Introducing Advent Words 2019

Introducing Advent Words 2019

This year for the Advent Words challenge we will look closely at the Word in John's prologue (John 1:1-18). Using the prologue to John’s Gospel for Advent is a bit different than using the traditional Christmas accounts found in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. John does not start with Jesus’s genealogy and birth or include the prophecies of the Messiah as Matthew does. John does not give us the stories and details surrounding Jesus’ miraculous birth as Luke does. In John’s Christmas account there are no mangers, no Bethlehem account, no wise men or shepherds, no virgin birth, no angels or starry night. John simply begins with the main point of Christmas – the Incarnation. 

For Christmas is the celebration of the incarnation, and John helps us focus on God’s Divine revelation - God has come to us in human form. Jesus is God incarnate and God is with us.

Over the years I have used the practice of art journaling as a way to intentionally slow down during the Advent season. This intentional period of slowing down has provided time to reflect and ponder the deeper things of this season - it's a time of preparing my heart for the coming of Christ.

Click on calendar for a PDF version without the image for easier printing.

Would you like to join me in slowing down the Advent season? It's simple:

• The daily Bible study devotions, along with how I responded creatively, will be posted on this blog each day beginning on December 1. You can follow this blog by email or there will be daily links to the posts in the Words Challenge Facebook group. If you are a part of the Living Your Word of the Year Facebook group links to the blog post will be posted there as well.
• Respond with whatever creative practice you choose: art journaling, mixed media art, scrapbook, photography, digital art, poetry, creative writing, calligraphy - any way you choose! As you take in the Scripture and devotions into your heart and mind, let it sink even deeper as you practice creatively with your hands.
• Join the Words Challenge Facebook group where you can share your art and ideas and join the conversation through the Advent season and beyond.  I host a number of Words Challenges throughout the year. Join here:   https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wordschallengegroup/
• Share on Instagram and other social media with the hashtag #adventwords2019. 
• In the days before the Advent season begins reflect and prepare: choose the creative form you will use for your daily practice. Make a journal if that fits your creative form.

In the past I have kept my Advent Words art journal pages in a variety of style s of journals.

This year, for my Living Your Word Journal, I had made a journal out of an old ledger. I made it with two signatures, which ended up being too many for my A-Z challenge in that group. So I decided to continue in this journal using the second signature of pages for Advent Words.