With the onset of Advent we are invigorated to bring you posts that celebrate Christ and the gifts He gives. We look forward to spending each Tuesday and Thursday encouraging you with the gifts we have in Christ Jesus. Each post will be an unwrapping of sorts.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places….  Ephesians 1:3

Named Jesus because “he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21), our posts will search out the ennumerable blessings we have through Christ Jesus. We want to celebrate all of the gifts He gives.  

Join us throughout December. Leave comments at the end of each post to share with us the gifts you are unwrapping from Jesus this year.

Blessings,

Cheli

Join us as we celebrate all of the gifts Jesus gives. #UnwrappingChristmas
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And then she was taken prisoner…

Gladys didn’t get discouraged.  She could have.  She was dismissed from missionary training school for not being able to learn Chinese well enough. She took a job as a housemaid in London, and her employer was an who had been to China and had many books on the country. He allowed Gladys to borrow them and she continued her education. Every week, she put a portion of her paycheck toward a ticket to China.

When she had finally paid enough to travel, her journey was anything but easy. Russia was at war, making it dangerous to travel through the country. Gladys couldn’t afford the expensive sea voyage around Africa, so she had to take the riskier train route through Europe into Asia. There came a point when the train couldn’t travel any further because of fighting on the tracks. Gladys had to walk back to the safety of the previous train station and nearly froze to death.

For a brief while, she was taken prisoner by the Russians who wanted to force her to work in a factory as a machinist. God provided an escape for her and she slipped out of Russia on a boat to Japan. Gladys didn’t get discouraged in any of this.  She kept looking for God’s plan.

How far did they walk?!

Gladys didn’t get overwhelmed. She once encountered a child seller. After exhausting all the possibilities of involving the authorities, Gladys bought the child herself. She named her Ninepence after the price she’d paid for her. Throughout her time in China, Gladys took in hundreds of children. She always had room for one more.

When the Japanese invaded China in 1938, there was trouble ahead. Bombs wiped out villages, leaving more orphans that Gladys gladly took in. When the area became more dangerous and the Japanese put a price on Gladys’ head, she and 94 children set out to walk more than 200 miles to the orphanage. I don’t even want to take ONE of my children into a store, and here’s Gladys with nearly 100 children trekking through war torn China.

She made her home there

Gladys didn’t waver or quit when things were challenging. When she first arrived in China, the missionary she was meant to work with, Mrs. Lawson, had assumed Gladys wasn’t coming–remember all the delays in Russia?–and had left the town they were to meet in. Mrs. Lawson had also never expected a London housemaid to ever save enough money to come to China. Gladys finally met up with her three weeks later after traveling by train, bus, and mule. She was surprised that Mrs. Lawson had a prickly temperament and wasn’t easy to get along with. But Gladys stuck it out.

Through all the turmoil and fighting in China, Gladys stayed. Even when she was personally wanted (in exchange for a reward of one hundred dollars), Gladys didn’t flee the country. She remained to encourage, cheer, and help her fellow Chinese friends and neighbors. She even became a Chinese citizen. When communism took over the country, and she was expelled, she didn’t return to the comforts of life in Great Britain. She stayed on in Taiwan with other Chinese expats and continued her work.  She died there, and beside her bed in a cradle was the newest orphan she’d taken in.

Follow the example of Gladys

Gladys Aylward didn’t get discouraged. She didn’t get overwhelmed, and she didn’t waver or quit. Can we say the same of our Christian life? We get discouraged when our prayers don’t seem to be answered. We get overwhelmed by the tasks of our day. We waver and quit when it just isn’t working. But we don’t have to.

The next time things get hard, may we remember the example of Gladys, who stayed true to the purpose God had put on her life until the end.

The next time things get hard, may we remember the example of Gladys Aylward, who stayed true to the purpose God had put on her life until the end. #GospelTrailblazers
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“There is nothing worth living for, unless it is worth dying for.”
― Elisabeth Elliot

I fell in love with Elisabeth Elliot’s writings early in my life. As a young Believer, her faith and articulation impressed and inspired me. As an artist, her story sparked my imagination and got me thinking about the cost of true discipleship.

Elisabeth married Jim Elliot in 1953 in Quito, Ecuador where both she and Jim were already serving as missionaries. For years this passionate, well-spoken, and adventurous young man had been preparing to advance God’s kingdom by connecting with unreached people groups. Their love for each other was a small part, a reflection of the deep love they had for Jesus and their devotion to following Him.

OPERATION AUCA

Jim felt a deep call to the Aucas, a notoriously violent tribe, deep in the Ecuadorian jungle. He set up a team of four other men who would fly over the Auca village, lowering gifts and speaking the few friendly Auca phrases they knew.

“They went simply because they knew they belonged to God because He was their Creator and their Redeemer. They had no choice but to willingly obey Him, and that meant obeying His command to take the good news to every nation.” (Elisabeth Elliot)

In 1956, after three months of flying, the men made contact with the tribe. But what they first thought was a cautious welcome, turned out to be a brutal murder of all five missionaries.

Young Elisabeth and her daughter, barely a year old, were left without husband and father.

Life from Death

Though she and the other wives grieved the loss of their husbands, Elisabeth continued to serve among the Quechua, eventually meeting two Auca women who introduced her to the tribe, allowing her and Rachel Saint, wife of the pilot who flew with Jim, to move into the village and share the gospel. Elisabeth’s forgiveness and acceptance of the people who had killed her husband was a living example of God’s unconditional love which opened the door for these previously unreached people to know Jesus Christ.

I can’t imagine Jim Elliot the young boy, heart on fire, sharing the gospel whenever and wherever he could, dreaming of dying as a martyr. I don’t think that was the ending he envisioned. But ultimately he trusted that nothing would be wasted in God’s hands.

“For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?” Luke 14:28

His love led him to death at the hands of ignorance and fear and his death led to countless professions of faith, an ongoing legacy of redemption.

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot

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I learned about this young missionary from the 1700’s around ten years ago, while I was doing some research for a Bible study I was writing. I discovered that he suffered greatly from depression and physical illness, yet he continued in faithful service to the Lord, blazing trails as he took the gospel to the lost. 

Knowing of his intense suffering, specifically with a mental health struggle common to modern times, made me view him as ultra-relatable.

God Can…

I’ve read about missionaries who had adventures in the jungles and encounters with people who welcomed them lovingly. I’d also heard about spiritual oppression that ended with a powerful testimony to God’s victory. (…You know, the types of stories that make little kids want to go out and be missionaries, too!)

These stories are exciting and powerful — and I’m so thankful for them and for God’s mighty activity of spreading the gospel. But they aren’t the only type of missionary stories that exist.

David Brainerd’s story, on the other hand, is the type that makes my heart weep with compassion, sympathy, and empathy.

God can use anyone. He can use someone who suffers intensely from mental health struggles. He can use someone with physical illness (or multiple physical illnesses.) Not only can He, but He does!

Praise God! When we hand our lives to Him, for His purposes, He will use us. And sometimes that means that we serve exactly how we are, and right where we are.

For reasons I could never guess, God didn’t heal Brainerd. He used him in spite of his mental and physical health. And Brainerd? He just kept plodding along faithfully. He pursued the Savior and shared Him with others, blazing trails (both figuratively and literally) all while obeying God’s call on His life.

His Story

So just who is this man of whom John Wesley said, “Let every preacher read carefully The Life of David Brainerd.” (Referencing a book about him.)

David Brainerd lived in Connecticut in the early 1700’s. He heard “God’s call” as a young man and so he went to Yale in order to receive the credentials that were necessary at the time to become a minister. All the while he attended school, he was very ill with a disease (likely tuberculosis).

Just two short years into his education, he criticized both his tutor for a lack of grace and the Rector for administering fines to “over-zealous” students. The result? Yale expelled him. 

This crushed Brianerd! At this time and place in history, he couldn’t preach without a degree. But he didn’t allow this to stop him from obeying God’s call on his life. David continued on, remaining faithful in obedience and devout in prayer. He continued to look for an avenue in which He could obey the Lord’s call to service.

“Here I am, Lord, send me; send me to the ends of the earth; send me to the rough, the savage pagans of the wilderness; send me from all that is called comfort on earth; send me even to death itself, if it be but in thy service, and to promote thy kingdom.” – A prayer from David Brainerd

What a lesson for us! When God calls, we should obey – despite the obstacles.

David Brainerd decided to pursue missions, where he would not need a degree. Interestingly, the Honorable Society of Scotland hired the American man from Connecticut and ordained him to be a missionary. 

His health was such a factor, they hired him to stay put. He stayed in the northeast and became a missionary to the American Indians right there in that region. He worked tirelessly, traveling by horseback during the day, camping at night, and sharing the gospel everywhere he went.

God answered his prayer. 

Once, while traveling for missions, he was caught in a horrible storm. He plodded along in the cold wind and rain, having no food and no shelter. He would likely have died, except that God provided a hollow tree and later, food– by means of a little squirrel who dropped nuts at the tree’s entrance. 

It’s absolutely incredible isn’t it? God’s faithfulness is so beautiful!

Jonathan Edwards, the famed preacher of the Great Awakening, took an interest in David Brainerd and invited him into his home many times, especially in his final months. As he became more and more ill, probably as a result of his tireless service, he resided there. 

Edward’s 17 year old daughter, Jerusha, was very touched by Brainerd’s love for God and passion to follow Him. It is reported that the two fell in love. She became Brainerd’s caretaker until he died at just 29 years old. (Jerusha herself became ill, possibly from caring for David, and died just four months later. Her father had her buried beside him.)

Serving While Suffering

Look at this excerpt from his diary:

“Thursday, April 7. Appeared to myself exceeding (sic) ignorant, weak, helpless, unworthy, and altogether unequal to my work. It seemed to me I should never do any service or have any success among the Indians. My soul was weary of my life; I longed for deaths beyond measure. When I thought of any godly soul departed, my soul was ready to envy him his privilege, thinking, `Oh, when will my turn come! must it be years first!’” (David Brainerd)

When I imagine Brainerd, depressed, sick, and weary, plodding along in the cold wind and rain with no food or shelter in sight, I think of “serving, while suffering.”

His story seems so relatable, doesn’t it? 

That could be any of us, plodding along in service, despite how we feel. That could be you, wanting desperately to follow God’s call but seeing every obstacle pop up right in front of you, time and again. It could be her who wanted the education, but couldn’t get it. …Or me, feeling unworthy and unequal to my work.

It could be any of us, not understanding why God doesn’t heal, and then longing for death.

Friends, life is hard and sometimes ugly, but God can use us despite all that.

Obedience At All Costs

Brainerd’s story reminds me to obey, no matter what, and let God’s work be done. I’m not sure of all the souls that came to know Jesus because of Brainerd, but his work was considered by many to be successful. Yet, his story doesn’t have what most would call a “happy ending,” which maybe gives a lasting impression of his intense daily battle with depression and illness. 

Though I would love to paint a beautiful and happy ending onto the story of his life, I think doing so would miss the point. Brainerd’s life was a portrait of obedience at all costs. 

And that, my friends, is what serving Jesus is all about. It’s about going all in. It’s about submitting your whole life and will to His Lordship. (And yes, I know that’s easier said than done.)

May the Savior use us all… and help us to serve Him wholeheartedly. In spite of any suffering we may experience, may we be found serving while suffering. May we blaze trails and share Jesus — even if God calls us to share Him exactly how we are and right where we are.

I leave you with this passage from 2 Corinthians that comes to mind when I think of David Brainerd:

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Read more about David Brainerd here, in this biography written by Jonathan Edwards.

Blessings and prayers for faithful service to the Lord,
Ali

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The final mile of our drive to the Shootin’ Star Ranch was down a red dirt road, often in the dark, with the moon “following us” out my window and anticipation fluttering in my chest. As we pulled up to the Ranch and opened the station wagon doors, we were met with the cold night air. The back patio door squeaked open, and loud voices and laughter spilled with the warm yellow light out of the house and into the lawn.

Days at the Ranch were not just peppered with laughter – some evenings were designed just for laughing. As kids, we cousins only caught a fraction of the jokes as our parents, aunts, and uncles let loose playing charades late into the night. Other nights were devoted to “Life’s Most Embarrassing Moments” – an annual opportunity for informal, stand-up comedy, each of us bringing our most cringe-worthy experiences of the year for the amusement of all. We howled and guffawed until cheeks ached and faces were streaked with tears. Eventually, we kids were sent to sleep as the adults’ laughter went on and on.

Sleep was hard to come by with the adults cutting up late into the night just outside our door — sometimes chuckles, often a chorus of belly laughs, it was always punctuated by my Nana’s cascading cackles. Nana laughed with joy and abandon. Eventually we slept, awaking the next morning to the aroma of Nana’s Spanish coffee cake, a delicious holiday morning staple.

My Nana and her children didn’t laugh so easily because life was so easy. She navigated a solid share of struggles and pain. Raising my father and his siblings was no easy task, to put it mildly, and they each had their own share of heartache as adults, too. But Nana lived with great grace and took much joy in her children and grandchildren. When our lives took unexpected turns, Nana’s warm welcome was unswerving. 

Grace that Jingles

I think that grace, with all of its second chances and words of encouragement given out along the way, left my Nana free to laugh. Over the years, Nana exemplified Colossians 3:13-14 as she brought up our family:

“…bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:13-14)

When I let go of my strain towards perfectionism and instead see myself as a mistake-maker who is so grateful for God’s good grace, I find myself lighter. When I see my children similarly, recognizing that of course they stumble and need grace, too, I am slower to scold and quicker to enjoy their playfulness. It seems grace given and grace received free us up for joy, and for laughter.

My Dad’s family was not particularly musical, though a few of my cousins are now extraordinary musicians. Rather than carols and bells, our holiday soundtrack was more of a laugh track, but it jingled nonetheless. As my own family enters this last week of Advent, I’m looking to lean into grace, throw off the pettiness that can so easily entangle me, and enjoy my own energetic, wildcard family with laughter and grace. We’ll also wake on Christmas to the smell of Nana’s Spanish Coffee Cake. Merry Christmas!

Spanish Coffee Cake

Ingredients
2 ½ cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
⅓ cup slivered almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix together the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vegetable oil. Remove ½ cup of the mixture and set aside.
3. Add in the baking soda and baking powder.
4. Beat together the buttermilk and egg. Add half of this to the flour mixture and beat for two minutes. Then add the rest and beat for an additional two minutes.
5. Pour into a greased, floured 9”x13” pan. Sprinkle on top the ½ cup of crumbs set aside in the second step and sprinkle on the almonds.
6. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

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And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Since my church camp days, God has expanded my understanding of missions and missionaries. You see, Jesus’ command is for all believers, not just the pious, adventurous and multi-lingual. So, what does it look like when we participate in The Great Commission right where we are?

This March is “Missions Month” at Do Not Depart. Each contributing writer will share about an organization she serves or supports from her corner of the world. Some of the organizations we will highlight directly share the gospel by proclamation and discipleship. Some organizations we will showcase create pathways to the gospel through caring provision and relationshipbuilding. You will read about large, global organizations and small, local ones. You will see the variety of ways our Do Not Depart contributors participate in and serve these organizations. It is my hope and prayer that you learn something new, think a fresh thought, and are inspired to join in the Great Commission right where you are.

So, what does it look like when we participate in The Great Commission right where we are? #Missions
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The Christmas Eve service is my escape into wonder. Familiar carols and Scripture usher me away from the flurry of festivities and into quiet adoration. “Gloria in excelsis Deo,” my heart joins in worship, “Glory to God in the highest.” Even then, reflective moments are fleeting for this mom of four as my preschooler begs to “help” hold the candle. I send up prayers between verses, “Please God, don’t let us catch the church on fire.”

Hymns for my Harried Heart

In the midst of busy days, hymns and songs of worship are my year-round tool of choice for taking captive my anxious thoughts and focusing my heart on that which is lovely (2 Corinthians 10:5, Philippians 4:8). I turn to hymns like Come Thou Fount to tune my heart to Biblical truth and to lead me into worship.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Christmas carols do the same, declaring truth and inviting us into wonder and adoration. The distractions of this season are so many and so loud. Of all our Christmas traditions, it is the carols that I reach for when I feel my anxiety rising as life spills over with gift lists and holiday events. In the Advent weeks preceding Christmas, I lean into songs to bring my heart back into focus on our Savior. For the Advent season of anticipation and preparation, my favorite hymn is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

Light in the Darkness

As Ali discussed earlier this month, Christmas is the story of light piercing the darkness.

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” acknowledges the darkness in which we await the light with hope. In contrast to the airy melodies of many Christmas carols, the minor key of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” embodies the weight of its lyrics.

I read a few verses aloud this week and invited my children to hear the elements of both sadness and happiness in each verse.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel. 

Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23). Not only with us in eternal glory, He was born into our world and comes to us now, in the midst of our loneliness.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Jesus is the Rod of Jesse, the living shoot from Jesse’s family tree when it was but a stump, no longer with a king on Israel’s throne (Isaiah 11:1). He is victorious over death, triumphantly redeeming his own (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). Where all appears lost and dead, Christ brings life. 

Each verse names Jesus as our salvation from darkness and then breaks from its yearning melody into bright exclamation, “Rejoice!” While solemn, the hymn is defined by hope, inviting us to rejoice with expectant hope for the promised Savior.

Redeeming Grace

In a few days, our voices will join across heaven and earth, proclaiming the arrival of the  Light that dispels all darkness, declaring, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come! Let Earth receive her king!” In the candle-lit sanctuary, between hushed negotiations over who holds the candle, the eyes of my heart will fix upon Jesus, “Son of God, love’s pure light.” His birth, indeed, marks the dawn of redeeming grace. Redeeming grace — that is the story of Christmas.

Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
radiant beams from Thy holy face
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth!
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth!

What Christmas carol are you most drawn to right now?

Which carol speaks needed truth to you?

Play or sing a carol as you fix your eyes on Jesus today. Here’s a list to get you started.

Christmas carols declare truth and invite us into wonder and adoration. They can bring our hearts back into focus on our Savior. #SymbolsOfChristmas
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But why? Why should we trade our time and energy for that?

What’s in it for us?

Let’s remind ourselves about the basics of Philippians, the 11th book of the Bible in the New Testament, the 5th letter. Who was it written to, who was it written by, what’s it about?

TO: Holy people living in a city in Greece (Philippi)

Philippi was a rich Roman colony in Greece, made up of both Romans and Greeks. They frequently worshiped the Roman emperor as well as Egyptian gods and other deities.

Although we don’t live in Philippi, are we holy people, too? Our gut response is: No! I’m not good enough to be called a holy person.

But the truth? If we’re a believer in Christ, we ARE holy ones, saints, the set-apart, in Christ Jesus. Not because we’re good. But because Jesus is.

This letter is for our encouragement, too.

FROM: Two servants, Paul and Timothy

Just as we don’t likely introduce ourselves as saints, we don’t usually say this either: Hello, I’m a servant.

But again, in Jesus Christ, if we give ourselves to Him to advance His cause, we are His servants. If it was a good enough title for the apostle Paul and his dedicated helper Timothy, we should claim it as well.

ABOUT: Being like Jesus

The book of Philippians is often called the book of joy. But it contains so many themes. In Philippians 1, we’ll look at:

• Thanksgiving
• Prayer
• Spreading the Word
• Living the Life
• Encouragement
• Standing Strong No Matter What

WHEN: Around 62 A.D.

Paul was probably a prisoner in Rome, Italy, when he wrote this letter. He had originally traveled to Philippi in Greece more than ten years earlier (Acts 16:11-40; remember Lydia? the Philippian jailer?). The church there was likely the first Christian community in Europe.

What’s the Trade?

So how is this useful to us in 2019?

Because Paul was in the midst of hard times, his joy and faith in Jesus are an encouragement to us in the midst of our own times.

Our circumstances differ, but our emotions don’t.

We don’t want our faith to differ much either.

• I want the faith of Paul (Philippians 1:6).
• The prayer life of Paul (Philippians 1:9).
• The joy of Paul (Philippians 1:18)

Will we get Paul’s faith simply by memorizing words he wrote?

No.

But if memorizing these words puts us more in touch with God in the next few months, focuses our thoughts more on Him, and feeds us truths that never change, then the door for transformation is wide open.

Let’s walk right through that door.

The trade of our thoughts for His thoughts, our time for time with Him, and our effort for His delight is an offer we don’t want to pass up.

Memorizing scripture only takes a few minutes a day. It’s a small investment for a lifetime of benefits.

Sign up today to join us on this next adventure with Christ.

Learn more background on Philippians here.

Get more details about our free Philippians resources here.

Why spend time and effort to memorize Philippians 1? Here’s why.
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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

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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.

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