Adventures in Advent

Five Family Devotions

(One For Each Sunday In Advent & Christmas)

INTRODUCTION:

Practice for the kids’ ballet recital was an all-day affair—one long Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Each group rehearsed their own routines, then waited around to practice the grand finale together.

While we waited for lunchtime, I took our younger daughter outside to stretch our legs. The rain had finally stopped, and the sun was just beginning to peek through the clouds. Suddenly, the concrete courtyard of the college campus felt like a kid’s dream world—crisp air, clear skies, and puddles everywhere.

We jumped from puddle to puddle. We laughed. We explored. And before we realized it, an entire hour had passed.

Later, when we went back inside, she couldn’t stop talking about it. She had to tell her mom everything—every splash, every jump, every moment. Years later, she still remembers that day.

It turns out, the waiting became the adventure.

Waiting doesn’t come naturally to us. In a world of instant answers, fast downloads, and same-day delivery, patience feels like a lost art. We expect results now. Progress now. Fulfillment now.

Some waiting is merely inconvenient—standing in line at a theme park or sitting through a long meeting. Other forms of waiting carry much more weight: waiting for a phone call about a job, news about a project, or results from a medical test. Sometimes waiting is downright heartbreaking.

And that’s exactly why Advent matters.

Advent invites us to slow down. To wait. To be watchful and expectant. You can’t rush Advent any more than you can force a rose to bloom—growth happens in its own time.

Too often, we lump Advent and Christmas together into one overwhelming season. But they are distinct. Advent is about preparation—remembering Christ’s coming and longing for His return. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus being with us: Emmanuel.

Advent lasts four weeks—the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. The word Advent comes from the Latin word meaning “coming.” During this season, Christians intentionally pause to prepare their hearts and refocus on the true meaning of Christmas.

If you’re a kid, waiting for Christmas Day feels nearly impossible. But in many ways, it’s the waiting—the anticipation, the wondering, the hoping—that makes Christmas feel magical in the first place.

This Advent, let’s choose to wait well.

And as we wait, let’s watch for the adventures God invites us into along the way.

SONG – WE WAIT FOR YOU

About the Devotions

Each devotion includes:

A Scripture
A short story
A song
Discussion questions
A hands-on activity (especially for kids—though everyone is invited)
An “Adventure for the Week”

Use whatever pieces work best for your family. These devotions are designed to be simple and flexible. We suggest setting aside 5–10 minutes on Sunday afternoons or evenings to slow down together and enter the season intentionally.

ADVENTURE ONE – HOPE

SCRIPTURE

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
— Hebrews 11:1

QUESTION

What do you think it was like before you were born?
What kinds of things did your family do as they were expecting you and waiting for your arrival?

STORY

Have you ever thought about what happened before you were born?

Long before you took your first breath, people were already getting ready for you. Rooms were prepared. Clothes were folded. Names were chosen. Plans were made—all while no one knew exactly what you would look like, what your personality would be like, or how life would change once you arrived.

Waiting for a baby is filled with hope. Hope for a new life. Hope for joy. Hope that this child will grow to become everything God created them to be. Even before birth, hope is already alive.

In the same way, God’s people waited with hope for the coming Messiah. For hundreds of years, the Old Testament Scriptures pointed to the One who was coming. They said the Messiah would come from the family line of King David, be born of a virgin, be called God’s Son, and rescue God’s people. Generation after generation waited—trusting God’s promise even though they couldn’t yet see it.

During Advent, we remember that waiting again.

Christmas is coming! While we don’t have to wait for years like God’s people once did, Advent invites us into a season of hopeful waiting. These weeks before Christmas help us slow down, remember God’s promises, and prepare our hearts with expectation.

That’s the adventure of Advent—waiting with hope.

So what is hope?
Hope is trusting that something good is coming, even when you can’t see it yet.

APPLICATION

Hope grows when we trust God’s promises for the future.

At Christmas, we celebrate that God kept His promise by sending Jesus into the world. And the Bible also tells us that Jesus will come again one day. Because of that, we don’t just look back with gratitude—we look forward with hope.

Jesus has come.
Jesus is with us.
And Jesus is coming again.

That is real hope.

SONG – THERE IS HOPE

Hang your Scripture Card somewhere you will see it every day—on the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, or bedroom wall—and practice memorizing it together this week.

ACTIVITY

Create a Scripture Card using Hebrews 11:1.

Write the verse neatly on a small piece of paper or card. (For younger kids, an adult can write or print the verse ahead of time.) Decorate it with crayons, markers, or colored pencils.

ADVENTURE

Help others experience hope this week.

Look for small ways to encourage someone—kind words, helping hands, sharing joy, or praying for someone who needs hope. Let your actions remind others that God keeps His promises.

Use These Ideas | View Samples / Ideas On Website

PRAYER

Jesus, we place our hope in You.
We trust Your promises.
Thank You for coming to us as a baby and showing us the way to God.
Thank You that You are still at work in us today.
As we wait during this Advent season, help us seek You and trust You more each day.
Amen.

ANOTHER SCRIPTURE

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child.”
— Isaiah 7:14 (NLT)

ADVENTURE TWO – LOVE

SCRIPTURE

“We love each other because He loved us first.”
— 1 John 4:19

QUESTION

In what ways is it easy to miss Jesus during this time of year?
What can we do to make sure we recognize Him?

STORY

One well-loved Christmas story tells of an old shoe cobbler who dreamed on Christmas Eve that Jesus would come to visit him the very next day. The dream felt so real that he was certain it would happen.

Early the next morning, the cobbler woke up full of excitement. He gathered green branches and decorated his small shoe shop, making everything just right for Jesus. Then he sat down and waited.

The hours passed—and Jesus did not come.

Instead, an elderly man stopped by, shivering from the winter cold. The cobbler welcomed him inside to warm up. As they talked, he noticed the holes in the man’s worn-out shoes. Without hesitation, the cobbler reached for a new pair, helped the man put them on, made sure his socks were dry, and sent him on his way.

Still, the cobbler waited.

Later, a hungry woman came by—someone who hadn’t eaten a decent meal in days. The cobbler invited her in, prepared food, and shared a nourishing meal with her before sending her on her way.

Once again, he sat down to wait for Jesus.

As evening approached, he heard a child crying outside his shop. A young boy had become separated from his parents and didn’t know how to get home. The cobbler put on his coat, took the boy by the hand, and safely led him home.

When the cobbler returned to his shop, it was nearly dark and the streets were empty. In disappointment, he prayed,
“Lord Jesus, why didn’t You come?”

In the silence, he seemed to hear a voice reply:
“Oh shoe cobbler, lift up your heart. I kept my promise. Three times I knocked at your door. Three times my shadow crossed your floor. I was the man with the bruised feet. I was the woman you fed to eat. I was the boy you led home safely.”

Jesus had come—the cobbler simply hadn’t recognized Him.

(Adapted from a story by Melvin Newland)

APPLICATION

God didn’t wait to show His love—He put it into action. At Christmas, we remember that God loved us so much that He came to us as a baby in Jesus.

One of the best ways to celebrate Advent is by living out that same love. Love isn’t something we wait to give—it’s something we give now. When we care for others, especially those who may feel forgotten, we begin to recognize Jesus in everyday moments.

SONG – COME THOU LONG EXPECTED JESUS

ACTIVITY

Create a homemade Christmas card for someone in your community who may be forgotten.
Decorate it, write a kind message, and let it be a simple reminder that they are seen, valued, and loved.

ADVENTURE

Make a plan this week to deliver your Christmas card(s) to someone who may feel overlooked—
a shut-in, an elderly neighbor, or a nursing home resident.

As you give your card, remember: small acts of love can carry great meaning.

PRAYER

Lord, help us to love others as You first loved us.
Thank You for this season of expectation as we seek You at every turn.
Help us recognize the ways You are at work in our lives,
and fill us with Your love for the world.
Amen.

OPTIONAL SCRIPTURE FOR REFLECTION

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor… to bind up the brokenhearted… to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
— Isaiah 61:1–2

ADVENTURE THREE – JOY

SCRIPTURE

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you…
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
— Zephaniah 3:17

“When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy.”
— Psalm 94:19

QUESTION

What are you most joyful about as Christmas gets closer?
Is it gifts, parties, vacation, time with family, or a gift you’re excited to give?

STORY

Have you ever heard the story The Gift of the Magi? It’s a classic Christmas story about love, sacrifice, and the joy found in giving.

Just before Christmas, a young married couple realized they didn’t have enough money to buy each other gifts. They loved one another deeply, but their situation felt impossible. The wife longed to buy her husband a chain for his treasured pocket watch—a family heirloom. The husband dreamed of buying his wife a beautiful brush and comb set for her long, flowing hair.

Without telling each other, the husband sold his watch to buy the brushes. And the wife cut and sold her hair to buy the watch chain.

When Christmas arrived and they exchanged gifts, they realized what had happened. Though their gifts could no longer be used, they discovered something far greater—the joy of sacrificial love.

That first Christmas was also filled with mixed emotions. Mary and Joseph traveled far to reach their hometown, only to find there was no room for them at the inn. They had no proper place to rest and no proper place to welcome a child into the world. Yet, even in uncertainty and discomfort, they were filled with joy—because they knew God was keeping His promise. The Messiah was coming. Jesus was being born.

For many of us, Christmas can also bring mixed emotions. Joy and celebration can sit right alongside stress, disappointment, or sadness. But Advent reminds us that joy runs deeper than our circumstances.

Because Jesus is coming—and because He is with us—we can have joy even when life feels uncertain.

APPLICATION

Sometimes joy doesn’t come from getting something new—it comes from remembering what we already have.

Jesus has come.
Jesus is with us.
And Jesus is coming again.

When we remember that truth, joy rises—not because life is perfect, but because God is faithful. Let’s live this season like we believe the good news and allow joy to shape how we think, speak, and love others.

SONG

There Is Joy
© 2015 Tim Price & Ruby Price
Price Family Music

SONG – THERE IS JOY

(c) Tim Price, Ruby Price | Price Family Music

ACTIVITY

Create a Joy Bucket.

Find a basket or bowl and several small slips of paper. Write down things that bring you joy, moments you’ve experienced joy, or ways you want to grow in joy. Remember—true joy comes from God’s work in our lives and doesn’t depend on other people or circumstances.

Throughout the next couple of weeks, keep adding “joy” to the bucket. Later, take turns pulling out the slips and reading them aloud.
(For extra fun, try guessing who wrote each one!)

ADVENTURE

This season is busy—but it’s also a great time to share joy.

Bake or buy some cookies and take them to a neighbor with note of encouragement and Christmas cheer! Let your joy overflow into someone else’s day.

OPTIONAL SCRIPTURE FOR REFLECTION

“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

ADVENTURE FOUR – PEACE

ADVENT DEVOTION: PEACE

SCRIPTURE

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
— Isaiah 9:6

QUESTION

How does waiting help bring us peace?
In what ways can you show the peace of Christ to others?
Are you patient with the people around you?

STORY

My friend stood high above the trees on a small platform. The only thing I could clearly see was the bright neon-green helmet on his head. I didn’t really want to do this at all—but I was already in line, moving closer to the edge.

Suddenly, my friend jumped and sailed effortlessly across a deep ravine, suspended only by a harness and a cable. Even though he was completely safe, he let out a long scream as he sped down the zip line.

There were still several people ahead of me, and I felt uneasy. I’m not a fan of heights or risky adventures. Participation wasn’t required, but we were strongly encouraged to try.

As each person stepped off the platform and as my turn got closer, I realized I had to make a decision. I could back out—or I could trust the process and take the leap. Somewhere in the waiting, my mind settled. I made up my mind.

From that moment on, I had peace.

Peace is one of the fruits of the Spirit and is essential to a healthy, balanced life. While a zip line is a harmless adventure, life presents us with far greater challenges—uncertainty, fear, and situations beyond our control. Often, it’s in the waiting and preparation that peace begins to take root.

The Advent season gently leads us toward peace as we wait on Christ. Waiting slows us down. It invites us to trust. And in that space, Jesus—the Prince of Peace—meets us with calm and reassurance.

As followers of Jesus, we are also called to carry that peace into the world around us.

And yes—I did step off the platform, soar across the ravine, and land safely on the other side. It was exhilarating… and worth the wait.

APPLICATION

Jesus came to us as the Prince of Peace. And because of Him, we can live as people who carry peace wherever we go.

This Advent season, let’s choose peace—in our homes, our neighborhoods, our workplaces, and our relationships. When we wait on Christ, He shapes our hearts and teaches us how to bring calm, patience, and grace into a busy and often anxious world.

SONG

SONG – YOU ALONE

(c) Tim Price [Lyrics and Chords]

ACTIVITY

Create a Top Ten List of Peace.

Write down ten Bible promises or words of Jesus that bring you peace. Choose one verse to memorize this week and return to it whenever you feel anxious or overwhelmed.

ADVENTURE

Turn your peace verses into Scripture cards and share them with others—family members, coworkers, friends, or even in unexpected places around town like the bank, post office, or library.

You never know how God might use a simple reminder of His peace.

OPTIONAL SCRIPTURE FOR REFLECTION

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
— John 14:27