We know it is coming, but somehow Christmas seems to always sneak up on us. School activities, Thanksgiving, and life keep us busy until we realize we haven’t even started getting ready. If you are a Christian, you know that we don’t need trees, gifts, or lists to celebrate the reminder of God coming to live with us, but most of us enjoy family and friends coming together and the joy of giving even something small to a child or a friend.

So before the calendar fills and the to-do lists double, here are a few ways to prepare your heart and home for a calmer, Christ-centered Christmas.

1. Start with Your Heart

Before you make a single list or shop for a single gift, take time for early Christmas preparation – starting with your heart.

• Choose a devotional or Scripture reading to guide you through the coming weeks.
• Set aside time each week to pray about what you want this Christmas to be about.
• Ask God to show you who might need encouragement, company, or care this year.

When we begin with worship, everything else we do – decorating, giving, celebrating – become an offering instead of an obligation.

2. Simplify Your Space

A peaceful heart often starts with a peaceful home.

One of the best Christmas planning tips is to declutter before the holidays begin. Donate or get rid of unused items. It may not be a good time to tear into some huge cleaning project but at least make room for what matters to you. If you are hosting, inventory your supplies in case you need to find something or order what you were missing last time!

One helpful idea is to start a holiday box or at least one specific spot to place cards, wrapping paper, or small gifts that you pick up early. I found this to be almost essential to avoid misplacing or forgetting what you have already bought.

Remember, you do not have to decorate every corner or say yes to every event. A few meaningful touches can say “Christmas” just as beautifully as a house full of glitter.

3. Plan to Give Intentionally

Christmas giving can either be joyful or stressful – and it often depends on how we plan.

If you start setting aside a little each week, you will have more freedom to give generously later – without the last-minute financial crunch. Maybe it’s a missionary your church supports or a single mom who could use a grocery card.

And don’t forget the power of simple gifts: a handwritten note, homemade cookies, or a heartfelt visit can mean far more than something wrapped in shiny paper.

4. Make a Manageable Plan

Create a holiday organization checklist or just write out a simple timeline for when you want to start work on your tasks. It doesn’t have to be complicated – just a few small steps for each month. You could include things like:

• Make a gift list and budget
• Declutter and inventory supplies
• Finish most shopping
• Plan menus
• Decorate
• Bake
• Deliver gifts and donations
• Get started on homemade gifts

When you spread things out, you make room for rest and unplanned moments and opportunities that can make Christmas special – perhaps a drive to look at lights or just a quiet night by the tree.

As Christmas draws closer, the world will shout for your attention – I hope you find that taking a little time to think and plan ahead will allow your heart to be less hurried and more hopeful. And may every list, plan, and gift point you back to the One who gave Himself for us all.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

– Matthew 2:10.

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In this post I’ll give you a list of songs that you can sing or listen to as a prayer. I’ve grouped them using the ACTS Method. ACTS stands for “Adoration” “Confession” “Thanksgiving” “Supplication” and it’s an outline for the things we can pray about. For each category I’ll list a few songs that can be used to increase and/or improve your prayer time.

Adoration

• “What a Beautiful Name” – Hillsong Worship

A powerful declaration of Jesus’ beauty, power, and majesty

• “How Great Is Our God” – Chris Tomlin

A timeless anthem exalting God’s greatness and glory

• “Here I Am to Worship” – Tim Hughes

A humble invitation to bow down and adore the One who gave all

• “Holy, Holy, Holy” – Reginald Heber

A majestic hymn glorifying the holiness and eternal nature of God

• “How Great Thou Art” – Carl Boberg/Stuart K. Hine

A song of awe before God’s creation, power, and salvation

Confession

• “Lord, I Need You” – Matt Maher

A heartfelt cry for mercy and dependence on God’s grace

Scripture References: Psalm 51:10, James 4:8

• “Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace)” – Hillsong Worship

Acknowledges our brokenness and celebrates the grace that makes us whole

Scripture Reference: 2 Corinthians 12:9

• “Forgive Me” – Tasha Cobbs Leonard

A soulful confession asking God to wash away sin and restore intimacy with Him

Scripture Reference: 1 John 1:9

• “Just As I am” – Charlotte Elliott

A timeless hymn of repentance and surrender, coming to Christ without pretense

Scripture Reference: Romans 5:8

• “I Surrender All” – Judson W. Van DeVenter

A declaration of yielding every part of life to God’s will

Scripture Reference: Luke 9:23

Thanks, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving

• “Gratitude” – Brandon Lake

A raw, heartfelt expression of thanksgiving when words fall short

Scripture Reference: Psalm 103:1-2

• “Thank You Jesus for the Blood” – Charity Gyle

Thanks God for salvation and the cleansing power of Christ’s blood

Scripture Reference: Ephesians 1:7

• “Give Thanks” – Don Moen

A classic worship chorus of gratitude to the Holy One

Scripture Reference: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

• “Now Thank We All Our God” – Martin Rinkart

            A hymn of deep gratitude, written during hardship and loss

            Scripture Reference: Philippians 4:6-7

• “Count Your Blessings” – Johnson Oatman Jr.

 Encourages believers to name and remember every blessing

 Scripture Reference: Psalm 77:11-12

Supplication, Requests

• “I Need Thee Every Hour” – Annie S. Hawks

A timeless prayer for God’s constant nearness and help

Scripture reference: Psalm 70:1

• “Abide With Me” – Henry F. Lyte

A tender plea for God’s presence through life’s trials and the approach of death

Scripture Reference: Psalm 23:4

• “Guid Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” – William Williams

A pilgrim’s prayer for divine guidance and strength on life’s journey

Scripture Reference: Exodus 13:21-22

• “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” – Thomas A. Dorsey

A heartfelt cry for God’s hand to lead through pain and uncertainty

Scripture Reference: Isaiah 41:13

• “Hear My Cry, O Lord” – Maranatha Music/Traditional Psalm Setting

A direct plea from the Psalms for God to listen and respond

Scripture Reference: Psalm 61:1-2

Praying using the ACTS method guides us to place God first, rather than quickly moving in for the “I need” list we often see as the reason for prayer. When we confess our shortcomings we humble ourselves before God and there is a change of heart attitude. This can so easily turn into thanksgiving for what we do have. When we’ve acknowledged the greatness of God, just for being God and we change our hearts to be humbled and thankful before God, the “what we ask for” changes as well.

If you’re not a song person, you can do the very same prayer process using scripture. Many songs have their origin in scripture as listed above. You can type in a search for additional “scriptures of adoration” (confession, thanksgiving or supplication).

Prayer is a communication tool. The other side of us speaking or singing is to listen. God does let His presence be known during our prayer time when we take time to “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God” (Psalm 46:10a AMP). Let’s think about prayer as a two-way communication between ourselves and God, our Father and our Creator, rather than a performance or demonstrated skill that must be performed.

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The same article states that when people want to treat themselves, about 90% will choose chocolate to do so. Candy sales increase around holidays including Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Halloween.

The History of Chocolate

The history of cocoa beans and chocolate dates back thousands of years with origins in Mesoamerica. Before the1800s, chocolate was mostly consumed as a bitter drink among the cultures of Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs. Cocoa beans were so valued they were used as currency. Cocoa was also used as a religious drink, medicinal elixir, and an elite beverage.

Cocoa was exported from Mesoamerica to Spain by Hernán Cortés in the 1500s and eventually from there to France, Italy, and England by the 1600s.

By the 1800s, Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlé developed milk chocolate by adding condensed milk to cocoa. Large chocolatiers in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the United States worked at making chocolate affordable to the common people.

In the early 1900s the candy bar became an easy distribution format. Other candies that quickly followed the introduction of the Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar were Snickers (1930), Kit Kat (1935), and M&M’s (1941). Post WWII saw an increase in new candy bars because of mass advertising and mass production.

Chocolate has been taken to the next level by the development of luxury and gourmet brands such as Lindt, Godiva, and Ghirardelli. Many chocolate brands have increased the offer of limited-edition (seasonal) chocolates around holidays and special occasions.

Concerns About Too Much Chocolate

I’m very thankful to say, I’ve become more controlled in my chocolate “addiction.” I have lost the mouth watering reaction to chocolate when I walk into a store. I’m sure I’m not alone feeling bombarded by the ease of purchase and mass advertisement that causes us to hear chocolate calling our name. The sugar and fat in sweet chocolate stimulates the brain cells contributing to addiction and craving of chocolate. So often, chocolate is used as a comfort food recouping childhood memories and is used in an effort to soothe our negative emotions. However, there are benefits to consuming chocolate.

Benefits Found in Dark Chocolate

• Rich in Antioxidants: flavonoids and polyphenols help fight free radicals, reducing oxidative stress and slowing aging.
• Heart Health: flavonoids in cocoa improve blood circulation and reduce blood pressure. Studies show that moderate chocolate consumption is linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Boosts Brain Function: cocoa contains theobromine and caffeine that enhance focus and cognitive function. It increases blood flow to the brain, potentially reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
• Mood Enhancer: chocolate stimulates endorphins (feel-good hormones) and increases serotonin, which helps reduce stress and symptoms of depression. Dark chocolate contains tryptophan (an amino acid) and supports serotonin production that influences sleep, memory, reduced depression, and other neurological processes.
• Supports Gut Health: cocoa acts as a prebiotic, feeding good gut bacteria, which improves digestion and immune function.
• Improves Skin Health: the flavonoids in chocolate protect against UV damage, improving skin hydration and elasticity.
• Aids in Blood Sugar Control: dark chocolate (with high cocoa content and low sugar) can improve insulin sensitivity, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Choosing the Right Chocolate for Health Benefits

• Best option: Dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher)
• Limit sugar and milk content (milk chocolate and white chocolate have fewer benefits)
• Eat in moderation (about 1 ounce or 30g per day for health benefits)

Share with us your favorite candy. Is chocolate your go to candy and which brand or type? When do you seem to crave chocolate? Do you agree or disagree with the health benefits of dark chocolate? Remember, cocoa is a God given natural plant. How hard would it be for you to go back to the bitter cocoa drink of the ancient Mesoamericans?

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Nothing really changes when December 31st ends and January 1st starts. We might stay up later than usual to celebrate, but after the party, our problems are still there. Our concerns and our worries do not go away when we turn the calendar page.

But there is something “new” about a new year. Somehow it just feels like there is a chance for a new beginning. Perhaps there might be a different outcome this time, maybe something will change this year. It is why so many people resolve to try a new diet or join a gym or read more books and watch less TV at the turn of a new year.

God’s Mercy Is New Every Day

God knows our struggles. He sees us fall and fail time after time, yet He does not give up on us. He encourages us with the word new in Scripture to give us hope that the old can be forgotten and changed and He can make all things new. Here are five passages where God offers hope with the new:

1. Jonah 1-2: This first passage is a perfect example of a sense of the old and the new. You know that God told Jonah to go preach to Israel’s enemies. He refused because he did not see people the same way God did and ended up in the belly of a big fish. Jonah cried out to God and thanked Him for saving his life. God again told Jonah to go preach to Nineveh. This time he obeyed, and Nineveh repented and was saved. Jonah sinned and ran from God, but God’s mercies chased him down and gave him another chance.

2. Philippians 3:13-14: But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Paul made just as many, if not more, mistakes than most of us, yet by God’s grace, he was able to let go of the past and press hard toward the future reward. He knew he had been forgiven and trusted God to reward his work and his faithfulness.

3. Lamentations 3:22-23: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Not just on January 1st, but each day of the new year and every year, God renews His mercy to us. No matter what our challenges might be, God’s love and care remain constant.

4. 2 Corinthians 5:17: If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

In the verse above from Philippians, Paul was able to forget the past because he was a different person now. If Christ has saved you, you can step into the new year with confidence because your identity is in Christ, not in your mistakes or failures.

5. Isaiah 65:17: See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

Later, in the book of Revelation, Jesus again says, “I am making all things new” and says that God will wipe every tear away, and there will be no more death, sorrow, or pain. Even with the hope of a new beginning in the new year, we will always have pain here in this life, but these verses remind us of God’s ultimate plan for renewal and restoration. Those who know God will spend eternity in a new place, where nothing of the pain of our past will even be remembered.

As we move into and through this new year, cling to the hope that God’s promises are trustworthy and true. He can make something new and beautiful of our challenges and pain, both now and in the future. “I am making all things new.”

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1. I Still Believe

I Still Believe (2020) is a romantic drama based on the life of beloved singer Jeremy Camp. You may know his songs like “Dead Man Walking,” “When You Speak,” and “There Will Be a Day” in which he praises God for His love and grace, but you may not know that there was a time where Jeremy’s pain, his doubt, and anger at God caused him to abandon his music altogether. This faith-based movie shows how God brings him through his loss. Jeremy is able to see God at work and finds hope again.

2. A Week Away

A Week Away (2021). For a family-friendly musical, complete with song and dance, A Week Away offers a message of love and transformation. It revolves around a troubled teen whose continued poor choices force him into a situation where he has to choose between juvenile detention and a Christian summer camp. Not everyone loves musicals, but this is a fun, lively, and well-choreographed look at a life changed by kindness and love.

3. Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace (2006). You know the song, but the song has a story. This historical drama explores the relationship between the most famous hymn ever written and Great Britain’s slave trade. The story of the abolition of slavery is told through the life of William Wilberforce, one man whose perseverance and faith made a difference for millions.

4. I Can Only Imagine

I Can Only Imagine (2018) is another movie based on the life of a Christian musician. Bart Millard, lead singer of the band Mercy Me, did not have an ideal childhood. Left to be raised by an abusive father, Bart had a dysfunctional relationship with both his mom and dad. When an injury keeps him from living out his father’s dream for him, Bart stumbles into music. The movie does relate the story of Bart’s abuse, but it also reveals the amazing story that forgiveness and God’s grace played in restoring Bart’s relationships and enabling his musical success.

5. The Forge

The Forge (2024) is a movie about discipleship, not music. But I added it to the list because it is a good movie, and its soundtrack features many singers you will recognize, including Lecrae, for King & Country, and CeCe Winans. The movie tells the story of 19-year-old Isaiah, who is without plans, motivation, or Jesus. His mom prays for him often but finally gives him an ultimatum that forces him to look for employment. Along the way, he meets a man who takes Jesus’s command to disciple others seriously and whose care, patience, grace, and investment in Isaiah ultimately changes his life.

These PG rated Christian movies are great for bringing the family together on a cold, winter night, but a couple do have some at least older kid themes. They are all currently streaming on various platforms, so choose a couple, snuggle up, sing along, and be reminded of God’s work in our lives.

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Robert Cull, back in the 1960s and 70s observed unrest in his day surrounding the Jesus Movement, Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam War. He went to a Christian school to conduct a concert, but none of the leaders wanted to talk about Jesus. Cull was heartbroken. Just before his concert, he sat down and penned the following song because he had such a desire for the youth of his day to be introduced to Jesus.

Do we have the same burden of heart as Cull? How do we create an atmosphere that allows us to simultaneously see the issues of the day, but to also see Jesus in the midst of the storm?

A song written almost forty years after Cull was “Open the Eyes of My Heart” by Paul Baloche and sung by Michael W. Smith. The song encourages us to continue to seek God through the eyes of our heart versus the temporal eyes of our body.

Attempting to see Jesus with the eyes of our heart takes time on our part. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). That may be our modern downfall. We are rarely still or have quiet time. (Jeremiah 29:13) states, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

Let’s commit this year to start dedicating an extra 15-minutes (that may grow into longer amounts of time) to be still and seek the presence of God. We may sit quietly in our car. We may turn on quiet music. We may read our Bible. The most important aspect is to intentionally seek God. He promises He will be found. Keep the eyes and ears of your heart open so you won’t miss God’s presence enveloping you in a worship atmosphere that you won’t be able to deny is Him.

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There really aren’t that many in Scripture, seven I think, but the question came up, “Why did God make so many holidays? Why did He even care about something like that?” In Leviticus, God calls the days memorials, and when referring to one of them, God said it was “so that each new generation will know.” Those special days were not only a reminder of who God is and what He did for the Jews of that time but also a way of teaching their children and grandchildren who God is.

So what does this have to do with Halloween? You may already know that Halloween’s original name was All Hallows Even (or Eve). It was shortened to Hallowe’en and then to Halloween. And just like Christmas Eve is the night before Christmas and New Year’s Eve is the night before New Year’s Day, All Hallows Eve was the night before All Hallows Day. All Hallows Day most likely can trace its roots back to a day set aside to honor Christian martyrs. By the 700s, the festival had evolved to include all saints and was consistently celebrated on November 1.

Well, all you need to do is walk the aisles of Target or look out your front window at the neighborhood decorations to know that the holiday has “evolved” a lot more since then. And while all that can be an issue to be dealt with by Christians, my point is that the holiday itself was originally an attempt to honor those who had given their lives for God’s glory. Some Christian traditions, on each day of the year, celebrate a different man or woman who lived their lives for God. As long as the people are not worshipped, this can be a great way to recognize God’s work in the life of His people and celebrate it. Just like the ancient Jews were told to observe special days to remind them of God’s goodness and use them as tools to teach their children, we can use our holidays now in the same way.

As I mentioned earlier, God called the weekly Sabbath day one of these holy, special days. We not only need a few special days each year, we need weekly (and daily!) reminders because we so quickly become anxious and forget the love and power of our God. Holidays can help us remember what God has done in the past, what He is doing in our lives and world now, and because He does not change, what He will do in the future. So use every chance you get to remind yourselves, your kids, your grandkids, and those around you who God is and what He has done in your life. Even Halloween.

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There are so many facets to this consideration that they certainly cannot be covered in a blog post, but yesterday I heard some things from Jeff Myers, the president of Summit Ministries, that I found helpful and wanted to share two of them with someone else who might be struggling to find a reason to vote.

Voting With Principles in Mind

The first is that there are principles, policies, and personalities. The founders of our country tried to form the nation based on principles we could all agree on, such as our rights do not come from the government but from God. From those principles, they made policies, and then the people elected the personalities to carry out those policies. But the personalities will always be in conflict, and what we have currently done is to put the personalities above the principles. We don’t like the person, so we won’t approve of anything they say or do. We have forgotten the principles that can unite us and are the unchanging basis of our laws and our very existence.

Good government, chosen on those principles, allows more people to be blessed and be a blessing. So the first takeaway is to vote on the basis of principles rather than the person.

Why Voting Matters Even When the Candidates Aren’t Perfect

The second idea is that the times will always be evil. The apostle Paul called his day evil (Ephesians 5:16), and they are certainly not good now. The evil doesn’t change. What changes is how we live in the time God placed us. With our vote, we aren’t to choose between the lesser of two evils but use our choice to lessen evil. Who will encourage standing up for the defenseless? Encourage policies that set people free, not seek to control? Insist on taking responsibility instead of taking away responsibility?

Mr. Myers related that in ancient Rome baby girls were not valued and would often be abandoned on the street to die. Christians would walk the streets, pick up these baby girls, and take them home to raise as their own because they believed all life was valuable. When the boy babies grew up, where were all the marriageable girls? They were in church. Many men converted to Christianity, some legitimately and some probably not, in order to marry the women. But either way, it enabled Christianity to spread throughout the Roman empire and through it, the gospel. Those Christians were not trying to change the world, but by their simple actions, they did.

Our single vote may not change the course of our nation overnight, but consistently taking a stand for good, for principles and not so much the people, allowing the government to make more room and space for good for more people, can and eventually will make a difference.

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