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A Prayer for Peace when Christmas is Hard by Brooke McGlothlin

What does it mean to be a peacemaker during the Christmas season? In today's episode by Brooke McGlothlin, we are reminded that peace often begins with us. Even when reconciliation feels unlikely, we are called to plant seeds—small acts of kindness, openness, and forgiveness—believing that God will tend and grow what we faithfully sow.

Reference: James 3:18

Prayer: Father, give us the desire to do the right thing, even if the favor isn't returned, sowing seeds of peace in the dark, troubled places of our lives. Over time, Lord, we pray that you will grow those seeds, produce fruit that glorifies your name, and produce a harvest of righteous. In Jesus' name, Amen.

LINKS:

How to Pray God's Word For Your Children Guide

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Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Advent invites us to slow down, quiet our hearts, and prepare for the coming of Christ.
In this guided Christian meditation, you’ll reflect on Scripture and rest in God’s peace as you anticipate the celebration of Jesus’ birth.

Be Still: Advent Meditations for Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love helps you create space in this busy season to experience the presence of Christ and the peace He brings.
Download your FREE Advent Guide here.

This week, we focus on peace—the peace Jesus came to bring.
Peace with God.
Peace within ourselves.
And peace with one another.

In this meditation, we’ll move slowly through several short passages that remind us of the peace Jesus offers—peace that’s not the absence of trouble but the presence of His Spirit with us in the midst of it.
Take a few quiet moments today to be still and let His peace settle over you.

Helpful Links:
Download your FREE Be Still Advent guide here.
This journal includes:
• All the Scriptures for this series
• Weekly reflection prompts
• Space to record what God is revealing to you

Additional links:

You can find out more about me, Jodie, at http://www.jodieniznik.com/

Follow me on Instagram @jodieniznik

Follow me on Facebook @JodieGNiznik

Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Guided Scripture Meditation Journal here.

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Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at lifeaudio.com.

Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies here.

Scriptures Read in This Meditation

Luke 2:13–14 (NIV)
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

John 14:27 (NIV)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 16:33 (NIV)
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Revelation 21:3–4 (NIV)
“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.
They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

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Authentic ministry starts with a servant’s mindset, and Christians searching for purpose will find it in action—zeal for good works is a mark of discipleship, not a pastoral job description. John 12:26 frames service as the pathway to honor from the Father, reminding believers that following Christ means stepping into everyday ministry, wherever life places your feet.

Highlights

• Ministry simply means “to serve,” and every follower of Christ is called into it.

• Jesus modeled servant leadership as the Servant King—service is imitation before function.

• The call isn’t to become a pastor, but to live like Jesus.

• Daily surrender (“die daily”) is less dramatic and more incremental—small yeses, repeated.

• Excuses shrink when identity grows: you serve because you are His, not to become enough.

• Service is worship when done in the Spirit’s power, not self-reliant hustle mode.

• Zealous good works expand your reach for God’s Kingdom—overflow comes after outpour.

Gift Inspiration: Crosswalk's Holiday Gift Guide

Looking for a meaningful way to celebrate the season? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide—from beautifully illustrated Bibles and devotionals to novels, greeting cards, and picture books, there’s something for everyone on your list. Wrap up stories for loved ones, tuck a book into your own nightstand, and join us in celebrating the wonder of giving this Christmas!

Full Transcript Below:

Zealous for Good Works

By: Emily Rose Massey

Bible Reading:

“If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26, ESV).

“Ministry” is from the Greek word diakoneo, meaning “to serve.” At my church, our elders believe that every member of God’s Church is a minister, so obviously that would mean that every believer is called to serve- serve Jesus and serve His Body. Jesus was the servant of all. In fact, He was the Servant King. Christ shares in the gospel of John the importance of serving and following Him as He serves others.

“If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26, ESV).

Jesus asks us as Christians to lay our lives down continually, denying our wants and desires, or as the Apostle Paul said to do, “die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31).

Do we know how to do that?

Intersecting Life & Faith:

It is human nature to seek after what our hearts and flesh crave, but we do not have to give in to that kind of nature, for we have a new nature in Christ Jesus (Colossians 3:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:24).

When life feels overwhelming, empathy often becomes the very thing our souls are longing for. In this episode, Gem sits down with Bill and Kristi Gaultiere, founders of Soul Shepherding, to explore the healing power of empathy in the Christian life.

Drawing from their new book Deeply Loved, they share how true empathy helps us trade self-judgment for grace, comfort emotional wounds, release worry, and walk more closely with Jesus. This conversation offers practical guidance through the Four A’s of Empathy, along with compassionate wisdom for becoming more grounded, present, and emotionally healthy.

Whether you’re navigating conflict, longing for deeper relationships, or seeking healing for your soul, this episode invites you into the life-changing reality of being deeply loved.

Drs. Bill and Kristi Gaultiere are the founders of Soul Shepherding. With more than thirty years of counseling and ministry experience, Bill and Kristi have guided thousands of people in the journey toward emotional health and intimacy with Jesus. Their new book, Deeply Loved, is a beautiful, life-giving invitation into the kind of empathy that strengthens relationships, raises our emotional intelligence, and leads us back to the heart of Christ.

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Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website and her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads

Learn about PACE: Certificate in Leadership and Soul Care

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It’s Christmas season, babe! ✨

And if this time of year has ever felt like a lot, the hustle, the planning, the pressure, the trying-to-do-all-the-things, we get it. And we’ve been there. But what if Christmas didn’t have to feel that way anymore?

In this week’s episode, we’re sharing The 10 Best Things About an Alcohol-Free Christmas, the gifts of peace, presence, and actual JOY that come when we take alcohol off the table.

From savoring real holiday magic with our kids…
to waking up on Christmas morning feeling rested and alive…
to actually tasting the cheese board (can we get an amen?)…

This episode will give you a fresh vision of what’s not only possible, but SO much better.

Whether this is your first holiday season alcohol-free, or your 10th, or you’re just sober-curious, this list will make you want to grab a cozy mocktail, light up your tree, and celebrate everything you’re gaining this year.

✨ What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why slowing down becomes your new holiday tradition
• How Christmas becomes more magical when you’re actually present
• The underrated joy of hangover-free holiday travel
• Why kids get the BEST version of you when you’re alcohol-free
• How Jesus takes up more space when wine doesn’t

Links & Resources:

Order your copy of Love Life Sober: A 40 Day Alcohol Fast to Rediscover Your Joy, Improve Your Health, and Renew Your Mind  https://amzn.to/42l7z9C 

Connect on Instagram: @butjesusdrankwine

Watch on YouTube: Come hang out with us HERE !

The creators, hosts, and producers of the But Jesus Drank Wine podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, psychological or professional advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any communication on behalf of BJDW or otherwise to be a substitute for such. Additionally, the views and opinions expressed in any mention of and/or linked resources are those of the authors/owners of those resources and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the But Jesus Drank Wine podcast team or guests of the show.

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En este devocional estaremos reflexionando sobre el tremendo poder que tienen la redes sociales para edificar o destruir vidas, y también, sobre la importancia de usar con sabiduría lo que compartimos; procurando que nuestras palabras y publicaciones sean instrumentos de edificación, luz y esperanza en Cristo Jesús. Querido amigo, deja que tus redes sociales sean un reflejo del amor de Cristo.

Escrito por Luciano Goicochea

Canal en Telegram: https://t.me/TheSalvationArmySoundcast

Grupo en WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/B8WQJMa1QU9AFAMdmUkwcC

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Some people seem born with the gift of hospitality. The moment you step through their doorway, peace meets you like a warm blanket. The room smells inviting, your needs are anticipated, and the details have been thoughtfully arranged with love. Many of us admire these “natural hostesses,” even if we don’t see those qualities in ourselves.

Alicia Searl shares honestly that hosting doesn’t come as easily for her anymore—especially now that the holidays feel heavier, the gatherings larger, and the expectations higher. When she learned it was her turn to host Christmas, her first reaction wasn’t joy but stress. Yet the Lord softened her heart and reminded her of something far more important than décor, menus, or perfect planning:

Hospitality is ultimately about peace, not presentation.

In Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy-two disciples with one simple instruction upon entering a home:
“First say, ‘Peace to this house.’”
No elaborate preparations. No expectations. Peace was the first gift exchanged.

If peace rested there, they were to stay, share meals, and bring the good news of God’s kingdom. If not, the peace simply returned to them, and they moved on. Simple. Sacred. Purposeful.

Hospitality is one of the primary ways believers embody the heart of Christ. Whether our homes are large or small, tidy or lived-in, beautifully decorated or simple, we are called to cultivate atmospheres where peace dwells.

Our mission field begins at our front door.
The people who enter our homes—and the homes into which we enter—should encounter the peace of Christ through us.

This season, whether you’re hosting Christmas, visiting relatives, or gathering with neighbors, you have the opportunity to bring peace into every room you enter.

Today's Bible Reading:
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you… Do not move around from house to house.” – Luke 10:5–7

Main Takeaways

• True hospitality is not about perfection—it's about peace.

• Jesus instructs us to bless homes with peace before anything else.

• Our homes can become places of ministry through simple, Christ-centered welcome.

• The peace of Christ rests where hearts are open, and it returns unharmed where it is not.

• Peace on earth begins with peace exchanged between believers in everyday relationships.

Let’s Pray

Father God,

Thank You for giving us a beautiful model of hospitality through Your Word. Help us to release the pressures of hosting and instead focus o

The Lord knows what our hearts are longing for, and multiple times in Scripture, we’re shown that He intends to satisfy our deepest longings. Revelation 7:9-17 is one of those moments. It shows us a scene that feels almost too beautiful to take in, yet the Lord wants us to see it clearly. He wants us to let this picture shape the way we live right now.

The apostle John has been walking us through terrifying judgments in earlier portions of Revelation 6. The seals are being opened, the world is trembling, and humanity is facing the consequences of long-rejected mercy. But before we continue with more judgment in Revelation 8, God gives us a pause. It is a pause full of grace. It is as if the Lord says, "Before you see what comes next, I want you to know how my story ends for my people. I want you to see the future I have prepared."

That is where Revelation 7:9-17 comes in. It shows us a redeemed family, a victorious King, and a hope that never fades.

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Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

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If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

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The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

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To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.