I live too busy of a life. I imagine you do too. The tyranny of the urgent is real. All my life, I’ve felt the constant tug between busyness and mindfulness… between doing and being, inward and outward… between serving others and tending my own soul.

Maybe you feel that too? You start the day with a quick cup of coffee, and then it’s off to the races—carpools, work deadlines, school events, appointments, errands, dinner, cleanup, homework, emails. Like a hamster on a wheel, we run from one thing to the next until we fall into bed exhausted.

And truthfully? Part of me likes that pace. I like running flat out. I like crossing items off a list. I like staying busy, making things work. But cars that run red-lined too long start to rattle and smoke, bodies that never rest fall apart, and souls that never slow down shrivel up. Keep going like that and eventually—you hit the wall. It’s unsustainable.

And then comes December.

Yesterday, Pam and I looked at our calendar for the upcoming month… and honestly, it’s daunting. Family gatherings, church events, Christmas in the Park, Life Group, caroling, gift buying, Operation Christmas Child, incoming family, hosting, planning. Just mapping it out was exhausting. Can you relate?

But there’s hope. Into our self-imposed holiday rush—with its flood of invitations, duties, and expectations—comes a very different kind of invitation. A quieter one. Easy to overlook, yet deeper and far more powerful. It’s a call that cuts through the noise and comes straight from the heart of God—a threefold invitation from the Trinity.

The Father beckons:
• “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
• “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)
• “The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” (Habakkuk 2:20)

Jesus invites us:
• “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
• “Take my yoke upon you… for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29–30)
• “Abide in me, and I in you.” (John 15:4)

The Spirit calls us:
• “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)
• “The mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)
• “The Spirit helps us in our weakness.” (Romans 8:26)

What would it look like to actually take God up on his invitation to rest?
To structure December around His values?
To seek first the kingdom of God in the middle of the holiday hamster wheel?

I’ll be honest: I’m still terrible at this. I’m a work in progress, just like everyone else. But here’s one small thing—almost a token—that has impacted my family over the years: an Advent devotional. Twenty-five simple daily readings. Intentional time together in the midst of the chaos. Not independent, not alone, but together. Some years we’re consistent, some years not. Some days we miss entirely. Sometimes the discussion is deep; other days not so much.

But here’s the thing: it’s a small act of rebellion—a modest stand against a world run amok. It’s a simple way to carve out a little oasis of peace in a season that tries to sweep us away. It’s one of the ways I refuse to let December dictate my soul’s pace. A way to keep Christ in Christmas.

Every year at Bethany, we provide an Advent devotional booklet for every household—not as another obligation, but as a way to help us create space. A pause. A breath. A chance to refocus our attention on the reason we’re celebrating in the first place. You’ll find it in your church mailbox this Sunday and copies in the lobby. Will you join us?

If you already have a devotional rhythm—wonderful. Keep going.
If you’re using a different Advent guide—enjoy it.
But if you don’t have any regular practice of family or communal devotions, here’s the challenge:

Would you commit to five minutes a day, for the 25 days leading up to Christmas, to read and reflect together?

This year’s devotional is super simple—it took me one minute and thirty-six seconds to read the December 1 entry. And since it doesn’t include discussion questions, we’ve added a one-page insert with two easy, family-friendly questions for each day.

Five minutes.
One reading.
Two questions.
Together.

Take a stand. Join the quiet rebellion. Create a space to hear from God in community this Christmas.

Let’s make room for God- together, as a family. Five minutes at a time.