Welcome to our special series, “Keeping Christ at the Center of Your Holidays.”

Over the next few weeks, you get to enjoy the wonderful words of my amazing friends as they share with you creative and practical ways you can keep Christ in the middle of all of your celebrations.

Our prayer is that you will come to know Him, worship Him, enjoy Him, celebrate Him, and share Him with family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. People all around us need to know the love of Jesus.

May we all be bright “lights” this year – sharing hope with those who need it most!

I don’t mean to alarm you, but are you aware that Christmas is in just ­a few days? 

Where, oh where has the time this year has gone???

Personally, I view the celebrations of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Epiphany, and the New Year as one long and a wonderful holiday season full of gratitude, love, and giving. So… let’s talk about Christmas!

Focusing on the celebration of Jesus’ birth shouldn’t detract us from exhibiting a spirit of “thanksgiving.”  In fact, in my way of looking at things, early Christmas decor should enhance our attitude of gratitude… especially as we acknowledge all that we are and have in Jesus Christ.

However, as we all well know, within a mere week or two, schedules will become filled and pressure will be felt… which means that NOW is the best time to do some pre-season preparation.  {And I’m not talking about gift-purchasing, though that is a great idea, as well.}

What I’m talking about is the preparing of the heart.

The Christmas season gets so full and frantic that, though the season really IS about Jesus, if we aren’t intentional, we’ll leave Him completely out of it all.  

(Or He will be an afterthought, at best.)

Isn’t that sadly true?

In this day and time, must make a determined decision to Keep Christmas about Jesus Christ. Click To Tweet

How and what does this look like as we enter into the busiest and most hectic weeks of the year?

The traditions, the shopping, the decorating, the family gatherings, the ministries, the parties, the movies, the music… they are all wonderful and have their rightful places.  But if we don’t prepare our hearts BEFORE we prepare our homes and make our holiday plans, though the calendar may look full, we can find ourselves empty and lonely inside.

It is with humility and hope that I admit that this is work-in-progress for me.  That’s why I am starting NOW to begin to prepare my heart for CHRISTmas, and I want to encourage you to do the same.

Because we can NEVER out-give God, giving Him the first fruits of our days – that time most precious to us in the morning – is an investment in the day ahead.  God knows the paths on which we will walk.  We don’t.

Time spent at the feet of Jesus is never lost or wasted.  When we begin each of the upcoming busy and hectic days with Jesus, we will navigate this Christmas {which is really tHIS CHRISTmas} season with our eyes and ears tuned into the REASON for the season ~ Jesus Christ.  He will fill us and guide us and spill out of us as we move through this year’s holiday festivities.

As the days get crazier, don't neglect your daily time with Jesus in His Word. Click To Tweet

It is Life and Health to us – and the secret to staying FULL during a season that {if we’re not careful} will leave us drained on all accounts!!

“Dear friend, listen well to my words;

    tune your ears to my voice.

Keep my message in plain view at all times.

    Concentrate! Learn it by heart!

Those who discover these words live, really live;

    body and soul, they’re bursting with health.”
Proverbs 4:20-22 MSG

Doesn’t that sound wonderful?

Wouldn’t you love to hit the new year FULL and bursting with emotional health instead of feeling drained, disappointed, or discouraged?

Do you want to spend some time with Jesus, but you’re not sure how to do it or where to start?

An intimate fellowship with the Lord, time in His Word, soaking in what He has to say to you and responding to Him as if you are “best friends” is offered to each one of us. We just have to take the time to invest in our relationship with The Lord.

If you’re wondering where you’ll get any extra minutes in your day, let me ask you this: Do you use your snooze alarm? If so… there’s your answer!

My personal philosophy (though it is sometimes a struggle to abide by it) is that if I have time to snooze in the mornings, I could invest those 10 minutes in Jesus and be more rested than if I had slept a few extra minutes. If you’ll set your alarm back just 10 minutes earlier, and get up when it goes off, you can start your day filled and refreshed – rather than tired and cranky. I promise. We can never out-give God. If we give Him those precious 10 minutes, we will see just what He gives in return: strength, encouragement, hope, a plan for the day, inspiration, peace… to name a few.

{From my own experience, I trust that soon you’ll find that 10 minutes just isn’t enough, and you’ll see such a “return” on your investment, that you’ll be craving more and more time with Him.}

Need a Jump Start?

Click Here for a simple, doable plan for 10 Devoted Minutes with the Lord.

No matter how busy the day ahead becomes, or what lies ahead, spending just 10 minutes with the Lord will help start your day with the breath of the Lord God Almighty propelling you forward in His strength, joy, and fellowship!

Will you begin to prepare your HEART 

for CHRISTmas

by starting your days 

with Jesus?

James 1:5 promises that if we ask for wisdom, God will grant it to us.  So ask Him, my friends.  Ask the Lord how YOU can begin to prepare your heart for this CHRISTmas season.

One more question:

Do you need a fresh approach to Christmas this year?

Get YOUR copy of the e-book, Keeping Christ AS Christmas (or re-read the one you purchased last year or years ago) and use the simple strategies to prepare your heart, household, and home for PEACE this Christmas Season.

ChristASChristmas.com  $4.99

• Kindle,
• Nook, any
• As an e-reader, or
• Or, as a PDF.

^{My sweet friends~ This is a promise for each of us as we head into this blessed holiday season:}
“Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.”

(Proverbs 16:3, AMP)

About the Author – Jennifer Walker:

• Jennifer is a grateful Christ-follower, full-time minister’s wife, emptying-nest-mom, Bible student/teacher/speaker, writer, blogger, coffee drinker, and truster of the Lord.
• The Walkers live and serve Jesus at First Baptist Church in Cleveland, MS.
• Book Website: http://www.ChristASChristmas.com
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SmellingCoffee
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Smelling-Coffee-Blog-TV-235752693106093/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
• Keeping Christ as Christmas Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KeepingChristAsChristmas/?ref=hl
• Blog: http://www.SmellingCoffee.com
• TV show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGcju9qZ219jNNRqmoCoRVw/videos

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