Today is the first Sunday of Advent, and we’re focusing on HOPE.
Advent is the season four weeks before Christmas in which we prepare for the coming of Christ. It begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30th.
Advent is the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus, and its name comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming.”
How does Advent relate to us in 2023? If we don’t make an intentional effort, we will miss it! It reminds us to prepare our hearts for celebrating the birth of Jesus.
There’s more to Christmas than trees, gifts, shopping, and Santa Claus.
Every Christmas, my goal is to have less hustle and bustle and more simple and sacred.
Today, we celebrate the light of HOPE.
Some of you today have lost hope. Life has been difficult. Whether it’s finances or health issues, maybe a family member has lost their way, or perhaps you’ve lost someone you love.
Our world is changing fast, and we can easily let things steal our joy and hope but we can’t let that happen. Life is too precious!
Scripture reminds us we have hope:
- So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord! Psalm 31:24
- I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. Psalm 130:5
- But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
- Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
- May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
- For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
This Christmas season, will you join me? Let’s celebrate HOPE! Don’t worry if your tree isn’t perfect or that every package doesn’t have a pretty bow. It’s not about perfect packages and cramming in every holiday activity we can during December.
Christmas is about Jesus. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
Let your beauty shine from the inside out today!
Wonderful. Any more, advents concern boxes of treats leading up to Christmas. How refreshing to see an advent that concerns the birth of Jesus and how we can be more like Him.
Very good message. The message was about hope at my church today too.
Happy December, Cyndi,
I very much like your comment about keeping the Christmas season simple and sacred. As I get older (63) so much of what filled my earlier days has been replaced with more time to reflect on the joys of each season. Less hustle and bustle now. I feel it’s important to focus on doing the meaningful things first, then if time runs out, what matters most is part of our celebration. Wishing you and your family God’s blessings, may He give you Peace. Love, Donna
Happy Sunday! Thank You for taking the time to encourage through emails, Gods Love keeps on stretching through air waves, I’m so touched by HIS Love and how HE chose you to do this. Blessing’s to you and Family, You are so appreciated and loved 🥰 Xoxo
God bless your Daddy….so sweet. Enjoy your family and new home!
Always a good reminder. I always shop and wrap way early, so then I can enjoy Dec and focus on JESUS. Advent is very important for sure. We are off to church soon. Glad your party went well and your Saturday with your dad and brother sounded nice even though hard to go to the grave. Enjoy today.
Thank you soo much for your message of HOPE and the scriptures shared.
I’ve always had wonderful memories of Christmas growing up with a large family. My grandparents had 13 children, I had countless cousins. There were always friends and neighbors joining us. It was always special with the reading of the birth of Christ and sharing the blessings God had given each of us through the year, food, fun and the time spent together. I cherish those sweet memories.
The Christmas season now is bittersweet. You see this Christmas 3 years ago, my parents and aunt & uncle were riding around looking at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve when they were T-boned by a person texting and ran a traffic light. My mom & aunt passed away immediately, my uncle passed the day after Christmas and I spent Christmas and the next 8 weeks in the hospital with my dad, the driver of the car. He is the only survivor. I moved in with him for 2 months helping him recover. He has physically recovered and is doing well, but is very lonely and grieving still. He is the last of the 13 now. I am is caregiver. So, my memories have a dent in them now. The season is hard. Dad especially has a very hard time. I do my best to carry on and get him through it with messages of hope, faith and the promises of that baby in the manager. My dad is a retired (85 yrs old) Baptist minister. He knows these things, but the loss he, we suffered that Christmas is still very fresh. I repeat to him some of the verses you shared today. I KNOW personally that God holds true to his promises to his children. I lost my husband nearly 20 years ago at the age of 43 in a terrible accident. I had to start my life over with 2 children. I was terrified to say the least. The only thing I knew to do, was to take to my Lord in prayer. I learned firsthand God is truly ALL I NEEDED. He and He alone took care of ALL my and my children needs, and when I say all, I mean ALL!!! I was blessed with a wonderful job at a pharmacy (I was a stay at a mom before his accident) owned by a dear friend, my kids finished college and we found a new home. Fast forward, God brought a wonderful man into our lives, with a wonderful family of his own that took my family into their hearts and lives. We (he, my son and me) now own that pharmacy and another one. My children are married to wonderful spouses, and we have 6 amazing grandchildren. We found another new home and God continues to bless us, so we are able to bless others, We are a family that not only believes, but knows for a solid fact you can’t outgive God!! I constantly reiterate, to my dad all the scriptures and sermons he taught our family through his ministry. He remembers, it’s just grief is so overwhelming and sometimes gets the best of him. He had tried unsuccessfully to take his life. I remind him that God has a plan and purpose for each us and he just isn’t finished with dad and the plan and purpose for his life and to just keep walking the path leaning on the Lord, he’ll get there. We’ll all get there!
Thank you for you and for following God’s plan and purpose for your life. Your outspoken faith and words of encouragement are a blessing to many. I pray God’s blessings and promises to you and your family the Christmas season. Merry Christmas!!
Robin, my heart broke for the losses you and your family have endured. I’m praying for your dad and you. Keep clinging to His Hope. You are right, it isn’t easy and hard to understand, but God has a plan.
Robin…. Thank you for sharing your heart here. Broke my heart what you’ve been through and your dad too. I was happy to read on and see also how God has blessed you with a new family and you have learned more about the care of our Lord and Savior. Life is hard and we can’t do it alone. Bless you. Prayers were lifted for you and your dad. I pray he is able to move forward. After my dad died in a tragic accident from falling off a ladder by mom was devastated too. It wasn’t until after 3 yrs or so did I start to see her engage in life again and slowly try to move forward without him. She was 59 when he died. She now is 84 and in a memory care facility and I’m loosing her mentally, before I loose her physically. God has been good through it all and is our sustainer.
Robin, your comment is so inspiring. I’m sorry for the loss of your loved ones and your dad’s grief. My brother has been grieving the loss of his wife for 2 years now but has met a woman that may heal his heart. You are a good daughter to your Dad. I just said a prayer for you and him.
Robin, I feel like my words are inadequate. I tried to read your comment to my husband but was crying so much i couldn’t even finish.
My mom said, I don’t always understand God, but I trust Him and I cling to those words. Thank you for trusting Him through all your pain. What a testimony to all of us!
May God comfort your sweet dad especially during this Chtristmas season.
Merry Christmas
Beautiful wreath your Dad put on grave ✝️💗
Thank you, Cyndi for today’s blog on hope. It is a wonderful reminder of what this season is truly about! Enjoy your Sunday!
Cyndi, I loved these passages as a wonderful reminder of start of the advent season. God bless you and your family.
Beautiful. Thank you Cyndi. Happy Advent to you and your family.
Thank you for the reminder! We get so busy trying to have the “perfect” Christmas that we forget THE perfect One.