Today is the first day of December and a perfect time to jump into a Family Advent plan, whether you choose to do a daily activity or reflection or a weekly focus theme for Bible reading and conversation. Over the years, I’ve toured the topic of Advent in many different forms.
- Advent Tools to Use
- Preschool Advent Activities
- Advent writing topics
- What is Advent?
- Reflections on Advent
- How to Sew an Advent Calendar
- Where to order an Advent Calendar
I took some of those pieces further this year and pulled together a Family Advent Resource Guide. This is based on a tool our family has used for a couple of years correlating to the Jesus Storybook Bible. But, I wanted to offer a tool that allowed family freedom to use as it would work for their families and enough structure to get started.
Jesus the Rescuer is a family advent tool that helps families use the month of December to explore God’s big rescue plan for His people through Jesus.
- 25 daily ornaments follow a path through scripture, Old and New Testament, to see how God’s plan was a relationship with His people. And, when the first plan shifted in the Garden of Eden, he began weaving a new plan pointing to Jesus.
- 4 weekly themes – if a daily something is too much, there are 4 weekly themes with passages and topics to focus on. Just something to avoid the overwhelm and point your mind, heart, and a few activities toward the same concept of Jesus, His birth, His first visitors, and our response.
- Color pages – and a few color pages that match the graphics of both activities are thrown in to use; however, it is helpful.
My desire for families is to use the time during Christmas to point their hearts towards Jesus. Even if you do all the other fun things, because we do too, first and foremost, may your children see you making much of Jesus.
And, if you don’t have kids or it’s just you this Christmas, let me speak to you for a minute, too.
- First, I’ve been there. For 33 years, I was there. It’s hard and probably harder at Christmas than any other time. It’s okay, you are not alone, and this season is a perfect time to remind yourself that you are chosen and desired, and Jesus, as Emmanuel, came to be God WITH us!
- You can use these tools as well – do the daily ornament yourself. Find a way to incorporate them in your holiday decor around your house. Color them or decorate them with scrapbooking supplies. Hang them on a mantle, staircase or as ornaments tied on your tree.
- Take the weekly themes and get a group of friends together and use it as a study guide. Come together each week to discuss what you’ve learned about Jesus. Do the activity listed and use this as a method to build community.
Often we talk about establishing a reset for January. No need to put it off that long. Use December to set your heart on Jesus. Invite Him into your study and ask him to reveal a vision for the coming year.
Take time each day to recenter your heart and focus. It’s easy to be overwhelmed and bombarded with a desire for more and personally not doing enough, but lifting your eyes to Jesus reminds you that He has already done enough, and through you, He can bring light to this tough world.
Last year, God put it on my heart to look for the “light,” I tried so hard to use any lights I saw during the holiday as a reminder of his presence.
- Christmas tree lights
- Candles
- Kitchen lights
- Porch lights
- Yard lights
- House lights
- Decoration
- Lamps
- Stores
The light was everywhere when I really started looking for it. And, I found that it reminded me Jesus is here, we are just drowning Him out with all the other things. Jesus, the Light of the World – look for Him this holiday season!
