Advent 365:

Living Advent

All Year Long

“Advent 365 - Living Advent All Year Long” was the theme for our ladies Christmas tea in 2024 as part of our series supporting last year’s main Women’s Ministry Theme of Living Intentionally. Many of us were impacted by the idea of practicing advent throughout the year as we walk through our own Advent Adventure.

The word Advent means arrival. The 4-week Advent Season before Christmas helps us to mindfully prepare for the arrival of Christmas Day when we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Each week of the traditional Advent is represented by a special word to help guide us as we prepare and wait. 

  • Hope: The first week of Advent focuses on the hope of Christ's coming and God's promises of redemption.

  • Peace: The second week represents the peace that Christ brings to the world and the importance of finding peace in our lives and relationships.

  • Joy: The third week is dedicated to joy, as it is the midpoint of Advent and signifies the joyful anticipation of Christ's birth and 2nd coming.

  • Love: The final week emphasizes love, remembering God's love for humanity by sending his Son and reflecting that love to others.

A great resource that we found were the videos by The Bible Project explaining the “Language of Advent” (link here). These are short, fun, animated videos that illustrate the source of the 4 words that guide the Advent Season.  They could be an easy way to engage your family or friends on a regular basis.

As Christians, while we are daily awaiting the promised return of Jesus, we can also mindfully prepare everyday of the year for His ultimate arrival with the same hope, peace, joy and love as we do at Christmas time. As you consider the words, hope, peace, joy and love, their meanings, and the questions below, will you join us in incorporating some of the ideas listed on the last page into your daily preparation for Jesus’ return throughout the year?     

HOPE - YAKHAL

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.” Psalm 39:7

  1. What do you think the word “hope” means? Now, look up the word “hope” in the dictionary.   Keep this in mind as you read in the Bible.  If hope is anticipating a future better than now, how does the arrival of Jesus (Hope = Elpis) bring relief and assurance to you that rescue has come? How does it change your thinking, behaviors and actions in light of his expected return?  

  2. In what part of your personal testimony do you see hope for the future in God’s faithfulness to his people, his word, and to you?

  3. In what ways do you reflect to others the hope that Jesus brings?

  4. Can you think of some additional intentional ways to share that hope with others as you live out Advent every day? Ideas might include making a list of people that you want to impact or encourage this year, and purposefully offering a regular word of encouragement to them.

Additional Bible Verses for Hope

  • “Therefore, with minds that are alert & fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.”   1 Peter 1:13

  • And we boast in the hope of the glory of God... And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”  Romans 5:2, 5

PEACE - SHALOM 

“For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.”  Colossians 1:19-20

  1. Jesus offers His peace to all people as a gift. Peace is not just the absence of conflict, but a restoration to completeness or wholeness or well-being.  Think about how He expresses that peace in your life?  Do you think people see the peace of God as they interact with you?

  2. How can humility, gentleness, patience and love help maintain the peaceful unity Jesus calls His followers to?  What happens to unity when one of these virtues is missing?

  3. How can you also offer your family, friends, neighbors and even strangers this same gift everyday? What are some ideas for sharing the gift of peace with others as you live out Advent every day?  

Additional Bible Verses about Peace

  • “Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.”  Psalm 37:37

  • “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.”  Isaiah 9:6-7a

  • “For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.” Colossians 1:19-20

JOY- CHARA 

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”  Isaiah 51:11

  1. Joy is not just acting happy all the time. How does the dictionary define Joy?  Is this how you would define it?  Joy can persist in the harshest of circumstances because it depends on God and His faithful fulfillment of His promises.  What helps you to choose joy despite your circumstances?  

  2. What is something you can do in your routine (daily, weekly, or monthly) to make sure you focus on the kind of Joy described?

  3. What are some ways to joyfully support people you know who may be experiencing difficult circumstances or seasons?

  4. How can you spread the eternal joy as described during the Advent Season surrounding Christmas to the people we encounter everyday throughout the year?  

Additional Bible Verses on Joy

  • “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”  Luke 2:10-11

LOVE - AGAPE 

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”  Matthew 22:37-39

  1. God loves us so much.  We can see it in a thousand ways throughout our earthly journey.  He provides for us and cares about our eternal condition.  He calls us to love him back.  How does loving God inspire us to love other people?  

  2. Agape love is not primarily a feeling that happens to people. This kind of love is a choice to act in ways that offer well-being to others. How can you love and serve your family, neighbors, or co-workers to show Agape love throughout the year?

  3. Jesus says that the ultimate standard of authentic love is how well you treat even the person you can’t stand - your enemy.  Are there “hard to love” people in your life?  Will you commit to praying for and serving those people that you feel challenged to love?

  4. What daily action can you incorporate into your calendar to love your neighbors as you love yourself?

Additional Bible Verses concerning Love 

  • “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

  • “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:9

  • “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:11

Ideas for Advent 365 - Living Advent All Year Long

Consider how you regularly prepare for upcoming events in your everyday life, such as throwing a party, or going on vacation.  Do you take time to create a plan? Do you make lists? Put benchmarks on your calendar? Talk to your family and friends about joining you? Enlist help? Countdown the days? Without deliberate planning and then implementing your plan, not much would be accomplished.  God has a plan for each one of us.  He has followed his plan from the very beginning.  He sent prophets to inform and share his plan with us.  He sent his Son, Jesus, once to save us, and he promises to return.  God is faithful to finish what he started.  So as we wait for the Advent of Jesus coming again, here are some ideas that you can incorporate into your daily Advent 365 Adventure:

  1. Add the idea of living in preparation of Jesus’ return to your prayer time. Have moments of self reflection of what is ahead for the day and how you can specifically demonstrate one or more of the Advent Attributes.  Ask God for ideas and the courage to follow through. Prayer is the most important idea here.

  2. Make a list of people who you might impact during this year.  Keep in mind, God has his own list, as well. Pray for them throughout the year.  Make a plan for blessing them.  Grand gestures are not required, just steady committed action.

  3.  Expect “divine appointments”.  God sometimes places people and events in our daily path.  These are not just inconvenient interruptions.  Anticipate and be prepared for situations where you might be needed outside of your own agenda.

  4.  Post reminders on your dashboard or mirror.  Schedule a reminder on your phone. To pray. To call a friend or relative just to say “I hope you have a blessed day.” 

  5. Read over the questions for each of the attributes above and answer them for yourself, or gather with family, a friend, or a group. Write them down so you can revisit them throughout the year.

  6. Choose a friend to walk through this Advent Adventure with you throughout the year, keeping it fresh and somewhere in the forefront of your minds. 

  7. Each day, week, month or quarter, choose an Attribute or two and try to live them out.  For example, for the 1st quarter of the year, January, February and March, you may choose to encourage people on your list toward hope during the bleak, blustery winter months.  Maybe write little notes to a co-worker, or repeat positive affirmations to your kids, or go out of your way to help a stranger.

The goal is to grow to the point where you reflect God’s attributes in everything you do everyday as you eagerly await our Savior. Make it fun and be creative. Pastor Travis recently shared a quote that really captures the spirit of Advent 365 - Living Advent All Year Long:

“The certainty of the advent is accepted by faith; its timing is inaccessible to curious calculation.  Each successive generation of the church has the privilege of living as though it were the generation that will greet the returning Christ.”  F.F. Bruce, Philippians

We hope you are encouraged by this to live intentionally in this generation of eager anticipation. Enjoy!