Blog - Do Not Depart

New Creations – Beginning the New Year With True Hope

January 3, 2019 by Patti Brown 3 Comments

It happens like clockwork. Every December my inbox sees a sudden shift from LAST DAY! and BUY NOW! subject lines to GET ORGANIZED! and LOSE WEIGHT! As soon as December 26 hits, the cultural conversation shifts from “Buy lots of stuff!” to “Fix your life.”

It’s easy to get caught up in that isn’t it? We all want to feel well and have a productive life. I’ll admit, I have already watched almost every episode of Marie Kondo’s new Netflix series on decluttering, and my browser history shows that I am determined to get my jumbled pantry under control (who knew there were so many options for storing canned goods and baking supplies?)

There is nothing wrong with being good stewards of our bodies and our homes. The problems come when we leave Jesus out of the equation.

I think it’s safe to say that if you dig a little deeper on the surface things you want to get under control, you will find a spiritual root. Having weight issues? Perhaps you learned at a young age to turn to food for comfort. House out of control? Maybe you think if it can’t be perfect, why bother. There are many reasons why we develop habits that work against ourselves – your underlying reasons will be unique to you.

Life is hard. Painful events will happen to you, and you will need comfort. Perfection is unattainable, and we all know that homes are the most obvious example of entropy in the universe!

Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is not going to transform your life. Yes, you can make significant changes, but if you are looking for transformation, only One can make that happen. And He absolutely will, if you let Him.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17

The Bible is filled with examples of this. Peter, Paul, and Mary… yes a sixties folk band, but more significantly, three of the people in the Bible who were radically transformed by Jesus. Jesus turned a foot-in-his-mouth fisherman, an anti-Christian zealot, and a mentally ill woman into people whose life purpose was to walk in love and spread the Gospel.

This month, we will be taking a deeper look at the stories of men and women in the Bible who were made new creations when they accepted Jesus. We pray that you will find inspiration to lean even more on Him, and trust Him to transform you. Hope in ourselves is often misplaced, but hope in Jesus never disappoints!

Making changes in the new year? Don’t leave Jesus out of the equation! #NewCreations

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New series! Join us as we look at Jesus’ transforming power. #NewCreations

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Welcoming 2019 with Trust and Hope

January 1, 2019 by Patti Brown Leave a Comment

From all of us to each of you… may this year be one of greater trust in and love for God, as you choose each day to walk in His ways!

Simplifying Christmas – Series Wrap Up

December 31, 2018 by Ali Shaw Leave a Comment

Christmas may be over, but the birth of our Savior is something we can celebrate any day, and at any time! Christmas is an important time to create an environment of less stress and instead make room for more Jesus. If would like to share the series we did this month, here are links to each post from Simplifying Christmas:

Posts

In the introduction, I talk about the desire to make God’s priorities ours, and share the passage about Mary and Martha from the Book of Luke, reminding us to focus on what matters most: Jesus.

If you’re looking for an Advent reading plan, this post has several to choose from, including two original plans from us at Do Not Depart. Why do Advent readings? It’s a great way to get more time in with Jesus and focus on His birth and what that means to us as Christians.

Are you Seeking Heavenly Peace? “When Christ is at the center of the celebration, the noise can’t help but fall away.”

Are you Tired of Looking for the Perfect Gift? This post has three great reminders: close your computer (don’t allow Christmas joy to be stolen by Christmas envy), prioritize people, and put aside perfect.

Seek, Find, and Remind: Let Christmas trees and candy canes and other Christmas symbols serve as reminders of God’s love. This post has a great downloadable infographic that will help you look for Christ in Christmas!

Why should you sing at Christmas? Singing is a great way to glorify God, encourage one another, and remind ourselves of theological truths. This post has a beautiful Christmas Carol Lyric Sheet just for you!

Simplifying Christmas: Monthlong Series Wrap Up. Less Stress. More. Jesus. #SimplifyingChristmas

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We hope you had a wonderful and blessed Christmas, focusing on Jesus– the real reason for the season!

Have a happy and blessed New Year!

–From your DoNotDepart Team: Ali, Cheli, Jaime, Lisa, and Patti

Sing Together! Why You Should Sing at Christmas

December 21, 2018 by Patti Brown 1 Comment

The house hummed with the sound of talking and laughter, while dishes clanked in the sink, and my little nephew and niece chased each other around my parents’ oversized dining room table. It was a typical loud Christmas evening.

Suddenly a sound broke through the din. Five loud chords on my brother’s guitar could mean only one thing—the “Pie Song” was starting, and that meant dessert was next! Created in a moment of food-induced musical inspiration at one of our family Christmas celebrations, this song has been the harbinger of sugary treats at holiday gatherings for years.

It takes just five chords (less than two seconds of sound!) and everything stops. Kids come running, we all sing along. But why? What is it about music that communicates so quickly and so powerfully?

Created for Music

The neuroscience of music is fascinating. Just about every part of your brain is activated when you engage with music, which explains why it can have a profound impact on both a newborn and an Alzheimers patient.

God designed humans to be uniquely capable of enjoying music. According to a ScienceLine article quoting Tufts University psychologist Aniruddh Patel, only humans “can recognize melodies regardless of pitch and predict musical patterns… Not even birds can recognize a song at a different pitch, and apes can’t predict a melody. Human infants can do both at as early as six months old.”

Singing for the Lord

God designed us to enjoy music because He wants us to sing!

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
– Psalm 100:1-2

We sing to praise Him…

Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! – Psalm 105:2

We sing to one another…

Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart – Ephesians 5:19

We sing because Scriptural and theologically sound songs help root God’s Word deep in our hearts…

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. – Colossians 3:16

As Believers, we have such a great hope that we can sing even in the most difficult circumstances! Paul and Silas sang while imprisoned. (Acts 16:25) Voice of the Martyrs tells of a pastor in a Communist country imprisoned for his belief in Christ. The man shared:

“When we were in prison we sang almost every day because Christ was alive in us. The Communists were very nice to us. They knew we liked to praise God with musical instruments, so they gave every Christian in prison a musical instrument. However, they did not give us violins or mandolins—these were too expensive. Instead, they put chains on our hands and feet. They chained us to add to our grief. Yet we discovered that chains are splendid musical instruments! When we clanged them together in rhythm, we could sing, ‘This is the day (clink, clank), this is the day (clink, clank), which the Lord has made (clink, clank), which the Lord has made (clink, clank).’”

We sing for joy, we sing in sorrow, we sing out of obedience. And we sing a lot at Christmas!

Singing at Christmas

Even in popular culture, Christmas carols are as much a harbinger of the season as twinkly lights. Everywhere you go songs about Jesus’ birth can be heard.

Like our family, you probably sing Christmas carols at church, and possibly at other events throughout the month of December. But have you ever considered making a time for singing Christmas carols together as part of your family celebration on Christmas Day?

Resources for Singing Carols Together

Our family enjoys singing together all year, but Christmas is extra special because we share it with extended family and friends. Some years on Christmas Day we have given performances for each other, other times sung together with sweet harmonies while reading the music, but probably the most frequent way we sing together is completely off the cuff – one person just starts singing and we all join in!

One of my favorite Christmas caroling memories was hiking on Christmas Day with my brother and husband, while eight months pregnant with our first child, singing Christmas harmonies in the snowy woods overlooking the Grand Canyon. Totally unplanned, and a precious memory!

Impromptu singing can be fun, but when you have many people at your Christmas gatherings, which we often do, they may not know all the words to the songs. Being intentional about singing together brings everyone into the joy of Christmas carols.

There are many resources for singing carols together. Here are two of the online resources that I like to refer to:

Hymnary.org is remarkable website, an online hymn database that includes sheet music, song variations, audio samples, author/composer bios, and more, from over 5000 hymnals. That adds up to more than a million hymns!
To help our church worship team learn parts (soprano/alto/tenor/bass) my husband created a “de-parter” which breaks down well known hymns into sections. Many are Christmas carols. You can listen to just your part, or listen to them all together. When I am learning a new alto part, I will turn down the volume on all but the alto section so that it is isolated. Once I feel comfortable with it, I will bring up the other parts and turn off alto so I can practice the way it will actually be when we are all together. This is an especially valuable tool for those who can’t sight read music. If the carol you need is not in the de-parter, email Stephen and he will add it if he can.

A Little Something for Your Christmas Celebration

Want to start a new tradition this Christmas that is simple and costs nothing? Sing together!

We have made it easy for you – just print copies of our simple lyric sheets with six beloved Christmas carols, so everyone can sing along at your Christmas celebration this year!

Songs included:

Silent Night (celebrating its 200th anniversary this year!)
O Little Town of Bethlehem
O Come All Ye Faithful
Angels We Have Heard on High
What Child is This
Joy to the World

Here’s to making a joyful noise this Christmas!

What is YOUR favorite Christmas carol?

Print our free lyric sheets and sing carols at your family Christmas celebration. #SimplifyingChristmas

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Why should you sing at Christmas? #SimplifyingChristmas

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Seek, Find, and Remind

December 18, 2018 by Cheli Sigler 4 Comments

If you’re reading this now, it’s amid the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, and you’re desperate for “less stress and more Jesus.” My guess is that you want the special people in your life to experience this also, and you’re the one they count on to lead the way. The countdown to Christmas is on, and you might think it’s too late— you’ll just wait until next year. My friend, it is never too late to add “more Jesus,” and I have prepared a simple tool you can start using today.

Like the Magi who followed a star to find the one “who has been born king of the Jews,”let Christmas and its trimmings help you seek, find and remind you of God’s perfect gift—Jesus.”

Seek

“We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him,” the Magi proclaimed to Herod (Matthew 2:3). The signs and symbols of Christmas are everywhere. Leave the stress behind; allow what is already in place to point you to Jesus throughout the rest of the Christmas season.

Find

Once you have found the Lord in, amongst and throughout your Christmas experience, enjoy His presence. Follow the example of the Wise Men, who, “…going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.” (Matthew 2:11). Go one step further and invite others to experience His presence and worship Him with you.

Remind

Finally, let your Christmas traditions be tangible reminders to you, your children (of all ages), and your friends of Jesus, God’s good, gracious, and perfect gift. In the Old Testament, God instructed His people to wear physical reminders of His Word:

Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:8-9

Let Christmas trees and candy canes serve as reminders of God’s love. Enjoy the season! I don’t know about you, but I can never have enough reminders— my heart requires instruction again and again.

Seek, Find, & Remind Activity (Free Resource)

To assist you in focusing on Jesus this Christmas, I have created a “Seek-n-Find” of sorts, called “Seek, Find, & Remind.” All ages will enjoy looking for each of the items on the list, reading how each points to Jesus, and being reminded of God’s great love.

Click the green background version of the activity to download to your favorite device. It makes a great wallpaper for your phone! Scroll down and click the white background version if you prefer to print the activity.

Community Conversation

What Advent or Christmas traditions draw you closer to Christ?

What simple ideas help you keep your sanity at Christmas and add “more Jesus?”

If you download one or both of the versions of Seek, Find, & Remind, would you please let me know in the comments? I would love your feedback.

Tired of Looking for the Perfect Gift?

December 13, 2018 by Lisa Burgess 20 Comments

The Dreaded Gift List

If you ask my husband Jeff, he knows the reason why he dreads Christmas each year.

It’s the presents.

Watching the gift craziness can ruin Christmas for him.

Trying to find the perfect gift for everyone can take the joy out of Christmas.

We labor over our gift choices.
We spend money we don’t have.
We exchange gifts that often are neither needed nor wanted.

I wonder which ideas got scratched off the Wise Men’s gift list before they settled on the big three of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

And I wonder what Mary thought when she saw those three gifts.

(I’m guessing she appreciated them in ways we couldn’t understand.)

3 Ideas for Your Gift List

What can we do to relieve our stress over gift lists?

Here are three ideas.

1. Close Your Computer

I did most of my Christmas shopping this year online. I love the convenience of it.

But the internet never locks its door. It doesn’t close at midnight and reopen in the morning. It stays open 24/7 and tempts us to linger, look around, and shop longer than we should.

We can’t depend on sore feet to put a time limit on our shopping anymore, so we need to set our own time (and money) limits on how long we’ll shop online.

And also limit how long we’ll look at other people’s perfect-picture Christmas gifts wrapped perfectly under their trees. Let’s not allow social media to swap our Christmas joy for Christmas envy.

2. Put Aside Perfect

Let go of the idea that THIS gift will be THE gift to remember for all time. No object we can buy, make, or wrap will satisfy someone’s deepest longings. Maybe we can scratch an itch by gifting the latest piece of technology or a shiny new trinket.

But nothing we can give will last forever.

Yes, we can still wrap a present and give our tokens of love, but let’s keep them in perspective. They only represent our love; they aren’t Love itself.

The only perfect gift is the one we’ve already been given: Jesus.

If we truly want to keep Christ in Christmas, then we should be Christ this Christmas.

3. Prioritize People

But how? How can we not just DO Christmas again this year? How can we BE Christmas?

Like Jesus showed us.

Jesus came to live among us.
To serve us.
To love us.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14

Especially at Christmas (but all year-round!), these gifts that Jesus gave—living, serving, loving—are also the best gifts we can give.

Prioritize the people in your life. Be totally present to them when you’re sitting around the table. Listen to their stories about work parties. Smile at how much their children have grown.

It may be cliché, but your presence is truly the best present you can give.

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
“It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes or bags!”

And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Christmas. . . perhaps. . . means a little bit more!”

The Only Perfect Gift

Maybe your niece’s eyes won’t light up as brightly if you give her a knock-off Scruff-A-Luv instead of the real thing.

But if you remain present to her—looking eye-to-eye, playing together, laughing together—that’s the gift that will outlast all others.

That’s the gift that Jesus gives us.

Full attention.
Complete sacrifice.
Total grace.

Jeff and I have actually finished our Christmas shopping for this year. It’s a record for us to finish this early. And to have stressed this less.

The gifts aren’t perfect. But we are at peace. Now we’re freer to visit, to volunteer, to pass along the gift that Jesus was born to give us.

Himself. The only perfect gift.

Tired of looking for the perfect gift? Try this instead. #SimplifyingChristmas

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If you truly want to keep Christ in Christmas, then be Christ this Christmas. #SimplifyingChristmas

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Have you finished your Christmas shopping? What stresses you the most during Christmas? What relieves your stress?

Please share your thoughts in the comments. We love hearing from you.

Want to save or print this blog post for later? Download it here.

Want to read more?

Giving and Receiving the Gift of Presence
Is God calling you to be more present? To enjoy His presence more?
4 Things Everyone Wants to Hear You Say
Your words are gifts to be handed out to help others. You’ve never had greater opportunity to say more words to more people with greater speed than today.
No Voice Like Yours: An Uncommon Gift
Designate your voice to be a divine gift this Christmas. How?
Get this accompanying printable: My Voice Is a Divine Gift

Seeking Heavenly Peace

December 11, 2018 by Jaime Hilton Leave a Comment

Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright…

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace.

Unfortunately the lyrics of this beloved carol do not describe my house at Christmas. The weeks between Thanksgiving and December 25^th are packed with so many things to make and do and think and feel. Sugar plumbs might dance through my children’s dreams, but all I want is a little peace and quiet! Simple, meaningful traditions carried out with family and friends. A cup of cocoa, a roaring fire, and the glow of twinkling lights on a festively decorated tree. Is that so much to ask?

Why is this season, the one meant for slowing down, celebrating with family, and savoring the presence of our savior, so chaotic and busy?

Christmas Peace

Peace is what it’s all about, isn’t it? It’s what we’re all looking for. Rest. Harmony. A calm order to our days. When the multitude of angels announced the birth of the Messiah to the shepherds, they praised God saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:14

Hundreds of years before that, Isaiah told the people what to expect from that Messiah:

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:6

But where is this promised peace? What does it look like amidst all the extra shopping, wrapping, decorating, caroling, visiting, baking, not to mention regular stuff of life?

A Sign For You

Though Christmas has always been one of my favorite seasons, a holly jolly spirit does not always come naturally to me. I fall very easily into “Grinch-mode”, getting frustrated with all the noise, noise, noise, Noise! The commercialism, the cultural pressure to live up to the perfect holiday – whether that comes from Pinterest or my own expectations and traditions seem so contradictory to peace! Yet over the years I have come to find it really is the most wonderful time of the year because, when I take the time to look, everything, from the carols to the twinkling lights, can be a reminder of who and why we are celebrating.

The angels gave the shepherds a sign to help them find the newborn savior.

“And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:12

Likewise, I think all the “stuff” of Christmas can be a sign for us, pointing us back to the Prince of Peace. We can look at the candy canes, Christmas trees, and endless to do lists and get lost, overwhelmed, and kerbabbled. Or we can look at them and see the representation of a promise kept in Christ Jesus. Love made tangible. God with Us. Peace on earth. Peace doesn’t come from the decorations, the gatherings, or the gifts, even when all those things go exactly as planned. Peace comes when we recognize that Christ is the center of the celebration.

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” – Colossians 3:15

When Christ is at the center of the celebration, the noise can't help but fall away. #SimplifyingChristmasClick To Tweet

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What Christmas signs point you towards peace? Share with us in the comments!

Simplifying Christmas — Advent Reading Plans

December 6, 2018 by Ali Shaw 1 Comment

This month on the blog, we are focusing on Simplifying Christmas. Today’s post is about keeping things simple with Advent reading plans.

Dreams

I have an unrealistic idea of how I’d like the Christmas season to look: I spend mornings in warm cotton pajamas, snuggled with a lap blanket in a cozy wing backed chair, sipping coffee with my Bible in my lap. Sunbeams filter in and kiss my cheek while I meet with Jesus.

Later, the kids would join me, having their own quiet times. Then together, we’d talk about Jesus and what He’s done by bringing His joy to the world.

And I think maybe angels themselves would be singing in the background.

My day never looks like that. And honestly? That’s good!

Reality and Fulfillment

Usually my day is pretty far from it. Or maybe really far from it. But I think what I’m really craving when I imagine that scene is fulfillment— the Holy Spirit welling up in me, pouring out of me, then spilling over living water from my heart. I long for Jesus and will only be satisfied with Him.

And I have to remind myself that fulfillment won’t come from snuggly days lounging in pajamas, a quiet house, peaceful children, or fill-in-the-blank. (What is it for you? Having all the gifts bought? The items checked off your list? The perfect stocking stuffers? Cleaning till the house is company ready and Pinterest perfect? Decorating the most delicious cookies?)

Desiring good things isn’t bad. But they pale in comparison to Jesus. And they definitely won’t fulfill us in the same way He does!

So one thing I’m aiming for this Christmas is more time with Him. And it won’t be in that wing backed chair I don’t even own.

This Christmas, aim for more time with Jesus. Imperfect days need lots of the Savior! Try an Advent reading plan to point your heart to Him. #SimplifyingChristmas

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Likely, it will be in my very imperfect daily quiet times that aren’t always quiet or without interruption, found wherever I can snatch them. Since life happens, those times may be had in my bed before I rise, at my kitchen counter while breakfast simmers, or even at my desk with work piled around me an online Bible on my screen. Any of those plus talking to Jesus and listening for His guidance will suffice.

Why do I want more time with Him? Because when I meet with Him first, I’m better prepared for the rest of the day. Life takes on a new perspective when I view it in light of God’s truth and promises.

And Christmas becomes sweeter, holier, and more meaningful.

Advent Readings

A great way to get more time in with Jesus this Christmas season is to plan and do Advent readings. For years, my habit has been to wake before my family and have quiet time. But if that sounds unreasonable for you right now, there are other ways to “make time for quiet time.” (Or you can add these ideas into your normal routine for something new.)

Try listening to the Christmas story on an audio Bible while driving or cleaning.
How about making it a family event? While personal quiet time is great, some busy women just invite their children right in. A family devotion is a special thing!
Center your Advent reading around something you already do. Have coffee every morning? Read or listen while you sip.
Write one verse from an Advent passage on your mirror and read it every morning. Meditate on it throughout the day.
Consider memorizing an Advent verse or passage and meditating on it. If you forget your Bible or don’t have an electronic device with you, you still can have a special Advent quiet time.

Looking for a Plan?

We have two DoNotDepart-original plans for Advent. One is a fourteen day plan, and the other is a short, five day plan. Both are organized chronologically. As of today, we have 19 days before Christmas, so you could actually do them both! Try the first and then the second, or even the other way around if you feel you need to warm up to the 14 day plan.

Looking for Advent Reading plans? Keep it simple. Less stress. More Jesus. #SimplifyingChristmas with the DoNotDepart Team

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DoNotDepart 14 Day Chronological Timeline Advent Plan

Day 1: Luke 1:26-33

Day 2: Luke 1:34-38

Day 3: Matthew 1:18-25

Day 4: Luke 1:39-45

Day 5: Luke 2:1-7

Day 6: Luke 2:8-14

Day 7: Luke 2:15-21

Day 8: Luke 2:22-32

Day 9: Luke 2:33-38

Day 10: Matthew 2:1-6

Day 11: Matthew 2:7-12

Day 12: Matthew 2:13-15

Day 13: Matthew 2:16-18

Day 14: Matthew 2:19-23, Luke 2:39-40, and John 3:16

DoNotDepart 5 Day Chronological Simple Advent Plan

Day 1: Luke 2:1-7

Day 2: Luke 2:8-14

Day 3: Luke 2:15-21

Day 4: Matthew 2:1-6

Day 5: Matthew 2:7-12 and John 3:16

(These plans will be made available in printable format soon and shared in the DoNotDepart Facebook community group.)

Other Advent Plans and Ideas

If you’d like to try an audio Bible Advent plan, the Dwell app has two Advent reading plans that I’ve listened too. (They may have more.) Dwell is an awesome audio Bible app! I love that it has tons of playlists based on topic. Users can choose from four different readers and six different background music options, including one option for Christmas piano music. It’s beautiful! There’s also an option for no music which is great for people who are distracted by that.

The YouVersion app (also found online at Bible.com) has many Advent reading plans. You can choose a plan with only Scripture passages or with Scripture plus devotional readings. I just noticed that The Bible Project has a plan on YouVersion titled Advent that focuses on hope, peace, joy, and love. You can also find that series here online.

If you consider yourself a visual person and have a little time, you might try this series of videos on Youtube from the Ravi Zaccharias International Ministry. The series is designed to carry you through the entire month of December. (At the time of this writing, we are already six days in, but you could adjust the timeline to fit you, or pick and choose the ones you’d like to watch.)

Another option is this: HelloMornings has a great freebie vault that you can sign up for. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll have access to FREE reading plans for several of the Bible studies that we’ve written. (I say “we” because several of us on the DoNotDepart team also write for HelloMornings!) There are two Christmas study reading plans in the vault– Greatly to Be Praised and the current study the HelloMornings community is using, It Could Only Be Jesus. The free reading plan is simple: the daily reading is provided and one study question is given for each day. Easy!

Remember

We need to remember that this season isn’t about us finding or making the “perfect Christmas.” We can’t be disappointed when it doesn’t look exactly like we hoped. This season is about us remembering that we were created with a desire for something only God can fill with His Holy Spirit.

It’s why God sent His son, Jesus!

Let’s aim to keep Christmas “clutter” out of our hearts, stress less, and focus on Jesus more.

How does reading the Christmas story keep your heart focused on what’s most important? Share with us in the comments or in our DoNotDepart Facebook community group. Also, if you’d like a printable of the two DoNotDepart Advent reading plans, be on the lookout! I’ll share them in the Facebook community group in the next day or two.

Blessings!
Ali

Simplifying Christmas

December 5, 2018 by Ali Shaw 1 Comment

Doesn’t the idea of simplifying anything sound nice? If you’re like many women, you may be finding yourself hurried and harried as Christmas approaches. Join us this month on the blog as we look at how to simplify Christmas so that we can slow down and keep our eyes on who matters most: Jesus.

Today has been busy! I’ve only had a matter of minutes to myself thus far, and still have things on my to-do list. You may likely be in the same boat. It’s funny… as I sit to write this introduction post about slowing down, I’m not feeling the slowness.

But I want to.

Today, a good friend mentioned that there are more things to do this Christmas than she and her family have time for. Her wise solution? Choose carefully where to invest your time and attention. After all, we can save the non-priorities for another time or even another year.

Instead, make His priorities ours.

My goal is to slow down this Christmas and simplify things. I want to linger this season at the feet of my Savior and have sweet moments with Him untouched by frenzy or materiality. And I also want to leave a legacy to my children and loved ones of savoring my Savior!

Maybe you feel this way, too?

Though not a typical Christmas verse, I remember the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. Martha wasn’t choosing a bad thing by busying herself with serving, but she was overlooking the most important thing: Jesus. Mary, on the other hand, wanted a meaningful encounter with the Lord and was commended for her choice.

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

We hope you’ll join us this month as we explore ways of Simplifying Christmas. Together, we’ll look at things we can do (and even not do) to create an environment of less stress and instead make room for more Jesus. We’ll point you to tips, ideas, and even resources that focus on keeping things simple. (Because after all, who needs more to do, right?)

We pray that Jesus would be glorified and your heart and home would rejoice in the peace that Jesus brings… this season and always.

Have you found ways to simplify Christmas? What has worked for you? Share with us in the comments or in our DoNotDepart community group on Facebook.

Blessings,

Ali

Choose wisely where to invest your time and attention this Christmas. Savor the Savior. #SimplifyingChristmas

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Psalm 34 Taste and See – Study Wrap Up

December 1, 2018 by Ali Shaw Leave a Comment

All this month on the blog we’ve been doing a mini-study of Psalm 34 titled “Taste and See.” Here’s a recap with links to each post in our study.

Intro and Psalm 34:1-3

In this post, I give a little background information for this psalm that David penned. I also expand on the first three verses, looking for actions that David listed: Bless the Lord, Boast in the Lord, and Magnify the Lord. David said that he would “bless the Lord at all times.” Will we do likewise?

Psalm 34:4-7

David reminds us all of what to do when fear creeps in. When David feared, he made a choice of faith to seek God.

God always hears us when we cry out to Him. Our job is to make sure that we do go to Him. And when we do, we don’t have to be afraid that our prayers hit the ceiling and fall back down. Though we may not get the answer we are looking for, be certain: God hears us! He will answer in the perfect way, in the perfect time. And not only does He answer us, He also protects us.

Psalm 34:8-10

Taste. See. Engage personally and know for yourself: The Lord is good. Not the superficial good based on circumstance or perspective, but good in the wider sense. As in, when God finished creating the heavens and the earth, looked at it all and called it good (Genesis 1:31 ).

David reminds us that true refuge is found in the Lord who is good.

In Him, we lack no good thing! He can be trusted because He is capable of delivering on all His promises.

Psalm 34:11-14

Do you want to love life and see good things? Worship the Lord. And how do we worship an invisible being?

David keeps it simple.

“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”Psalm 33:13-14

In other words: Mind your mouth. Discipline your doings. Living our lives to honor the Lord will help us see more goodness.

A holy life begun now will continue forever into the afterlife.

Psalm 34:15-18

The Lord’s eyes are on the righteous. When we pray and cry to God for help, He sees and listens!

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears are attentive to their cry… Psalm 34:15

Seeing David in his time of need, God provided David with sustenance and protection. God defends us, delivers us, and saves us— just like He did for David! God draws near us and refreshes us with forgiveness and love when we relinquish our will for His.

Psalm 34:19-22

God is our refuge and redeemer! We know that deliverance from some of our troubles may not be seen this side of heaven, but we can be confident that God will fully deliver us from all suffering in eternity!

And in Christ, no matter how broken we may feel, God preserves us, and makes us whole. Our faith helps us to patiently endure the trials of life.

The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,

And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned. (Psalm 34:22 )

Yes, though we are sinners, we can be confident that we NOT condemned, because Jesus is our refuge! Thoughtrouble is certain in this earthly life, God protects us, and redeems all our suffering.

And that is good news to “taste and see!”

Thanks for joining us this month! Please share your thoughts on this series in the comments below or in our DoNotDepart Community group on Facebook.

Blessings!

Taste and See The the Lord is Good. A mini-study of Psalm 34 on DoNotDepart.com #Psalm34TasteAndSee

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