American Family Radio is hosting its third annual Nurse Mama Christmas party

>> Jeff Chamblee: Hello and welcome to the Dr. Nurse Mama show, prescribing Hope for healthy families here on American Family Radio. Here's your host, professor, pediatric nurse practitioner and mom of four, Dr. Jessica Peck.

>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, hey there, friends, and welcome to my favorite part of the afternoon, my favorite time m of year. And listen, I know that today is not Friday, but you, it kind of feels like a Friday. And I want to tell you Merry Christmas. We are in the full heart of the season here. We are less than a week away from Christmas Eve, which is so exciting. And today we are having our third. Now I cannot believe this, our third annual Christmas party. This is hosted by me and by my producer, Stephanie, who's here in the studio with me as always. And we have been doing this. This will be the third year that we've done this and we are going to have a massive gift giveaway show. So all year long, Stephanie has been working to get stuff for you that we can give away. We thank so much all of the authors, the publishers, all of our donors who have contributed to things to give away to you. And so all this whole show long, we are going to be giving away stuff. So I'm about to give out the phone number, but before I do, I have to give you an important announcement. Don't forget that, that Hannah's Heart is having a conference. I've been talking about this all week. They're having a conference in January in Tupelo, Mississippi. It's not too far from Birmingham or Memphis, even if you want to travel in there. You could fly, you could drive if you live close. But it's a great conference for families who are experiencing infertility, pregnancy loss, miscarriage, all of those challenges that come along with starting a family. And Kendra and Anne, the host of Hannah's Heart, have built a beautiful community for families walking through that. And I know there's that have had interactions online. They're so excited to have those interactions in person. So you can go to afr.net look, look for the Hannah's Heart conference on the website. You can call the main American Family association line. They will find somebody to get that information for you. But all this week and tomorrow will be the last day, they're having 50% off of registration. So you may want to pass that information along to someone who needs it. And that is really important to do now.

We are to start our giveaways now. Here are the rules. You can only win once in the show

We are to start our giveaways now. I'm going to give out the phone number. Before I do. Here are the rules. Here's what's going to happen. You can only win something once in the show. So if you win, if you are a winner, don't try to call back and win a second time. We want to spread the wealth because I know as soon as I give out this phone number, my phone lines are going to go crazy. And, we are going to take five callers each segment. So if you are holding, if it's ringing, don't hang up because we have our amazing call screener who is going to take all of these. And if you are so inclined, we would love for you to tell what maybe is your favorite habit that you've had. If you've been following along the show and if there's a habit that's changed your life, tell our call screener and let us know. We'd love to hear that. Are you ready? Here is the phone number. It is 888-589-8840. Okay, I know it's about to just start to light up here. I'm going to give it again, 888-589-8840. We're going to take the first five callers and I'm going to tell you some of the amazing things that we're going to be giving away. Now, we cannot guarantee delivery for Christmas because we are too close to that. But we can guarantee that you will be blessed in the new year by a resource that is sent to you. And I can't tell you who is going to get what. That's part of the fun and what you're going to get in. And as we gather in a season that is filled with lights and laughter and familiar songs and traditions, Christmas just has a way of drawing us together. We might be gathering around the tables. Maybe your family is like mine, and we love to play games. We get really competitive. Maybe you're gathering around the piano and singing songs. If that's your family, let me know. I want to come over and sing with you. Maybe you're gathering around the Christmas tree for traditions. Maybe you're gathering around your couch to watch your favorite Christmas movie. Mine's It's a Wonderful Life for sure. And maybe it's just gathering around, just family that you haven't been around in a long time. And we celebrate because something deep within us knows that this season matters. But listen, Christmas is more than a feeling. It's more than a sentiment. It's more than nostalgia. It is, at its heart, Christmas is really an announcement. And you have that amazing gift to be able to share the announcement, because the Bible tells us that In a world that was marked by darkness, division, extreme fatigue. Does any of that sound familiar? God did something so unexpected. He drew near to us in the middle of our mess. He did not wait until the world was perfect. He came right into a manger and in the middle of a very messy world. Not in power, not in prestige, but in the most significant humility we could ever imagine. He didn't come with fanfare in a palace. He came in the quiet of a stable. And the birth of Jesus was God's declaration that we are not forgotten. We are not abandoned. We are not beyond redemption. And that's why we celebrate, because Christmas tells us that hope is not a product to be manufactured. Hope is a person, and it is in the person of Jesus Christ. And that light truly shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it, and it will never overcome it because we know the end of the story. It tells us that God stepped into human pain. He stepped into human joy. He stepped into human struggle. And. And he. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world, through him, might be saved. Those are words from the Book of John. And for those who are driving around today, walking around today, hanging around today, feeling like, you know, whatever you're feeling, if you're feeling great coming into this Christmas season, if you're feeling me or if you're feeling really, really like you're struggling, is a reminder today that every gift comes from the Father of Lights, a good father who loves to give good gifts to his children. And if you are coming in carrying grief or disappointment or questions or frustrations or what seems like unanswered prayers, it's an invitation. Christmas is an invitation to rest in the truth that God is still at work. And he who began a good work will be faithful to complete it. He is still present, and he is always, always faithful. Because the most encouraging message of Christmas is not that life is perfect, but that God is with us in the imperfection. And one day he will make all things right. And because he came, love wins. Love wins because it's God's love for us that matters the most. And his forgiveness of our sins is possible. We can have a peace that passes understanding. We can have hope that's not wishful thinking. We can have hope that is embodied in the person of Jesus Christ. So today, tomorrow, in the days to come, as you're singing, as you're eating holiday treats, as you're laughing, as you're reflecting, as you're celebrating, as you're doing traditions together. I hope that you remember why this season of Christmas is so enduring and why I'm so excited about it. Because we celebrate because. Because God kept his promise. We celebrate because the story didn't end in the manger. It leads to the cross and the empty tomb. And we celebrate because the same Jesus who came then is the same Jesus who now is offering you hope and grace and new life. And for those of you who are sad for Christmas to end, Easter is coming. Easter is coming. And just the most remarkable miracle ever to happen that we can celebrate. This is all the story of Christmas. It's good news. It's good news for all of us. And as we are giving away things and I can see my producer over here writing down. I know if you're on the line, hang on, because we're, we're working to get to you, to those five blessed callers who are going to win something here today and get something.

American Family Radio is giving away some great children's books this Christmas

And let me tell you about some of the things that we have. The first thing that I have on my desk here are books from Dr. Fizzlebop Bob. Now, you may have heard Brock Eastman, he's been on the show a couple of times. Just a bundle of fun. A dad, a husband who is trying to make learning fun. And you can find him on YouTube. And I'm holding here board books that are so fun for little curious hands and little learning minds. I'm telling you, I've been saying it so much, I will continue to say it. I am such a fan of reading to your children. I know the science behind it. I know the relationships it can cultivate. I know the opportunities for conversation that it can create. So if you are around little kids this Christmas, listen, have a book in your bag, in your pocket, even on your phone. I will accept that. Although usually I like the hard copies and just offer to read to kids. Maybe their parents are trying to prepare a dish. Maybe they're trying to bring in the gifts from the car. Maybe they're just tired and they need a break. It, it will be novel for you to offer to read them a book. Say, hey, come sit down, let me read you a story and read them a story. And it doesn't matter if they're 2 or 10 because even older kids love to be read to. And they might smile, they might laugh, they might say, oh, this is awkward, but do it anyway. Just do it anyway. And these books are from Focus on the Family. This one of the things that we're giving away. We have weather science, we have colors and counting. We have space science, alphabets and animals. And listen, we have featured so many incredible children's book authors, children's devotional authors on the show this year. And so feel free to check out the, those past shows and find that, one of my favorites was a devotional by Valerie Ellis, also about science and just such a, a great mix of faith and science because we know that God made science and just the ways that science points back to the Creator. So that's one thing that we are giving away, which is really exciting. We are also giving way. Thank you to Alex McFarland and Bert Harper, who host Exploring the Word and right after this show actually. And I know so many of you listen to their show, but they graciously given us a book, 100 Bible questions and Answers on Prophecy and the End Times. So let me tell you, I know there are a lot of questions about this subject because anytime I see Bible studies at church, people are going because we just were curious and we want to know. And it feels like the world is what we're told almost every day on the news. The world is surely coming to an end. But if you want answers that will give you hope, that will ground you in God's word, somebody is going to get this book unlocking the mysteries of the end times, which of course we will never know everything until it comes to pass. But God has been gracious enough to give us some information about what may happen. So that's another thing that we're giving. We also have. These are from Sherithon. We have a 2026 founders planner. I'm holding this here in my hand. Many of you are very familiar with Don Wildmon, the founder of American Family Association. I'm really sad to tell you that I was never able to meet Don Wildmon. And after I came, he has passed away and he's with the Lord now. And I wish that I had met him. But I've heard a lot of stories about how he has impacted so many people's lives. And I can tell you now, being a host here on American Family Radio, the culture of American Family association is really a beautiful thing. It is very collaborative, it is congenial, it is encouraging. There are lots of families who work together. The mission on the mind of people there is to serve their listeners, to serve the people and their community and the nation in the world. And it is absolutely amazing to see. So somebody is going to get, this planner. It has a lot of quotes and organization in here, some notable events and Somebody is going to really think that is a special thing. We also are giving away this book, biblical Worldview by Dr. Josh Mulvihill. Now I have hosted Dr. Mulvihill on Worldview Wednesdays for this last year for 2025, talking after talking with Dr. George Barna, who, many of you know, is a, ah, really important researcher on biblical worldview. And I've had the privilege of talking with Dr. Barna, @ a conference. I actually was following him immediately at a children's conference. Dr. Barna spoke and then I spoke. And those of you who know Dr. Barna, I think you would think, do I really want to follow Dr. Barna? That is a pretty tall order to have. But I will tell you that he did not give me a very flattering introduction because, he and I have a big point of disagreement. And I will give him a hard time about this for the rest of my life because he is an avowed Yankees fan, the NewSong York Yankees, and I am a die hard Houston Astros fan. But you know what? We were able to put our differences aside and to agree that children need a biblical worldview. It's so important, especially in those early years before the age of six. No one is ever without hope, but the younger they are, the, the more impressionable they are and really that we have the best chance for wiring from them for resilience and hope. So we're giving away a copy of Dr. Mulvihill Hill's book, Biblical Worldview, what it Is, why It Matters, and how to shape the worldview of the next generation. I hope that you'll go back and take a listen to some of those Wednesday episodes that we did where we just talked through the simple truths of the gospel. And again, so encouraging to hear a dad, a husband, a pastor who was talking about, you know, living this out at home and also living this out in his ministry. Well, listen, when we come back, we have, we'll open the phone lines again. Everything will start fresh. So if you didn't get in this segment, you may get in in the second segment. And I'm talking to my husband out there. Honey, don't, don't try to call in. No, I'll save something for you. Okay. All right, I'll see you on the other side of this break.

American Family Association would like to invite you to make a planned gift

This year has just flown by. I know it's already.

>> Jeff Chamblee: December. As this year comes to a close, the AFA foundation would like to invite you to make a planned gift to American Family Association. With a planned gift, you partner with American Family association and become a Christian patriot, an activist, a broadcaster, a Bible teacher, a servant, and an evangelist advancing God's kingdom in America. Consider the many ways your planned gift can help restore a biblical worldview in our nation, as well as bring financial stability to your family. A planned gift can take the form of a charitable gift annuity, an IRA charitable rollover, or a gift of stock that helps you avoid capital gains tax. And many of these benefits can be achieved with a surprisingly modest gift. Contact the AFA foundation and learn more about making a planned gift. Call 800-326-4543, extension 345, or visit our website at.

>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Afafoundation.Net Rejoice, O.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Lord.

>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Virgin, Son of God, Son of man. Born that we may have life. You were born that we may have life. Welcome back, friends. That is born that we may have life. By Chris Tomlin Merry Christmas, everyone. I'm so happy to be joined.

Doctor Nurse Mama is giving away tons of Christmas gifts this year

Joining you today on our third annual Christmas party for the Doctor Nurse Mama show, my producer and I have been working all year to gather some things to give away to you from some of the previous guests that we have had and some friends of the show. And so, massive giveaway here. Here's how it's going to work. We gave away five things in that first segment, and let me tell you, we had callers from 10 states, okay? We had callers from Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Alabama, Texas, Minnesota, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri. That list is not all inclusive. So if you called in and you're thinking, hey, I'm from a different state and you didn't call me, that is. Okay, that's just the first ten that I could get. And that is super, super exciting. And we congratulate Wendell, Catherine, Sparkle, Sharon and Holly. are those not fun Christmas names? I mean, are you kidding me? We just gave away Christmas gifts to people named Sparkle and Holly. No offense to Ca, Catherine, to Wendell, to Sharon, but congratulations to all of you. And we're about to do it again. The phone lines are going to be reset and we are going to give away things starting right now. Okay, here we go. Here's the number. 888-589-8840. That's 888-589-8840. I'm going to give it one more time. That's 888-589/8840. And we will be giving away more things now. Again, we can't guarantee they probably won't get there by Christmas, but it'll be fun for the new year. And you can keep it for Yourself, you can give it as a gift. You can read it and share it.

We are giving away hundreds of thousands of Christian books this year

But we are giving away a ton of books today, and one of the books that I have in my hands here that will actually there, don't quote me on this, but I read a news story this morning, and I believe it says that there were more than 400,000 of these books given away this year. I'm talking about the book called the Case for Christmas by author Lee Strobel. Now, I've been reading Lee Strobel's work for a very long time and was very fortunate to have had a conversation with him on the show last week about his book Is God Real? It's a book for teens. He has a book for adults, on that same topic. But he did a great job in translating that to teens who are asking that very question today. And he also wrote this book called the Case for Christmas. And a journalist investigates the identity of the child in the manger. Now, if you're not familiar with Lee Strobel, he is a NewSong York Times bestselling author and he is a pretty intense investigative journalist and shared his story about being an avowed atheist. And I loved this part of his story. He had a neighborhood who was a nurse shout out to all the nurses out there. And that nurse shared Christ with his wife. And when his wife became a Christian and came home and told him that she had found Jesus, he thought, well, okay, we're going to get divorced. That's what he told me and said, no, actually, I'm a journalist. I can investigate this and maybe I can save her from this cult, is what he thought. And that led to the book that I'm sure many of you are familiar with, the Case for Christ, where he shared his journalism journey, because after two years, he was utterly and completely convinced and in of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And in this book, the Case for Christmas, he revisits some of those, those concepts. And I've been reading this book since I got it, and he talks about the earmarks of accuracy here. And I want to share with you a little portion of this, and I won't share all of it with you, but it's a lot of what we were talking about with Josh Mulvihill on Worldview Wednesdays this year. And he says, these are the words of Lee Strobel. It's legitimate to ask whether we can trust the gospel accounts. How do we know they are trustworthy when they describe the birth, the teachings, the death, and the ultimate Resurrection of Jesus. I started out as a skeptic thinking those were fairy tales about imaginary events that supposedly happened, quote, once upon a time, end quote. However, I soon learned that scholars classified the Gospels as ancient biographies which were intended to one degree or another to report what actually took place in the life of a notable person. After studying the views of scholars on various sides of the issues, I concluded that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John bear the earmarks of historical accuracy. And he goes on to talk about some of the different things that he studied. He studied authorship, he studied archeology, and those are two of the things that he addresses in this chapter. And it's really, really fascinating. I would encourage you to take a look if you want to really get some answers and wrestle with some tough concepts. But how do we know? And he gives some really detailed things about the authorship and how we know who the authors were. And then he also talked about dating. And he said in particular, again in the words of Lee Strobel, as a skeptic, I thought the Gospels were written so long after the life of Jesus that they had become hopelessly contaminated by legendary development. But then I discovered that wasn't how things actually unfolded. The key to discover when Luke wrote the second of his work, the Book of Acts, which is the story of the spread of Christianity. The book finishes with its central figure, Paul, still under house arrest in Rome. We don't find out what happened to Paul, who we know from other sources was later executed in A.D. 64, 65. Beyond that, acts doesn't describe several other major developments that occurred in the 60s, such as the martyrdom of Peter and James, the Greco Roman War and the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, which happened in AD 70. Why? Because acts was written before these events occurred, which means we can date its writing to about AD62. We know Acts was the second part of a two part work, the earlier one being in the Gospel of Luke, which can confidently be dated to about AD 59. Keep in mind that Jesus was crucified in either AD 30 or 33. So we're talking about a very short time gap between his death and the writing of Luke's Gospels. Plus we know that one of Luke's sources was Mark, which means that Mark's Gospel was written even earlier. This is just a sample of some of the historical corroboration that is there for the Bible and the Christmas story. He also talks about archaeology and discovers of discoveries of modern archaeology have repeatedly established that Luke, who wrote the most extensive account of Jesus's birth, was A first rate historian. The general consensus of both liberal and conservative scholars is that Luke is very accurate as a historian. And he goes on to give some of those archaeological findings. And it was just, it, made for a very fascinating read. And he concludes, Lee concludes by saying, if this were all a fairy tale akin to that of Santa Claus and the elves, we could easily dismiss it as merely a childhood fantasy without any practical application for our lives. But if it's true, and it is, the case for Christmas cannot be ignored. There are so many writers and thinkers and faithful followers of Jesus who have just gifted us with such encouraging works.

Courtney Reisig wrote a book about faith when everything changes

And that's one of the most encouraging things that I have found as being, having the honor and the blessing of being the host of this show is to talk to so many people who have shared literal miracles that have happened in their life, who have lived and experienced significant traumas, tragedies, trials, or even the consequences of their own sin. And so many people have told me, I've done it both ways. I've lived without Jesus and I've lived with Jesus, and I'm going to choose to live with Jesus. And one of the guests that we had who shared a story was Courtney Reisig. We're giving away her book. She wrote this book book someone to believe in, embracing the Savior who stays the same when everything else changes. And from the back of this, she says, where do you go when all that once stabilized your spiritual life suddenly shifts underneath you? When your faith is shaken, when your leaders fail you, when you're languishing in ministry burnout, when you're grieving a friend who walked away from God, when the doubts and disappointments and sufferings of the this broken world would tempt you to walk away from him too. And we actually are going to have Courtney on the show on December 29th. So if you're listening in the holidays or if you're catching up later, she is going to share her story with us on the radio. And she has wrestled with these questions and she had some painful circumstances that pulled the trappings of easy Christianity when everything is going good, and pushed her back against the wall of her faith. She said she had to decide, will I walk away or will I stay? And if I stay and wade through the rubble, what is left there to believe in? And it's there in the hardest part of her story. In the season where truth was eroded, spiritual stability seemed elusive, where God met her and he opened her eyes to something crucial and comforting in the Gospel of John, that even in the most unstable and changing of times, there is one who stays the same. His name is Jesus Christ, and he's someone to believe in, not something someone. And if you feel disoriented or doubting or grieving or exhausted or shaken in your faith, the you can encounter the steadying power of the unchangeable Christ. So we'll be sending that out to someone.

God orchestrates even miraculous book giveaways, which is really exciting

And one of the things that I love too about this show is that we never know who is going to get the things that we are giving away. And we had a letter from a listener who won a children's devotional. And she shared that although she did not have children of her own, she worked with children at a Baptist children's home. And she was able to share that book with them. And that is just such a beautiful thing. And I know that God will give the right message at the right time to the right person. There is nothing that is a coincidence. There is nothing with God that is happenstance that happens by chance. God knows you, he loves you, he cares about you, and he orchestrates even miraculous book giveaways, which is really exciting.

Another exciting giveaway that we have for today is the Jesus Daily Bible

Another exciting giveaway that we have for today is the Jesus Daily Bible. This is a Christian Standard Bible edition. And from Holman Bibles. And of course, giving someone a Bible, I mean, what a treasure. And I've been to other countries where the word of God is just so cherished. And I'm reminded of the speaker that we had from Operation Christmas Child who spoke of growing up in Romania and she and her younger brother finding a loose floorboard in their apartment one day. And as curious, mischievous children will do, they loosened that floorboard even more and they found a Bible that was secret, that was illegal to have in their country. And they were so excited to share their parents who were very afraid and angry that they found it. And she found out later that her family, her parents, had indeed hidden the Bible and were so afraid for the safety of their children. But it was the first of many seeds that God planted in her life. And now she has left Romania, come to the United States and works with Operation Christmas Child. Thank you to all of you who, who participated and who sent boxes all over the world. And I, I am just absolutely joyous thinking about the miracles that God will do. And if you missed that story about Operation Christmas Child, go back and listen.

This particular Bible we're Giving away has a 52 week thematic reading plan

But there is somebody in your life who needs a Bible. I know I have several Bibles under my tree that are going to be gifted for different people in different seasons of life. This particular Bible we're Giving away has a 52 week thematic reading plan showing Jesus and all of scripture. Yes, even in the Old Testament. And it gives you weekly introductions to set the stage for each week's reading. There are Jesus focused articles and charts and infographics and there are weekly summaries to help you remember the key takeaways for that. And each book is introduced with a who, what, when, why and where. I love things that are organized like that. And there are. It's a beautiful Bible and we will be giving that way. And it's complementary comments of B and H publishers. So thank you so much to them for donating that Bible to go to someone. It really is so beautiful. If you look at the binding on the COVID I can just see this on someone's family bookshelf in their living room.

It's not too late to do Advent and I'll be talking about that tomorrow

And another beautiful book that we are giving away is Jeff and Abby Land's Advent Devotional. I love this book. It's so beautiful. It really is. It can be used for children. But you know what, I am, a firm believer. Maybe this is my bias because I've worked my whole career in pediatrics and I have no problem at all embracing the child within me. But this is a family Advent devotional called the Way to the Manger. It's by Jeff and Abby Land. Jeff has been on the show before. He was a, fun fact. He grew up listening to AFR and he could not believe that he was actually going to be on AFR so that was a fun full circle moment for him. Them. He's a children's pastor. He and his wife adopted boys and they did international adoption. And this book is just absolutely beautiful, has places where you can write in it as a keepsake and devotionals that you can do together as a family. We've given you lots of options for those. There's some that you can purchase, some that are free. But I encourage you. It's not too late to do Advent and I'll be talking about that a little tomorrow on the show. But it's not too late every night before Christmas to do some sort of something with your family. Whether that is gathering together and reading scripture, reading a story, singing a song, whatever it is that you do. I just do something, do something to point our kids back to the reason for the season. There are so many opportunities to do that, even just in the everyday things that we see at, Christmas time. One of the most simple things is the candy cane. And the candy cane is known for Christian symbolism. There are a lot of Charming stories that, that speculate on the origin, origin of the candy cane. But the candy cane is traditionally said to have been made like either a J for Jesus if you turn it upside down, or a shepherd's crook reminding us that Jesus is the good shepherd. And the white represents the purity and sinlessness of Christ. The red stripes symbolize Christ's sacrifice and the blood that he shed on the cross. And the hard candy can point to the firm foundation of God's promises. And these are the things that you can do to remind yourself or remind people that you're around that, hey, everything points back to Jesus. And we can be grateful for some of those things. And some of the elements of the candy cane are later symbolic interpretations that came about, but they have been used intentionally by Christians since the 17th century, especially in Europe, to teach children about faith during Advent and Christmas time. So even a simple treat can become a teaching tool, just a way to tell the gospel in everyday life. We shared earlier about Lottie Moon and how she would bake tea cakes or cookies for children, for people to invite them into her home and to use hospitality as a measure of sharing the gospel. And we are hoping that you will bless others this Christmas. Whether by that does not mean you have to buy them the latest gift or the most expensive gift, but bless them with the hope of the gospel that is in Jesus Christ. Bless them with a prayer. Bless them with that they may even never know that you gave. And hey, we got a lot more giveaways when we come back. Come back for our Christmas party. I'll see you on the other side of this.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Break.

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>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Ones. They do an ultrasound. And that's when everything changed. Because when I saw my baby and when I heard her heartbeat, that was.

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>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Deductible. We wish you a merry Christmas we wish you a merry Christmas we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

American Family Radio wishes you a merry Christmas

Welcome back, friends. that is. We wish you a merry Christmas by CC Winans. Yep, I'm feeling it and I am feeling so happy and blessed to be able to share with you my warmest merry Christmas wishes to you all who are listening. Thank you. To those of you who listen and on a regular basis, I appreciate you. Whether you are driving across the country delivering all of those last minute Christmas gifts or gasoline that people are needing to go and visit family. If you are patrolling the streets as law enforcement, if you are a teacher who is anxiously awaiting the last day of class and being gone for Christmas break, if you're a granny who is waiting in line in the carpool to pick up your kids, who have probably been sugared up with Christmas Christmas treats at school. If you are a mom or a dad at home or a teenager listening who's homeschooled. I recently heard from one of those listeners who this actually is a pretty fun story because I was contacted by a teenager who's working on a thesis and he said that he was encouraged by an older man who was in his church to listen to American Family Radio. And so he is, and it encourages me about the next generation.

Dr. Nurse Mama is having a massive giveaway for all of you today

And today we are having a big encouragement for all of you. We are having a massive giveaway where we've been collecting some things from our partners, from publishers, from authors who have been on to be able to bless you with today. And we, want to congratulate our winners from the last segment. Congratulations to Scott, to Rose, to Daniel, to Bill and to Dawn. We are so grateful for you calling in thanks for participating in our big Christmas party. And hey, we're gonna do it one more time Today on our third annual Dr. Nurse Mama Christmas party show where we're having massive giveaways. Are you ready to call in? Here goes the phone lines. I'm going to give the signal. That number is 888-589-8840. That's 888-589-8840. One more time, 888-589-8840. We are going to have the first five callers who are going to win a gift from us and we can't wait to send that to you. Of course it will likely arrive after Christmas, but that's great because it will just extend the Christmas joy and the Christmas blessing.

Jessica: Advent devotional encourages us to praise Jesus during the holidays

And one of the things that we are giving away is a really sweet Advent devotional. Called Christmas for the Heart by Cheryl Barker. Now I was I've interviewed Cheryl on the air and she is just the kindest, the sweetest, the most genuine soul and she talked about how as a child she really loved to write poetry and her parents encouraged that gift in her and really invested in her and made it to where she has now shared that with you. And I've been sharing some devotionals from this resource and I want to share another one with you today because it's such a good one. This is what number 21 if you have the book and I'm going to share with you from the words of Cheryl Barker encouraging us to remember to praise Jesus during this season when we can all lose our minds, lose our joy. How do we keep our joy? And it starts with the words of the first Noel Let us all with one accord Sing praises to our heavenly Lord Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel. So here, here's what Cheryl shares with us. Us. Do you feel it? The change in the air, the rush of excitement that tells us Christmas is almost here. The final days are upon us. The countdown days leading up to the glorious celebration of the day the world forever changed. Many families have begun to gather as love fuels them on their way to one another. We're all giving last minute finishing touches to our homes, our Christmas trees, our pantries. While our Christmas joy and praise begin a mighty crescendo. Now a, continual praise springs up from our hearts as we meditate on the magnitude of God's gift to us in Jesus. Our praise indeed becomes boundless. The glory he's due indescribable. So how can we fully express the highest praise this amazing loving God deserves? Let's consider some creative ways this Christmas to praise and magnify the one who gave His Son to be our Savior. True, we may only have a few days left to incorporate a couple of them this season, but we can save the other ideas for future holiday praise offerings. To start our list, we'll certainly sing Christmas carols with our church congregations and in our own personal worship times. But we can also join our voices with favorite recording artists as we listen to their holiday music. In fact, let's go beyond humming or casually singing along and genuinely make the message our own. Our praise will soar on wings of joy to the everlasting Father who orchestrated the coming of the Prince of Peace into a world in desperate need of a Savior. Let's turn these fun sing along moments into offerings of praise, into worship. Other musical praise offerings Might include playing an instrument, even something as simple as, as sleigh bells. Or we could volunteer to rock babies in the nicu. Or be among the first to softly sing the music of Christmas to them. Or how about caroling in neighborhoods or at a local assisted living facility, a nursing home or a hospital ward. Or teaching our kids or grandkids a carol beloved to us, but new to them. We might even try to arrange for a local bell tower to peel the strains of beloved carols at certain times each day. And let's not forget about ringing bells for the Salvation army during the holiday season. Each of these actions gives us another opportunity for lifting our hearts and praise, while perhaps inspiring others to praise God as well. Artistic expressions of praise to God are not limited to instrumental and vocal music, though I know I'm inserting my own voice here. This is Jessica. Because my, husband is going to praise for this. He makes a joyful noise and I'm telling you, I absolutely love it. I love it, honey. I. Okay.

There are many creative ways we can praise God during the holidays

But back to Cheryl's encouragement. We might dance our praise with unbridled joy. Or enter a window painting contest or help paint a downtown mural for or the sets for the church Christmas pageant. We could volunteer our acting talents and play a role in the pageant or even just attend the performance with a spirit ready to be lifted in praise. Some of us might be able to write a song, a poem, a story, or play to praise the Lord. Others might offer to help decorate a float for the Christmas parade. Again, all of these things, done from a heart longing to glorify God, become an automatic offering of praise. Creative praise can also flow from our ordinary speaking voices. Just think of the people we might bless. In addition to blessing God as we do something as, simple as speak. We could offer to read Christmas stories to classes at your local elementary school or during story hour at the public library. Or we might read scripture passages pertaining to the birth of Christ to nursing home residents or hospital patients. In fact, they'd enjoy hearing other favorite passages as well. We could also record Christmas greeting videos to send to missionaries we know or the ones our church has adopted. We could do the same with our military friends and family members serving overseas. And also send a, special greeting to their families at home. For long distance friends and family, we can FaceTime and lift everyone's spirits with merry Christmas wishes and some catch up conversation. If we have any heartaches or special concerns, we could offer to pray with them before ending the call. Some of us may even need to reconcile with someone and A phone call at Christmas to make things right could be the most important thing we will do this holiday season. What a gift of praise to God and a gift of love to others when we use our voices in any of these ways. Another creative way to praise God during this special season involves the fun of surprise gift giving. We could spread untold joy by ringing doorbells and leaving surprise gifts for neighbors, friends and strangers alike. We might even attempt some Secret Santa moves and stay anonymous by disappearing before anyone answers the door. Only the fastest among us will be able to pull that off, but it will create great memories as we we give it our best shot. We could also drive through neighborhoods where the homeless camp out and crank up our Christmas music while offering hot chocolate or spiced cider or steaming hot coffee to those who need a touch of Christmas warmth in more ways than one. I can just imagine the pleasure that this offering of praise would bring to our Lord. And we mustn't forget one of the simplest ways we can lift our spirits and praise to the Creator of not only Christmas, but of the world itself. Spending time outdoors, soaking up the sights and sounds of the natural world never fails to point me to the Creator of it all. And as I rejoice in his creation, my spirit worships and praises him at the same time. When we're feeling pressed and stressed during the holiday season, and we certainly will, at some point, heading outside for a little nature therapy will set our hearts to praising God. In no time at all. We might even be lucky enough to feast our senses on something Christmassy, like a, new snowfall or the scent of evergreens from fresh cut wreaths adorning nearby front doors. As you can see, there is no limit to the boundless ways we can praise God during the holidays. Perhaps these ideas have even triggered others in your mind. Let's throw off restraint and reclaim the beauty and wonder of giving God the glory he's due. The highest praise we can give. After all, he brought hope and salvation to a world lost in sin. He brought them to you, and he brought them to me. And every family is beautifully different. Every community is different. Every situation is different. And I encourage you to use discernment and wisdom and prayerfully seek the Lord to see what he might have for you and what might be something that you could do this Christmas. And whatever you're doing this Christmas, I do pray again, you have an opportunity to do Advent.

We are giving away the these fun sets of Advent blocks

That's the another thing that we are giving away. We are giving away the these fun sets of Advent blocks. And we had the creators of those on here on the show. And it was such Clayton and Chris, it was such a great conversation and a fun way to do this. So it doesn't matter. Maybe you'll do this the week after Christmas. That's okay. It's still all right. We live in an imperfect world. But somebody is going to get these beautiful Advent blocks to be able to have a fun conversation that, that points kids and adults as well to the real reason for the season, which of course is Jesus. And when we're looking all around us, friends all around us, we are surrounded by messages, by visual cues of Christmas everywhere you go. You cannot escape it. Now you know that it's Christmas in every store you walk into, even providers, healthcare providers, offices. If you walk into a hospital, hospital, if you walk into a nursing home, if you're driving down the street of your community, you see visual cues of Christmas everywhere. And I want to challenge you to share how those visual cues point you to the message of Jesus. And it's actually easier than you think. You could make this a game or a challenge with your family to continually point out ways that you're seeing the gospel message even. And all of the secular noise of Christmas. And I've already given you one in candy canes, and there are so many others.

Early Christians used candles during Advent to mark growing anticipation of Christ's coming

We talked a little bit about Christmas trees. We know evergreen trees symbolize eternal life. And that's been long before modern Christmas celebrations. Even as early as the 16th century, German Christians brought trees indoors and decorated them to celebrate Christ's birth. And we often credit Martin Luther for adding candles to the tree to reflect the stars shining over Bethlehem. And so evergreens remind us we have eternal life in Christ. The tree points us back to the tree of life that was restored through Jesus. The Christmas lights point back to the light of the world. Early Christians have used candles during Advent to mark the growing anticipation of Christ's coming. And you'll see these things even from someone who doesn't intend them to be a religious signal. But we can find God everywhere, in everything. You can find him in a wreath because the circle of a wreath represents God's eternal nature. He there is no beginning and there is no end. The evergreen circle is everlasting life through Christ. Those candles on the Advent wreath mark the journey toward the birth of Jesus. This as we're giving gifts, the tradition is rooted in the gifts of the magi. And as we talked about the legend of Nicholas, a real man who lived in what is now modern day turkey and laid all of the traditions down that we now celebrate through, through gift giving and traditional ways. And that represents, of course, the ultimate gift. I'm going to give you this gift. But God is the. God gave us the ultimate Christmas gift through Jesus. There are the Nativity scenes that you can find. There are Christmas carols that will be playing in the store that are singing of God's love. Bells are announcing good news. Feasting can remind us of Jesus feasting at the table with his disciples. Or the marriage supper of the Lamb. When you're giving to the poor and having acts of charity that is rooted back to Christ's call to care for the least of these and to show generosity, stockings can remind us that God provides in unexpected ways. Of course, we discussed that story with the legend of St. Nicholas. We see decorations using gold and frankincense and myrrh. Those gifts foreshadow Jesus identity as king and priest and sacrifice. When we have midnight or candlelight services, it reflects the darkness into which Christ was born, and we have light forever. And Christmas often draws families back together. There's a homecoming, and we are waiting for the ultimate homecoming that will happen with Jesus. And we thank you so much for joining us for this really fun Christmas party. Congratulations to Janet, Donna, Matthew, James and Elizabeth. Way to have the disciples represented there. I love it. Many Christmas traditions, they don't begin as distractions from your faith. They can just be expressions of it. And I pray that whatever you're doing in this remaining days before Christmas, I pray, I really do, every day, that the Lord will bless ah you and keep you and make his face to shine upon you, that he would turn his countenance upon you and give you peace. The only peace that is lasting. A peace that passes understanding from the Prince of Peace. Merry, merry Christmas.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Friends. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family.

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