Will this week be full of conflict and consumerism?

It doesn’t have to be.

The world has a way of telling us this week is a foregone conclusion.

The world has a way of telling us conflict and consumerism are the best we can hope for.

The subtle narrative we’re presented is that time with our families will always be crazy, and if we don’t immediately finish our meals and start shopping, there’s something wrong with us. 

The world would want us to believe that boundary lines have fallen for us in all the wrong places and that we’re continually missing out if we’re not continually getting what we want. 

The world will tell us our gatherings and relationships are destined for conflict and that the frenzy of consumerism is non-negotiable.

But what if it doesn’t have to be this way?

What if this week could be marked not by fulfilled expectations of disappointment but rather by a renewed belief in peace that passes understanding?

What if the coming weeks weren’t marked by getting the best but giving the first fruits of our gratitude?

What if we lived fully awake?
What if we lived out the Kingdom way instead of going the way of culture?

I’m with you in this, and I don’t want the coming weeks to pass me by only to find that I have gone the neutral way of the world around me.

I want to live fully awake - so here are a few small shifts I’m making: 

1. I’m hoping for the best in the people around me. Rather than letting the enemy tell me narratives about who they are - I am reminding myself they’re image bearers of God, and most of them are trying to do the best with what they have.

2. I’m hoping for the best for my growth and sanctification. I remember being made new, and I didn’t have to keep old coping patterns or sin if they didn’t serve me.

3. I’m carrying gratitude with me this past Thursday. I’m telling God what I’m grateful for, telling people I’m grateful for them, capturing the grace of the days even as the calendar turns past November. (You know I’m using my Go and Tell Gals gratitude journal)

4. I’m asking one question before I buy ANYTHING this holiday season: Why am I purchasing this? Am I trying to prove something? Become something? Satiate something? Am I buying a gift to love well or to make myself seem loving? I’m slowing down to ask why.

5. Lastly, I’m rededicating one hour to gratitude, Bible reading, and quiet reflection in the morning - non-negotiable! My soul needs the quiet this season, and soon, the Christmas tree will be up for me to read my Bible beside it. If you want to join me in my Advent Study, I’ll send you more info soon! 

This doesn’t have to be the beginning of conflict and consumerism.

Let’s rewrite the story of Thanksgiving together.

With love,
Jess