Another great word to describe the beauty of this season we call “Advent” is “anticipation.” It helps capture the rich experience of waiting diligently for something that has felt like a dream come true. Do you remember the last time you were positively overwhelmed with anticipation? Not anxiety, but pure, unadulterated excitement? Some of us get excited over the latest album from Taylor Swift (not me, but I get it). Others get antsy for Amazon deliveries (throughout the year). That kind of anticipation just barely begins to capture the beauty of Advent.

Christians have been observing Advent since at least the fourth century (1,700 years ago in Spain/France)! There is a dual purpose for the season. First, we honor the saints who waited for Jesus to come the first time, including Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Ruth, David, and many more. Second, we remember the reason we are still waiting today: the New Creation when Jesus returns.

Similar to the season of Lent, Advent is a sacred opportunity to reflect on our spiritual growth and take a hard look at how we are doing on our walk with Jesus. That is why I am thrilled to provide a Bible Reading Plan along with this devotion. We will hear inspiration from people in our church family while we slowly and prayerfully study the book of John on the way to Christmas.

It’s tempting to get lost in the drama that often accompanies the holidays; however, imagine digging deeper in your connection with God through this season - in such a way that you get to Christmas overflowing with the Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace that are yours in Christ right now! This is an invitation to link arms with your church family for the next few weeks and put the first thing first and let Him transform your life.

Week 1: November 30

Read: John 1:1-5 • Devotional: HOPE

Friends, let’s celebrate! The Advent season has begun. Advent is the first season of the Christian Church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays. It serves as a time of waiting, with anticipation in our hearts, as we prepare for the arrival of Jesus. We celebrate in

worship by lighting candles each week on an Advent Wreath. The four Advent candles are arranged on a circular Advent wreath, with no beginning or end, reminding us of the eternity of God’s love. Together the

Advent candles are a reminder of God’s promise to us of salvation through Christ. This week we light the first purple candle, the Prophecy Candle, representing God’s forgiveness of our sins.

So, how can one prepare for the coming of Christ? I believe we have to go back to the beginning where it all started. God’s plan. God’s HOPE for humanity. In Genesis 1:1-3, it says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” There is just something about light that brings HOPE. You witness the sunrise, you light a candle, you build a fire in your fireplace, you plug in your Christmas lights at home and the darkness is gone. A beautiful light appears. That light signifies you have overcome the darkness. That light is HOPE. The kind of HOPE that was witnessed in the birth of a little baby, whom God sent to be the Savior of the World. He is our light, our HOPE in the darkness. Let’s join with God’s light, as we walk through the Advent Season. Help us be a source of HOPE for someone who may only see darkness. May we show them the HOPE of Christ that dwells in our hearts.

Worship Song: Light Of The World by Lauren Daigle (click here to listen)

Prayer: God of HOPE, thank you for shining in the darkness. The light of the world, seen in a tiny baby born in humility, has sparked something inside of us. Help us to not remain the same this season. Fill us with your HOPE, your light, and change us for the better. May we stand in the darkness and help others see you, precious Savior, the light of the world who came down on Christmas! Amen.

Week 2: December 7

Read: Luke 1:10-20; 1 John 4:16 & 1 Corinthians 16:14 • Devotional: LOVE

This week we light the second purple candle, the Angel’s Candle, reflecting on Christ’s purity, peace, and love.

Sometimes, it is so overwhelming to think about the kind of love God has for each of us. The kind of love that taught us to love God and to love one another. The kind of love that never ends. Love came down on Christmas to fulfill God’s promise. Jesus Christ, born in a lowly manger, in Bethlehem, was God incarnate.

That night, the Angels appeared to the shepherds, proclaiming the good news of Christ’s birth, and they went to worship him. The King of Kings, yet born a baby. The Lord of Lords, yet no royal welcome awaited Him in a stable. God turned our world upside down. God humbled himself, came down to the world, took on flesh and became one of us. What kind of LOVE is this? “Come and see what God has done. Noel, noel. The story of amazing love. The light of the world given for us, Noel.” As you listen to our worship song, may you be reminded of God’s amazing love for you!!

Worship Song: Noel (A Christmas Worship Moment) by Travis Cottrell (click here to listen)

Prayer: What amazing love you shower upon us, precious Savior! We don’t deserve it, but you love us anyway. Thank you doesn’t seem like enough, so what words can we bring, except Hallelujah! We are overcome by your presence as you shine your light for us to see. You send us your Holy Spirit to provide comfort and peace. We are in awe of this kind of love. We can’t help but share this love with others, because you first loved us. Continue to use us to spread your message of salvation and hope to a broken world. For you alone are the light of the world and an ever present refuge and strength in time of trouble. For thine is the Kingdom, and the power and glory, forever and ever, Amen.

Week 3: December 14

Read: Luke 1:26-38 • Devotional: JOY

This week we light the pink candle, the Shepherd’s candle, that symbolizes the joy the shepherd’s felt on the first Christmas Eve.

The Angel of the Lord appeared to Mary and can you just imagine the immense JOY the Angel must have felt delivering the news? The ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise. It was proclaimed to a humble servant of the Lord, named Mary and Gabriel got to shout the news! I can’t imagine any better news than being part of God’s divine plan, to bring JOY to all His people.

Angels have always fascinated me. I love to decorate with angels at Christmas because it reminds me of the JOY God must have been feeling when He knew it was time to reveal the news. I wonder how God relayed His plan to Gabriel? Was it with joyful excitement & giddy dancing? Or was it a feeling in their hearts and exchanged by twinkles of joy in their eyes? Oh to be present for such a time as that.

In doing some research on angels, the Bible says there are too many angels in God’s Army to count. However, only three angels are ever called by name in the Bible; Michael, Lucifer and Gabriel. Gabriel was God’s messenger and called by name only four times in scripture. He was first mentioned in the Old Testament book of Daniel 8:16 & 9:21 and then twice again in the New Testament book of Luke 1:19, 26. To have been “in on” God’s plan and to be the honored one to bestow the news to Mary, Gabriel must have felt humbled. The words that come to mind when I think about this are “Pure JOY”!

So, as we await the celebration of the birth of our Savior, I encourage you to find your JOY. Find your JOY and share that JOY with others this season, so that they too can experience the unspeakable JOY of JESUS!

Worship Song: Joy to the World (unspeakable joy) by Chris Tomlin (click to listen)

Prayer: JOY to the world, you have come. God, you sent your son to walk among us. How incredibly full of JOY you must have felt! We rejoice with you and bow before you, sweet Savior. The unspeakable Joy was born in a lowly manger, in a town called Bethlehem, because there was no room for you in the inn. Help us to make room for you in our hearts and live the lives worthy of your promise. In your joyful name we pray. Amen.

Week 4: December 21

Read: Matthew 1:18-25 • Devotional: PEACE

We light the third purple candle, the Bethlehem Candle, representing the King of Kings, born in Bethlehem illuminating peace and love to the world.

Even in the midst of facing embarrassment and uncertainty, in the days of Caesar Augustus, Joseph chose PEACE. The peace that came through The Angel of the Lord, in a dream, and told him exactly what to do. And he listened! He could have chosen to bring it to the attention of the

Emperor or the religious leaders of the day or even Mary’s father or to ignore the dream altogether. But, he chose to listen to the Lord’s command, even knowing that this child was not his.

I often lament and wish that God would just send me an angel or at least a set of instructions for my daily living, so I could be absolutely sure I am doing what I am supposed to. Like, “Dear Lori, Today I want you to…[fill in the blank]...Love, God!” Have you ever lamented in this way? But as

I have gotten older, by studying God’s Word and talking to Him in prayer, I believe God IS revealing His plan for my daily life. It hasn’t been through a miraculous angel or a notebook of instructions, but it has been through the PEACE He is instilling in me. The PEACE I find is in reading His Holy Word daily, Pastor Joe’s sermons on Sunday mornings, discussions with my life group ladies, or a song that speaks to me on the radio. This peace is something I cherish because it reminds me of how much God loves us! So, during this season of waiting, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)

Worship Song: Glory (Let There Be Peace) by Matt Maher (click to listen)

Prayer: God of peace, we pray these beautiful words penned by your disciple Paul in his letter to the church at Philippi, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus...and the God of peace will be with you.” Amen. (Philippians 4:4-7 & 9)

Christmas Eve: December 24

Read: Luke 2 • Devotional: CHRIST

We light the Christ Candle, in celebration of the birth of our Savior, the ultimate gift of love. We have waited with anticipation in our hearts this Advent season and the time has come. We get to unwrap the greatest gift ever known & celebrate on bended knee, the birth of a little baby, named Jesus. God allows us to step into this story, called life, and have a relationship with Him. In God’s Word, we read about this baby who grew into a man. He ministered for over 30 years, in a new way to the lost, lonely and forgotten. The Three in One, the Great I am, Jesus the Messiah & King, the Holy Spirit had come to turn the world upside down. He came to make things right for shepherds & fishermen, for tax collectors and sinners, for women men and children, for the religious and those that had not yet begun to believe. He teaches us to love our enemies, love one another, and love God, himself. He taught in parables and made God’s scripture come alive in a way that scared most of the religious & political leaders of the day, but allowed others to comprehend in an understandable & simple way. Jesus took the ordinary things in life and made them extraordinary. He can take even us, and mold us to be part of HIS-story and redeem the world. And that my friends is the kind of HOPE, PEACE, JOY and LOVE that we get to celebrate this Christmas!!

Worship Song: Away in a Manger by The Pentatonix (click to listen)

Prayer: Awaken our souls, renew and refresh us, oh Lord, make us ready for a fresh anointing of your Spirit. Thank you for the many gifts you bless us with, but most of all the gift of your Son, baby Jesus. We remember the Christmas story and rejoice in the fulfillment of your promises. Help us to live like Advent people, with child-like faith and excitement in our hearts. Help us come with arms wide open to receive your love and forgiveness. Help us to cherish our relationship with you by spending time in your word and by talking to you daily in prayer. In the light of your glory & grace we pray, Amen.