Post 2024 Advent Devotion: Day 20 Friday, December 20 Isaiah 42:10-18; Hebrews 10:32-39 Christmas is a special season that encourages Christians passionately to share their faith, celebrating the announcement and birth of the Messiah. Viewed through a cultural lens, Christmas serves as a meaningful occasion to pause and reflect on the incredible goodness of God in sending His Son, Jesus. In my […] Gardner-Webb University | December 20, 2024
Post 2024 Advent Devotion: Day 19 Thursday, December 19 Psalm 80:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 10:10-18 My son loves solving puzzles. Stubbornly practicing the same movement over and over to hone a skill and overcome a challenge? Not his cup of tea. But poring over a riddle for hours or troubleshooting a workaround for a Lego design? He’s there for that. So, when […] Gardner-Webb University | December 19, 2024
Post 2024 Advent Devotion: Day 18 Wednesday, December 18 Micah 4:8-13; Luke 7:31-35 This past Sunday, many of us lit the pink candle on the Advent wreath. You know, the one that stands out from all the others, that obscure candle most churches light to give reference to Joy within the Advent season. We approach this season filled with the beauty […] Gardner-Webb University | December 18, 2024
Post 2024 Advent Devotion: Day 17 Tuesday, December 17 Numbers 16:20-35; Acts 28:23-31 Each year, our Student Ministry holds Christmas parties for our Middle and High School students. Each year, I offer a choice: do the students want to bring real gifts or gag gifts? Each year, some good-natured student who wants us all to put thought into getting gifts for […] Gardner-Webb University | December 17, 2024
Post 2024 Advent Devotion: Day 16 Monday, December 16 Isaiah 11:1-9; Numbers 16:1-19; Hebrews 13:7-17; Ephesians 2:1-10 During the year, we tend to look forward to enjoying our freedoms and diversity in Christmas holiday traditions. As a child, I can remember spending time with my grandparents on Christmas. Their house would be filled with random acts of love, verbal praises to Jesus […] Gardner-Webb University | December 16, 2024
Post 2024 Advent Devotion: Day 15 Sunday, December 15 Zephaniah 3:14-20; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18 I love music and I love to sing! Each day I start with music and if the song is one of my favorites, I will sing along. I must admit, I am not a Yolanda Adams or Carrie Underwood, but I can make a joyful noise. […] Gardner-Webb University | December 15, 2024
Post 2024 Advent Devotion: Day 14 Saturday, December 14 Amos 9:8-15; Luke 1:57-66 What’s in a name? Much, it seems. I vividly remember walking into my first-grade classroom at the beginning of the school year. I was full of excitement and wonder as I searched up and down the neat rows of desks for my name on my assigned seat. Although […] Gardner-Webb University | December 14, 2024
Post 2024 Advent Devotion: Day 13 Friday, December 13 Amos 8:4-12; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15 It is casino night at the local country club. A charity event is held in honor of some of the wealthiest members of the city. Everybody is there to have fun, gamble, and more importantly raise money for a good cause. Will is less concerned with the latter […] Gardner-Webb University | December 13, 2024
Post 2024 Advent Devotion: Day 12 Thursday, December 12 Isaiah 12:2-6, Amos 6:1-8, and 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 After a long day of teaching class, answering students’ questions, and grading assignments, it’s time to go home. While I am trying to make dinner and thinking about the list of things I need to do before bedtime, my daughter asks for help with her […] Gardner-Webb University | December 12, 2024
Post 2024 Advent Devotion: Day 11 Wednesday, December 11 Isaiah 35:3-7; Luke 7:18-30 I’ve heard it said before that everyone is either entering a trial, in the midst of a trial, or coming out of a trial. We’ve all walked the difficult roads of discouragement, grief, fear, and pain. We’ve felt, individually and collectively, the loneliness and confusion of the dark […] Gardner-Webb University | December 11, 2024
