By Matt Charbonneau
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… Many of us have surely heard or have sung this well-known Christmas carol in our lives at one point or another during this special time of year. The cumulative style of the lyrics and the catchy melody can easily encourage anyone to break […]
By Jessica Wolstenholm
What does the Bible say about Christmas? Well, quite a lot. In fact, since Christmas is the story of God sending His son Jesus to earth as a baby, most of the Bible points to and sets the stage for Christmas. My favorite device in the Bible for telling the Christmas story is a really […]
By Editorial Team
This past Sunday of Advent, we sat together with only the faint glow of the Christmas tree lighting the room. It was time to do our weekly reading and candle-lighting. As I began to share the HOPE of Advent that came long ago with Old Testament prophesies, I wondered how much my children (ages 12 […]
By Jessica Wolstenholm
Who is Emmanuel in the Bible? We hear a lot about “Emmanuel” at Christmas, but who is Emmanuel? The word Emmanuel appears 4 times in the Bible—three times in Isaiah and once in Matthew. Emmanuel means “God with us” and is a name for Jesus. The Meaning of the Word, “Emmanuel” The word “Emmanuel” comes […]
By Minno
We’ve all watched him. The one with the blanket-clad head as he stands up and recites the verses from Luke. Every year on TV, Linus from the Peanuts Gang, quotes the Christmas scripture that so many recognize. Would you be able to quote as he does? Would your children? Are you as convicted as I […]
By Jessica Wolstenholm
Can you imagine a world without Christmas? What about Christmas without carols? At one time in America, that’s exactly what happened. In the 1600s, some influential Christians didn’t like how “commercial” Christmas had become, so the colony in Massachusetts banned celebrating the holiday, and that ban lasted for over twenty years. [1] It’s hard to […]
By Editorial Team
It’s Not Too Late to Celebrate Advent . . . We’ve all been the tired Christmas mama before—the one who braved the malls (maybe stayed up way too late on Amazon), decked the halls, and planned ALL the holiday meals. Today, on this week-after-the-Sunday-of-Advent, we want to encourage the mom who feels like she’s already […]
By Erick Goss
Think about five words for a moment: Hope. Peace. Joy. Love. Surrender. “Well, Erick,” you might say, “Aren’t we all experts at surrender right now? It is 2020 after all.” True. We have all surrendered a lot this year. Sometimes, we welcome the opportunity for a change of pace. But most likely, you have dug […]
By Jessica Wolstenholm
The Raising Boys and Girls podcast is back for Season 4 with topics and guests that will inspire you along your journey of raising kids in today’s world. Join Sissy Goff, David Thomas, and Melissa Trevathan this week as they talk about how to practice gratitude with your kids! . . . . . . […]
By Editorial Team
I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas. With all its programs and parties and consumerism, sometimes Christmas makes me want to run and hide. I’ve tried to bring a deeper sense of peace to the season using daily Advent readings, but always fall behind around Day 4. Over the past few years, I have found […]