Advent - Family daily devotionals

Family Advent

[daily devotionals]

I am so excited about our advent this year!!! I have been wanting to do something with E that really focuses on Jesus and teaches her about His birth and why we celebrate Christmas! It has been a tradition for John and I to do Advent together each year, but this year we decided to start it with E! I think we will be able to use this one for the next several years - it will be short and daily will have something visual for her to see as we talk about the story!!! 

I bought this at Hobby Lobby and used scrap book paper to add the numbers!

Here are the verses we are using and the visuals we chose for our advent! Everything was from around the house or super cheap from the craft store! Most of them are super cheesy, but its just meant to be fun and give us a visual to look at as we read and talk about the Christmas story!!!

{one} Luke 1: 26-28; 31

‘In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.’

Angel Gabriel

{two} Matthew 1:18

‘Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.’

Engagement

{three} Luke 1:46-55

 ‘And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

And his mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 

he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

and exalted those of humble estate; 

he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy, 

as he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”’

Mary's Song

{four} Matthew 1:20

‘But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.’

Angel of the Lord

{five} Matthew 1:21

‘She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”’

The Cross - Save people from their sins

{six} Matthew 1:22-23

‘All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall call his name Immanuel”(which means, God with us).’

God with us (allowed Christ to be with us, bridging the gap between God and man)

{seven} Luke 2:4 

‘And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,’

Family Tree - lineage of David

{eight} Luke 2:5

 ‘to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.’

Travel and registering

{nine} Micah 5:2

 ‘But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to be ruler in Israel,

             whose coming forth is from of old,

from ancient days.’

Royalty (purple)

{ten} Luke 2:6-7 

‘And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.’

Baby Jesus (I know its creepy but its the only baby that I could find to fit)

{eleven} Luke 2:7 

“…[Mary] wrapped [Jesus] in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Swaddle Blanket

{twelve} Isaiah 9:6 

‘For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’

Prince of Peace

{thirteen} Luke 2:8-11 

‘And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’

Shepherds

{fourteen} Luke 2:12 

‘And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”’

Manger

{fifteen} Luke 2:13-14 

‘And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”’

Multitude of heavenly host

{sixteen} Luke 2:15-18 

‘When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.’

Bells - Making known

{seventeen} Psalm 95:6 

‘Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!’

Rock - bowing down on the earth

{eighteen} Luke 2:19-20, 33-35 

‘But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”’

Mary's Heart

{nineteen} Luke 2:21

 ‘And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.’

Name Jesus

{twenty} Luke 2:22-24

‘And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”’

Two turtledoves

{twenty-one} Luke 2:25-32 

‘Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”’

Eyes have seen your salvation

{twenty-two} Matthew 2:1 

‘Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,’

Wisdom of the wise men

{twenty-three} Matthew 2:1-2 

‘Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”’

King of Kings

{twenty-four} Matthew 2:9-10  

‘After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.’

Star

{twenty-five} Matthew 2:11 

‘And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.’

Gifts from the wise men