Why Advent Matters More Than Ever — and How a Simple 25-Day Journey Can Lead Your Heart Back to Christ
- Tio Felipe
- Nov 28
- 5 min read
Every year, as December draws close, I hear the same quiet confession from believers across different seasons of life: “I feel like I’m missing Christmas even while I’m walking straight through it.” It’s not rebellion. It’s not indifference. It’s weariness—the kind that settles into the soul long before the tree is trimmed or the calendar fills.
And if we’re honest, most of us feel it at some level.
Advent speaks right into that ache.
It reminds us that before the angels sang, before the manger held a Savior, before wise men ever traced a star—God’s people waited. Longed. Groaned. Hoped. Advent isn’t a countdown to presents. It’s the slow rediscovery of wonder. It’s the church whispering to her own tired heart: “Lift your eyes again. He has come, and He is coming still.”
That’s why I wrote Rediscovering Christmas, a simple 25-day Advent devotional that walks from December 1 to December 25. And my prayer is that it becomes a gentle companion on your journey back to what your heart was made to hold: the wonder of Christ Himself.
Let me share why Advent matters—and why this devotional journey may be exactly what your soul needs this year.
Advent Begins in the Ache—and That’s a Holy Place
The Scriptures teach us that longing is not a flaw in the believer’s life. Longing is a sign of life. It proves the heart still knows what wholeness is supposed to feel like.
That’s why the devotional begins with these words:
“There’s a kind of ache that rises quietly as December begins… Advent doesn’t ask you to hide this ache. It invites you to name it.”
—Rediscovering Christmas, Day 1
Advent isn’t afraid of your weariness. It doesn’t ask you to “Christmas harder.” It simply reminds you that God has always met His people right in the middle of their longing.
Israel waited in darkness before seeing a great light. Mary waited in bewilderment before saying yes to God. Joseph waited in confusion before obeying what he could not fully understand. We wait, too—for God to mend what is broken, heal what still hurts, restore what’s been lost, and steady what feels fragile.
Advent is the church learning to wait with hope again.
And hope—real hope—is born in honest places.
Advent Slows the Soul So We Can See Christ Clearly
Most of us don’t struggle with unbelief as much as we struggle with hurry. We don’t intentionally forget Christ—we simply don’t slow down long enough to notice Him.
But in Scripture, God rarely reveals Himself at full speed.
He comes in a whisper to Elijah. He comes in a dream to Joseph. He comes in the quiet womb of an ordinary girl from Nazareth.
Advent invites us to breathe again—not as a luxury, but as a spiritual practice.
This is why every day of the devotional ends with something called A Simple Act of Christmas. These aren’t tasks. They’re gentle nudges back toward awareness—one deep breath, one whispered prayer, one moment of quiet, one small reflection.
“You don’t need another task. You don’t need to perform or perfect anything. You need room to breathe. You need a moment to remember. You need Jesus.”
—Introduction, Rediscovering Christmas
When life accelerates, Advent slows us. When December overwhelms, Advent re-centers us. When our hearts feel scattered, Advent gathers us again around the manger.
Advent Reawakens Wonder in Ordinary Places
One of the most beautiful truths of Advent is that God didn’t send His Son into a world that was ready. He sent Him into a world that was crowded, distracted, and unaware.
There was no room at the inn. No warm welcome. No one waiting at the door.
And yet—God arrived anyway.
If Christmas tells us anything, it’s this: Christ comes into the very places that don’t feel prepared for Him. He enters the clutter. He steps into the ordinary. He meets us in the days that look nothing like the Christmas cards we mail.
That truth shapes the heart of the devotional. You won’t find pressure to “create a holy moment.” Instead, you’ll learn to notice the holiness already woven into the common hours of your day.
An unexpected moment of stillness. A breath you didn’t rush. A kindness you received without asking. A reminder that God is near when you weren’t looking for Him.
Advent helps us see these small graces for what they really are—footprints of a God who has never stopped drawing near.
Advent Helps Us Enter the Story of Christ’s Coming — and His Coming Again
Historically, Advent is not merely a remembrance of Christ’s first coming; it’s preparation for His second. The church doesn’t look only backward—it also looks forward.
We remember the manger, and we anticipate the trumpet.
We remember God’s faithfulness in Bethlehem, and we trust His faithfulness to complete what He began.
When you walk through this devotional, you’ll notice a movement across the days:
longing → arrival → revelation.
This mirrors the biblical storyline:
Longing reminds us why we need a Savior.
Arrival reveals the God who comes close.
Revelation opens our eyes to the glory of Christ—both now and in the age to come.
We enter into the story slowly because the story itself leads our hearts toward hope, not through noise but through promise.
Why This Devotional Can Be a Gift to Your December
There are countless Advent resources available, so let me share what makes Rediscovering Christmas unique and especially helpful for weary believers:
It’s simple—intentionally simple
Every reading is one page. Every action is gentle and doable. Every day gives you space, not more pressure.
It is shaped by Scripture, not sentiment
Each day begins with a passage of Scripture that anchors the reflection. Advent is not nostalgia. It is theology made visible: God has come near in Christ.
The tone is quiet, pastoral, and tender
If your heart is tired—spiritually, emotionally, or physically—this devotional gives you a safe place to rest without demanding anything from you.
It meets you where you actually are
Not in your ideal December, but in your real one. Between errands, responsibilities, griefs, hopes, and ordinary days.
It leads you toward Christ slowly, day by day
There’s no rush. No need to “catch up.” Just a steady return to the One who carries you.
A Final Word Before Advent Begins
My prayer is simple: That this Advent, Christ would meet you not in your perfection, but in your longing. Not in your strength, but in your weariness. Not in your achievements, but in your need.
That you would find yourself saying again—perhaps for the first time in a while—“My soul has seen a great light.”
If your heart is hungry for a gentler, more Christ-centered December… If you need a quiet place for your soul to breathe… Or if you simply want to slow down long enough to notice God again…
I invite you to walk with me through this 25-day Advent journey.
Let’s rediscover the wonder of Christ together.
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