The hustle and bustle of Christmas is an unavoidable fact. It comes with a lot to accomplish in a limited amount of time. But, honestly, isn’t the hustle and bustle a part of the fun? The sights and sounds of Christmas lure us toward beautiful light displays, decorating, and hosting of parties with all our favorite recipes.
But the problem is that we often overcommit then find ourselves stressed and overwhelmed.
The stress then causes us to toss and turn at night which sends us into an even deeper feeling of overwhelm. It is a vicious cycle that steals our peace and joy during this wonderful time of year.
So, how do we avoid this cycle and not lose the beauty of the season? How do we hold onto peace? And if we’ve already gone off the rails, how do we get recentered?
Our family has had years of both scenarios. Years where I feel as though the season passed me by while I spent more time stressed than joyful. But as each year passes, we are finding our way and learning the strategies to making the most of our Christmas season.
We’ve learned that there are 7 critical parts to keeping our hearts centered at Christmas:
- Ward off FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Don’t make choices based on FOMO. Make realistic choices for you and your family. The things that matter most to you should take priority.
- Set boundaries with friends, family, and even those cute little ones who have the magic of Christmas shining in their eyes. If it is not healthy for you or your family, don’t do it.
- Let go of perfection. The teacher’s gifts do not HAVE to be homemade and beautiful. (Teachers love gift cards, by the way!)
- Weigh each and every commitment. Some years you can do certain things. However, other years, the kids may be sick, or a unique situation arises which makes it impossible.
- Pick special traditions for your family (but not too many!). Children love tradition. It brings a sense of safety and comfort to their lives. The simplest of traditions, like hot cocoa with lots of marshmallows while watching Frosty the Snowman each year, mean more than we can often understand.
- Not only remember Jesus but keep your focus on Him and the true reason for Christmas. Bring your conversations back to Him throughout the season (and all year long!). Read from the Word of God every day. Read Christmas Bible verses to your children. Encourage your children to memorize them.
- Pray. Pray individually and together as a family. And pray the Christmas Bible verses. Know that God gave you these verses as His love letter to you. Pray them and praise Him for the gift of His son.
Honestly, friends, if you can only get numbers 6 and 7 right, your peace, joy, and hope will remain. Because, the truth of Christmas is that long ago on a still dark night, Hope was born as a tiny baby in a manger. Jesus.
He was born, lived a sinless life among us, then died at the hands of the very people He loved. Only His death wasn’t an end. Rather it was a beginning— a conquering of death so that we could live lives of victory and conquer death with eternal life in Him. He died so that we could always have hope.
A hope that keeps us centered.
Then. Now. And always.
His …
hope is eternal.
love everlasting.
promises never fail.
peace surpasses all understanding.
Friends, Jesus is hope. He is what keeps us centered. The world and all of us within it simply cannot. People ebb and flow. We are human and fall short again and again. Things are only temporary and when they break, wither, or fall away, we can’t have our hope nor our peace locked in on them.
God is eternal and gave His Son as a gift of hope that Christmas night so long ago.
So this Christmas, my wish for you, is that you deepen your relationship with Christ. That you get to know Him as the One who loves you more than you can ever fathom. Below, I listed 20 Christmas Bible verses to recenter your heart. May they remind you of the One who makes the impossible possible.
This is my last post for the year. Right alongside you, I am working on keeping centered this holiday season. So, it is time for me to step away from this space for a bit to focus on the sweet people God has given me to mama. It’s time for Jesus, tradition, and lots and lots of love ♥
I wish each of you a very merry Christmas. May your hearts be filled with Jesus and your hope forever overflowing.
20 Christmas Bible Verses that Will Recenter Your Heart
New Testament Christmas Bible Verses
Book of Luke
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. -Luke 2:10 NIV
The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! -Luke 2:11 NLT
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those who have his goodwill!” -Luke 2:14 GW
And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. -Luke 2:6-7 NLT
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. -Luke 2:8-9 ESV
Book of John
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. -John 1:14 NIV
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16 NIV
Book of Matthew
And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,[a] for he will save his people from their sins.” -Matthew 1:21 NLT
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” -Matthew 1:23 NLT
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea when Herod was king. After Jesus’ birth wise men[a] from the east arrived in Jerusalem. 2 They asked, “Where is the one who was born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star rising and have come to worship him.”-Matthew 2:1-2 GW
When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! -Matthew 2:10 NLT
Book of Romans
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. -Romans 15:13 NIV
Old Testament Christmas Bible Verses
Book of Isaiah
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. -Isaiah 9:6 NLT
The royal line of David is like a tree that has been cut down; but just as new branches sprout from a stump, so a new king will arise from among David’s descendants. -Isaiah 11:1 GNT
So the Lord himself will give you this sign: A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel [God Is With Us]. -Isaiah 7:14 GW
Other Books
The Lord says, “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.” -Micah 5:2 GNT
Judah will hold the royal scepter, And his descendants will always rule. Nations will bring him tribute
And bow in obedience before him. -Genesis 49:10 GNT
I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. … -Numbers 24:17 NLT
“For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. -Jeremiah 23:5 NLT
However, when God our Savior made his kindness and love for humanity appear, he saved us, but not because of anything we had done to gain his approval. Instead, because of his mercy he saved us through the washing in which the Holy Spirit gives us new birth and renewal. -Titus 3:4-5 GW
A Christmas Prayer
More From the Series!
Here you can find each hope-filled post to add to your collection of inspirational Bible verses and prayers!
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