Practical Advent is a daily blog series I’m doing throughout Advent this year. Join me on my blog each day for practical faith tips.

Practical Advent, Day 5

Since childhood, I’ve observed Advent each year. It’s been a wonderful way to build my faith and increase my anticipation of Christmas for all the right reasons. I highly encourage you to observe Advent as well, because it can help you be more intentional in this busy season.

In this Practical Advent blog series, I’ll have the same post format to give you about 10-15 minutes of practical tips for loving God, loving others, and loving yourself during the Advent season.

Praise

Each day of Practical Advent, I’ll share one of my favorite songs to listen to during Advent. Take a moment to praise God while you listen.

Here’s another favorite from this talented duo – For God Is With Us by For King and Country. I consider it a Christmas song, but it’s good for all year too.

Ponder

Every day of Practical Advent, I’ll share a quote or idea from an Advent book in my collection for you to ponder, along with my thoughts and a few reflection questions.

Today’s quote is from an excellent book I read this week – Advent for Exiles

Since I’m studying the Israelites’ exile this year in BSF, and I feel I’m in a personal season of exile myself, the title jumped out at me. The author also heavily relies on Isaiah’s words and imagery in the book, and since Isaiah is my favorite book of the Bible, her choice endeared me to the writing. I enjoyed the thoughtful chapters and practical takeaways in this lovely book.

Here’s the quote I’ve chosen to share today from at least 20 I highlighted in the Kindle version:

“This Advent, would you let the ache of your own exile, the dark shroud of your helplessness and sin, make Jesus’s first advent, and his promised final advent, all the more glorious to you? Hold firm to your hope. Lift high the radiant light of the gospel. Watch in earnest for the sunrise breaking through and sing for joy at the sight of it!”

Reflection questions:

1. What part of your own exile aches this Advent?
2. How might pondering Jesus’ promised final advent help you face hard things in this current Advent season?

Pray

On each post during Practical Advent, I’ll write an original prayer or share one I’ve written in seasons past.

Here’s a post I wrote a few years ago – An Advent Mindset: Mary’s Prayer.

It’s color coded to help you get the most out of it – please head over and read it HERE.

Pour In

A new thing I’m doing this Advent – one plank per day. I’ve heard that a plank is the best single exercise for challenging the largest number of muscle groups simultaneously. It’s also very challenging for me since I need to build my upper body and core strength, so I’m trying to hold each exercise for 2-3 seconds longer each day. Based on other times I’ve done plank challenges, I know I’ll be much stronger and able to hold the pose way longer by the end of Advent if I do this daily. It’s the best body-weight exercise I can practice, and it will make you stronger.

Pour Out

When was the last time you went caroling? It’s been a few years since I did this with my church at a local nursing home. It brought such joy to the residents’ faces. I may consider doing it again this year. If you like to sing as I do, I hope you’ll consider it too. It’s fun to do this with a group of friends, and people never care if you are perfectly in tune. Just show up with the intention of making people smile with your songs.

Just for Fun

This is such a fun video to watch every Christmas. I hope you enjoy it – I watch it every year and it makes me smile to see this tiny, creative world come to life on screen. Watch Marshmallow World HERE.

See all new and/or previous posts in this series on THIS PAGE.

Find all my additional resources for Advent on THIS PAGE.

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