4th Day of Christmas Giveaways with Renee Swope
Welcome to the 4th Day of Christmas Giveaways!!!
Tweet ThisToday, my friend Renee Swope is here to offer her post, Unwrapping His Presence. She is giving away 2 gifts for us! See the bottom for all of the details!
Here is Renee…
Visions of the perfect Christmas danced in my head.
For the first time in our married life, my husband and I were hosting both sets of parents, most of our siblings and a few extra loved ones for the holidays. They all lived out of town, so having them with us for the holidays felt like a dream come true.
But somewhere in the midst of all the preparations, I got tangled up in Christmas lights and unrealistic expectations. And, by the time everyone got to our house, I could not wait for them to leave!!
The week before Christmas, it dawned on me that I didn’t know how to cook a turkey, and all hope was dashed when I discovered (the day before Christmas) that grocery-store turkeys are frozen and need 48 hours to thaw. It was too late to pre-order a fancy honey-baked hams or roasted turkeys so we ended up with Bojangles friend turkeythat year, served on plates that didn’t match my Christmas table cloth with napkins that stood awkwardly, half bent over for lack of the support from the cute napkin rings I forgot to get at Target that week.
Christmas came and so did all our guests. We had a house full of people, but sadly I had an empty, grumpy heart.
Christmas day was a big ole disappointment.
Walking through what looked like a landfill of crumpled wrapping paper in our living room, I felt overwhelmed by my hopes and dreams of the “perfect Christmas” that hadn’t come true.
I knew I should be grateful but something was missing.
While kids chased uncles with remote control cars and grandparents napped on the couch, I snuck upstairs to our bedroom closet and sat down on the floor. Taking a deep breath, I tried not to cry. Instead I opened my Bible to read the Christmas story in Luke chapter 2 hoping if I could just put myself in the story it might change the one I was living.
Slowly, I let each word remind me of the first Christmas and God’s promise that came true in Bethlehem.
“She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger…” Luke 2:7 (NIV).
Closing my eyes, I imagined Mary wrapping baby Jesus. like a gift Her hands carefully folding each corner of cloth. Like a beautiful bow on the perfect Christmas gift, she placed a kiss on his forehead.
I sat there just taking in that image, and then I noticed a cross reference at the bottom of the page from Isaiah 7:14 that read: “
The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and you will call him Immanuel, God with us.”
God with us.
God with me.
Now I knew what I was missing. I had been so focused on creating the perfect Christmas that I’d forgotten to unwrap the perfect gift: Immanuel, my God with me.
Bowing my head, I pictured a gift under my tree, waiting to be opened so He could reveal Himself to me.
That day in my close, I unwrapped the gift of God’s presence, inviting His calm into my chaos. His perspective to replace my expectations, and His joy to help me enjoy the gifts of my imperfect Christmas waiting downstairs.
Simply pausing to acknowledge and thank Jesus for being {with me} brought a peace to my heart unlike anything matching table settings or the perfect turkey could ever bestow.
And, guess what? It ended up being an “almost” perfect Christmas after all!
5 Ways To Unwrap His Christmas Presence
- Place a nativity at your bedside so you can reflect on the gift of Christ each night before you fall asleep and each morning as you wake up.
- Write on an index card “God is with me” and carry it with you all throughout December. When you feel stressed, thank Jesus out loud for being “with you.
- Plan time every day to be with Jesus: to sit still in His presence, soak in the perspective of His Word, and bask in His peace as you work, drive, wrap gifts, cook, entertain, etc.
- Listen to worship songs to remind you of the gift of Christmas – Immanuel – God with you.
- Make a list of expectations and preparations that could rob you of joy and consume your focus this Christmas. Place the list in a gift box and wrap it in God’s presence with a prayer – asking Him to give you His perspective and peace for everything you listed
ENTER TO WIN:
WHAT is ONE way you will intentionally unwrap the gift of God’s presence this Christmas?? Choose one from those listed above or share an idea or tradition of your own.
Share your answer in the comments below this post and you will be entered to win Renee’s giveaway! She will be choosing 2 winners who will each receive 2 gift sets (one to keep and one to give away). Each gift set will include Renee’s beautiful new “Come To Me” journal along with her favorite journaling pen and a $5 Starbucks gift card.
Winners will be announced Tuesday, December 22nd! And, a grand prize winner will be chosen exclusively from the names of those who enter to win every day, under all 12 posts!
Renee Swope is a Word-lover, heart-encourager, story-teller and grace-needer. She’s also best-selling author of A Confident Heart, but most know her best as co-host of Proverbs 31 Ministries’ radio program “Everyday Life with Lysa & Renee.” Renee’s favorite place to be is next to her husband, JJ, and their three children: Joshua (?20?), Andrew (18) and ?Aster (7), who their family traveled together to adopt from Ethiopia in 2009. Find more encouragement from Renee at www.ReneeSwope.com.
Merry Christmas!!
Renee
Listening to Christmas music.
I love the idea of putting a nativity in my bedroom. Each of my kids have one in their rooms but I never thought to have one in my room. What a great reminder to start the day!
Listening to worship music for sure!
Singing in our church’s Cantata.
I always listen to our Christian radio station, which is so uplifting. I also silk be spending more quiet time with the Lord.
I love the Christmas music!! It really makes me focus on the “reason for the season.” I listen whenever possible!
I love the suggestion of making a list of expectations and preparations that could rob you of joy and consume your focus this Christmas. I am already struggling with a long list of things to do, not enough time, and joy of the season slowly slipping away. I think this is a great idea! It doesn’t have to be perfect…we just need to focus on Jesus.
I like the card idea… Reminders can be anywhere though… Christmas lights… Christmas songs… Tastes of Christmas … Christmas smells. Hopefully, after Christmas is over, the habit of noticing the beauty in our world … The gifts from God… Will remind us of His presence every day
Make a list of expectations and preparations that could rob you of joy and consume your focus this Christmas. Place the list in a gift box and wrap it in God’s presence with a prayer – asking Him to give you His perspective and peace for everything you listed
Being more intentional in spending alone time with God just to be still and listen and to pray. It’s been a struggle to do.
I have been simplifying things this year to allow myself more time to abide. Spending time each day focusing on my Heavenly Father is helping me kept the right perspective.
I love the idea of placing a nativity scene by my bed! Perfect way to start and end each day- reflecting on the gift of Jesus Christ
I am and will continue listening to Christian radio and begin to truly listen to the words, since so many of the song lyrics are scripture and promises of God.
Christmas music, the Word of God, giving to others, all contribute to helping me focus on the Christ of Christmas. When the to do list becomes stressful I reflect on the first Christmas which was stressful in it’s own way. Yet Christ was born bringing true Peace that regardless of our circumstances is available to us right now even in the middle of our chaos.
Listen to Christmas worship music. Keeps me focused on Jesus is the Reason for the Season.
Listening to worship music makes me feel so inspired to live for Christ no matter my circumstances. I love this seasons worship music focus but i am thankful for talented and passionate artists who sing of His glory and birth all year round!
Every year it seems to be a small whisper through a certain song or a book that draws my heart right back to where it should be. This year it’s the Adore album by Chris Tomlin. I put it on and take a deep breath.
I so loved reading your words tonight. Merry Christmas!
I have a necklace that I wear only during this season. It was gift from a sister at church and is the stable with a star above it. Wearing that is a reminder to me of what I am really celebrating.
We volunteer at local Christmas events around our community. Helping others and giving of ourselves is our way of embracing the true meaning of Christmas.
This Christmas I want to remember that God is with me always, through every minute of the day. So often I have my prayer time with God then rush out the door to work and get so busy doing so many different things I do not think about him until it is time to go to sleep and I reflect on my day. I want to be in constant prayer and feel his presence through every moment of the day.
I want to start Christmas Eve and day with an extra time of reflection to remind myself of a baby born in a manger, God’s gift of love.
To keep my focus each day I need to spend time with Jesus, early in the morning, before my husband wakes up. That peaceful time, doing my #First5 app and other Bible readings keep me focused on what’s the most important thing in my life-Jesus.
This year, I am planning the Scripture and Song service we will do for Christmas-with input from others-and it’s been a blessing to search out Scriptures and songs to sing! :)
I plan to slow down and make sure I keep up with my devotions.
I like the idea of putting a nativity where it is the first thing I see in the morning!
I love the ideas listed above, I think I love the nativity by the bedside is my favorite and the one I’ll do for sure! <3