Hello friends!
Today we begin the Advent Challenge! I am so excited to share this experience with you.
What is the Advent Challenge?
The Advent Challenge is chance to take back the season of Christmas from the clutches of our culture, to eliminate some of the anxiety, stress and worry and to remember what Christmas is all about. We will do this by challenging ourselves to do four things this month:
Reflect every day
Give to a need
Serve someone
Share your experience
Every week day we will be posting a devotional that supports these challenges right here. We encourage you - spend time with them! Don't rush. Instead, behold - "stand in awe and wonder." Allow the scriptures and devotionals to open your eyes and ears to the story of Christmas in a new and fresh way, to loose yourself in the wonder of Emmanuel, "God with us."
The Devotionals consist of several basic parts
Silence - Each post begins and ends with silence. We recommend two minutes, but do what you can! The goal is not quiet, but rather an inner openness to what God might say to you. Don't skip this time. It's a gift!
Scripture - We believe that God still speaks to us today through what he has already spoken - his Word, The Bible. Listen to God through the stories and words of the Bible.
Devotional Thoughts - These are reflections on the passage written by 20 different followers of Jesus from Pullman Foursquare!
Questions to consider - These are questions to provoke a conversation between you and God. Feel free to journal your answers, or to jot the question down to ponder at moments throughout the day.
Prayer - Written prayers say the things we often don't think to say. Use these prayers as springboards for your own prayers to God. How do you keep written prayers from feeling stodgy and wrote? Pray them like you mean them!
Below is a book mark that you can download and print to help you keep track of your progress as you take the Advent Challenge. Remember, the goal isn't to mark it all off and get it all done - it's to recapture the spirit and meaning of the Advent season. Jesus loves you wether you complete every challenge or not! And so do we.
- Pastor Jamie
