7 Ways to Carry the Christmas Spirit throughout the Whole Year

Plus, 12 Days of Christmas Prayers and Praises to Proclaim Over Your Family and More Stories and News [Crosswalk.com Logo]( Connecting through Crisis  [Faith](        [News](        [Devotionals](     [7 Ways to Carry the Christmas Spirit throughout the Whole Year](  Emma Danzey What is it about this concept of the “Christmas Spirit” that is so easy to cling to every year? It is as if we all let go of our woes and our frustrations to try to make this time of the year fun, special, and purposeful. We get more focused on creating good memories, giving generously and focusing on Jesus’ life. However, this is not just an attitude and a life style that we should be having in the month of December. In fact, if we take some time to reflect and allow the Holy Spirit to convict our hearts, it is easy to see where we can often believe a lie that this mentality is just for this holiday season. Today, we will go through 7 ways to carry the Christmas spirit throughout the whole year. 1. An Attitude of Gratitude I think we often forget that Thanksgiving precedes Christmas. Ponder this: we bathe our minds with intentional gratitude for a month ahead and then have such a positive attitude about the Christmas season. This is no coincidence; when we make a conscious effort to think about all of the blessings in our lives, it enables us to celebrate the goodness of God. How can we be more intentional with daily gratitude? Whether it is through prayer, singing, or journaling, we can continue the concept of thankful hearts. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Photo credit: ©GettyImages/evgenyatamanenko  [CONTINUE READING →](         [10 Prayers for Before Meals - Short, Simple, Beautiful!](  Meg Bucher Praying God’s blessing over our meals is a simple way to make a big difference in the daily alignment of our hearts. It helps us remember that our blessings come from our Creator… who deserves credit for all. Here are 10 prayers that will fit any mealtime situation, from formal family dinners to meals on the go at the neighborhood drive-thru:  [CONTINUE READING →](        [12 Days of Christmas Prayers and Praises to Proclaim Over Your Family](  Alicia Searl Below, you will find the date on which to begin by simply reading the pocket prayers aloud and proclaiming them over your home, spouse, and children. On other days, you will find praises to lift up and rejoice in the glory and wonder of our awesome God! While it will only take a moment, my prayer is that as you read them together as a family or ponder on them alone in your quiet time, this simple yet meaningful act will draw you and your precious people closer to Christ and the true meaning of Christmas.  [CONTINUE READING →](          [5 Christmas Movies with Christian Messages](  Whitney Hopler Christmas movies are fun to watch throughout the Christmas season. We can choose from many different movies to celebrate Christmas in entertaining ways. But some Christmas movies go beyond just fun entertainment by featuring Christian messages that relate to the true meaning of Christmas. These movies can inspire us to move closer to God during Christmas. So, get some eggnog and popcorn ready, and gather your friends and family to watch these 5 Christmas movies with Christian messages:  [CONTINUE READING →](         [Crosswalk.com Logo](  [Read about Salem Web Network](  |  [Unsubscribe](  |  [Email Preference Center](  © 2023 Salem Web Network. All rights reserved. 111 Virginia Street, Suite 200, Richmond, VA 23219. This email is never sent unsolicited. You are receiving this email because your email address, {EMAIL}, is signed up to receive newsletters, updates, and special offers from Crosswalk. Â