in our lives. In fact, because

Christmas is one of the most stressful times of the

year, it is easy to plow through all the festivities

the season provides and end up with less hope,

joy, or love than when it all started.

Brothers and sisters, this should not be!

For every wonderful promise that was fulfilled with that first advent of Jesus, our villain tries

to keep that promise hidden and out of our grasp. Such is the case with hope.

Hope remains hidden behind unmet expectations.

Whether they are realistic or not, each of us has certain expectations in our work, in our

relationships, in our families, even in ourselves. It isn’t wrong to have expectations, the

challenge lies when you put your hope in something or someone so strongly that your hopes

are dashed when the expectation is unmet. Circumstances, people, and even you, yourself,

will become a disappointment. God never will. “Those who hope in Me will not be

disappointed,” Isaiah 49:23b, NIV.

We are wise when our voice echoes the words of Lamentations 3:24-25, NIrV . . . 24“I say to myself, “The LORD is everything I will ever need. So I will put my hope in Him.” 25 The LORD is good to those who put their hope in Him. He is good to those who look to Him.

The only Person Who will not only meet, but far exceed your expectations is Jesus. In Him, alone, will you find what you are longing for.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Activity: Setup a nativity in your dining room or wherever you eat most meals, but do

not place baby Jesus in the manger yet (store him away for a few more weeks). Place the

wise men in another room far away from the crèche. Put the shepherds in still another room.

When you see the empty manger, ponder the hopes and expectations Jesus embodies.

Dinner Discussion: Share an example of a time when your hopes were dashed. Discuss how

you should have clung to the Lord in this situation.

Friday, December 4, 2015

During the past couple of days, I have been sharing ways that we can find hope in God. Once

your soul has found true hope, the natural response is to share the hope you’ve found with others.

Part of the ADVENTure of Christmas is to look for

opportunities to bring hope to those who cross

your path. Some may cross your path quite

naturally – such as extended family members, co-

workers, neighbors, and friends.

It is probably not too difficult to figure out how

to bring hope to those you already have a

relationship with. Here are a few examples:

A listening ear

An encouraging word

A sincere offer to help

Praying with and for them

A note sent through the mail

Spending quality time together

Sharing God’s truth and perspective

Giving of your time, abilities and

resources to help

And then there are others who would not normally cross your path, unless you were given the

opportunity. For example, our church is providing a few opportunities to bring hope to others

this Christmas season in the following ways:

1. Operation Christmas Child – a shoebox filled with small gifts for children around the world

2. Food from the Heart – a Christmas meal for Cheney families in need

3. Gloves & Scarves – a bit of warmth for homeless women in Spokane will be collected at

our Women’s Ministry Christmas Event tonight, “Christmas Joy”. Ladies, won’t you join us

as we enjoy a night of hot soup, Christmas carols, a sock exchange, plus more tonight at

our Women’s Ministries Christmas event?

Let’s be people who look for ways that we can

share the hope we’ve found, whether that be with

people we know well, or with those we do not

know. Hope is a universal language that can be

understood by anyone, anywhere, at any time.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Activity: Pray for our church’s Food from the Heart ministry and ask the Lord to use these

dinner boxes to give hope to people in our community.

Dinner Discussion: Brainstorm people you know with whom you can share hope, like the mail carrier,

neighbors, or friends. What are some specific ways you can share hope with each of these people?

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Just like people of old times were hoping for Christ’s

first coming, today, believers world-wide are hoping

for His second coming. As surely as the prophecies

were fulfilled regarding His birth, the prophecies

regarding His return will also soon be fulfilled.

One such prophecy is found in Luke 21. Let’s look at

verses 25-28:

25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish

and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror,

apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your

redemption is drawing near,” Luke 21:25-28.

By the way, yesterday we talked about bringing hope to others. As we continue to see the

signs of Jesus’ second coming (evil, disasters, etc.) there will be increasingly more and more

opportunities to bring hope to the world.

Another prophecy is found in the second to last verse of the Bible, Revelation 22:20. Here,

Jesus says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” This is His promise to us as His followers. Our response

to that promise is found in the second half of the verse, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”

Part of the ADVENTure of Christmas is:

To lift our eyes to the clouds in expectation that today could be the day that He returns

To add our voices to the chorus of, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus”5

To let the desires of this world fade away as we renew our desire for Him to snatch us

up from this world and take us into heaven to live with Him forever.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Come!

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Activity: Have a family worship time with some favorite Christmas hymns and include

Even So, Come by Chris Tomlin (link below).

Dinner Discussion: How can you bring hope to the world, especially this Christmas? Consider

giving water or supplies to third world countries or refugees through a charity like World

Vision or Compassion International.

5 Even So Come by Chris Tomlin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw5Fq-svvQ8

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Although the word “adventure” conjures up images of a spur of the moment escapade with

little or no advanced preparation, in order for an adventure to be truly successful, there

needs to be some planning and preparation involved. For example, if you choose to take a

cross country road trip, you will plan your course and make sure that your vehicle is in good

working order. You will also prepare how far you will travel each day, ensuring that there is a

place for you to rest your road-weary head at the end of each day’s travel. You will pack

your duffel bag with appropriate shoes and clothing, and you will make sure that the

responsibilities you are leaving behind are cared for well.

You don’t get very far on an adventure without adequate preparation and planning.

I find it interesting that the second candle of advent is the “Candle

of Preparation,” signifying the importance of preparing for Christ’s

coming. The definition of prepare is “to get ready, to put things or

oneself in readiness.”6 This week we will focus on putting

ourselves in readiness by preparing our hearts and attitudes for the

ADVENTure of Christmas. We will do this by reading various

Scriptures and exploring some practical thoughts about quieting our

souls and preparing for this special time of year.

We prepare so we can be ready.

Just like you prepare your home for the arrival of special guests, we prepare our hearts for the arrival of Jesus.

Do you want to be ready for the ADVENTure of Christmas? Then join me in making this your

prayer each day this week, “Help me be ready to welcome you, O God.”

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Activity: Take your own adventure – but don’t forget to prepare! Grab some bottled

water, granola bars, and your winter coat and head out to Turnbull Wildlife Refuge. Keep

your eye out for animal tracks and an ear out for songbirds as you stroll through God’s

beautiful creation.

Dinner Discussion: Set an extra place setting for Jesus at dinner tonight. Discuss what it

would be like to have dinner with Jesus. What would you say to Him if he were sitting with

you tonight?

6 Dictionary.com

Monday, December 7, 2015

Our prayer this “preparation” week is, “Help me be

ready to welcome you, O God”. What better way to

do that than to make your own personal

Advent/Christmas mission statement?7 Now before

you discount this as a cheesy idea, stay with me a

minute. Whereas normally we think about only large

organizations having mission statements that members

of the organization rally around, anyone can have a

personal mission statement that allows you to have a well-thought through purpose and focus,

that will remain unchanged no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.

A personal mission statement can be especially helpful this time of year to ensure that you

don’t just make it through the ADVENTure of Christmas, with all its twists and turns, but that

you connect with God and others in meaningful ways.

So how do you go about making your own Advent/Christmas Mission Statement? Begin by

asking yourself the following questions:

What do I want to experience spiritually?

What do I want to feel emotionally?

Who do I want to connect with relationally?

What do I want to be able to look back and say about this season after it’s over?

As an example, let me share my Christmas mission statement for this year:

To fully enjoy myself in each and every activity I plan for others - my family, friends, and church.

Now that I have a mission statement, I plan to put it into practice in the following ways:

Plan the details before each occasion, but then be present in the moment as the occasion arrives

Be realistic in my expectations/let go of unmet expectations

Don’t take things personally when things go wrong

Find something to laugh about or enjoy no matter what happens

As I purpose to enjoy myself in each Christmas activity, I plan to change the focus from hard

work and stress to one of enjoying the opportunities God gives me to celebrate Jesus with others.

What’s your mission statement? Why not take a few moments to write it here:

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Activity: Make a mission statement for yourself or together as a family.

Dinner Discussion: Share your mission statements.

7 Get Yourself Organized for Christmas by Kathi Lipp

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Have you ever been to one of “those neighborhoods”?

You know the one . . . where every house on the block is

lit up with all manner of Christmas lights and

decorations? Even though I can walk away feeling like I

have sensory overload, I love neighborhoods that “light

up” for Jesus’ birth.

What if you drove down one of those streets and got a

glimpse inside a house or two. Wouldn’t you be shocked

if there wasn’t one single Christmas decoration put up on the inside of the house? I sure

would! In fact, I would feel compelled to ask, “Why do you put such effort on decorating the

outside of your home and no effort on the inside of your home?” A logical response would

probably be something like, “I used all my time, energy, and resources on the outside and had

nothing left for the inside.”

By now, you may be able to tell where I am going with this . . .

How many times do you and I use up all of our energy on the “outsides” of our lives – putting

lights up, decorating our houses, sending Christmas cards, shopping for presents, having a

packed schedule full of festivities and yet, our insides are completely empty!

We have not spent any of our time, energy or resources preparing our hearts and because our hearts aren’t ready, our thoughts, attitudes, and actions reflect our unprepared heart.

Our prayer this “preparation” week is, “Help me be ready to welcome you, O God.” But how

do we practically do that?

Let me offer two suggestions as a starting point:

1. First thing in the morning – As you open your eyes each morning make a conscious

effort to commit your day to Jesus. Ask Him to help you prepare your heart for the

day ahead and to give you the desire to obey the Holy Spirit’s promptings to forgive,

pray, serve, encourage and show love to whomever (and however) He leads.

2. Last thing at night – As you lay your head on the pillow each night, reflect upon your

day, asking God to give you feedback on how you did. In what instances did you obey?

In what instances could you have done better?

I encourage you to spend some time each morning and each night preparing your heart. It is a

little thing that makes a big difference.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Activity: Light the hope and preparation candles of your Advent wreath. Ask the Lord

to help your family be ready to welcome Him and pray over your hopes from last week.

Dinner Discussion: What is the Holy Spirit prompting you to do to prepare for Jesus’ coming?

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Before we can help others welcome Jesus, our own hearts must be prepared to welcome Him.

That’s why our prayer this week has been, “Help me be ready to welcome you, O God”.

How do you know if your heart is prepared for the ADVENTure of Christmas?

Test the fruit of your life.

What type of fruit is hanging on the tree of your life?

Is it moldy, smelly, rotten and ugly to look at? Or is it

ripe and a thing of beauty?

When you have allowed the Holy Spirit to prepare

your heart, good fruit grows abundantly. Consider

the following words from Galatians chapter five:

22-23 But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the

same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance

about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion

in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find

ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to

marshal and direct our energies wisely. Galatians 5:22-23, The Message

From these verses we can see what good fruit looks like:

We have love for others that responds with patience

We give lots of grace to others and ourselves

We look forward to the day ahead instead of dreading it

We embrace the ADVENTure instead of being rattled when things go wrong

We see others through Jesus’ eyes of compassion

We are humble and wise

When your own heart is prepared to welcome your Savior, you then get the privilege of

sharing the fruit of your heart with others. As you do, this helps them to get their own heart

prepared as they see the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and gentleness

operating in your life; this makes others say, “I’ve got to get me some of that.”

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Make a fruit salad together. Name each ingredient as a fruit of the Spirit,

like joy berries or kind bananas. Or download a free printable of Galatians 5:22-23 here and

work on memorizing it this week.

Dinner Discussion: What kind of fruit is hanging on the tree of your life? What kind would you

like to grow? What do you need to do to help this kind of fruit grow?

Thursday, December 10, 2015

As we focus this week on preparing for the

ADVENTure of Christmas, our prayer has been,

“Help me be ready to welcome you, O God.”

This makes me think back to the first person

whose job it was to prepare the way for Jesus.

His name was John the Baptist and just like

Jesus’ birth, there was a great deal of

excitement surrounding the events of his birth

as well. Shortly after he was born, his father,

Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied this about his son:

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before

the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which

the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the

shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” Luke 1:76-79, NIV

Just like the original “Way Preparer,” did you know that you, too, can prepare the way for

Jesus? These verses show us three ways we can prepare the way for Jesus this Christmas

season:

1. To give His people the knowledge of salvation – How can you share your salvation with

others? Can you share the story of what your life was like B.C. (before Christ)? Can

you have patience and forbearance with those who drive you crazy? Can you give a

reason for the hope and joy you have?

2. To shine on those living in darkness – Because Jesus has shone His light into the

darkness of our lives, we get to both be the light and bring the light of Jesus

everywhere we go. When we realize the power of being the light of Jesus, we can go

with confidence anywhere He calls us to go. Don’t shy away from dark places. As

soon as you arrive, the light is turned on!

3. To guide our feet into the path of peace – Just like Jesus guides our feet into paths of

peace, how can you pass His peace on to others?

As followers of Christ, you and I are called to prepare the way. What better time than at

Christmas to do just that?

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Take a look at your nativity scene. Move your shepherds and the wise men

closer to the manger, but still not in the same room. Reflect on what preparations the wise

men must have needed in order to make such a long journey to visit Jesus.

Dinner Discussion: What are some ways you can pass Jesus’ peace on to others this Christmas?

Friday, December 11, 2015

Remember the song from The Sound of Music, “A Few

of My Favorite Things?”8 I’m not sure why that is a

Christmas song, but what are a few of your favorite

things during the Christmas season?

Snow? Candlelight? Special treats? A Christmas Eve

service? Time with family and friends?

Just like there are many things to look forward to

during this time of year, there are also things that we

don’t look forward to quite as much . . . for example:

gatherings or parties you are obligated to attend, being

around people who might drive you crazy, spending

money on all the extras the season requires, the

general hurry/scurry feeling that makes you feel just a

little frantic (or is that just me??) . . .

As we are spending this week in preparation for the ADVENTure of Christmas, let’s begin to wrap

up this theme with the important work of preparing for the things we are not looking forward to.

The degree to which we’ve prepared for our least favorite things will be in direct proportion to our ability to successfully navigate them.

Consider the following suggestions for preparing your heart for some of the challenges this season can bring:

Be honest with yourself about what is difficult for you. Try to pinpoint what it is that makes it difficult – your attitude, past experiences, a

challenging person? Get prayed up – ask God to soften your heart, change your attitude or perspective, or

give you grace for those “Extra Grace Required” people. Find a verse or two to arm yourself with – a couple great ones are: Romans 12:18 or

Psalm 139:23-24 NIV. Look them up and see if they are helpful for you. Fake it till you make it – sometimes you just have to put a smile on your face and wait

until it gets down to your heart.

A simple change in perspective is sometimes all it takes to turn your least favorite things into

something tolerable or, dare I say, even just a tad bit enjoyable.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Pray together and ask the Lord to change your heart, attitude, and

perspective toward some of the things that you’re not looking forward to this holiday season.

Dinner Discussion: What are some of your favorite things about Christmas? What are some of

your least favorite? Why?

8 My Favorite Things by Rodgers and Hammerstein

Saturday, December 12, 2015

As we end the week of “preparation” for the ADVENTure of Christmas, our prayer has been,

“Help me to be ready to welcome you, God.” We have made a mission statement for this

special season that will help us to connect with

God, and others, in meaningful ways. We have

prepared our own hearts by making intentional

time at the beginning and end of each day to

focus on the Lord and then we tested the fruit of

our lives. We have made an effort to be a “way

preparer” for Jesus and, finally, we have made a

plan for how we are going to be geared up for the

challenges this season often holds.

As with anything, you prepare so you can be ready. But then once you are ready, you wait.

Let me ask you a question. What type of a waiter are you, an impatient one or a patient one?

Does the thought of waiting in a long line, let’s say at Walmart or Costco, put you over the

edge? Are you the type of person who gets agitated the longer you have to wait? I think

many of us are. We are impatient waiters. Yet, waiting is often what God uses to deepen

and refine our relationship with Him. He knows that there is something that happens in our

soul during seasons of waiting that can’t happen in any other way. We become more patient,

gracious, mature, and less selfish when we have to wait for something.

Are you in a season of waiting for something right now - an answer to prayer, someone’s

change of heart, a report of some sort? Instead of waiting impatiently, can you use this time

to press in to God just a little bit more? Can you look for ways he is working while you’re

waiting? Can you keep a good attitude, even if the person in front of you has a cart full of

groceries, can’t find their debit card (so they decide to hand-write a check), has a return,

and two separate orders? Being patient and gracious under those extreme circumstances is

the true proof of a patient waiter.

Let’s use the next 13 days of waiting for Christmas, to grow in the art of patient waiting.

“Waiting on God is never a waste of time.”9

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Have a family worship time with some favorite Christmas hymns and include

Waiting Here for You by Christy Nockels (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3OEGnH5x8g).

Dinner Discussion: What type of a waiter are you, an impatient one or a patient one? Share a

time you had to wait? Were you patient or impatient? Was it worth it?

9 Glenn Burris, Jr.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

As a reminder, we are preparing our hearts for Christ’s birth as we find the missing artifacts

of hope, joy, and love this Christmas season. So far we have talked about hope and about

preparation. The third candle of Advent is the candle of joy. Sometimes joy can be elusive,

therefore, it is my goal to share practical ways you can both grab ahold of joy and also share

it with others.

My all-time favorite Christmas carol is “Joy to the World” by Isaac Watts. One of the lines

says, “Let heaven and nature sing.” Singing is a great way to get some joy into your life. In

fact, I’d like to invite you to join us today during

second service as our “Faith Kids” serenade us

with some joyful noise of song and Scripture! I

can’t think of much else that brings joy like the

combination of cute little kids and singing.

Just like the song says, both heaven and nature

sing as they celebrate Jesus’ birth. Can you even

imagine the choirs that are in heaven? They must

be the most pitch-perfect, glorious sound you

could ever hear. I can almost hear their faint song – “Glooooooria, in Excelsis Deo!” Can you?

In fact, it seems as if all of heaven and nature want to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Just like

the choirs in heaven must be putting on quite a show, nature wants to join in on the

celebration. She sings out with still, peaceful nights and then sings again with fresh fallen

snow. Nature is singing, you just have to look to “hear” it. As you look around you today,

take notice of the beautiful way that “nature sings”.

What about you? Don’t let heaven and nature out do you. Your voice may not be as sweet as

little kids’ or as angelic as the heavenly choirs, or even as beautiful as nature’s, but don’t let

that stop you from doing a little singing of your own. Especially when you don’t feel like it,

that’s when you need to sing and allow some joy to work its way out of your lips and into your

heart.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Gather the family and make some Christmas cookies. Turn on some

Christmas music and sing while you decorate. After you’ve practiced your carols, take a

plateful of cookies to your neighbors while singing. What a joyful way to celebrate Jesus’ birth!

Dinner Discussion: What do you often sing about? Is it joyful? What can you do to sing a joyful

song?

Monday, December 14, 2015

You and I are on a quest, an adventure really, the ADVENTure of

Christmas. We are trying to find the missing artifacts of hope, joy, and

love as we prepare our hearts for Christmas. In every great adventure

story there is a hero and there is a villain. The villain in our story is the

devil himself. You see, he doesn’t want us to receive the very blessings

that Jesus came to bring us. Just like he tries to keep us from hope

through unmet expectations, he tries to keep joy far from us as well.

There are two main thieves of joy: comparison and being overwhelmed.

Let’s talk about each of these, and ways we can protect ourselves from being robbed of our

joy by these thieves.

1. Comparison – You may have heard it said that, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Picture it

this way: two little children have opened up their Christmas gifts. They are busily playing

with their new toys when one of them stops playing with her toys long enough to observe

the other youngster playing with his toys. As she sees the delight upon his face she

becomes more interested in what he has been given and less content in what she has been

given. This discontentment leads to resentment and either she throws a fit, taking her

discontentment out on her playmate or she withdraws and pouts. Although this is a rather

juvenile example, how many times have we as adults done the same thing (yet in more

sophisticated ways)? The Bible tells us that comparing is unwise (see 2 Cor. 10:12)

because God knows that nothing good ever came from comparing. In order to keep our

joy, we need to stop looking around at what others have (whether it’s physical, relational,

financial, __________) and start being grateful for all that what we have been given.

2. Being overwhelmed – Let’s be real, this time of year is overwhelming. There are many

things that occupy our thoughts, time, and resources. It is very easy to let all of those

pressures become a burden rather than a joy. So how do you keep from being

overwhelmed? First of all, take one day at a time. What can you reasonably accomplish

in one day? Secondly consider the three “ates”: alternate, delegate, or eliminate. Can

you alternate years you do something? Who can you delegate some of your tasks to (it

may not be done the way you would do it, but trust me, it’s ok!). What are a couple

things you can eliminate this year? If you want to keep your joy, you may need to get rid

of some other things.

Don’t let comparison or being overwhelmed rob you of your joy. Get rid of whatever else you

can, in order to choose joy. It’s worth it!

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Make a list of things you have been given that bring you joy. Post this on the

fridge to remind you when you start to feel the need to compare.

Dinner Discussion: What is something in your life you need to eliminate in order for joy to

persevere?

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Have you ever been in a season where you experienced a lack of joy? I sure have. In fact, a few Christmases ago was one of the most difficult I can remember. The best way to describe it is with one word . . . LACK. There were a few things that were lacking, but the thing that affected me the most was a lack of joy. Thankfully, I had peace. But not joy. I cried a lot and had a hard time handling things as well as I normally do. It was very frustrating and disconcerting for me.

A week before Christmas, I decided enough was enough. I needed to spend some extended time with the Lord in an effort to get my joy back. On my dining room table I had 5 special candles - peace, joy, hope, love & cherish. I took my “peace” and “joy” candles from the table into my office with me and lit them, hoping that joy would find its way into my heart.

As I was carrying my candles the “joy” candle slipped from my hands and smashed to pieces on the floor. That was the perfect illustration of how I felt – like any tiny piece of joy I had was smashed to pieces, never to be recovered (I know it sounds dramatic, but a lack of joy can lead to dramatic thoughts). With tears in my eyes, I cleaned it up and threw it in the trash. Was anything going to turn around and bring joy?

Because of Jesus, joy is never truly lost. It can’t be smashed to pieces. Over the next couple of days, I’ll be sharing two different things that restored my joy. I am confident that, just like God restored my joy, He can do the same for you. He may use different means, but the end will still be the same – joy restored. Since Jesus has promised, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly,” John 10:10 NIV. Don’t give up until you receive it.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Light the hope, preparation, and joy candles of your advent wreath. Pray

over your lists of hopes and joys.

Dinner Discussion: Can you recall a time when you were lacking joy? How did you feel during

this time?

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Yesterday, I shared about the day my joy “broke.” In order to regain my joy, I knew that I needed to spend some time with the Lord. I also knew that it needed to be an extended amount of time. Although spending some extra time with Jesus may feel like the last thing you want to do, it’s the first thing you need to do.

An extended quiet time schedule will look different for everyone. The following are a few helpful suggestions to fill your time:

Prayer Reading the Bible Pouring your heart out to the Lord verbally or in writing Singing Listing your blessings Inviting the Holy Spirit to fill you Two-way journaling (conversing with God through writing)

Don’t rush this time, spend as long as it takes to get filled up. As you do, you will find this promise to be true, “You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand,” Psalm 16:11, NIV.

The promise of Psalm 16:11 is that God fills us with joy in His presence. To be filled means: to make full; to put as much as can be held into; to occupy to the full capacity; to supply to an extreme degree or plentifully. As you spend time with Him, He will fill you with joy so that your joy can overflow and fill someone else who needs it.

You may not feel joyful quite yet, but nothing can come against the promises of God’s Word! The time you spend with Jesus will restore your joy even if the enemy of your soul tries to tell you that you will never get it back. You have a choice of who you are going to listen to – the truth of God or the lies of the enemy.

When my “broke,” the time I spent getting filled in God’s presence was a turning point for me. God was so faithful. He began to restore my joy the very next day, which I will share with you tomorrow . . .

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Memorize Psalm 16:11. To help you memorize it, print a free image here

and hang it somewhere you will see it this week.

Dinner Discussion: Is there something that is getting in the way of God restoring your joy?

What practical things can you do to help you listen to God’s truth instead of the enemy’s lies?

Thursday, December 17, 2015

When you are lacking joy, it makes the ADVENTure of Christmas

difficult. Everyone seems to be caught up in “the most

wonderful time of the year” and you just wish you could escape

to a warm tropical island somewhere – alone! (*smile*)

The past couple of days, I’ve been sharing from my own

experience of broken “joy.” The first thing that began to turn

things around for me was spending time in God’s presence. He began to fill me and as He

did, my perspective slowly began to change. I started to take the focus off of myself and put

it on Him and then on others, as well. The next day we had a Christmas caroling party. That

morning it began to snow, and by the time of the party, we had 3-4 inches. It finally felt like

Christmas. Our guests arrived and we walked around the neighborhood, making it a point to

go sing to those we knew needed some joy:

A woman with an extended illness A family with a premature baby who were homebound during flu season (they went and

woke their baby up out of bed so that she could hear us singing to her) An old man who lost his wife that year, he had tears in his eyes as he listened to us sing

It was truly a wonderful evening. At one point as we were walking down the road, I looked

back and saw groups of 3-4 people walking in the snow with their candles glowing. It was

such a picturesque sight - like something you would see in a movie.

That’s when it dawned on me, what brings me joy is bringing joy to others because, “Those

who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.”10 No matter how

bad things are for you, there is always someone who is worse off. How can you bring a bit of

joy to someone else’s pain?

Are you lacking joy this season? Turn it around by changing your focus. Spend some extended

time with Jesus and then look for ways to bring joy to others. Trust me, it works every single

time.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Move the shepherds of your nativity closer to the manger scene. Take some

time to imagine what joy they must have felt when the angels came to them in the fields

singing. Show your family what your face would look like if angels came singing to you!

Dinner Discussion: Do you know someone who needs joy right now? Is there something you can do to bring them joy? DO IT!

10

J.M. Barne

Friday, December 18, 2015

What are some things that bring you

great joy? I’m not talking about just a

bit of joy, but GREAT joy? For me, I

experience great joy holding a

newborn baby, watching my kids be

and do what God has designed them to

be and do and finally, seeing people

grow in Christ brings me great joy.

Did you know that you bring great joy

to God? The definition of joy as a

noun: the emotion of great delight or

happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation; the

expression or display of glad feeling. As a verb: to feel joy; be glad; rejoice.

Now let’s look at Zephaniah 3:17, pay special attention to the words in bold.

For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a Mighty Savior. He will take delight in

you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you

with joyful songs. Zephaniah 3:17, NLT

From this verse can you see that you bring great joy to God?

He delights in you with gladness – you make Him smile. You fill his heart with delight.

Your very existence makes him glad He created you. You were his best idea!

He rejoices over you with joyful songs – can you even imagine the sound of God singing

a joyful song because of you? What would that even sound like? We may hear faint

echoes of His joyful song here on earth, but we will hear the full of extent of it in all

its glory when we get to heaven. What a day that will be!

Let the truth of God’s Word stay with you today. Put a smile on your face, the creator of the

universe delights in you. Get a song in your heart - He’s singing one over you. No matter

your circumstances, you can walk in confidence today. God is living among you and He is your

Mighty Savior, let that calm your fears and fill you with a joy that the world can’t take away!

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Spend a few minutes in prayer praising the Lord! Thank him by praying

through Zephaniah 3:17.

Dinner Discussion: What about the Christmas season delights you?

Saturday, December 19, 2015

As we wrap up this week of “joy,” I’d like to end like I began, with a phrase from my favorite Christmas carol, “Joy to the World.”11

I started the week with the phrase, “let heaven and nature sing.” Today, it’s “repeat the sounding joy.” Singing is a big deal at Christmastime. There are carols played at department stores. Kids sing in Christmas programs. Radio stations bypass their usual songs and play continuous Christmas music instead. Christmas carolers sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” to their neighbors. It’s as if everyone knows that now is the time to “repeat the sounding joy”.

Last year, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a Michael W. Smith Christmas concert. Among other songs, he sang his infamous, “Emmanuel.” What a treat to hear it in person rather than just on a Christmas CD. As I was enjoying the performance, I noticed something right in front of the stage. There was a woman interpreting the songs for those who couldn’t hear. My heart became saddened as I realized the beautiful piano music accompanied by a full strings section that I could hear so fully and was enjoying so completely was literally falling on deaf ears. How sad to be in a place where “joy is being repeated” but you cannot experience it like others.

Yet, isn’t that how it is for some people this Christmas? There is joy that they don’t feel due to heartache, loss, depression, or a variety of other reasons. They look around and see people enjoying their Christmas and they realize that joy is falling on their deaf ears and dull hearts.

As you go about these next few days until Christmas, I encourage you to open your eyes and look for those who need some joy. Once you’ve spotted them, open your heart and be a person who will “repeat the sounding joy” in ways they can understand:

A warm smile Look in their eyes and wish them a “Merry Christmas” A handshake or hug if appropriate A monetary blessing

God fills us with His joy not so that we will be joy hogs, but so that we will pass it on to

others. In the meantime, while you are waiting for opportunities to bring someone joy, I dare

you, in fact I double-dog dare you (whether you are in your car all by yourself or in a crowded

department store) sing at the top of your lungs and “repeat the sounding joy”!

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Have a family worship time with some favorite Christmas hymns and include

Joy to the World and Emmanuel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPqCP0UiPI0).

Dinner Discussion: How did you do at repeating joy today? Were there some ways you could

have done better? Were there some ways you succeeded at sharing joy?

11

Joy to the World by Isaac Watts

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Thus far in our ADVENTure of Christmas, we have looked for hope

and joy as we’ve prepared our hearts for Christmas. In these

final days before December 25th, let’s look for some love.

Love is the supreme motivation God had for sending His son, Jesus, into the world.

On that first Christmas, God sent some extra-ordinary messengers of love to some very-

ordinary, yet special recipients.

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed. Luke 2:8-18, The Message

I believe one of the reasons God sent the messengers of love first to the shepherds was because they needed love the most that night. Cold, tired, smelly, hungry, lonely, outcast... who better to send a message of love to than those who most needed it?

As we count down the final days before Christmas, will you join me on an ADVENTure and be on the lookout for those who need love the most?

Once you spot them, will you be a messenger of love, just like the angels of old?

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Take a quick trip to the store and pick up your favorite single serving snacks

– but don’t eat them! Instead, put them into bags to hand out to those in need. Stash a couple

in your car glove box or take them with you to the bus stop. Be a messenger of God’s love, so

don’t forget to tell them Jesus loves them when you hand out a bag!

Dinner Discussion: What is one of the most loving acts someone has done for you?

Monday, December 21, 2015

This week we are on an ADVENTure to spot those who

need a little love. Have you found anyone yet? This can

be anyone – in your home, church, neighborhood,

community, on the streets, anyone, anywhere . . .

Once you find them, then what? Let’s look at the perfect

example of how to love, found in John 3:16-17.

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in

him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world

to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17, NIV

From this simple and familiar portion of Scripture, we garner truth about God’s type of love.

God’s love gives rather than condemns.

How often do we see someone who needs some extra love and come up with judgments about

why they are unworthy of the extra time it would take to show a little kindness? “Well, that

is the consequence of their choices,” “They haven’t treated me very well, so I’m not going to

be nice to them,” “Their heart is so hardened, nothing I say or do will make a difference,”

etc. . .

Yet, in God’s economy, to love is to give grace; to condemn is to point a finger and give

judgment (whether that judgment is spoken or just thought).

It is through love and grace that people recognize their need for a Savior.

Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not

realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:4, NIV

Who is a person or group of people you would be tempted to condemn (in thought, word or

deed) rather than love?

Why not take a moment to ask God to:

Forgive you for taking His place of Judge

Give you a heart of love for them

Allow you an opportunity, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, to show

them love

Be like God, give love.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Write a love note to someone today telling them how much God loves them.

Deliver it with a smile.

Dinner Discussion: Who is a person or group of people you would be tempted to condemn (in

thought, word or deed) rather than love?

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Love is why Jesus came at Christmastime, to give us an example of what love looks like.

Jesus is God’s love incarnate.

I recently stumbled upon a portion of Scripture that I cannot get out of my mind. It gives us some insight how we can carry on God’s mission to “love the world.”

So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will (1) not only love much but well. Learn to (2) love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. (3) Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, (4) a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, (5) making Jesus Christ attractive to all, (6) getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11, The Message

Let’s break it down:

(1) Not only love much but well – not only the amount of love (quantity), but the type of

love (quality)

(2) Love appropriately – what is the best way to show love for specific situations

(3) Live a lover’s life – may your very life be marked by love, so that people equate you

with love

(4) A life Jesus will be proud of – worthy of His sacrifice

(5) Making Jesus attractive to all – nothing draws people to Christ like genuine love with

no strings attached

(6) Getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God – when love is shown Jesus

gets the glory, either directly or indirectly

Does your love resemble any of the above?

Reflect upon a recent circumstance where your love has been characterized by any of the

points above. Give God the credit for it. Have there been situations recently (especially in

the hustle and bustle of the season) where you have been unloving? Aren’t you grateful that

we serve a God of second chances? Ask Him for the opportunity to redeem yourself and then

do better next time.

Christmas is an excellent time to be “Jesus with skin on” by showing His love.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Light all four of the candles on your advent wreath. Pray for people you can

show Jesus’ love to this Christmas and into the New Year.

Dinner Discussion: Have there been situations recently where you have been unloving? Ask

Him for the opportunity to redeem yourself and then do better next time.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Can you believe there are only two days until Christmas? It’s my prayer that these thoughts

I’ve shared have prepared your heart to truly enjoy the season and be able to reflect the light

of Jesus through His hope, joy, and love. It has been my joy to write with that (and you) in

mind.

This week, we have been talking about love – to be messengers of love, to give love rather

than judgment and to love well. Now, let’s be honest, there are some people in our lives

that are easy to love. We are naturally compelled to show love and affection toward them.

Yet, how many know that the reverse is also true? There

are people in our lives that, no matter how hard we try,

bring out the worst in us. Their negative outlook on life

rubs off on us, trying to steal our joy; their bad attitude

makes us want to avoid them; their cutting remarks make

us want to lash out and we end up saying something we

later regret; their unreasonable expectations make us want

to skip celebrating with them altogether. Can you relate?

How on earth do you show God’s love to people like that? One simple word . . .

Boundaries. There is nothing unloving about boundaries. In fact, boundaries create safe spaces for love to

flow and grow. A boundary is simply “a real or imaginary point beyond which a person or

thing cannot go.”12 Consider the following practical examples of boundaries:

In what we talk about – what topics do we need to steer clear of?

In how much time we spend together. “Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.”13

In what we do together – some activities are off limits.

Even in how much money we spend on one another – this helps set realistic expectations.

Boundaries help get everyone on the same page. Often times those conversations are

difficult to initiate, but the end result of the conversation is clear limits which bring health to

even the most strained relationships. You can’t control how people will respond to your

boundaries, but you must stick with them. As you do, you can be assured that your

boundaries will help you act in more loving ways towards those who aren’t the easiest to

love.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Memorize Philippians 1:9-11. For a free printable of this verse, click here.

Post it where you will see it often.

Dinner Discussion: Is there a relationship you have that needs limits? What are some

boundaries you can set to make it a safe, healthy relationship?

12

Merriam-webster.com 13

Benjamin Franklin

Thursday, December 24, 2015

This day before Christmas, have you taken time to stop and wonder at God’s love? One of the

definitions of “wonder” is “something that is surprising or very hard to believe.” Yes, I think

that describes the love of God. The fact that the Creator and Sustainer of the universe

desired me so much that He sent His only Son to this world in order to lay the whole of my sin

upon Him as He died a brutal death is indeed something very surprising and hard to believe

indeed. In fact, as long as I live, I don’t think I will ever get over the love that God showed to

me personally. You see, there is nothing especially loveable about me. Yet, God loves me

just because He loves me.

And, God loves you just because He loves you. Is that surprising or hard for you to believe? It

may be, but believing is what Christmas is all

about. And it’s what separates you and me

from those who do not believe. A popular

department store has used the word

“Believe” as their Christmas slogan for the

past couple years. I assume they are

encouraging everyone to “believe” in the

magic of Christmas. Yet, there would be no

“magic of Christmas” without the love of

God, because there would be no Christmas

to “believe” in.

Let’s put a different spin on it. I have a challenge for you. For the next 48 hours, I challenge

you to believe in God’s love for you personally, individually, and specifically. Yes, we know

that God “so loved the world” that He gave us His Son. However, I “believe” that today you

need to hear that God so loved you, and you alone, that He gave His Son.

You were worth Heaven’s loss. You were valuable enough to be inconvenienced for. You

were valuable enough for the Sinless and Blameless One to lay down His life for. You were

the one God had in mind when He “gave His Son”.

Will you let that truth sink in and will you ponder upon that these next 48 hours? As you sing

Christmas carols, will you wonder at His love? As you open gifts, will you wonder at His love?

As you spend time with loved ones, will you wonder at His love? As you say or do the wrong

things, will you wonder at His love? As those around you (intentionally or unintentionally)

hurt your feelings, will you wonder at His love?

Yes, it’s very surprising and hard to believe, but true. The wonder of His love is that He chose to love you.

Today’s Family ADVENTure!

Family Adventure: Bring baby Jesus into your nativity scene today. Also add the shepherds and

angels to the scene. Spend a few minutes dwelling on the magnitude, awe, and wonder of

Jesus, the best gift of all, coming to earth as a baby.

Dinner Discussion: Share one thing about God’s love that amazes you. His love is wondrous!

Friday, December 25, 2015

The day we have been preparing for has arrived! Christmas, 2015.

One of the traditions we started when our oldest child was just a baby was reading the Christmas story together first thing on Christmas morning before any presents get unwrapped. This helps to remind us why we are celebrating. Why not take a few minutes to join us by reading Luke 2:1-20 either aloud as a family (some kids love the honor of getting to be the one to read) or in the quiet of solitude.

The thing I love about Jesus is that He came to be a God Whom was with us. He’s not a far off God, He’s a God who is present in the middle of life’s circumstances, good, bad, or indifferent. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:22-23

Aren’t you grateful that “The Lord Has Come”? Certainly He has come for the entire world, but He has also come

Just. For. You.

The Lord has come to help you. The Lord has come to comfort you. The Lord has come to give you strength. The Lord has come to provide for you. The Lord has come to give you peace. The Lord has come to make things right. The Lord has come to bless you. The Lord has come to save you.

Whatever you’re facing this Christmas day, 2015, that’s the very reason He came! “The Lord Has Come” to be with you. Who can you share His hope, joy and love with today?

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!