Advent Devotionals

December 1 - December 25, 2024

Advent Devotionals

Each year, we offer daily devotionals written by our staff for each day of Advent. Subscribe via email to receive these devotionals delivered to your inbox. If you have subscribed using your email address in the past to receive the Advent or Easter devotionals, you will automatically receive the devotionals again this year. Or, if you prefer to listen to the devotionals read by the writers, you can listen and subscribe to Fellowship Devotionals wherever you listen to podcasts.

It is our hope and prayer this Christmas season that you experience the presence of Emmanuel, God with us.

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Good News of Great Joy

Caleb Freeman | December 21, 2024



Have you ever been in a situation where your stomach sank, or a moment where you felt your heart beat faster?
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A Humble Start

Ted Lennard | December 20, 2024



Two years ago, my wife, Suzanne, and I became grandparents for the first time. What a joyful experience that has become! Two of our daughters – Selby (Blake) and Claire (Tudor) - delivered their babies five days apart in two different cities.
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The Details Matter

Mark Schatzman | December 19, 2024



“The details matter.” I have preached that to myself at least a hundred times while re-doing a household repair. I have said it to a child for everything from homework to money and time management.
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A Song to Mark the Moment

Nick Roland | December 18, 2024



I am not always great at talking about my feelings. It is not that I don’t feel them, but for some reason I struggle to slow down and take stock of the moment. However, music breaks through to me.
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A Shared Joy

Clark Nolen | December 17, 2024



Over the last couple of years, Pam and I have had the privilege of launching our two oldest sons, Nate (Maggie) and Jacob (Grace), into marriage. The rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception for each wedding weekend gave Pam and I an overwhelming sense of one grand substantive emotion…JOY!
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Embracing His Calling: Mary’s Song of Praise

Whitney Simons | December 16, 2024



In Luke 1, the angel Gabriel visits Mary in Nazareth announcing she will conceive and give birth to a son. He will be called Jesus, the Son of the Most High. Mary humbly responds, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled...” (Luke 1:38).
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Mary Visits Elizabeth

Jennifer Powers | December 15, 2024



Mary has just learned that she is pregnant. A virgin girl has miraculously conceived after a visit from an angel with a message from God. She had been told the baby she will carry will be called the Son of God.
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The Audacity to Trust

Andy Petry | December 14, 2024



I don’t know about you, but I have made a lot of mistakes. I have been on the receiving end of the mistakes of others as well.
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Christmas Prayers

Chip Jackson | December 13, 2024



Zechariah was a priest. He was a righteous man, a mature man, a sage. For years, he and Elizabeth prayed for a child. For years, the pregnancy tests were negative.
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A Response that Changed a Heart

Julia Petry | December 12, 2024



This response from Gabriel can seem harsh, but the Lord knows the heart. His justice and discipline are perfect. It is just the right response and timing, as the angel pointed out.
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Right Preparation

Chance Cain | December 11, 2024



“Just one last trip to Walmart.” “You said that on the last trip.” “Well, one last trip to Walmart starting now.”
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Obedience in Transience

Kyle Plunkett | December 10, 2024



Perhaps you find yourself in a season of transition this Advent. How do you navigate that season?
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The Consequences of Pride Driven by Insecurity

Will Blanchard | December 9, 2024



Pride and insecurity always seem to be lurking in the shadows when it comes to the decisions of an abusive leader. In Matthew 2:16-18, the character assassins of pride and insecurity were certainly on full display in the life and leadership of King Herod in response to the birth announcement of Jesus Christ.
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Oh, for Grace to Trust Him More

Russell Dorch | December 8, 2024



Today’s passage offers a straightforward description of events in the lives of Joseph, Mary, and the Savior of the World. I find great irony in how few words are used to describe such a perilous, life-altering event which must have required an extraordinary amount of trust.
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Which King Will You Serve?

Jimmy Cook | December 7, 2024



The magi were likely scholars, astronomers, and court advisors from the Persian empire. As they watched the stars, they noticed an anomaly. In the first century, stars were highly important, and the idea that a special star heralded the birth of important people was widespread.
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King of Control

Jack Roberts | December 6, 2024



We all have dreams. It could be a dream job, the perfect wedding, or to someday start a family just to name a few. Other than being a professional soccer player turned rockstar, another dream was to work in the sports industry.
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Stay Curious, Keep Looking Up!

Shauna Morrissey | December 5, 2024



Growing up, I heard the words “magi” and “wise men” used interchangeably. I did not honestly know what either meant. Magi sounded like magician and the carols we sang about them always had an air of mystery.
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God With Us

Michael Summers | December 4, 2024



It was August of 2015, and I was in south Arkansas getting ready to begin my first day of teaching. I distinctly remember 60, sixth grade students marching into the choir room nervous but excited to start their first day of middle school.
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God Brings New Life; Often in Impossible Ways

Carrie Tucker | December 3, 2024



One of the most tragic realities of our broken world is broken families. Many different circumstances could contribute to a family being broken; neglect, moral failure, mental illness, poverty, or crime.
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What a Gift

Kate Stoner | December 2, 2024



My mom left a voicemail, “Kate. Call me back when you get this.” My heart sank. I called her back, prepared for anything except for what she said next…
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From No Hope to Hope

Doug Raines | December 1, 2024



Dateline: 732 BC, Jerusalem, capital of Judah Outside the city was the army of Syria allied with the army of Israel, Judah’s neighbor to the north, and close relatives
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