“He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

– Luke 1:16-17

Luke was talking about John the Baptist preparing Israel, and advent can do the same for us! Don’t let Christmas find you unprepared. I am not talking about presents and decorations, I mean spiritually unprepared.

Maybe this will help you prepare, I know it has for me

First, dwell on the truth that we NEED a Savior.

Second, self-examination. Advent is to Christmas what Lent is to Easter.

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

-Psalm 139:23-24

Third, build a Christ-centered expectancy and excitement.
If we can only make Christmas exciting with material things then we are missing the point.

Forth, be in The Word. It is full of grace, healing for all your hurts, and light for those times of dark.

Megan Gjersvold