or centuries, God prepared His people for the coming of Jesus and the great rescue He was going

to accomplish through the redemptive work of His life, death and resurrection. During Christmas we celebrate the fulfillment of the promises God made to rescue us. !We celebrate God coming for us by becoming one of us. Advent, which means coming is an opportunity for us to prepare ourselves daily. Through the four weeks preceding Christmas, to remind ourselves of Gods great mercy. Each week focuses on a major theme and calls us to a response through devotion and mission. The daily thoughts in this devotional are expressions of people from our Oakland, Winter Garden, and Disney campuses.!Our prayer is that this collaborative work will draw us deeply into the wonder of the Gospel and prepare us all to experience the fullness of God this Christmas! May the Spirit of God awaken in us a fresh view of the incarnationGod becoming flesh and blood to rescue and restore us. !May we all be left in awe of Gods redemptive work as we journey through this Christmas season.

Renaut van der Riet

Lead Pastor, Mosaic Church

Please take time to look ahead to the Saturday Devotional entries. Each week we give Missional Opportunities that are happening throughout December. Check your calendar and make note of these dates now to see which opportunities will work for you!

Monday, December 2nd

Hope Waits Happily

The Christmas season is my favorite time of the year. Some of my fondest childhood memories are tied to this holiday. Each year my parents would set presents under the Christmas tree two weeks before Christmas Day. I could barely handle the anticipation. One year, my brother found the spot where our parents would hide the presents before they could wrap them and place them under the tree. I'll never forget it. A few weeks before Christmas, my brother and I were looking at the presents that we would receive. I remember the moment I saw itthat awesome Hulk Hogan skateboard. I was ecstatic! For the next two weeks after seeing my unwrapped present, I had a genuine confidence that I would have a Hulk Hogan skateboard. In the meantime, I longed for that day with great hope and anticipation. A few days after my brother and I found the hiding spot, my parents started putting presents under the Christmas tree. The presents, of course, were wrapped. In theory, they were supposed to be a mystery to us, yet every time I walked past it, I knew that there was something great coming my way. I looked at it each day and knew that Christmas day would eventually come. How did I know my parents wouldn't pull a fast one on me? How could I be sure that they wouldn't take away the present? Well, the reason is simple; we had history. My parents had a track record of giving me good gifts every Christmas morning. I could be confident that my parents would take care of that because they had proven themselves over and over again. In the same manner, we can be confident that God will keep His promise because we have history together! As the ole hymn declares, How Ive proved Him oer and oer! During the Christmas season, we are reminded that God keeps His promises. God had promised the world a Savior, and that great hope is Christ! Just as I possessed a real confidence that I would eventually have my Hulk Hogan skateboard, we today also have an even greater confidence; we will one day be with God in Paradise.

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Fathers house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. -John 14:1-4

I possessed an assurance because the truth had been revealed to me. The same is true for us today. We, as followers of Jesus, possess the same confidence. He has not forgotten us, nor abandoned us. Christmas reminds us that God refused to let the story end with our demise. No matter what we face or what trial or affliction we suffer, we can be confident because we know the end of the story! We can be confident in Christ. For those of us who have placed our trust and faith in Jesus, we can be confident that we will one day be with Him in Paradise. We will see Him face to face, and enjoy Him forever! This is our hope!

Reflection Questions!
What is something you know for sure God has done in your life? How does it remind you of Gods faithfulness?

Kenny Ortiz Student Ministry Staff

Tuesday, December 3rd

Christmas Nostalgia
Christmas Traditions Christmas traditions make me think of a white wonderland with snowflakes falling while my toes numb from the freezing temperatures. That might be a foreign thought to Floridians. Growing up in Pennsylvania, my family had a tradition to layer up with hats, gloves and boots and trudge our way through the knee-deep snow to cut down, with a hand-saw, the biggest Christmas tree we could find. We usually ended up going on the coldest day of the year, but we always searched until we found one that looked just right, and it was usually too tall to fit inside the house. Then, the strongest of the group, usually my dad or brothers, would lay on the freezing ground and start to saw the tree trunk. When it came crashing down, someone always shouted, timberrrr! This tradition lived on every year, and it became something I could always count on. Even when I was away at college, my family would wait for me to make it home before taking the trip to cut down a tree. This will be my first year living in Florida without snow and Hothands, but the tradition will live on. I will find a Florida Christmas tree! Christmas Eve tradition My favorite day of the whole year is Christmas Eve when we ring in Christmas together at midnight church service. For the past 26 years, my hometown church in Pennsylvania would sing Watchman! Tell Us of the Night, preach of the Hope of Christmas to the people, and end with hundreds of candles illuminating the sanctuary, and of course, someone always got burned by the hot wax. The unity of the church holding candles together in the dark, singing Silent Night, is the ultimate image of Hope. !There is no other way I would want to celebrate Jesuss birth, the Hope of a new year, and the hope of eternal life with our Lord.

Arts and Crafts

This easy arts and crafts project is fun for all ages(3-99). Materials needed; red and green paper, scissors and a stapler. To start, cut paper into inch wide strips (tip: made easy with a paper cutter!). Loop paper into circles and staple together. Alternate red and green, connecting through each loop to form a chain. Goal: See if you can go around your entire house with the chain (world record accomplished in 1998 in a four bedroom house in PA). Why do I love this easy Christmas tradition? I can remember the hours cutting and stapling and the family time spent together. As I became a teenager, I used the chain as an easy decoration for my locker in high school, a few years later to decorate my grandmas assisted living apartment, moving the tradition to decorate my first rental house at college, then to teach my niece and nephew to start a brand new generation of the tradition. Variations include putting words on the paper strips, Bible verses, names, glitter paint, the options are endless!

Lori Leitzinger Winter Garden Campus

Wednesday, December 4th

Creating Memories
The thought of Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies automatically makes me smile. This isn't a gourmet recipe, but it's a yummy recipe that brings back joyful holiday memories from my childhood. These cookies take me back to afternoons spent in the kitchen baking with my mom, while Christmas music plays happily in the background. I loved spending this quality time with my mom. Once my little brother was old enough, he joined in on the fun. The three of us would laugh together as we assembled the reindeer cookies. Of course, these cookies are delicious, but I love them most because they remind me of these special memories made with loved ones and embody the general joy of Christmas-time.
Ingredients:

3/4 cup peanut butter 1 " cup firmly packed brown sugar # cup shortening 3 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 egg 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt Chocolate-covered mini pretzels Mini brown M&Ms Regular-sized red M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375. Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add egg; beat until just blended. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended. Form dough into # inch balls. To make reindeer-shaped cookies, Pinch the bottom of the ball slightly to form a point, then gently flatten with your hand. Space cookies about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until set or just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and immediately (and gently) press two mini pretzels into the tops of the cookies for the reindeers antlers. Press two mini brown M&Ms in for eyes and one red M&M for the nose (or any other color some of mine ended up with green noses. They might be South Pole reindeer.). Allow to cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack or paper towel to cool completely. Makes a serving of 40 cookies.

Morgan Page Oakland Campus

Thursday, December 5th

Legacy
The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. !-Hebrews 11:1

When I think of Christmastime, I think of crisp weather, gift giving, holiday baking, festive parties and many other amazing traditions that seem to make the first 11 months of the year dim in comparison to this very special time. After all, it is the most wonderful time of the year. It is a time to gather with family and friends and be thankful for the myriad of blessings the Lord has bestowed on us throughout the year. However, as each year passes and as I grow older, I am also reminded of another realityloss. Just as the holidays bring incredible amounts of joy, for some they bring the deepest pain. As humans, we have the capacity for countless emotions. So naturally, the loss of a family member or a dear friend touches our hearts in incredible ways. There is a kind of desperate longing for those who no longer hold a physical place at the dinner table and are held only in our hearts as we continue through our days on this earth. That longing seems to be magnified in times of celebration such as Christmas. However, there is great beauty and redemption in loss.! In its simplest terms, the very story of Christianity is living for something and someone bigger than ourselvesJesus. It is so easy to forget the simplicity behind the story of Christmas: a baby came to this earth and rescued us all from ourselves. Through His birth, His death and His resurrection, we have the hope of eternity. Think about that. Jesus was born to a mother and father on this earth. He was a baby. He grew into a man, and his disciples mourned desperately for the loss of their friend when He died, but His story did not end there. His legacy remains to this very day. His good news of redemption still remains.!

I have experienced loss in this world. I know how heartbreaking and earth-shattering death can be. Chances are if you are reading this you too have lost someone incredibly dear to you; a baby, a mother, a father, a sibling, a spouse, a friend. My challenge for you this Christmas season is to remember. Remember how the Lord blessed you through this person. Remember how our great God used their days and hours on this earth to shine His light into the darkest of places. Remember their precious legacy as a disciple of Jesus Christ and use that memory to challenge yourself each and every day to leave a beautiful legacy of your own. And most of all, remember Jesus. One of the worst things we can do is forget. Just imagine what our lives would be today if the disciples had forgotten.! This Christmas let us create a ripple effect of remembering. Let us rejoice and be thankful for the lives God has used and continues to use to further His kingdom. Most importantly, let us remember: death has no victory, especially when our hope is in Jesus Christ.!

Reflection Questions!
Who is someone in your life that has left a legacy for Gods Kingdom? What kind of legacy are you leaving?

Jennafer Newberry Mosaic at WDW Campus

Friday, December 6th

The Meaning of Christmas

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. -Luke 2:11

So many times, we lose sight of the real meaning of Christmas. The holiday season is incredibly busy. We've got office parties, extensive shopping, recitals, decorating, baking, family get-togethers, and an endless amount of extra tasks. It is so easy to forget to celebrate the birth of Christ, the manifestation of God's rescue plan. But certainly the busyness of the holiday season isn't the only thing that causes us to forget that God loves us and rescued us. We do this year-round, don't we? We allow our failures and our own inadequacies to blind us from the fact that God loves us and that He is enough for us. What is the meaning of Christmas? It is the celebration and remembrance that God did not abandon us even when we were at our worst. The Christmas season reminds us that a child was born to save us. One of the most famous clips that reminds us of our rescue comes from A Charlie Brown Christmas. Charlie had allowed the opinions of his friends to influence how he felt about himself. He allowed his own failures and insecurities to overshadow the fact that God rescued humanity. But Charlie's friend Linus reminds him that there is a reason for the season, he reminds us that despite our own failures and the stresses we bring upon ourselves, Jesus still rescued us, and He is our hope. Linus proclaims, "for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

http://mosaicfl.org/dec6

Saturday, December 7th

Bringing Hope
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abide in home. -Romans 15:13

One way that Mosaic likes to demonstrate hope is by sponsoring the Mosaic Christmas Mall. At this event, we give families in need the opportunity to provide their children with Christmas gifts. If you would like join this story and help bring hope to those families in need, the following are opportunities to be a part: Dates and Times !Setup Friday, December 6th 9pm to 12am !Help with the Christmas Mall Saturday, December 7th 7am to 12pm !Clean up Saturday, December 7th 12pm to 2pm Location Mosaic Church 608 West Oakland Avenue Oakland, Fl 34760 Contact fgonzalez29@cfl.rr.com

Reflection Questions!
Why do you believe it is important to demonstrate the hope in Christ? In what ways does the hope we have in Christ inspire us to show others?

Monday, December 9th

The Finality of Peace

And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. -Isaiah 32:17

What is the first image that comes to mind when you read the word Peace? I think of early mornings kayaking alone on the Hudson River in New York. I remember one particular morning. It was early December almost exactly six years agonormal people had put away their kayaks for the winter. I, on the other hand, was suited up in my dry-gear and on the water by 6AM. My wife and I had just discovered that while we thought we were done having children, God had decided otherwise, and we were unexpectedly expecting our third! I needed to breathe. I needed to think. I needed peace. As expected, I was the only one on the river that morning, which gave me the freedom to speak freely with God. And I did. I protested,
God, I am done with diapers. God, I am going to be an empty nester at 48! God, we have this big 10 year anniversary trip to the Caribbean scheduled for next summer, right about the time that Aimee will be giving birth! God, you are really messing up my plans!

As I loudly complained to God, I felt like every bit of His creation was speaking to me through its very silence. The river was eerily glassy. A light fog hung maybe 20 feet above the water creating a sound and light canopy closing me in and limiting my vision. The crisp northeast December air felt still, in the way that ice feels still. And out of nowhere, God invaded that stillness with the most gentle snow you could imagine. The flakes floated down like feathers all around me before melting into the river unseen. And while my mind was racing, and my heart was turbulent, and my attitude was harsheverything around me was slow, still, and soft. Like a mother soothes a child with soft noises and gentle words, Our Father used that moment on the Hudson River to whisper into

my ear that everything was going to be just fine. He calmed my heart and mind and gently rebuked my doubting approach to His good will and purposes. He breathed Peace into my soul and called me to the unique privilege and burden of raising a boy in hopes that one day, he will become a man of God. And 8 months later, Simon Wisdom Taylor was born. Peace can mean so many things. Its a greeting that gently says, Peace be with you. Its the end of war, it stirs up images of health and good-times, well-being and security, but the most powerful and final image of peace is the reconciliation of God and Man through the birth, and ultimately the death of the Christ-Child. Much like my morning on the Hudson River, the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings silence to the noise of our sinful souls. Christs birth quietly invades our world with grace and truth, and calls us to a greater purpose as we too speak the Peace of Christ to the world around us.

Reflection Questions!
Where do you most need to experience the reconciling Peace of Christ in your life today? Spend some time in prayer about that. Ask God to quiet your soul and create a space for you to encounter Him.

Phil Taylor Executive Pastor

Tuesday, December 10th

Peace in the Midst of the Storm

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me - put into practice and the God of Peace will be with you. -Philippians 4:9

! In the summer of 1996, my brother Lonnie was faced with a diagnosis of ALS, a disease of the nerve cells in the brain. Devastated from the recent news, the extended family decided to gather for Christmas in Oklahoma City that year. We met for the first time on Christmas Eve at the church we grew up in. The sight of my brother walking slowly towards us with a cane took my breath away. I vividly remember songs of Christ echoing around us. It was not his fragile state that captivated us, but the incredible peace radiating from him. He witnessed to us during that time despite the storm he was facing with each loss of muscle control. While we wanted to grieve, he was giving thanks to God for every blessing in his life. He never stopped smiling, even smiling with his eyes, right until the end on March 5th, 1998 when he went home to the Lord. Prior to his passing, he had shared with us that he saw Jesus at the gates welcoming him home. We had such peace. Lonnie had no time to feel sorry for himself. He had an eternal agenda, and that agenda was to proclaim the name of Jesus to everyone he encountered. We will always carry that piece of Christmas 1996 in our hearts. It was a time when God reminded us that true peace is found in Him alone.

Reflection Questions
Take time today to pray for those who are struggling with loss this Christmas.!That all would feel the peace and comfort of our great God. Is there someone who stood out during your prayer time?!Think of a practical way to bless them this week.!What can you do to let them know that you love them?

Jeanne Awtrey Oakland Campus

Wednesday, December 11th

Finding Refuge in the Lord

The Lord your God is with you... He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with His love...

-Zephaniah 3:17

Chocolate Delight This recipe is a holiday staple in my family. I have distinct memories from childhood of standing on a chair in front of the stove helping my mom prepare for our annual Christmas feast. She would let me pour in ingredients and stir until my hearts content, all the while teaching me that even the simplest activities can create the fondest memories of laughter, bonding, learning, and love. Its easy to take traditions like this for granted, but when we pause to think of the meaning behind them, we are reminded and amazed that the Lord takes delight in giving us these special blessings.
Crust:

# cup butter or margarine, softened 3 cups milk 1 cup chopped pecans 8oz. cream cheese 1 cup self-rising flour 1 cup powdered sugar 1 large carton of Cool Whip, divided 1 large package of chocolate instant pudding

Layers:

To prepare the crust, mix together the butter, pecans, and flour. The mixture will be loose. Press into the bottom of a greased 13x9 casserole dish. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Let cool 1 hour. For the first layer, mix 1 cup Cool Whip, cream cheese, and powdered sugar with a hand mixer until smooth. Pour over layer, beat pudding and milk until thick. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top the puddiner crust. For the second layer with the rest of the Cool Whip. Sprinkle additional pecans if desired. Keep refrigerated.

Reflection Questions
What are some holiday traditions you share with your family? What does God teach you through each of those special traditions? Take some time this week to share with your family how much those traditions mean to you. How can you revive the meaning and purpose of the traditions in your family? What new tradition can you start with your family or friends this Christmas?

Holli Smith Mosaic at WDW Campus

Thursday, December 12th

Remembering Jesus
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; !and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
-Isaiah 9:6

""Jesus is the reason for the season. We hear this and other familiar sayings every year.!Have they become commonplace, ordinary, maybe even worn out? Is Jesus truly the reason for the season in your life?!In today's society, the true meaning of Christmas gets overshadowed by gifts, decorations, snowmen, santa, and the commercialization of Christmas. It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of holiday traffic and forget about Christ. We even disregard patience, do away with forgiveness, and love is reserved for our closest friends and family. Endless distractions keep us from focusing on Jesus during this time of year. So in the midst of good friends and family, take time to delight in the Lord and give thanks for our Savior's birth. Rejoice in the fact that Jesus was born to forgive our sins and bring joy and love to the world. !Its worth remembering and honoring year round, and it starts at Christmas.!Lets remind ourselves that Jesus is truly the reason for the season.

Reflection Questions
How will you remember our savior's birth? What will you do to honor him in your life in the coming year?

Joseph Warren Mosaic at WDW Campus

The Son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God.
- C. S. Lewis

Friday, December 13th

Christ, Our Cornerstone

For it stands in Scripture: Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. !-1 Peter 2:6

! In masonry and construction, it is always essential that builders and architects have a strong foundation, which the rest of the building can be properly built upon. If the foundation is unreliable, the building is doomed to eventually collapse. One of the greatest things about God is that He has given us a strong foundation upon which we can relyJesus! God wasnt going to leave this to chance and take a risk with the cornerstone of our lives. He, Himself, chose to become the cornerstonemotivated by His love for us. We have the opportunity this Christmas to remind ourselves that Christ alone is our cornerstone.
!Recently, Hillsong recorded a new version of the traditional hymn Solid Rock, called Cornerstone. It reminds us that God is the cornerstone of our lives.

Reflection Questions
In what ways have you allowed the love of God to be forgotten in your life? In what ways has Jesus been the number one priority in your life? What things can you insert or add to help you make Jesus the number one priority?

http://mosaicfl.org/dec13

Saturday, December 14th

Experiencing Joy
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, and those who love your name may exult in you. Psalm 5:11

There are many ways in which we can experience the joy that God brings. This week we can do so by helping out at Matthews Home Christmas Carnival. We will set up and run a booth that has games for kids, as well as, give out gifts to the families. Another opportunity this week in which we can do so is volunteer at the CBC Foster Care Christmas Party. We will help put on an annual Christmas party for the children in foster care If you are interested in helping and being a part of either of these events, heres how to do so: Matthews Hope Carnival Date and Time Saturday December 14th 1pm to 3:30pm Location 1460 Daniels Road Winter Garden, Fl 34787 Contact
meredith@matthewshopeministries.org

CBC Foster Care Christmas Party Date and Time December 14th 4pm-7pm Location 4603 west colonial drive Orlando, Fl 32808 Contact gstddt@gmail.com

Reflection Questions
Why does God want us to experience His joy? How are you demonstrating the Joy of Christ in your life and inspiring other with that?

Monday, December 16th

Jesus Presence Is Our Pure Joy

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. -Matthew 2:10 In normal life your celebrations don't usually intersect with your sad times and your sad times aren't typically your times of celebration... We try our best to keep our sadness and our celebration separate. It just makes life less complicated. -Paul Tripp

! The Joy of Christmas beckons us to behold gladness and gloom. Joy is the third week of our Advent celebration. !What joyful characteristics are evident in your celebration? Could it be singing, serving the least of these, sharing a meal, repentance, prayers of praise, comforting the sick and the mourning, blessing a stranger with the last parking space, hospitality in your home, crying, greeting hello and bidding goodbye, strolling on the beach, mesmerized by the artistry of a masterful God? Is it possible for all of these descriptions to be in harmony with joy? If so, then what on earth is joy? Perhaps !we must look beyond earth - the temporal - and saturate our longing with a more promising look at joy. Everything changed when the wise men (also rendered Magi) saw the star (Matthew 2:1-18). They were plunged into worship as they came closer to the presence of the King. Little did they know that once they walked through the door of that lowly place, they would encounter their exceeding joy, a King in full disguise, arrayed in the vesture of a vulnerable child. However, His appearance didnt matter; it was His Presence. They could not contain their joy. It came in the most untamed ways with gushes of rejoicing. Was their joy obstructed when they would soon leave the presence of their King? Was their joy diminished in any way when they were severely warned in a dream to depart in a secret manner? What might Mary or Josephs joy have looked like to witness their peculiar Child being lavished with gold, frankincense, and myrrh? Was their joy deflated soon after Joseph received his distressing

dream about Herods intention to destroy Immanuel? Joy, Im sure, isnt what you first see when Joseph or the wise men reacted upon receiving seemingly bad news. Their authentic joy was deeply-rooted in an encounter, not an emotion. Their exceeding joy, our exceeding joy, is not all about receiving good earthly news, which is temporal (important, but temporal); rather, its all about receiving and resting in the good heavenly news, which is ultimate and eternal. In view of Jesus being our greatest joy, when we encounter less than delightful news, especially when we encounter less than delightful news, we can allow joy and sadness to dance together in our hearts. We, of all people, have the peculiar privilege to weep with joy and celebrate with sadness until He makes all things new! Jesus' presence in our life will inevitably shepherd us in our sad and happy places. Joy, such as this, can never be overshadowed or diminished by the temporal things in this life. His presence alone is our permanent and pure Joy.

Reflection Questions
In view of challenges, suffering, or overwhelming feelings, how can you and those you love authentically savor and count it all joy in the midst of this Advent season? (James 1:2-4) What does Jesus promise to all of His disciples? (John 17:12, 13)

Andrea Palmer Womens Ministry Director

Tuesday, December 17th

Choosing Joy
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. -Psalm 16:11

! Have you seen those people who just radiate joy?!There is something about them that draws others to them. Do they have fewer problems than the rest of us? The answer is no. In fact they probably have more. Joy is a product of hardships and trials.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith!produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature!and complete, not lacking anything. -James 1:2-4

Joy is a choice in the midst of trials. !Persevering through hard times leads to maturity, and we should be joyful because God is working in and through our lives. God is making us into the person who HE wants us to be, just as the potter works with the clay. !Often, the very things that we try to avoidtrials, suffering, persecution, painare the very things that will help bring us abundant joy. How often do we pray against the work that God wants to accomplish in our lives? Those people who just radiate joy do it because they choose to look at adversity as an opportunity. They choose to walk with Jesus for in His presence there is fullness of joy. When you are in Gods presence, the cares of the world fade away. They cannot compete with His majesty. You make known to me the path of life. Joy comes from the complete fulfillment of our ultimate purpose, which is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Joy is much deeper than happiness or getting swept up in the Christmas spirit. Joy is birthed in the presence of God, matured through perseverance, and completed in eternity.

Reflection Questions
In what areas of your life are you hindering joy? How can you experience more of Gods presence this holiday season?

Jamin Wunderink Winter Garden Campus

Wednesday, December 18th

TheJoyoftheLordisYourStrength
"Do not be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!" -Nehemiah 8:10

Arroz Con Gandules

(Rice with Pigeon Peas)

This is our traditional Holiday rice dish. Gandules are also known as Pigeon Peas and can be found in markets that cater to Latinos.
Ingredients:

2 cups grain rice (rinsed) 4 to 5 cups of hot water, or beef broth- appx. # cup sofrito 16 ounces can of gandules 2 tablespoons of alcaparrado (capers and olives mixed together) 1 packet of Sazon with achiote 1 can tomato sauce 3 tablespoons of oil Salt & pepper to taste

In a medium size caldero (cast aluminum pot) add the oil, tomato sauce, alcaparrado, sofrito and sazon. Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add all other ingredients, and enough water to cover the rice 1" above the rice line. Start with 1 teaspoon of salt stir and keep adding and mixing well until you are satisfied with the taste. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until most of the water is absorbed. Once the water has been absorbed, stir gently from bottom to top - once or twice only. Cover and turn the heat down to low. !Cook for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. Serve with pork.

Reflection Questions
Life is a precious gift from God, yet the very thing we are so incredibly blessed with can also be so complicated and painful with all its obstacles and challenges. How is it that the joy of the Lord can be our strength on lifes journey when were wounded, hurt, and in so much pain? !Ive learned to do one specific thing to sustain me and experience this joy despite what my circumstances may look like: praying Gods Word. How is it that the joy of the Lord can be our strength when we pray according to the word of God? What need can you express to your Father, in exchange for Him to show you His joy and power?

Raquel Shreve Oakland Campus

Thursday, December 19th

The Joy of Giving

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above... -James 1:17

I'm the worst at surprises because as soon as I buy a gift, I want to give it right away so I can see the joy on the person's face when they open it. But in order to see that light and excitement in the eyes of the recipient of your gift, you have to give them a gift they will actually enjoy - and that involves taking the time to know that person well. Sometimes with extended family that you only see once a year at Christmas, its hard to really know and be known well. A few Christmases ago, my Aunt Lisa handed me a giant gift bag, and I pulled out the tissue paper to find a huge 2-foot tall stuffed Holiday Pooh Bear. I thought to myself, What in the world were you thinking when you bought this? !However, I knew I had to tame my tongue, so I quickly replied, Er, thanks... Aunt Lisa. You like Pooh Bear dont you? Yeah... thanks again. I did like Pooh Bear an awful lot when I was in third grade, but I was 22 at the time. And granted, to this day, Im still a Disney fanatic, however, Pooh isnt really up there in my top ten. Now its a joke with my family to get me Pooh Bear paraphernalia as gag gifts. Well all my family except Aunt Lisa who still believes I really like Pooh Bear, and I havent the heart to tell her otherwise.

Reflection Question
God loves giving good and perfect gifts to His children because He knows us and loves us completely. And He graciously invites us to enjoy the gift of giving with Him! What person in your family or community could you endeavor to know more completely, so you could bless them with a gift that will bring light to their eyes and joy to their heart?

Sarah Stinson Oakland Campus

Friday, December 20th

Joy, Unspeakable Joy!

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. -Psalm 16:11

! As we draw closer to December 25th, we continue to prepare our hearts to receive Jesus during this season. ! Unspeakable joy is found in the pursuit of God Himself; it is to be fought for on a daily basis. It is to be found in the trenches of battling our daily struggles, in the simple pleasure and the complexities of our lives. Unspeakable Joy is found in hearts willing to listen to the innumerable ways God whispers to us as He reminds us of His fullnessHis presence. Acts 2:27 assures us, You have made known to me the ways of life; You will enrapture me [diffusing my soul with joy with and in Your presence]. Above all, let us willfully acknowledge that joy is found in the midst of intimacy with a loving God who desires to fill us with joy unspeakable joy!
Take time to sing aloud today Joy to The World by Chris Tomlin

Reflection Questions
How will you show joy to a world in the midst of your daily struggles or disappointments? ! How will you commit yourself to being filled by Gods extravagant, unspeakable JOY during a season of busyness and calendar madness?

http://mosaicfl.org/dec20

Saturday, December 21st

Helping Hands
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all." -2 Thessalonians 3:16

! The Christmas season reminds us that we can have peace with God. The Christmas season reminds us of a fresh start that we can trust God. We can go out and reach others and help them to experience a peace with God. One incredible way we can do so this week is by leading a hand at the New Beginnings Helping Hands Christmas Outreach. We will be serving lunch and offering groceries and clothing to families that are in need. Date and Time Saturday, December 21st 10am to 1pm Location Winn Dixie Parking Lot 684 East Highway 50 Clermont, Fl 34711 Contact asalvador@cfl.rr.com

Reflection Questions
Have you experienced peace with God and lended helping hands? How have you inspired others to experience that peace with God as well?

Monday, December 23rd

Love is an Action
Dear children, let us not love in word or in talk; but in deed and in truth. -1 John 3:18

! Friends, the month of Advent Celebration is drawing to a close and Christmas is only two days away! And by Christmas, of course, we commemorate the birth of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. !Hopefully, these last three weeks together have given us a chance to contemplate the hope, peace and joy that we enjoy because of !the arrival of !Christ.!This last week of Advent, as His birthday nears, we turn our hearts toward love as we gather to celebrate the birth of Jesus and share the longing all Christians have in common for the return of the Messiah. Love is a magnet that draws believers together and attracts unbelievers to Christ. When we have the love of Jesus, it strengthens our connection to the body of Christ, and it perplexes the unbelievers who sense something different and wonderful in our lives. They want to know more, and they want to experience it. This week of Advent, the week of love, is an opportunity for Christians to share our love for Jesus, for our families, and for the people in our lives. When you think about it, love in action is the story of Christmas. For God so loved the world that He sent his only son.!This is the truth, for God so loved the world, followed by the action, that He sent his only son. The truth is confirmed by the action. !Even more amazingly, an all-knowing God sent his only son to be the justification for us;!He sent His Son to die. In Hebrew, this is called Hesed love, the passionate, undying devotion of a superior to an inferior, especially when it is undeserved. !When you pause and reflect on that type of love, you are both humbled and grateful, comforted and awestruck. ! Jehovah so loved us that He came to show us the way.!He became fleshexperiencing pain and sufferingknowing that He would be the sacrifice on the cross.!Jesus had every ability to change course, but He followed through on his words with His loving sacrifice. This is the ultimate display of love in action.

So friends, lets not merely say we love each other; !let us show our love for each other, by our actions. How do we love people this week? Hug them, feed them, forgive them, pray for them, spend time with them, laugh with them, smile at them, give to them, bless them, and you wont have to tell them they are loved, because they will already know. "
"...and the greatest of these is love." !-1 Corinthians 13:13

Reflection Questions
Is there a friend in your life, whether he or she is a believer or not, in need of a spark, who you can reach out to and say, I would love to celebrate Advent with you. And then, let your actions reflect your words. Show them that you love celebrating Christs birthday with them. Pick someone in your life to show an act of love; try not to pick an easy person or the first person that comes to mind.!Reach inside yourself and pick that person far down the list.!Show them love.

Alex Ellerman Oakland Campus

Tuesday, December 24th

Remain in Gods Love

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. -John 15:9

Christmas is a time for family, reflection, and love. God has blessed our family with His unconditional love through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is only through His grace and great love that we walked through years of infertility and into parenthood. However, Gods blessing did not stop with one. In prayer, I dared ask that God give me His eyes, and He showed us favor by increasing our family with a 17year-old young man who had been tossed aside by his family. For almost a decade, we have called him son and adopted him into our family. Without Gods eyes, we would never have noticed him. Gods story was not finished. Three years later, He would introduce us to a young lady who would also be adopted into our hearts and into our home. We are now a family of five, and we have learned to love past the flaws and unconditionally accept the children God has given. Infertility gave us eyes to see the eternal value in all of Gods children created in His image. I am glad that we stayed in the battle for the souls of these young people. They are a blessing and truly a wonderful addition to our family. As I reflect on this season of love and gifts, I am sure that Jesus is the greatest gift of all, followed by the gift of family. It is the longing of our hearts to belong and our earthly family is a prelude to eternity.

Reflection
Abide in my love is Jesus instruction to His disciples in John 15:9. Only through remaining in Christs love can we do the impossible. Not everyone shares the same background of upbringing, but Gods love has a way of breaking through hearts of stone and replacing them with hearts of flesh.

Madeline Spencer Winter Garden Campus

Wednesday, December 25th

The Ultimate Gotcha Day

God places the solitary in families. -Psalm 68:6

" Gotcha Day is known as the day an adoptive family brings a child into their family forever. Just as earthly adoptive families anxiously anticipate the arrival of a most beloved child, Mary and Joseph awaited the arrival of Jesus. His arrival, like those of most adopted children, was more humble than heroic. On the day Jesus came to earth to put on flesh and squeeze all His Glory into a fragile human shell, He left the familiar and comfortable to embrace hardship and trial. Lavish love compelled Him to come. His purpose was to give us the opportunity to be a part of His Forever Family. We could never earn our way into this Forever Family. We needed someone willing to take on our sin, to overcome it, and pave the way for our souls to be with Him. God's remedy for our malady was to give us each a home in Him and to make His Home in us. A forever family would be a place to restore what was lost and a place for the lost to be found. On Christmas Day, we celebrate God's heart on full display through our adoption. We celebrate belonging to the Everlasting Father and being found by the Prince of Peace. We give thanks for the Gotcha Day when God made a Way in a Manger so we could be part of his forever family.

Reflection
"The Spirit you have received adopts you and welcomes you into God's own family. God's Spirit confirms in our spirits that we are His children." -Romans 8:15-16

Amy Brady Oakland Campus

Thursday, December 26th

Gods Empathy For Us

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. -Hebrews 4:15

When we think of Jesus birth, most people picture a quiet, peaceful manger. Nothing in scripture indicates that Mary and Joseph had an unusual birth experience apart from who she was giving birth to: the savior of mankind.!In fact, given that the birth of Jesus happened in a stable and He spent his first minutes of life in a feed trough, the experience was possibly more hectic than a modern delivery room! The birth of Christ sent an enduring message from our God that reverberates today; our God not only sought to save us from our own sin, but He sent Jesus as fully God AND fully man, so that He could empathize with our plight as humans. !Starting with the manger, Jesus experienced life as a human with all of its struggles and temptations. Out of all the possible ways that God could atone for our sins, He gave us a Savior that was willing to humble himself and neglect his own status in order to sympathize with our weaknesses. Our Father fulfilled His plan, which allowed us to re-enter an intimate relationship with Him through Jesus. We serve a God that cares about our eternal salvation, and understands and cares about our everyday needs and struggles. He, above all else, deserves our eternal gratitude.
!

Reflection Questions
How does the empathy that God showed in sending Jesus impact how you should relate to others? What markers can you place in your life to remember that Jesus is relatable, and that he came to live an unblemished life as fully God and fully man in order to empathize with humanity and restore our relationship with God?

Andy Kelly Winter Garden Campus

Friday, December 27th

Ten Ways To Love

Listen without interrupting

(Proverbs 18)

Speak without accusing

(James 1:19)

Give without sparing

(Proverbs 21:26)

Pray without ceasing

(Colossians 1:9)

Answer without arguing

(Proverbs 17:1)

Share without pretending

(Ephesians 4:15)

Enjoy without complaint

(Philippians 2:14)

Trust without wavering

(Corinthians 13:7)

Forgive without punishing

(Colossians 3:13)

Promise without forgetting

(Proverbs 13:12)

Saturday, December 28th

Surface Love
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. !
-Ezekiel 36:26

A friend of mine has a close and loving family. He has fantastic relationships with his children and wife.!One day on a long walk, he shared his secret with me:
So many families are rude or disrespectful to each other every day. They may come back and say, I know I'm not nice to you, but deep down, I really love you. I disagree. So I told my family, despite how we feel on the inside, we are going to love each other on the surface.

My family loves each other on the surface everyday, even in the little things. !We're nice to each other, we do things for each other, we care for each other, and we all say, I love you. I tell my family, if you want to hate me deep down that's fine, but on the surface, in our words and deeds, we're going to love one another despite how we may feel inside. What my friend and I realized wasit's impossible to love each other constantly on the surface and not love each other deep down. Nevertheless, this is the example that Christ has set for usBut I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44) With the Christmas season coming to an end, let us continue the journey in loving one another.

Reflection Questions
Who is someone God has placed in your life that you have experienced difficulty loving?!Maybe its someone at work, someone at school, or someone in your extended family. Think of a tiny step you can take toward this person in love. Take that step, and be confident that love never fails.

Bonus Devotional

A Conversation With Hope

Me: God, would You speak to me about hope? God: Yes. Hope is like a place. A spacious room that you enter into. Me: How do I get there? God: Fix your eyes on Me. Focus them on Me. Keep them on Me. This is what will usher you into the Place of Hope. You may not see with your natural eyes the fulfillment of what you are hoping for, but when you hope with Me, when your hope is in Me, I will be the fulfillment you most long for. Me: My experiences have taught me that when I fix my eyes on my circumstances or people or anything but You, I find myself feeling hopeless, lost, controlling, desperate. God: I know, and that is not what I have for you. Listen to Me. When Hope dances with Trust there is Peace. Trust must be present if Hope is desired. Me: As I fix my eyes on You there is a certainty. There is a quiet confidence. There is a calm assurance. There is unspeakable peace. God: Remain steadfast with Hope and when you are filled up, you will become a beacon of Hope for those around you. Me: That is my heart's desire. God: I know it is. Always remember that Jesus is My One and Only Hope for the world.

Me: Ahhhh...no wonder Joseph and Mary and the shepherds and the angels and the wise men and anyone else that encountered Jesus that first Christmas and the weeks that followed exclaimed with elation and joy, "Hope has entered the world!" God: (smiling) Yes, My child. Color Hope on every circumstance, on every trial, on every challenge and you will find yourself splashing Hope on others. It is a beautiful thing. Me: I will clothe myself with Hope. I will put Jesus on. I will trust that I am Yours and You are mine and that Your love for me will continue drawing me into deeper, abiding, lasting hope. God: Dance your way into Hope. Dance your way into Me. The invitation is to hide yourself in Me where you will stay hopefilled, hopeful, full of Jesus. So that when you are bumped, it is Hope that spills out. When you are tested or provoked it is Jesus that comes pouring out of you.

Priscilla Malin Oakland Campus

The greatest and most momentous fact which the history of the world records is the fact of Christs - Charles H. Spurgeon! birth.