NEW ADVENT Resource!
25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS FOR YOUR HEART AND HOME is a Christmas Devotional that focuses on EVERYDAY LIFE LESSONS from Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, and the Shepherds.
It also includes DECORATING TIPS from award winning interior designer Lisa T. Grimes to help make your home more inviting!
PURCHASE YOUR COPY TODAY!
Below is an excerpt from 25 Days of Christmas for your Heart and Home!
Psalm 63:5, My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods…
I am so easily distracted by shiny objects.
My phone is a perfect example. I grab it to check something, see a shiny object such as a text or Instagram notification, and forget why I grabbed my phone in the first place.
The Christmas season is full of shiny objects. From pretty store decorations and decorating our own homes to planning, cooking, entertaining, and attending parties, it’s so easy for me to be absorbed in the shiny objects of Christmas I love!
However, a few years ago, I was grumpy when putting up my Christmas tree. A task I normally enjoyed brought complete irritation. I had no idea why I was so frustrated.
So half-way through the decorating process, I quit. My tree was half-decorated, but I could have cared less.
The next morning, the reason for my Grinch-like attitude occurred to me: our family had moved the month before. The exhaustion of a move that spilled into Thanksgiving – sprinkled with everyday life with two teenagers, keeping up with work, plus decorating for Christmas – had distracted me from my normal quality time with Jesus. My time with Him had become non-existent or at best rushed. No wonder I had a Grinch-like attitude!
When our hearts are distracted and our attention focused on the objects and activities of Christmas, it’s easy to become impatient, frustrated, and overwhelmed. As much as I love every aspect of the holiday season, these things will never fill my cup to overflow.
But making time each day to read and study our Bibles cultivates a relationship with Jesus and results in supernatural effects. God refreshes our spirits and replenishes our weary and tired hearts. His steady voice of encouragement and wisdom enables us to be full of peace and joy, especially when navigating difficult interpersonal relationships.
As a result, when we are faced with the challenging people in our lives, His sweet Spirit will enable us to see those friendships or relatives through His eyes of love, allowing us to extend His love and grace.
Time spent with God each day profoundly affects our hearts and attitudes. Everyone around us is impacted for the better. Try it!
December 13th
Speaker: Rey Cooke
Who is the Star of your Life?
