Focus on the Family Magazine - December 2023/January 2024

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
4
Jean-Paul Beran is
president of <strong>Focus</strong> on
the Family Canada.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA
IN THE BERAN HOUSEHOLD,
we take Christmas very seriously. My wife,
Susan, and I have a list of family traditions
that we still do even though our daughters
are teenagers. We love that this time of
year gives us a great opportunity to make
lasting memories for our family.
But we never want to lose sight of the
real reason for the season.
Christmas is not about buying the perfect present or skiing
snowy slopes or enjoying hot chocolate by the fire—though those
are enjoyable! Christmas is about celebrating the ultimate gift God
has given us: Jesus Christ.
Susan and I are intentional about keeping Christ at the centre
of our Christmas celebrations, and I pray that you’ll find encouragement
in the pages of this issue to do the same. One of the best
ways to do this is through an Advent devotional. Advent begins
four Sundays before Christmas on Dec. 3, and on page 37, you’ll
see the first few days of our free Advent devotional download, An
Advent Journey. Instead of stopping at Christmas, though, this PDF
provides you with four full weeks (28 days) of scriptural reflection
to help you put Christ at the forefront of your mind. You can
download the full devotional at <strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Advent.
And remember if you need help, we’re just a click, email
and phone call away. I invite you to visit our website at
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca, email us at info@fotf.ca or call our team
at 1.800.661.9800. Whatever you’re going through this Christmas
and New Year season, we are here for you.
Blessings,
Jean-Paul Beran
DEC 2023 / JAN 2024
focusing on
Christ this
Christmas
JOSH YONG
president
Jim Daly
focus canada
president
Jean-Paul Beran
chief operating
o ffi c e r
Ken Windebank
chief marketing
& content officer
Tim Sawer
publisher
Jennifer Arthur
media publishing
director
Kevin Shirin
contributing editors
Vance Fry
Marianne Hering
Jennifer Lonas
Jeff Masching
cover
Drazen Zigic
editorial director
Sheila Seifert
Thank you!
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family provides this magazine and
other resources through the generosity of friends
like you. <strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Donate
For a subscription, go to <strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
Magazine.
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family magazine December 2023 / January
2024, Vol. 8, No. 6 ISSN 2471-5921, © 2023 <strong>Focus</strong> on
the Family. All rights reserved. Published by <strong>Focus</strong>
on the Family, a nonprofit organization recognized
for tax-deductible giving by the federal government.
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family is a federally registered
trademark of <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family.
To notify us of an address change or to contact <strong>Focus</strong>
on the Family Canada: 1-800-661-9800;
19946 80A Ave, Langley, BC, V2Y 0J8; info@fotf.ca
Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are
from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version ® (ESV ® ).
Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry
of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in
any publication made available to the public by a
Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be
translated in whole or in part into any other
language. ESV Text Edition: 2016.
IMPORTANT NOTICE! By submitting letters and other
materials, you agree 1) they become the property
of <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family and will not be returned;
2) <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family, its assigns and licensees,
have been granted the nonexclusive right to use
and/or reproduce the materials in any manner for
any purpose. Our agreement is made in Colorado
and controlled by Colorado law.
Send author submissions to
<strong>Focus</strong>MagSubmissions@family.org.
REPRINT PERMISSION:
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.com/Permissions
Website references do not constitute blanket
endorsement or complete agreement by <strong>Focus</strong>
on the Family with information or resources
offered at or through those sites.
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family, 19946 80A Avenue, Langley,
BC, V2Y 0J8; 1-800-661-9800; info@fotf.ca;
GST# 10684 5969 RT0001
Printed in Canada.
managing editor
Andrea Gutierrez
copy chief
Scott DeNicola
associate editors
Sarah Brickens
Faith Wismer
senior art director
Cary Bates
art director
Sally Dunn
designer
Julie Vieux
editorial assistant
Kat Bittner
print production
Gail Wise
circulation
Erika Lynch
focus canada
contributors
Cara Plett
Amanda Regan
Subby Szterszky
Amy Van Veen