EMBRACING "ADVENT"

Advent 2019 

begins today 

December 1st until December 24th

I LOVE ADVENT
so
this is a season that is not difficult to
EMBRACE
{except for tomorrow, Dec. 2nd & then Dec. 6th}

"Advent, (from Latin adventus, “coming”),  in the Christian church calendar, the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ."...

  Advent is a season of a time of  expectant waiting and preparation

Beautiful Savior, may every symbol of Your birth draw us closer to You ...

I look forward to finding more peace, purpose and strength with Jesus in prayer.
Each week I will  EMBRACE one theme of Advent and daily I will be following chosen plan(s) at You Version {less there than usual} 
I also finally gave in and purchased "Advent in Narnia" which I can't wait to read so I really have to pace all this reading {maybe I'll share this one in 2020}
plus
here on my blog (at least once a week) I will be sharing from The Passion Translation (TPT) book
"Come and Behold Him" by Brian Simmons
{I have read it before but would like to read it again to keep me focused}
Book Description (but also a good introduction to Advent)

"Prepare yourself to celebrate the real reason for the season—Jesus! Beginning with the first day of Advent, this four-week devotional will take you through the entire Christmas season with twenty-one readings organized around the weekly themes of Advent. Through short, engaging reflections on hope, peace, joy, and love, combined with the beauty and relevance of The Passion Translation—a fresh, faithful translation of the Bible—you will find the inspiration you need to celebrate the true reason for the season. Each reading follows the inspiring journey of the main characters of the Christmas story and offers and Advent prayer, making them perfect for personal, family, or small-group use. Scriptures from The Passion Translation will give you greater insights this season for your journey toward Bethlehem. May this devotional and translation of God’s Word inspire your faith in the One who came to rescue us and will come again to create us anew!"

so

YOU

may

EMBRACE

Advent

along with me

* There will be another post this evening and each week of Advent as we EMBRACE this season in every aspect and theme. Sadly, I went to change to my winter 'Star of Bethlehem' template that I received from 'The Cutest Blog on the Block' and even though I saved the code, I forgot how or where to do it so then I tried to go to that blog as I had in the past, only to find out either I could not enter it or it was gone (safety warning). So this is the best I have for my Christmas look, and now I understand the frustration of others who have tried to visit here or leave comments. Still, we'll press on. If anyone finds the blog or knows where I put the code (I was thinking just in a gadget and move it under header but it just went black) please let me know.  

EMBRACING BEING TRANSFORMED (?) 4- 4

EMBRACED

... Knowing God is Holding Me (You) Close

2019

Part 4: 

EMBRACING

His Calling

to be Transformed

Devotions #91 - 95

91. "I Want What She Has" Proverbs 14:30

..."I am not equipped to handle what they have, both good and bad." ...

92. "But, Lord, I Can't Do That!" Exodus 4:10

..."The exact way God made you is in keeping with how He will use you."

93. "Feeling Guilty?" Psalm 139:14

... "Sometimes I feel more guilty for what I'm not thankful for than what I am."

94. "Even When I Fall Short" Proverbs 24:16

... "When circumstances shift and we feel like we fall short, we should ask, 'How can I see Jesus, even in this?' ...

95. "The Friendship Challenge" Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

... "The Lord knew we would need each other to get through this life." ...

Now, in retrospect, I should have gotten "Embraced..." in Kindle, but it really is a beautiful book and I love to hold a book in my hands still. The reason I write this is because sometimes I could be reading the devotion, if I could read in Kindle, so linking these devotions, ends up helping me too. However, sadly I have noticed they're either not available or the same. My apologies... missing 1 this time #94

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I really don't like doing this, but as you can see there are still 5 devotions left to finish in this last part of "Embraced ..." AND November is over by next weekend, after Thanksgiving Day. ADVENT begins on Sunday, December 1st, 2019... SO, I have to hold off doing those last 5 until probably after Christmas Day, for the last week of 2019. {or I could add them on to this post} I already have a plan for December during Advent to EMBRACE ... and some over at You Version as well as continue with "One Thousand Gifts" (for 4 more weeks/sessions} ... so that's far more than enough for me. You'll have to hold on and see the rest ... later or ... in the last week of the year 2019!

EMBRACING BEING TRANSFORMED (?) 4- 3

EMBRACED

... Knowing God is Holding Me (You) Close

2019

Part 4: 

EMBRACING

His Calling

to be Transformed

Devotions # 86 - 90

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Truthfully, I'm already falling behind in reading these devotions from the first two weeks, but will share this next week anyways - because the 'new' Ann Voskamp with FaithGateway obs starts this week of "One Thousand Gifts" study guide and book make for alot of reading, yet still can watch the weekly video teachings of this ... and hopefully stay caught up with "EMBRACED..." this week. I need these all as I continue "being transformed".

86. "God, Give Us Self-Control" Isaiah 55:10-11

..."The answer to keeping God's power with me and working in me to produce self-control is letting His Word get inside me."...

87. "What to Do with Tough Relationships" 1 Peter 5:6

... "The truth is, we have an Enemy, and it's not each other." ...

88. "You Don't Like Me" Philippians 4:6

... " In the absence of truth, lies reign." ...

{tell me about it}

89. "Comparisons Stink" Galatians 6:3-5

... "Satan will always try to point out what's "wrong" to block out all that is right." ...

90. "Her Success Doesn't Threaten Mine" Luke 10:2NLT

... "All tides rise when we see a sister making this world a better place with her gifts." ...

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I leave the box below, in case I find more to share after reading the devotions.

So, I'll be starting to EMBRACE 'One Thousand Gifts'

November 18 - December 22

which will deepen my

attitude of gratitude

which I started to

EMBRACE

back here

and

it just so happens

that in another devotional

"365 Devotions to EMBRACE what Matters Most"

this week 47 is

"Your Attitude Matters"

Looking forward to

"being transformed"

in my

Attitude