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Advent Wreath Candle of Hope
I am writing this as we are entering into the first part of December. We are anticipating our first winter weather storm of the year with a few inches of snow and strong, blustery winds. Sounds dismal to many and yet, I always embrace this wintery weather with an opportunity to rest and relax. During Advent, we anticipate celebrating Jesus’ birth on Christmas but we also are reminded of the coming of Christ’s return. The hope of advent is also the promise that Christ will return. It is a time to reflect on the future and all that it will bring. Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 reads “the people who walked in…
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Waiting in Expectation: The Advent of Our Lord
We are just a little over two weeks away from Christmas. Are you waiting in expectation? The commercialization of the holiday season has caused so many of us to skip the Advent season and crash into Christmas exhausted from planning, preparing, and attending events. I know I am guilty of that most years. However, probably for the first time in years, I have been able to set aside the anxiety of preparation and have been able to sit in quiet expectation. How? I’m intentionally taking moments to remember who He is, why He came, and what He has done. Expectation is a “strong belief that something will happen or be…
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Christmas Faith Traditions
I have many fond memories of Christmas growing up. There were all the decorations and getting to help my mom set them all out, the Christmas program at church, getting together with both my mom’s family as well as my dad’s family, and the holiday baking. The one tradition that I remember well was going to Christmas Eve church service and getting to sing all those traditional Christmas songs (What Child is This, Silent Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem) to name a few. We did have presents which I remember but to me, that’s not what sticks out in my mind. My parents did a great job in their…
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December Devotional: Keeping the Faith
Scripture of the week: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 Devotional Thought: In life, it gets hectic and chaotic and our faith can easily be put to the side. We may have a hard time keeping our faith through the hard times and we often say to ourselves “I’ve got this.” The scripture in Matthew clearly states that we shall not live by bread alone but by the word of God, therefore we need to always remember to keep our faith strong and instead say “With God, I’ve got this.” Thought/Action Point: There are many ways…