Advent for students

By STACY PETERS
Guest Columnist

As we enter the week of Christmas, many find ourselves with busyness all around. There are decorations to hang, parties to attend, gifts to buy and wrap, and treats to bake. For students in schools, there are also finals to take, grades to be finalized, classroom celebrations, and dress up days.

I have found that students need more assistance with regulation and balance than ever. Students are challenged with the demands of school, family, time management, and relationships. These demands can become even more significant during the Christmas season. At Legacy Christian School, we remind students to turn their focus to the true gift of the season, Jesus.

Advent is a season of preparation and waiting in the Christian faith. Many are familiar with advent calendars and counting down to the anticipated event, using chocolates, toys, or symbolic figures.

The word advent means waiting or coming. Christians thousands of years ago were waiting for Jesus’ birth and Christians today are awaiting His return. The period of advent is the four weeks leading up to Christmas and includes the values of hope, peace, joy, and love. Each week, we take time to prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth and His return.

Hope is the focus of the first week, knowing that God will fulfill all His promises. We can trust in this, even when circumstances are difficult, because this hope is rooted in the faithfulness of the Lord.

Peace is the focus of the second week of advent. My pastor recently taught that spiritual peace comes not from the absence of conflict, but from the presence of Jesus. For students, gaining peace can mean a break from the pressures and routines of school, and working towards being quiet and still. The advent season helps us to cancel some of the noise of the world to find spiritual, relational, and emotional peace and calmness.

Joy is celebrated during the third week of advent. Joy is a choice, a lasting attitude that is based on knowing the Lord and Savior, not on circumstances.

Love is the central theme and is celebrated on the fourth week of advent. Love is a gift from God, and we can love others because of His love for us. Recognizing God’s love through His actions and sending His son Jesus, helps us to understand His great love for us.

As students and adults alike reflect on these four values during the Advent season, we are drawn closer to Christ. We are also challenged to share these values with others. I would encourage you to reflect on times when you have been blessed with great hope, peace, joy, or love in your life. Tell the stories of these time to others to encourage them. We can love others more deeply through the Christmas season by drawing close to Christ and always leading with love.

Use this season to prepare your hearts and minds for Christmas, but also for the life ahead. Let the truths of advent sit with you all year. Let them encourage you and challenge you to live out these values with your life, thoughts, and actions. Merry Christmas in the waiting!

Stacy Peters is a teacher, mother, and wife. She has an undergraduate degree from Purdue University, a Masters of Teaching from Marion University, and has worked in public and private education for over 20 years. She is passionate about nurturing a love of learning, service, and Jesus in children. She and her family reside in Noblesville.