“Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,
“Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord!
Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!
Fill in the valleys and level the mountains and hills.
Straighten the curves and smooth out the rough places.
Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
The Lord has spoken!

-Isaiah 40: 3-5 [NLT]

A Time to Think … “The Lord is coming, always coming. When you have ears to hear and eyes to see, you will recognize him at any moment of your life. Life is Advent; life is recognizing the coming of the Lord.” ―Henri Nouwen

A Time to Act … What will fill your mind today? What will you see? What will you seek? What will you hear? Make space in your busy day to listen to the voice of God calling you to prepare your hearts for this Christmas season. Don’t let the secular stuff of this season keep you from seeing the real Christmas!

A Time to Pray… O God, I thank you today for sending your Son to me. I would be nowhere without Jesus—my life would be nothing but rough places to stumble in with no hope for any change. Your gift of forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus IS Christmas. Help me to prepare my heart once again for the gift of the Christ-child, your beloved Son and my Savior, AMEN.