Saturday, November 28, 2020
Tell Me About
the Christmas Baby:
An Advent Devotional Guide
Introduction
Written by Patience Fort
Many of my readers knew my
mother, Patience Nave. When she was 50 years old, she graduated from Western
Kentucky University with her Bachelor’s degree. She went on to earn her Masters
in English and then taught in South America, China, and Florida. After serving
for eight years on the Citrus County School Board in Homosassa, Florida, she
began a short career as Education Coordinator/Minister in two churches:
Homosassa First United Methodist Church and Rehobeth United Methodist Church in
Greensboro, North Carolina (where, by the way, she celebrated her 80th
birthday).
As a minister in church
education, mother did all kinds of things. She went to Haiti
I-don’t-know-how-many times. She wrote the curriculum for and directed vacation
Bible schools. She discipled many. And she taught countless Bible study
classes.
Some of the things that I cherish
from Mother’s years at her churches in Florida and North Carolina are the
devotional guides she developed for Advent and Lent. I have about six years of them. And now I
enjoy reproducing them on my blog for all to read and enjoy. Feel free to share
them with others.
This particular devotional guide
is from December of 2010. She was still living in Florida and working at First
United Methodist Church of Homosassa. Here is an excerpt from her introduction.
As I write, it’s a
94-degree July day; as you read I hope it’s cool, and your thoughts are moving
toward the wonderful Christ before us.
This year, I’m broadening
the audience for whom I am writing. In the past, I have written to the church
family here at Homosassa United Methodist; however, over the years, you have
told me you send our devotionals to friends. This year I hope to make each
day’s thought relevant to our extended family, friends whom we love and
welcome, with whom we want to share.
Does the name of our
devotional seem inappropriate? I hope it won’t as you proceed through the
pages. As you read, you’ll see that the Scriptures tell us of Jesus, not just
as a baby, but as Creator, a Great Mystery, God Incarnate, our Redeemer, our
Suffering Christ, and our Mediator/Advocate. So beginning at Genesis I have
chosen scriptures that reveal who Christ Jesus is, why he came and what he did.
The Scripture references
are very short. My prayer is that what I have chosen will whet your appetite,
cause you to read in your own Bible the entire reference. I’ve taken a narrow
view; you can put a wide lens on to see the whole picture. Read and find hope!
Remember, “Everything
that has been written was written for our instruction, that through our
perseverance and the revelation of the Holy Spirit, we might find hope.” Romans
15:4
As you prepare for Christmas 2020,
my prayer is that this devotional guide will bless you beyond measure – that
you will see our Lord in a whole new light – and that you will reflect His
light to the people around you in the days to come.
Tell Me About the Christmas Baby:
An Advent Devotional
Guide
prepared for First United Methodist Church of Homosassa, Florida
Winter 2010
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator
