Recounting God’s Loving Story Through Advent
Written by: Dr. Mika Deshotel, HerTribe Director
During the holidays, my family enjoys doing devotionals together, though we haven’t yet established a strict routine. Some years our “devotional time” is as simple as listening to the Adore Christmas album by Chris Tomlin in the car or attending local church events.
Even if your family doesn’t have a set tradition, there are lots of resources to explore the deeper, meaningful themes of Christmas. Any time spent focusing on faith, gratitude, and connection can counteract the loud materialistic messages kids are surrounded by—and can spark new family traditions.
Resources I love for Advent devotionals:
Advent reading plan & daily devotional for weary moms from Rachel Norman at Mother U
For this resource, the daily readings follow chapters from the Jesus Story-Book Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. You could opt to download the audiobook version to hear chapters read aloud, watch the chapters illustrated on YouTube or purchase a hard copy to have in your home.
Bible Project 5-day and 28-day reading plans with kid-friendly videos on four core themes during Advent: Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love
“All I Want for Christmas is…?” Devotions for Families (Dec 1–Jan 6) by Pastor Heather Roth Johnson
This is a cute (and quick) daily booklet made up of a verse and very short reflection. There is also a one line prayer that helps bring the whole concept together. The booklet was published in 2020, but it's easy enough to sub out the dated references for our current ones.
Even a little intentional time for devotionals can open the door to other meaningful ways of connecting as a family, creating moments of joy, reflection, and love throughout the holiday season.