Weekly Magazine | Preparing Room for Jesus
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Dear Friends,
Advent is such a beautiful invitation, isn’t it? A time to slow down, quiet our hearts, and prepare for the coming of Jesus. Yet, somehow, this season that’s meant to center us often ends up rushing right past us—filled with to-do lists, family plans, and all the noise that makes it hard to find stillness.
Maybe this year your heart feels a little cluttered or heavy. You want to make space for Jesus, but life keeps crowding in. We get it. You’re not alone in that.
The good news is that Jesus still comes—right into our mess, our weariness, and our not-quite-ready hearts—with the same message the angels announced so long ago: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”
So, as you read through this week’s stories, we hope you’ll take a deep breath and let them help you pause—to notice Him, to rest in His presence, and to rediscover the wonder of Emmanuel, God with us.
Encouraging You in God’s Truth,
Learning from Linus: Trading Our Security Blankets for Baby Jesus | Jen Brooks
Not every Christmas looks like a Hallmark movie—and that’s okay. When Jen Brooks and her family spent Christmas sick on the couch, she found unexpected comfort in A Charlie Brown Christmas. As Linus dropped his blanket to recite the words, “Do not be afraid,” Jen realized it was time to lay down her own expectations and focus on what really matters: Jesus.
More Than a Countdown | Jen Ludwig
Advent is more than a calendar of treats or holiday preparations. Jen Ludwig invites us to slow down, focus our hearts, and welcome Jesus into the everyday rhythms of this season. Rediscover the light and hope that Christ brings amid the busyness.
Pondering Like Mary | Lisa Elliott
Mary’s story teaches courage, faith, and trust in God’s plan. Lisa Elliott reflects on walking alongside Mary’s example, encouraging us to embrace the unknown through a humble obedience that can bring extraordinary hope.
Also:
Learning from Linus: Trading Our Security Blankets for Baby Jesus
Letting Go of Expectations.
By: Jen Brooks
I’ll never forget the Christmas when my husband, our three young children, and I all had the stomach flu.
This wasn’t the sniffly kind of sick you treat with hot tea. This virus flattened us on the couch, left us pale as snow, and had us groaning with every movement.
Instead of perfectly curated plates of cookies and a beautifully decorated table filled with hors d’oeuvres, we had cups of Gatorade lined up on the counter and saltine crackers on paper plates.
There were no visions of sugarplums dancing in our heads, just the desperate hope that no one else would have to sprint down the hallway in the middle of the night!
No Christmas lights twinkled. Who had the energy to crawl off the couch and flip the switch? No carols filled the air. No one could visit relatives or have cozy gatherings by the fire.
Not the Christmas I Planned
This was not the Christmas I had planned.
I will admit, I was sulking.
As we all lay on the couches in our pitiful state, I picked up the remote and started flipping through the channels. That is when I landed on the beginning of A Charlie Brown Christmas. My heart perked up just a little. Watching that cartoon was always a highlight of my childhood Christmases.
“Maybe this could redeem at least one part of the day,” I thought.
Instead of just cheering me up, however, it provided the perspective shift I desperately needed.
