Spend MORE Not Less

Advent and the Christmas season can be a time of busyness and anxiety: shopping, baking, cleaning, wrapping, traveling and hosting. Sometimes the stress of the holidays take the joy out of the season.

For church leaders it can be worse with the added pressures of worship services to plan, pageants to oversee, events to organize and extra services.

How do we keep ourselves centered during all the busyness? How do we keep ourselves healthy? How do we keep our own spirits filled during Advent and Christmas?

• Spend more time with God. Spend some time in quiet, prayer, and devotions. It doesn’t have to be hours on end; even just a few moments a day makes a difference. During this season of Advent, as best you can, find the time to separate yourself from all the distractions and spend time with God.
• Spend more time helping others. We’re called to humbly serve other people — not only the poor and sick, but our families, friends and neighbors, too. Sometimes, we’re so busy that it’s hard to come up with ways to help others. Do some brainstorming and make a list of some of the ways you can serve people you know, people in your community, or people around the world.
• Spend more time being real. Whatever you’re going through this time of year acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can’t be with those you love, it’s normal and okay to feel sadness and even grief. It’s alright to take time to mourn or express your feelings.
• Spend more time caring for yourself. Make a point of doubling your efforts in this regard. Keep up with your devotions, prayer time, exercise, meditation, journaling and whatever you do to care for yourself.

Sometimes spending more gets you more. Tell me how you’ll spend more this season.