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This is my newest piece for RELEVANT Magazine<\/a>. Life doesn\u2019t ever stop, especially during the busy holiday season full of to-do lists, parties, shopping and (hopefully!) worship and service opportunities.<\/strong> So how can we focus our hearts in a deeper way on the presence of God in our lives, especially during a time of year filled with increased opportunities and responsibilities? How can we stay close to God when everything around us is demanding our attention?<\/p>\n Here are some simple steps that I\u2019ve found are helpful to stay close to Jesus during the holiday season.<\/p>\n It sounds simple, but it can also be very hard to read the Word regularly. Still, I have found that when I start my day in the Bible, my heart and mind are better prepared to respond to God\u2019s presence throughout the rest of the day. It\u2019s like tying up my shoelaces before going out the door\u2014it\u2019s much easier to keep from slipping as I walk through the day.<\/p>\n During the holiday season, when time seems short, get creative about reading the Bible if you\u2019re struggling to do so.<\/strong> Listen to the audio version of the Bible on your phone or in the car. Or read for five minutes before you get out of bed (or even touch your phone!) in the morning. You might even consider starting a special Advent devotional\u00a0to help you focus on God during this time of year.<\/p>\n5 Simple Ways to stay close to God during the busy holiday season via @RELEVANT <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n Too often, the holidays can cause us to focus on ourselves\u2014what we want, what we wish we had and how much we have to do. But when we take time to serve others through our church and community, we are fulfilling a central call of the Gospel (1 Peter 4:10, Galatians 5:13).<\/p>\n Who in your church community needs some attention and love, especially this time of year? While it can be wonderful to participate in official service opportunities, sometimes the most meaningful chances to serve come by loving the people right in front of us with our time, our energy and our attention.<\/strong> Pray and ask the Lord who you can serve this holiday season, and then set aside time to do so.<\/p>\nSometimes the most meaningful chances to serve come by loving the people right in front of us. <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n In our home and car, I play music that reminds me of God\u2019s presence in my life. Music seeps into my mind more easily (and mindlessly) than most things, so if I find myself humming a tune unintentionally, it helps my soul if it\u2019s a song that reminds me of who God is. If Christmas music is your style, there are wonderful stations and streams to listen to that are full of Christ-centered Christmas music. And if you don\u2019t love listening to music, find a podcast, radio station or audio book that declares the truth of who God is\u00a0and turn it on while you\u2019re doing mindless tasks around the house or even working out!<\/p>\n Read the rest of the article here, at RELEVANT!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nYou can read the whole article here<\/a>.<\/p>\nStart with Scripture<\/b>.<\/h2>\n
Make time to serve.<\/b><\/h2>\n
Listen to truth.<\/b><\/h2>\n
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