Last year, in honor of the publication of my debut picture book, The Donkey’s Song, I launched an Advent program that I hope to enlarge every year.  Very briefly, Advent is a way of preparing for Christmas–one day at a time–and it begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. People celebrate Advent in several ways.

Each of the days during Advent, I like to share Bible stories and activities that prepare me for my celebration of the birth of Christ. I like to share stories that somehow stress the importance of Jesus and His birth.

I always begin with the Creation story in Genesis.

If I did not believe in God, the magnificence of this world would sway me toward belief. The natural world is intricate and complex. In both grand and minute ways, this world is beautiful–with stars, flowers, trees, clouds, rainbows, rain, and much, much more. I cannot believe that the natural world merely sprung into being–by chance. A god-like being had to be in control of all of the details that came together to create this world, and I elect to believe that the creator of my world is the Lord of Sea and Skies.

If you do nothing more than play the above musical piece every day for 4 weeks, you will have celebrated Advent, but I believe that we together can do much more than that,

The fact that people–even small children–are able to sing–to make a wonderful sound with their voices–is evidence that a good and glorious God created them.

God could have populated His world with slithering, creatures, but He did not. He created babies and parents to help them grow. He gave people the miracle of life–not just a pittance of survival, but an abundant life.

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 

Thank you, Lord.

Join me during Advent this year and for as many years as God allows me to live and continue to do this project. During the week before Advent, I’ll tell you a few things that I’ll do after Advent begins.

You can do as many or as few activities as you want each day during Advent. The main purpose of Advent is to allow yourself a time and a space to acknowledge that the Christmas season is upon us–and the Reason for that Season. Advent is a time of deliberate waiting and preparation. It is a time and a way to honor the fact that Jesus came into the world and that he not only became our savior but that he is our forever light in the darkness–wherever we encounter it.

God Bless You and Your Families.