So, if you’ve ever struggled to find the perfect present for someone, this series is for you! And in the first week of Advent, I’m sharing the secret gift that can be given to every single person in your life, including your spouse, parents, children, grandchildren, neighbors, and coworkers… any guesses?

It can be hard to be thankful when it seems like there are so many challenging things going on in the world today. Perhaps you were negatively impacted by COVID-19 either in your health or your bank account. Maybe you are missing a loved one this holiday season, or you are frustrated with your family, or simply exhausted by the holiday bustle. The Bible doesn't tell us that we have to be thankful FOR difficult circumstances, just amid them. But how do we do this?

What if you could focus everything in your life — your marriage, your family, your career, and your pleasures — through a single unifying lens? Would having such a lens order the fragmented pieces of your world?

In Chapter 18 of iWork4Him, author, producer, and speaker Rich Marshall writes about a conversation he had over 25 years ago with a man named Dennis who was looking to sell his business to go into full-time ministry. Dennis sought out Rich, a local pastor at the time, to encourage him in his decision to leave the marketplace and go into ministry. But what happened next was surprising to BOTH men.

Do you have control issues? Where do they show their ugly faces in your life? Does it come out in your relationships or your attitude towards others? Or maybe it comes out in your work? Wherever it shows itself, being a control freak is NOT a fruit of the Spirit. In fact, it's precisely the opposite! To truly live in the Spirit, we have to give up control.

Many famous people have said it: we all need a Paul, Barnabas, and Timothy in our lives. Someone to teach and challenge us, someone to encourage us, and someone we, in turn, can teach and encourage. This is how we become a cultural influence for Christ – one person at a time.

What about you? Are you miserably saved? Do you feel like your faith gets in the way of your dreams and ambitions? Or are your dreams and ambitions guided and set by your faith? Remember, true faith will direct you to set aside yourself and your selfish ambitions to seek what God's will and God's purpose are for you.

Following Jesus is about anything BUT normal and anything BUT routine. Being led by the Spirit of God in your life is an adventure - one that will take all kinds of unexpected twists and turns. Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." Note that the psalm doesn't say, "your word is a floodlight onto my future." God's will is going to take you in directions you never anticipated, so don't get too caught up in your 100-yard plans; pay attention to what God is illuminating in the one yard in front of you!

For all 23 years of his retirement, Ted continued to serve God actively. Even as his health and energy changed, he didn't quit; he just modified the execution of his calling. Because the truth is that God's purpose for you doesn't come to an end when you retire.

Kathy Book was a high-level manager in a nationwide grocery chain. Outside of work, she was a Christian, but while she was at work, she didn't act so "Christian." But everything changed one day when her boss pulled her aside to have a hard conversation.