Newsletter & Family Devotion

11 Tips to Help Prepare for the 2024 Christmas Season

I can’t believe that the 2024 Christmas season is on our doorstep. For so many people, 2024 has been a roller coaster experience. And some are ready to get off the ride! The economy has impacted everyone, some much more than others. And the impact hasn’t just been financial. Attitudes, emotions, plans, and mindsets have all been affected. The last 4 years of inflation and evil in our government has resulted in a culture-wide increase in stress and anxiety.

For many of us, the Christmas season is a time that is anticipated with both joy and anxiety. Sure, we love the celebrations, the church services, the family traditions, and we cherish the memories of Christmas’s gone by; but along with them, we add the stresses of preparation, expectations and the fear of letdowns, or family squabbles that we have experienced in the past. And, this year, the stress and anxiety level are likely to be amplified. With this in mind, here are 11 tips I believe can be helpful in getting ready for an enjoyable, meaningful Christmas season in 2024.

1. Put Jesus First In This Christmas Season. Remember, He’s the reason for the season. If you want the most out of Christmas, focus on what it’s about. Focus on what Jesus says to do. When we truly put Jesus first, He and His word help us put everything else in the right perspective, what’s most important and what’s not. He helps us filter out all the things that aren’t necessary, even though we think they are. Get to worship regularly on Sunday morning and Christmas Eve. Take time to pray and talk together as a family about Jesus and what Christmas is really all about. Let him bless you in this Christmas season. Remember, all God’s blessings and promises come with a condition, we must obey Him, then He blesses us and fulfills His promises.
2. Set manageable expectations. Spend some time now setting realistic and manageable expectations for your Christmas season. Understand that you can’t do everything, and with our current economic realities, you might not be able to do everything you’ve done in the past. If this is true for you, there might be a sense of disappointment. Still, it doesn’t have to ruin your family’s Christmas season. So, be realistic about what you can do. Make a list of what you can do and prioritize your most important events and activities for you and your family. Remember Jesus comes first. Then, pace yourself. Organize your time. Keep in mind that it’s the Christmas “season” (not “day”) and spread out your activities to lessen stress and increase enjoyment.
3. Remember the Christmas season does not eliminate sadness or loneliness. Problems and difficulties arise even during the Christmas season. And, for some, the Christmas season evokes painful memories from recent events or the loss of loved ones in the past. Give room for yourself and your family to experience these feelings. Try not to let them become a consuming focus. Make an effort to work through present challenges and conflicts. Ask Jesus for help.
4. Acknowledge the past—but look toward the future. Life brings changes. Each season of life is different. Determine to enjoy this holiday season for what it is. Acknowledging the past, whether it was good or bad, is appropriate. But, if you find that this year has been a rough one and you don’t anticipate having the best Christmas season ever, try not to set yourself up by comparing today with the “good old days.” Take advantage of the joys the present Christmas season has to offer.
5. Develop and encourage a life of gratitude. Gratitude is an attribute that transcends circumstances. No matter what your circumstances, I believe there is reason to be thankful in them. Your circumstances may never change, but your attitude toward them can change…and this can make all the difference in the world. Christians have a special reason to adopt the attitude of gratitude, because we know that whatever comes, our times are in God’s hands. It was Jesus who said, in effect, “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow, too.” See Matthew 6:34. If you want to help your kids develop an attitude of gratitude, I encourage you to try an experiment that might radically influence your family, and it’s a great exercise in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. It’s called “Thank Therapy.” Thank Therapy is simply focusing on the many things in your life for which you can be thankful. Get started by having each family member create individual lists, of “Twenty Reasons Why I’m Thankful.” Thank Therapy is simply an act of the will to concentrate on the good and not the bad. Share your lists as a family on Thanksgiving Day or sometime before Christmas.
6. Do something for someone else. One of the ways we can demonstrate that we are grateful to God for His many blessings is to help others. Even if this has been a difficult year for you and your family, helping others will actually help you too, as your focus will move from your own circumstances onto serving others. While there are always people who can use a helping hand, this year, I suspect there are many more. So, enrich this Christmas season for your family by getting involved in serving others. Remember, we have the Arturo Toy drive and more at church.
7. Enjoy activities that are cheap or free. There are many good holiday-related activities that will add to your family’s enjoyment that are either free or low cost, such as driving around to look at holiday decorations, baking Christmas cookies, going window-shopping, or playing in the snow.
8. Enjoy a family Christmas tradition. Traditions provide opportunities to keep your family’s legacy going. They create meaningful memories. So, from the silly to the sentimental, if your family has some Christmas traditions, if possible, be sure to include them in your Christmas activity plans.
9. Try something new. Traditions are great, but sometimes families find themselves celebrating Christmas in exactly the same fashion, year after year. And this can result in your family experiencing a Christmas funk. So, think about finding a new way to celebrate Christmas this year. You may just create a new tradition that will keep going for generations!
10. Spend money responsibly (especially this year!) The Christmas season brings with it a big temptation to spend lots of money especially when it comes to purchasing Christmas presents for your family. Don’t be afraid to say no to this temptation, especially if you’ve been hard hit by the recession. The following is good advice for every family: Don’t spend beyond your means and rack up significant credit card debt! While your family may be thrilled by expensive gifts on Christmas Day, don’t forget that come springtime, your kids may well have laid aside or forgotten those gifts, even while you’re struggling to make the payments. Decide now to be financially responsible this holiday season!
11. Carve out some time for yourself! Don’t take on all of the responsibilities of your family’s Christmas celebrations by yourself. Share the load. Create some space during Christmas for you to recharge your own batteries. And don’t forget, Sunday is the LORD’S Day. So honor God by being in worship, then take the rest of the day to relax.

6 Prayers for a Better Marriage

Want to know one way to strengthen your marriage? Start by praying. Praying for your spouse and marriage keeps God in the center. Try these 6 scripture-based prayers for a better marriage. Prayer works. God can change your relationship through prayer.

Here’s 6 Scripture-Based Prayers for a Better Marriage You Can Use Today:

1. Pray that God would deepen your love for one another.

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

Prayer: Father, I need to start by confessing what you already know about me. I am not perfect. I mess up. I know I make mistakes every single day, especially in the relationship that matters the most. And I am married to someone who is just as imperfect as I am. I ask that despite all of the ways we fail each other and You, please deepen our love for each other…and YOU.  Help us to see through our failings and instead see each other as You see us: Chosen, loved and forgiven. Amen.

2. Pray that God would help you love each other well and bring peace to your relationship.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:2-3, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Prayer: Father, thank You for sending us the Holy Spirit. Because He dwells within us, I know my spouse and I have access to unity. Help us to recognize the Holy Spirit at work in our marriage and help us to fight for and keep the unity in a way that honors You. I know I’m not always humble and gentle in our conversations or in my actions. I also know I sometimes lose my patience. In those moments, please remind me of your bond of peace. Amen.

3. Pray for forgiveness.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Prayer: Father, thank You for forgiving me. Thank You for sending Your Son to heal our broken relationship through His sacrifice on the Cross. Sometimes I get caught up in my own hurt feelings that I forget Your perfect example of forgiveness. In those moments, will You nudge me? Will You lead me to speak to and act kindly towards my spouse even when I feel wronged or misunderstood? And, more importantly, remind me of how forgiveness heals relationships. Amen.

4. Pray that God would keep mouths shut, ears open and anger in check.

Scripture: James 1:19-20, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

Prayer: Father, I feel like I ask for Your help all of the time. Scratch that. It’s true. I bring my prayers for a better marriage to You all of the time because I NEED Your help all of the time. When my spouse and I disagree, please let me lead with my ears. I want to listen in a way that reveals the heart of an issue. I want to listen in a way that seeks understanding and displays empathy. I want to listen in a way that produces loving and kind words not words that fuel the fire of anger. You know that I’m not great at keeping my mouth shut and my anger in check, especially when my spouse and I disagree. Please help me in that area. Amen.

5. Pray for helpful and encouraging words.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:29, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Prayer: Father, I will keep this simple. Put words in my mouth that build my spouse up, not tear my spouse down. Amen.

6. Pray that you treat love as a verb.

Scripture #1: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Scripture #2: 1 John 3:8, “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” (NLT)

Prayer: Father, I pray that the words found in First Corinthians would be so much more than just a verse read at marriage ceremonies. I want our marriage to live out these words in our everyday living as a couple. I want this kind of love in our marriage. Lead us each and every day to put love into action through our choices, our words, and our actions. Amen.