4 Advent Resources I Love
For too many years the hustle and bustle of the holiday season left me feeling stressed, depressed and often lonely. It had become too much to organize all the gatherings and search for the perfect gift and something just felt like it was missing. I had lost the spirit for Christmas as the true meaning of it all was no longer in the forefront of my mind. Sharing 4 advent resources I love with you, I hope, will give you some hope, peace, and joy as you wait for Christmas to arrive.
What is advent? Advent is a season in the Church calendar dedicated to the hopeful anticipation for the arrival or “advent” of Jesus. During the four-week period leading up to Christmas, many Advent observers engage in prayer, meditation, and Scripture study that emphasizes hope, peace, love, and joy. Christians from many backgrounds celebrate this time, and while their practices may look different, all focus on the hope-filled arrival of Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah and King.
Finding an advent study really helped change the way I enter, enjoy, and leave the Christmas holidays and today I’m sharing a few of my advent favorites.
4 Advent Favorites
The Greatest Gift found me at just the perfect time. I hated the way I felt so overwhelmed and stressed over a holiday that was suppose to be filled with joy. In fact, I loved it so much I wrote an entire blog post the next year sharing some of my favorite quotes which you can find here. It is beautifully written and the daily lessons taught me so much leading up to the birth of Jesus. I’ve pulled this one out every year since 2015 and every year there is something new that speaks to me. If you can’t tell, I highly recommend for everyone!
Last year I downloaded Waiting on Wonder by Melanie Shankle and as always Melanie it is an easy daily read that always ties the message back to your life today. She even created a Wating on Wonder playlist on Spotify! This is a download only and you can read on your Kindle or print out to have a hard copy. At only $10, it makes a super gift for your friends as well. Last year I sent this to multiple girlfriends and they all enjoyed it as much as I did.
It’s no secret I love to listen to Emily P. Freeman’s podcast The Next Right Thing. Her voice is such a calming one and I always find some nugget to take away. Last year I purchased her Quiet Christmas series which comes daily in an email with both the script and a link to an audio clip. Like her podcast, it is short but sweet daily messages that warmed my heart right up. You can add your name here to be notified when this years Quiet Christmas becomes available. If you have friends that are not nearby, this also makes a wonderful gift.
Annie F. Downs will be hosting an Advent podcast for free but she has also put together an Advent series that includes a workbook, private facebook group, videos and more. You can even download a free liturgical calendar. It even has resources for your minis. I’m excited to listen along as Annie always shares wisdom and joy and loves to have fun.
Advent begins on Sunday, November 27th, so now is the perfect time to choose a resource to partner with you during the holidays. I hope one of these will speak to you this holiday season. If you have a study you love for advent I’d love for you to share!