You prepare for Christmas in so many ways. But how do you prepare your heart?
Advent
The Christmas Advent Season has been richly celebrated for many years. Historically, an advent marks the arrival of a notable person or event. Often, a wreath with candles has been used during Christmas Advent, lighting a new candle on each of four weeks leading up to Christmas Day.
Even if you choose not to use a wreath with candles, there are simple, thoughtful ways you can prepare your heart.
This is the first in a series to help prepare your heart for Christmas. Each week we will light another candle in our hearts as a statement of preparation. (Notice each additional week’s article in this series has another candle lit in the main featured image.)
As I’ve been preparing for a mostly traditional Thanksgiving meal, I’m reminded how much planning and preparation goes into special celebrations we treasure. These are added onto regular, daily activities and responsibilities. So, managing everything during holiday seasons is critical. Additionally, focus on the many reasons to be “thankful while busy” keeps you centered.
Have you ever been told – “You always have to be right!”? There’s likely been at least one time in your life when this has been said to you. And chances are, you’ve said it to someone else. To have to be right seems to be a human issue.
There are two concepts people all over the world cling to: Faith and Family. These ideas mean different things to each person. Yet they are a bedrock for people of any culture. Interestingly, the ideas of Faith and Family are interwoven, and it all starts in the heart of God.
(This is Part 5 in a series on faith. See below for the entire Faith Series articles/podcasts links.)
I’ve found the content of this article has had huge impact in my life. Interestingly, it has influenced my relationships – with friends, family, co-workers, and others. So what are we looking at today? It has to do with safety. There are threats everywhere against folks. Individuals, families, places of employment and education, even churches. Everything looks OK from the outside, but inside where people are, and especially deep inside people, there are broken pieces. One of the greatest assurances you can know and bring into life is – you can be safe with God. Why? Because God promises!
So, I guess the question is – how do you live practically in this safety? Let’s explore being safe with God and look at action steps you can practice to be safe with God.
It’s Valentine’s Day! People all over the world are looking for creative, meaningful ways to say, “I love you.” People also are looking to be loved. It may be from a lover, but that’s a limited view of the day. This day includes family members, dear friends, comrades in ventures, even perhaps – fellow countrymen. Most defining and critical, this day includes the God who loves you and me. So, the question from Him is still – “Do you love Me?”
Intentional Living is hosting a special Easter Holy Week online devotional – FREE! The course is called . . . “Take A Daily Moment To Prepare For Easter.” You can participate in this online brief daily experience by yourself, as a family, or with a group.
The recent developments of our global pandemic has been stressful. Most people feel deep concern and even fear. The globe has never known a pandemic of this extent before.
Even with all this going on, Easter is filled with joy and cheer. Not only is spring waking the earth once again. People are ready to see new life. New growth.
These thoughts of new life are especially welcome during our global COVID-19 crisis. So this week’s devotional course focuses on HOPE. There will be MEANINGFUL and FUN ACTIVITIES for people who are in “lock-down.”
Take A Daily Moment To Prepare For Easter
The sessions begin Monday, April 6. You can enter the sessions anytime, night or day, to participate in the brief, daily posts. Each day has 2 sections:
MEDITATION THOUGHT– a short reflective thought to help prepare your heart for Easter and give hope during our global crisis.
TRADITION ACTIVITY IDEA– a fun activity you can participate in – by yourself, as a family, or with a group. Each day has a “Teaching Point”especially helpful for involving children.
During this course, you will also receive aBONUS POST – “When You Run Out of Ideas of Where to Hide An Easter Basket.”
An important HEADS UP . . .
Day #5 (Good Friday), the TRADITION ACTIVITY IDEA uses Resurrection Eggs to tell the Easter story with a little reminder token in each egg. Kids love this set! You can either order the set early this week before our session on Friday (with the above link on amazon – or through another online vendor) OR you can make your own. Your local Christian Bookstores may have a set.
To make your own: fill empty plastic eggs with little items to remind of each part of the Easter story. The online set (above link) shows detailed pictures of the little items you will need.
Intentional Living wants to help your Easter week be extra special.
SIGN UP for “Take A Daily Moment To Prepare For Easter.”
I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration. We have so much to be grateful for even when life is difficult or painful. The blessings co-exist alongside the difficulties.
If you are a parent, you know raising kids is one of the most challenging things you have ever done. It is also one of the most influential and meaningful.
As you think about being a good parent to your kids, there are things you can do that make a huge difference in their little lives. It’s hard to remember all the specific things, so here is a list of tips and action steps to keep at your finger-tips.
I remember how excited I was when I found a “Thinking Grid” in my Bible. A timeless tool that has provided guidance to Christians for centuries. This Thinking Grid specifies what thoughts to allow in your mind. And since thoughts influence words, it has direct influence on your speech and relationships.
Advent
FREE! The course is called . . . “
Day #5 (Good Friday), the TRADITION ACTIVITY IDEA uses 
Intentional Living wants to help your Easter week be extra special.
