Preparing for the Coming

November 25, 2017

The Coming

Advent – an arrival that has been awaited

A time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas.

“We are most prepared for Christmas when we revel in His presence as the GIFT.”

“May God’s greatest gift be our greatest JOY.”

Ann Voskamp

I have memories of childhood lighting the candles in our advent wreath. We did not do it every year but I remember the pink and purple candles. I guess as a child I was more interested in the presents than focusing on the coming of Jesus Christ.

I think we put such a materialistic focus on Christmas that it has become something that is routine.

The Christmas season should never be routine.

As Christians we should be the ones who shout the good news of this holiday. We should be the ones with the brightest lit houses. We should be the ones singing Christ centered holiday songs the loudest. We should be shouting “Merry Christmas” with joyful voices.

Now I know that there are people who will say that many of our Christmas traditions are steeped in pagan practices and that is true. We can turn those practices into a bright billboard to bring glory and honor to the name of Jesus Christ.

This year we have decided as a family to go all out for Christmas. Our house is already decked with lights and our tree is already up. We have been singing Christmas music since September. Yes, that is because five of us are singing in Spiritual Twist Production’s Christmas Vesper’s Service. But I still love Christmas music.

I am making an effort this year to be listening to music that is Christ centered. I spent 2 days coming up with a good playlist. No Jingle Bells, White Christmas, or I’ll Be Home for Christmas. Just good music that focuses on the reason for the season. Jesus Christ.

All of my Christmas decorations have a Christ centered theme. I have the word JOY up around my house everywhere. It is kind of a running joke in our family. That word reminds me of Jesus and the journey that I am on to truly live a life that is full of JOY in Jesus.

One of the things I am doing this year to help me is to have an Advent notebook. I did this last year and I loved it. I think I did too much last year and kind of lost focus after about 15 days. This year I have not added as much and am really focusing on just a few things. There are so many good advent devotionals and studies out this year. The temptation is to try and do them all. With 8 kids, homeschooling, and STP I just really need to focus on what the Lord wants me to do. I am doing a lot less than I did last year.

I started out with a composition notebook and decorated the outside with pretty paper and stickers. I am much more inclined to write in a notebook that is very pretty than a plain one. After the decorating was done I began to really search and pray about what the Lord would have me do to focus my heart on Jesus this Christmas season.

I love Scripture Writing so that was an easy decision. I have decided to put away my Write the Word: Cultivate JOY journal for the month and focus on a December Scripture Writing program. I printed out two different programs so I will have my choice of two passages to write every day. I can do both or choose one. I am not going to commit to doing both but will allow the Lord to lead me what to write every day.

The next thing that I decided to do was Ann Voskamp’s The Greatest Gift. I did this last year too and really enjoyed it. I printed out the little cards she has for each day and taped them inside the notebook. I will read the devotional every day. I am doing the companion book for kids with all the children. I had spent hours on an advent calendar several years ago. It was based off Ann’s book. I thought I had lost it when we moved. When we were searching for decorations this year I found it. It was in great shape and only one day was missing. I was so glad, and it was an answer to prayer as I had been praying about what to do with the kids.

The next thing the Lord led me to do was Preparing My Heart for Christmas Prayer Challenge. This was a study I did last year by Heather Bowen from the blog Life of a Homeschool Mom. I really enjoyed it last year and decided to do it again. I shrunk the size of each page and printed them out and then taped them inside of the notebook.

The last thing I am doing is the Love God Greatly study entitled His Name Is… It uses the S.O.A.P. method of Bible study. I have done several of their studies before and really enjoy them. I again just printed out the pages and taped and glued them in my advent notebook.

I like taping and gluing everything in one place because it makes my notebook pretty and everything is in one place. Instead of grabbing several binders or folders I grab one notebook. With all the work I did there is still plenty of room for me to add more things I want to print off. There are also many blank pages for me to write. I added some washi tape and pretty post it tabs to the pages to help me find where each study is.

Every time I grab the notebook I get excited. Since I love to write, an empty journal ready to go is one of my favorite things.

I know it seems like a lot but trust me, last year I tried to do more and really got burnt out. I am doing much less this year and focusing more on the things I know that have worked in the past and that I have enjoyed.

Each person is different and what works for me may not work for someone else. I enjoy writing out scripture and prayers so this is what I am focusing on this year. Do some research and find the things that work for you. The whole point is to take this month of December and focus on Christ. He is the greatest gift of all and the focus should be on Him and His coming.

That is my prayer for all of you this Christmas and beyond. To walk in truth and seek finding your JOY in Christ. What better gift to give our Savior this Christmas season than a life rededicated to following Him.

Immerse yourself this Christmas season in the person of Jesus Christ. Revel in the greatest gift ever given. Saturate yourself with the knowledge you learn about Christ this season.

Make this Christmas season the one where Jesus Christ is our focus and serving Him becomes the goal.

If we truly want to have a good Christmas season, then we need to prepare our hearts and be ready and willing to be obedient to what He would have us do this Christmas. That requires commitment and work and prayer. Not just the week of Christmas but all season long.

Who will join me this Christmas season to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ?