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It happens the same way every year… 

Before Halloween even has a fair shot of passing through the calendar, the stores fill up with garland and lights. Ornaments and gift wrapping take over the shelves. People start hauling out their artificial trees from crawl spaces and storage closets. 

We begin this dizzying season, once again, where I make a vow to myself that this year (yes, THIS year) I am going to savor it. I am going to be present for it. I will not be wrapped up in chaos. I will feel it fully. I will be completely amazed by the true reason for the season. The days will not fly by me. I will be here— really here— for the Christmas season. 

And it seems that every year passes by with the same outcome: I don’t stop. I savor in only minute moments. I grab at the season but it passes too quickly. 

And then it is December 26 and the trees are being stacked by the roadside. 

I tell myself, “Next year. Next year we will get this Christmas thing right.” 

I know I am not alone in feeling this way. Probably you– reading this at your desk or wherever you are– have felt this too. You get swept into the bustle and the season just doesn’t stand still for you. You sometimes walk out of Christmas feeling emptier and more tired than before.  

That is why I wrote this series. 

That is why I have dedicated hours of my life to research and writing these words down.

I built this little literary-fueled roadmap for the holiday season because I was tired of not being amazed by the baby in the feeding trough. 

I dug my heels into the true meaning and tiny details of Advent because I wanted this to be the year where things fully clicked, where I fully savored the miracle of Christmas and why we celebrate a man named Jesus. 

 

As I was preparing for this 26-day series, God kept reminding me of the story in Mark where Jesus goes back to his roots, to the place where he spent his childhood. It was there that he preached and the people would not stand amazed by him because they were too blind with thinking, “But wait, nothing good has ever come out of this town before. Surely this isn’t as amazing as we think it is.”  

God kept circling that instance as I prepared to write about Advent and he used it to show me: This is me. I am guilty of being just as blind to the wonder of Jesus as these people from his hometown were. When you hear a story over and over again, it can start to lose its wonder. It loses its edge. It becomes happenstance- normal- just a part of “what we do” and “what we believe” this time of year. 

And so I’ve prayed through every writing session that God would break this way of thinking, that he would give me new eyes to approach the story of Immanuel touching down on earth with baby’s breath. 

I’ve prayed for the wonder to be restored in each of us. For us to have moments where we think, “Wow. I’ve never seen that before. That is amazing.”  

Would you do me one favor throughout this journey? Would you take the time to respond in the comments and let me know if you have one of those “Wow” moments? Even if it happens a bunch, let me know. I want to keep track of the answered prayers this year. I want to know God is working in my life and yours. 

 

So I’ve said enough by now. It’s probably time to just dig in and begin. Throughout the next 26 days (Advent runs a little early this year), we will be trekking through the story of Jesus’ birth chronologically. At times we will stop and pitch a tent in the story because it is a space where I think there is a lot to take in. I haven’t really focused on word count for these devotionals because I just want God to do his thing through me and you. 

Daily, you will find a section in these emails called “Steal This Prayer.” These prayers are written by me for you to take and use as your own. I know praying can feel hard sometimes and we get nervous about what words we will use so don’t be fearful to take one or all of these prayers. They’re for you. 

Happy Advent, friends. Let’s dig.

 

READING

Mark 6:1-6, John 1:46

STEAL THIS PRAYER

Dear God, would you open my eyes and give me a new way of seeing this story I’ve heard hundreds of times?  Restore my wonder and help me to stop and savor this season before its too late. I want to be thankful throughout these next 25 days so clear out my heart to make room for my King.