How to Make the Most of Advent Season

Advent countdown calendar.

Table of Contents

The Advent season is upon us, and as we dive into the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations, it's important to pause and consider what truly matters. So today I'm sharing how to make the most of Advent season this year.

Christmas is right around the corner, and with it comes the hustle and bustle of it all.

Now I’ll be the first to tell you, I love everything about Christmas. The smell of Christmas cookies wafting through the air, picking out that perfect gift for the special person on your list, and taking the time to wrap them in beautiful paper and bows.

And every time I see the sparkling lights on the Christmas tree, well…it just fills me with so much warmth and happiness.

But let’s face it.

Christmas can be incredibly busy, often creating chaos and sometimes great sadness.

But I’ve got you, my friend.

In today’s show, I’m uncovering three powerful (and easy) things you can do to make the most of Advent season this year.

[Jump to the show]

Advent countdown to make the most of Advent Season.

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We’ll explore…

  • God’s priorities and why they’re so important to Advent season (and in your every day life).
  • three practical ways to make the most of Advent.

God’s Priorities During Advent Season

As we navigate the joyous chaos of the holidays, it’s essential to first align our priorities with God’s.

When we align ourselves with God first and foremost, it gives us more clarity as we navigate the holidays.

After all, Proverbs 16:3 teaches us,

“Put God in charge of your work, then what you’ve planned will take place.” Proverbs 16:3 MSG

So if we want to make the most of anything in our life, we always begin with the priorities of God, and go from there.

Practical Ways to Make the Most of Advent Season

There are three powerful ways we can make the most of this holiday season.

  1. Put God first.
  2. Take care of yourself.
  3. Make time for family.

Let’s take a moment to dive into each of these.

MAKE TIME WITH GOD A PRIORITY During the Advent Season

This probably goes without saying, but if we’re truly honest with ourselves, our time with God often falls to the bottom of our list this time of year.

As the festivities commence, we think, “Oh, I’ll read my Bible later,” or “I’ll pray a little later when things slow down.”

Only, it never seems to happen. Am I right?

So in order to make the most of Advent season, spending time with God must be our priority.

Get up a few minutes early to start your day with Our Father. Listen to a podcast on your morning commute or while you’re wrapping presents. Listen to a Bible verse on YouTube or the Glorify App on your morning walk.

Let go of the unrealistic expectations of how your time with God is supposed to look, and start thinking outside the box.

Whether through prayer, meditation, or reading scripture, these moments of spiritual grounding set the tone for a day centered around Christ.

And to make it easier for you, I put together a FREE Advent Scripture Challenge, so you don’t have to figure out where to begin.

Simply sign-up below and I’ll get that first verse right out to you.

Make Self-Care an Important Part advent

I bet you’ve heard the saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

But oh, how we try!

We run around like chickens with our heads cut off (who came up with that saying?), depleting ourselves mentally and physically, and then all we have to give is our leftovers — which isn’t much at all.

In order to make the most of Advent season, we’ve got to make self-care an important part of our daily routine.

Remember, caring for yourself isn’t selfish; it’s an essential part of navigating the holidays with grace.

In The Self-Care Impact, Lisa Kimrey writes,

“When the ownership and activity of your self-care is submitted as a form of worship to God, the burden or responsibility of self-care becomes a blessing or source of respite to you.”

So my friend, take breaks, rest, and engage in activities that refresh your mind and spirit.

Schedule moments on your calendar, whether it’s a quiet walk, a warm bath, or a few chapters of a good book.

Prioritize your well-being, so you can make the most of Advent season.

Advent wreath with candles and how to get the most out of the season.

Make Time for Your Family in Advent Season

In the rush of all the Christmas preparations, family time often takes a back seat.

But the moments spent with loved ones during this time are the true treasures of Advent.

Create intentional family activities, like baking together, playing games, or sharing stories.

Plan dedicated family time, free from distractions.

Put together a family movie night, a Christmas baking day, or get everyone together to decorate the tree. Go Christmas caroling, or pile into the car for an evening looking at Christmas light.

Whatever you decide to do, creating these special memories will make a lasting impact on your family.

How to MAKE THE MOST OF ADVENT SEASON

As you navigate the Advent season, align your priorities with God’s.

Put our Father first, embrace self-care, and cherish the moments with family.

It’ll not only help you make the most of Advent but will also create a foundation for a joyous holiday season, full of great and lasting memories.

May this season be filled with the warmth of Christ’s love and the beauty of shared moments with those you hold dear.

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 02:24 A personal story about Christmas past
  • 05:24 Free Holiday Planner
  • 07:06 Starting with the priorities of God
  • 08:41 Step 1: in making the most of Advent
  • 12:29 Step 2: to ensure your mental and physical health in the season
  • 16:45 Step 3: to make great family memories and traditions.

More Ways to Enjoy the Show

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Mentioned in TODAY’S show

Holiday Planner

Free Advent Scripture Challenge

The Self-Care Impact by Lisa Kimrey

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Why Do I Keep Starting Over With God?

Have you ever found yourself saying, “I’ll start again with God next week.”

Maybe you used to start your mornings with prayer, but lately your Bible has stayed closed and you feel like you’re constantly trying to catch up with God.

Maybe life has started demanding more than usual.

The kids need to be picked up, dinner still needs to be made and the laundry pile is growing faster than you can fold it. And by the time you finally sit down at the end of the day, you’re too exhausted to even say a prayer.

At first, you tell yourself you’ll get back to it tomorrow — but tomorrow comes and goes. Then a few more days pass. Before long, missing one day turns into three, then three days turn into a week.

And that’s when the guilt starts creeping in. Before you know it, you’re thinking to yourself, “I’ve failed again.”

Or maybe it’s been longer than a week. Maybe it’s been months — even years — since you really felt close to God, and you’re wondering if starting over is even possible at this point.

Either way, the question underneath is the same. Why do I keep ending up here?

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How to Pray for Your Husband When You Don’t Know What to Say

You noticed it at dinner.

Your husband was quieter than usual, and when you asked how work went, he said, “Fine.” But you’ve been married long enough to know when fine doesn’t really mean fine.

You knew something was weighing on him — something just felt off.

Later that night, lying beside him in the dark, you wished you knew how to help. So you did the one thing you knew you could do — you prayed, “Lord, help him.”

It was honest and exactly what you wanted God to do. But almost as soon as you said it, you started wondering if you should have said more.

Is that really enough? Shouldn’t I know how to pray for my own husband?

Maybe you’ve joined the 31-day prayer challenges for wives, or you started the prayer book that’s still sitting on your nightstand with a bookmark somewhere around chapter three. You’ve heard other women pray confidently for their husbands, covering everything from his work and health to your husband’s relationships, protection, and spiritual life.

Meanwhile, you’re struggling just to put one sentence together.

And when you love someone this much, it’s easy for that struggle to start feeling like more than simply not knowing what to say. You begin wondering if you’re doing this “right” or whether your prayers for him are making any difference at all.

But sometimes the reason we don’t know what to say isn’t because we have nothing to pray about. It’s because we’ve put so much pressure on ourselves to say the right thing that an honest prayer no longer feels like enough.

So before we talk about what to pray for your husband, I want to take some of that pressure off.

Because learning how to pray for your husband doesn’t begin with finding more powerful words. It begins with understanding what God actually asks of us when we come to Him in prayer.

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