We're thinking of you, today, on Christmas and praying that you make room for Christ in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holidays. There's truly nothing on earth that compares to the greatness of knowing Jesus—personally. What a joy and privilege this is!
December weather is dreary, of course, so—just for fun!—we want to share some tips we've gathered over the years to help brighten things up.
Whether you're feeling up or down, it can always help to . . .
Call someone to check on them. Not only will this brighten their day, this simple social interaction is scientifically proven to brighten your day. And it doesn't have to be a long talk. Just a couple minutes on the phone has been shown to boost people's mood.
When you can, get some morning sun. Just 15-20 minutes of morning sunshine can improve your mood and wellbeing for the rest of the day. That sounds like a good trade-off.
Smile! Believe it or not, smiling reduces stress and improves your mood. . . . not to mention making us more pleasant to look at!
Be intentional about what you consume—it affects you. What you watch and what you listen to impacts your spirit and your soul, so choose wisely. Choose content that will help you 'think on those things that are good [and] helpful' (Philippians 4:8).
Here's a passage that's been encouraging us:
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:6-8 NLT)