The Christmas season is almost here! Many people are getting excited. How about you? Christmas tree, lights, candles, beautiful music, gifts, special foods, and Advent. In fact, Advent starts in just a few days.
Incidentally, have you wondered what Advent is about? What’s the purpose? What value does Advent bring to your modern, extremely busy life – especially during one of the busiest months of the year?
With all this in mind, I’d like to explore Advent and how it can positively impact your holiday season and your life. Additionally, I’d like to tell you how a daily Advent focus each December day can quite literally help prepare your heart for a more meaningful Christmas. Then, your approach to Christmas will be more balanced. More heart-engaging. Subsequently, you’ll notice joy peeking into your Christmas preparations.
What Is Advent?
The Advent Season has been celebrated for many years with rich meaning. Historically, an advent marks the arrival of a notable person or event. And the notable person celebrated at Christmas is Jesus. Incidentally, the event is the birth of God – becoming a human baby. What a striking event and arrival! And what a notable person! That’s a pretty big wow. In fact, it requires a response.
Because Christmas is jam-packed with rich traditions, gifts and wrappings, special foods, decorations, fabulous music – it takes purposeful focus to not miss the real meaning. At the core, Christmas is much more than just traditions. This very special celebration gives you a lovely opportunity to respond personally and intimately to the birth of Christ.
Since Advent assists you to celebrate joyfully with a bit of structure, this practice actually prepares your heart and directs your focus.
Often, a wreath with candles is used during Advent. Then – lighting a new candle on each of the four weeks leading up to Christmas Day – there is a certain anticipation. Incidentally, it’s not essential to use a wreath or light candles. Just simply focusing on meaningful ideas each day prepares your heart. Alive and Active Life has a great tool to use for Advent. Let me tell you about it.
A Practical Tool
Because of the wonder of Christmas, and yet the challenges of managing all the preparations, you need a good tool to keep your heart in step with the deeper meaning of Christmas. Celebrate Advent: A Life-Response to Emmanuel is a small book to help prepare your heart for Christmas. This little book is thoughtful, gently to-the-point, and celebratory. And in fact, it nudges your heart to focus on the deep reason we celebrate Christmas. It helps you remain balanced in holiday preparations. And it can be used effectively each December day because it’s condensed – yet focused.
You can easily be enriched in five to ten minutes each day leading up to Christmas. And this renewal time helps you better manage the holiday stressors while pondering encouraging thoughts.
Back Story Of CELEBRATE ADVENT
Celebrate Advent started as a tool I developed years ago to help my family prepare for Christmas. So much commercialism hits a family during the holiday season. God prompted my heart to create short, focused, devotional thoughts to help my children reflect on nuggets of truth during Christmas.
As years passed, others found out about it. Soon, I was hearing people say – “You need to publish this little book.” So, I went to work to develop Celebrate Advent: A Life Response to Emmanuel and help people participate in Christmas Advent.
It’s now our most popular book. The cover is festive, colorful, and inviting. When you open this beautiful little book, you see an easy-to-use layout. Attractive artful scrollwork graces the pages. Since featured Scripture is printed right across the page from daily inspirational thoughts, you only have one book to open each day.
Pause just a few minutes each day to remember the rich meaning of Christmas as you prepare for this holiday. And let peace and joy slip into your heart.
Here’s How CELEBRATE ADVENT Works
This book focuses on very short passages from Isaiah, printed on the left page of the book so you don’t have to look them up. Isaiah is filled with encouragement and truth. It reaches forward to the birth of Jesus. Plus, it announces Christ as Sacrifice and Savior. And it comforts hearts presenting a dear Friend – Emmanuel: (which means) God With Us.
Then, the right side features a brief, inspirational thought to ponder – followed by a few lines to record what the Lord impresses on your heart.
Easy-To-Use Design
The design of Days 1-25 of Celebrate Advent inspires a response from your heart at Christmas that affects your life all year. Afterall, Jesus is interested in a meaningful relationship with you every day.
The design of Days 26-31 helps you consider how you will live in the coming New Year. Subsequently, these days help you set a fresh perspective by bringing elements you learn during Advent forward into the New Year.
You can gain new understanding into God’s plan. Since His plan includes you, learn to be the person He created. Accomplish your life purpose.
As Christmas opens opportunity to simply receive Emmanuel – just as the manger received the innocent Baby Jesus, your life can be the welcoming dwelling place of the infant King just as the stable welcomed His birth. Let Christ “grow up” increasingly in you as you determine “He must become greater; I must become less.” (Jn. 3:30)
What is the Goal of CELEBRATE ADVENT?
God loves you so much! That’s why He became a human – born in a manger. His life purpose includes being our Sacrifice on the cross, our Savior, for all sins against God. Grown-up Jesus provides cover for all inadequacies. He also models how to live in close relationship with God. And furthermore, Jesus wants to be your companion every day and help you be the person He created. Consequently, God-in-human-flesh wants to help you accomplish your life purpose.
Your life is not an accident. God had you in His heart before creation. And Emmanuel wants you to know Him. – Jesus, the bridge over a sinful gap between God and man through the cross and empty tomb. He made a way to reconnect with you. It’s still on the table – a life of peace and joy God created you to have. Why not respond by celebrating Advent this Christmas?
Christmas Hope
You can have hope through God’s forgiveness – and hope to manage your inner life well – and hope for wisdom in every life situation. Make a life response back to Emmanuel. Enjoy life now – and eternal life with a simple life response to Jesus. Walk with God daily, even when times get tough. Baby Jesus proves God’s love for you. Essentially, He welcomes you – “Come near to God, and He will come near to you.” (Jas. 4:8 )
The goal of Christmas Advent is to draw close to God by faith – all because Baby Jesus grows up to re-direct humanity back to God’s original design. And once you make a life response, you can live inside God’s love and joy. What a privilege to do life with Emmanuel. (If you don’t know God yet, here’s helpful information on How to become a Jesus Follower.)
Application Thoughts And Questions
- What challenges and typical issues cause stress as you prepare for Christmas?
- Why not participate in a simple Advent to reboot and refresh your perspective?
- Do you know Emmanuel as your dear friend? Let Jesus connect you to God and your original design.
- Do you need a fresh perspective – a reboot – to welcome the Christmas celebration this year?
- God loves you and cares about your deepest needs. Will you make a life response to Him this Advent?
Looking for CHRISTMAS GIFTS? Our devotional and Bible study books are excellent Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers. They help people you care about stay in God’s Word, and they’re affordable. In fact, they keep on giving for years.
Special Announcement For November
I invite you to participate in a FREE course we are offering now. “Prepare For Christmas Without Missing It.” You can jump in for tips and ideas to navigate busy Christmas days. You’ll find step-by-step strategies and practical ideas. The content shows how to enjoy a peaceful yet meaningful Christmas.
You may be the “Christmas Point Person” at your house. Be ready to create an atmosphere of excitement, richness, magic, and fun memories. Set aside stress and frustration, and connect with Emmanuel (“God With Us”) in a deeper way. See how to create time and energy to connect with people and special traditions.
If you experience sadness, depression, or grieving, there is even a session designed to help you find fresh hope, and a bit more joy.
So sign up for this FREE resource today! And “Prepare For Christmas Without Missing It.” Go to this page: www.aliveandactivelife.org/courses.
Additional Resources
* REMEMBER to order Celebrate Advent: A Life-Response to Emmanuel. (paperback and ebook)
And then – the ebook Holiday Tool – Prepare For Christmas WIthout Missing It that features so many things we talk about in the FREE course. Break out of holiday busy-ness and into hope and meaningful celebration.
Both books make beautiful gifts. Check them out in our online store.
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Visit our website for resources to get into God’s Word and live an Alive and Active Life.
