Note: Advent is what we call the season leading up to Christmas. It begins four Sundays before December 25, sometimes in the last weekend of November, sometimes on the first Sunday in December. This year, Advent will begin Sunday, November 30.
Our Father in Heaven,
As we begin this Advent season, a time of celebrating the first coming of your Son – the incarnation, when Jesus came to earth, to be born of a virgin in a manger – and waiting and preparing with hope for His second coming, we take a moment to consider just what that means for us, and the world.
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On November 25, my friend Jim and I made our way to the United Center in Chicago for the final stop on Paul McCartney’s Got Back North America tour. This would be Jim’s first time seeing the former Beatle. I have now seen Sir Paul in concert fourteen times, with the first being at the Rosemont Horizon (now Allstate Arena) with my brother-in-law Al in December, 1989. I have seen him in Chicago seven times – at the Rosemont Horizon, Soldier Field, Wrigley Field and now four times at the United Center; three times in Indianapolis, at the old Market Square Arena, and twice at what is now known as Gainbridge Fieldhouse, twice in Milwaukee at the old County Stadium and Summerfest, and once in St. Louis at the old Busch Memorial Stadium, and Moline, at what is now known as Vibrant Arena. Five of the concerts have been held in outdoor stadiums, with the remaining nine in indoor arenas.
We have come again to that one day a year in our country which is set aside – in name at least – for being thankful. But as children of the King, we are always to be thankful. The Apostle Paul tells us to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). 1 Chronicles 16:34 tells us to give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
In our series on leadership attributes, we now look at kindness. All Christians should demonstrate kindness as it is a fruit of the Spirit. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul tells us what the fruit of the Holy Spirit is:
I was recently attending a breakout session at the 2025 Gospel Coalition National Conference and the speaker brought up the value of encouraging a young pastor. That got me to thinking about the idea of encouragement. What are some situations in which you can offer encouragement to someone? Here are a few possibilities:
