Hello Great Family,

I highly value being prepared in every situation. However, sometimes preparation does not match the need. In college, my friends decided to host a rather ambitious Halloween open house in our dorm. The idea was to create a “haunted” house environment.  We got all three floors of guys to participate. Every room decorated with all the frightening elements of the season. The entire campus was invited to our event and they showed up.

My roommate decided to make a grand entrance at the beginning of the event. The plan was to cover him in a flammable gel that would light but not immediately burn him or his clothing. He was to be lit on fire behind the dorm and then he would run around to the amazement and shock of the attendees where he would then continue out of site where I was to extinguish him by dousing him with water. (Do not attempt this! Please remember, we were in college and not thinking about consequences or physical danger.)

I was prepared. I filled two 55 gallon drums with water. I wanted to make sure to rescue my friend on fire. The only problem was that by the time my friend ran around the dorm, his clothes did ignite and he was starting to feel the heat. He also could not see anything due to the flames. He fell to the ground waiting to be hit with water, but he fell too far away. He was twenty yards from my prepared rescue. Needless to say, I could not budge those heavy drums filled with water. Instead, he was covered by a host of people diving on top of him to smother the flames. I had thought I was prepared but the event was bigger than my preparation.

As the calendar marches forward and the holiday season approaches, it is easy to feel swept up in the rush of to-do lists, travel plans, and crowded schedules. Before the busyness of the next few weeks takes full hold, I want to invite you to pause, take a deep breath, and join me in preparing our hearts spiritually for what lies ahead.

In the middle of all the noise, we are called to anchor ourselves in gratitude, hope, and the quiet peace of God’s presence. Over the next several weeks, I encourage you to set aside intentional time to make room for what matters most. Here are a few simple ways we can walk through this season together:

• Create Moments of Stillness: Even five or ten minutes of quiet prayer or Scripture reading each morning can shift your perspective before the day’s demands begin. Starting December 1st, our great family will be doing Advent devotions out of the book, “The Indescribable Gift”. Get your family copy in the lobby at Oakwood this Sunday. Join us!

• Practice Intentional Gratitude: Whether around the dinner table or in a journal, take time to name the ways God has been faithful to you and your family over the past year. Attend our annual Pie, Prayer, Praise event at 6:30pm on Tuesday, November 24.

• Extend Grace and Generosity: Look for small, practical ways to share Christ’s love with a neighbor, a coworker, or someone in our congregation who may find the holidays difficult or lonely. Participate in our Christmas project with the Family Benevolent Fund.

• Gather Together in Worship: Make Sunday worship and our upcoming annual Christmas Eve Candlelight service a priority, allowing our time together as a church family to refresh and recenter your spirit.

Don't get burned this holiday season. Prepare your heart, mind, and soul for the most wonderful time of the year. Please know that I am praying for each of you… for safe travels, meaningful time with loved ones, comfort for those carrying grief or heavy burdens, and a deep, abiding sense of God’s nearness. May your holiday be filled with JOY!

God Bless,
P.D. (Psalm 139)