We all know the Christmas story—Jesus, Mary, the manger, some shepherds, and so on. But what if we told you that the Christmas story started way earlier than that nativity scene? Turns out that we aren’t the only ones waiting for Christmas. Join us today as Chuck talks about the good things we can find in the waiting.

Weekend Follow-Up Questions:

1) What would be your ideal food-infused advent calendar? Did that cheese and wine one sound good, or would you design something different?

2) It’s easy to live in the “in-between” (the space between a desire and its fulfillment). What in-between spaces have you been living in, and how have those spaces affected your level of hope?

3) Read Romans 15:14. What are you basing your hope in this holiday season? Is it something you need to be disillusioned of?

4) Read Isaiah 9:3. What steps can you take this week to find hope in the dark like Isaiah and Desmond Tutu this week? Is it a prayer walk like the one Chuck described? Something else?

5) Now close your time in prayer. Here’s an example: “Fear, we know you have power, grief we know you have power, division we know you have power, darkness we acknowledge your strength but we know our God is stronger. Jesus, deliver us from the midst of our struggles. Thank you for helping us dance in the dark. Amen.”

More from the weekend:

Read John 1:14. At Crossroads we’re about the power of God who transforms lives. Everyday we’re getting outside ourselves trying to make a difference in the world. One way we do this is partnering with organizations who literally are changing the world everyday. If you want to jump in and start giving risk free, you can try the 90 day tithe test here.