The Advent season is intended to be a time of anticipation and preparation.

Our focus is specifically on the coming of Christ as a babe and the promise of His coming again. These two realities give birth to saving faith and living hope in the hearts of all humankind.

While there are many ways by which we can prepare our hearts, I love the lighting of the Advent candles as they do beckon us to pause and ponder. I also like to read daily devotionals dedicated to nurturing our heart preparation.

This year, we, as a family, are reading “The Advent Project” (Zondervan), which offers a challenge to journal, reflect, and celebrate Christ’s birth. It was this intentional integration that drew me to this project. I am enjoying the narratives and the sense of newness that is bursting forth in my heart. These are the things that breed anticipation and bring preparation.

Advent Reflections … Preparation Practices

I have identified four specific “practices of preparation” that have formed my “Advent reflections.” Every year, I seek to deepen or strengthen my awareness of and devotion to these practices.

▪ Patient Faith … waiting in faith is a practice that keeps us from growing weary in faith expectation and allows us to nurture enduring hope. Our stability and sustainability are anchored in patient faith as well.

▪ Proactive Preparation … this call enables us to engage every possibility and embrace every opportunity. Being and doing our best is born out of the practice of proactive preparation.

▪ Passionate Seeking … it is in properly positioning ourselves for pursuit that creates the kind of potential that makes it possible for us to finish strong. It is the practice of passionate seeking that secures this for us.

▪ Powerful Praise … we know that praise is life-giving and has the power to break every chain. Praise ushers us into the presence of God and emboldens our faith, thus increasing our capacity to believe. Powerful praise, this practice brings us to Him.

The Advent season is intended to be a time of anticipation and preparation. Let’s hold on to this and make it our focused aim and purpose.

Advent Reflections … Preparation Practices

Redeem these days as never before!

I know I am in … and you?

-Terry-