By Hope 103.2Monday 13 Dec 2021ChristmasReading Time: 3 minutes
12 Things to Reflect On…
1. Christmas for many of us is a time of celebration and community, but for others it can be a time of loneliness and pain. The devotional plan A Connected Christmas from Hope 103.2 looks at the radical life of Jesus, one defined by love and a heart for the oppressed and marginalised. There is hope, and we have a part to play.
2. School teacher Clare Dorey spoke with Ben McEachen about keeping a gratitude journal. Listen to her discuss One Easy Way to Become More Thankful in this interview.
3. Christmas does not cease when the celebration is over. Christmas – the coming of Christ – is about everyday life. God is with us! Read and think about this in Chris Witts’ Christmas Day devotion.
4. As you think about last-minute gift ideas or wonder how to make your gift giving more impactful this Christmas season have a look at our list of 12 Christmas Gift Ideas to Turn a Stranger’s 2021 Around.
5. Christmas can be such a magical time of year but at what cost to the planet? Have a listen to this interview that Katrina Roe did last year with Dr Anita Vandyke, author of A Zero Waste Family: In Thirsty Days, about how to reduce your waste over Christmas.
6. Something to reflect on while we are two years into a pandemic and all can seem dark and difficult is these words from Dr Eliezer Gonzalez about The Treasures of Darkness.
7. Sheridan Voysey asked “what would it take to see a new renaissance (rebirth) of wisdom, creativity, community and faith in this coming decade?” in his latest article We Need a New Renaissance of Faith: These 3 Commitments Can Help.
8. Dr Kerry Howells has spent more than 25 years researching, teaching, and practicing gratitude.
9. For many, working from home has become the “norm” and while it has its challenges, but do the benefits outweigh them? In this article Is the Office Dead?, Mark McCrindle, researcher and communications specialist, looks at the research to try and find an answer – something to reflect on as we start to think about next year’s plans over the Christmas break.
10. As we head into a new year, have a listen to the practical advice Glen James from the My Millennial Money podcast gives on How to Sort Your Money Out and Get Ahead.
11. What is Christmas without at least one hot chocolate? Why not take a moment to make yourself one and sit down to read this devotion from Chris Witts, The Marshmallow Test: Key to a Full Life, and reflect on how developing our sense of gratitude can start to cure our restlessness in a world where we always seem to want more.
12. The Road to Christmas is a 10-day devotional plan from Hope 103.2. It considers the events surrounding the arrival of our Saviour Jesus Christ and is perfect for that daily reminder, that in the chaos of the Christmas season, why we celebrate Christmas at all.
Check back tomorrow on our 12 Days of Christmas Page for 12 Christmas Traditions From Around The World.