Advent, A Season of Joyful Longing
Advent, A Season of Joyful Longing
I know what your thinking. Thanksgiving hasn't even happened yet and there is already a blog post about Advent. Well Advent starts this year on December 1st and we wanted to give you some extra time to prepare something during Advent with your family or even if your single. These resources are truly helpful to get ready for the upcoming Christmas Season. Dads, these resources are especially for you, this time of year is about making memories with your family, taking the lead and planning out something like this and what a great opportunity to start during Advent.
If you don't know what Advent, it is a season of adoring Jesus. It is a season of preparation for that special day when we mark Immanuel’s arrival — the coming of our eternal God in frail, human flesh. Advent is a way of lengthening the joy of Christmas. This wonderful season expresses our joy of Jesus' arrival and our desire for him to one day come again. Advent starts this year on December 1st and ends on December 25th so we are giving you a few days to prepare.
Below are a few helpful resources and devotional's for anyone who wants help getting ready for Advent.
Blogs and Devotionals
An Advent Story: So, here’s the thing, forget everything you thought you knew about Advent candles and the local live nativity play and reading Luke 2 at your kids… Wait. Rewind. Don’t forget that stuff, it’s actually important, too. But it’s equally important that we engage with what scripture is saying about the meaning of Christ’s expectation and appearance to us. If we simply focus on the history of Christmas, we are inviting the same host of problems that attended the Pharisees—myopically pouring over dusty scrolls, refusing to see the living God right there in front of them.
Free Gospel-Centered Advent eBook: Advent is the season where we prepare our hearts for worshiping on Christmas Day as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus. We have developed a printable ebook to help you lead your family in preparing for this special day.
How Will You Make This Advent Special?: We’re now only five days from Advent, which begins this Sunday, December 1. Just a few minutes of forethought today could go a long way in making this year special for your family, or spiritually significant for you personally.
Behold the Lamb of God: An Advent Narrative Book: Via Justin Taylor from The Gospel Coalition. "If you are looking for an Advent devotional this year, I would recommend Russ Ramsey’s new Behold the Lamb of God: An Advent Narrative (foreword by Andrew Peterson). Russ is a gifted writer and thinker, and he currently serves as a minister of preaching and pastoral care at Midtown Fellowship, a PCA church in downtown Nashville."
