Focus on the Family Magazine - December 2024/January 2025

An Advent
Encounter
Devotional
Helping Families Thrive in Christ
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025
CHRISTMAS AS
A COUPLE
FAMILY
ORNAMENTS
FOR ADVENT
Page 11

Anything in this .25inch zone is not guaranteed safe from being trimmed off.
SAFETY VIOLATION ZONE copy in this zone not safe per trim variance (.25 inch).
Families today
need the
peace of Christ.
Will you help?
Donate today
thrive, even as they face challenges.
AD FPO
Full Page
TRIM: 7.75 x 10.5 inch
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family Canada exists to
provide a safe space for families who are
struggling. Through free counseling,
prayer support, biblically based
resources and retreat programs, and
much more, families are being
equipped to hold on to God and
“We have never experienced the
power of God’s Word and His
Spirit so personally as in this time
of crisis in my family’s life. But He
is so gracious and merciful to
provide us with the local and
universal Church to support us.
The <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family team is
evidence of His ever-faithful
presence. . . . God bless you all.”
Will you give families
practical help and point
them to the peace of
Christ this Christmas?
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/GivePeace
1.800.661.9800

26
Three tips for
connecting with
your spouse
this season
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025
table of contents
11
in every issue
4 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
5 MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT
6 OFF THE SHELF
8 HACKS & FACTS
41 MEMORY VERSE
44 GRANDPARENTING
46 MY THRIVING FAMILY
ILLUSTRATIONX - NINA HUNTER / FOTF - CARY BATES / ADOBE STOCK - S.H.EXCLUSIV, DARIA, ELENA_GARDER / ADOBE STOCK - CUSTOM SCENE
kids & teens
11 FAMILY ORNAMENTS
FOR ADVENT
Make these crafts together to
remember God’s hope, peace,
joy and love
by Jenny Nanninga
20 COUNTER DECONSTRUCTION
How to guide your teens when
they question their faith
by Alisa Childers
24 REFRESH YOUR PHONE HABITS
by Adam Holz
couples
26 THE GIFT OF YOUR ATTENTION
Three tips for intentionally
connecting with your spouse
by Paul Angone
29 CHRISTMAS AS A COUPLE
The benefits of planning your
holiday season together
by Kimberly Coyle
29
34
faith &
inspiration
34 AN ADVENT ENCOUNTER
Discovering Jesus’ heart for all
people through His interactions
in the Gospels
by Subby Szterszky and Amy Van Veen
38 A NEW NEIGHBOR
A fictional story of how one
little girl found the courage to
show hospitality at Christmas
by Amy Van Veen
42 MOVIE MESSAGES:
THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL
Seek and find worldviews while
having fun as a family
by Plugged In
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 3

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Jean-Paul Beran is
president of <strong>Focus</strong> on
the Family Canada.
FREE PDF: AN ADVENT
ENCOUNTER
Download your free
24-day Advent devotional
with Bible readings, daily
devotions, sample prayers
and a printable craft!
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
Advent
celebrating the
gift of Advent
HAVE YOU EVER STOPPED to consider
how amazing Advent is? Every family
has different traditions around this season,
and some families may never have celebrated
it at all. Whatever tradition you grew up with,
when you step back and consider this opportunity
to wait and anticipate, it’s quite exciting.
We live in a world where everything is on-demand. We
have immediate access to movies and shows and can shop
online only to have it delivered to our front door within
hours or days. It’s not often we have to wait.
Advent gives us that gift of waiting. As we count down
the days leading to Christmas, we can stop and reflect on
what the gift of our Savior Jesus Christ means to us.
In this issue of <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family magazine, we have
several ways to help you and your family wait expectantly
for the arrival of Christmas. On page 11, you’ll find
four DIY ornament crafts to help you and your children
remember God’s hope, peace, joy and love in the four
weeks before Christmas.
For those wanting to spend time meditating on Advent
every day, we have a new free devotional called An Advent
Encounter. On page 34, you’ll find the first few days of
Scripture readings, daily devotions, and prayers to help
you discover Jesus’ heart for all people through His interactions
in the Gospels. I invite you to download the free
PDF devotional at <strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Advent.
This year, Advent begins on Sunday, December 1. I hope
these few ideas help you and your family start new traditions
in this special season.
From all of us at <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family Canada, we want
to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
President
Jim Daly
<strong>Focus</strong> Canada
President
Jean-Paul Beran
Chief Operating
Officer
Ken Windebank
Publisher
Joshua Yancey
Director of Content
Operations
Kevin Shirin
Editor in Chief
Jesse Florea
Senior Editorial
Director
Sheila Seifert
Copy Chief
Scott DeNicola
Managing Editor
Andrea Gutierrez
Editorial Assistant
Kat Bittner
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 2024/January
2025, Vol. 9, No. 6 ISSN 2471-5921, © 2024 <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.
Senior
Associate Editors
Faith Wismer
Sarah Brickens
Contributing
Editors
Vance Fry
Marianne Hering
Jennifer Lonas
Jeff Masching
Circulation
Erika Lynch
Senior Art Director
Cary Bates
Art Director
Sally Dunn
Designer
Julie Vieux
Cover Photo
staticnak1983
<strong>Focus</strong> Canada
Contributors
Laurisha Blackstock
Amanda Regan
Subby Szterszky
Amy Van Veen
Catherine Wilson
4
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025
Blessings,
Jean-Paul Beran
JOSH YONG
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 Canada, 19946 80A Avenue,
Langley, BC V2Y 0J8; 1-800-661-9800; info@fotf.ca;
GST# 10684 5969 RT0001
Printed in Canada

MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT
Highlighting one of the
many ministries of <strong>Focus</strong>
on the Family Canada
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA’S
ONLINE STORE AND RESOURCE CENTER
AS YOU KNOW, finding the right resource for
you and your family can be challenging. It can be
difficult to know if the advice in a self-help book or
the message in a children’s story truly aligns with
God’s Word.
That’s why <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family Canada rigorously
evaluates every resource we sell to ensure you’re
able to find trusted resources for every stage of your
family life. With over 6,000 resources including marriage
and parenting books, devotionals, Adventures
in Odyssey, Radio Theatre, kids’ magazines, and so
much more, you can rest assured you’re getting quality
content for your family.
Plus, when you shop with us, you’re supporting
families across the country!
Your purchases help fund our ministry, so we can
continue to offer Canadians biblical guidance, prayer
and helpful resources for their situation. If someone
isn’t sure what they need, they can contact us for a
recommendation. Or if the cost of a certain resource
is simply out of reach for their family, your generosity
allows us to send it to them free of charge.
DID YOU KNOW WE ALSO HAVE A RESOURCE
CENTER AT OUR HEAD OFFICE?
If you’re ever driving through Langley, BC, we invite you
to stop by for a visit! We’d love to chat and recommend
a book, devotional, movie or game for you and your
family to enjoy.
88 AVE
200TH ST
86 AVE
HWY 1
FOTF CANADA - JONATHAN BRYDEN, SHAN UGALINO
“You have helped my family tremendously. . . .
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family Canada has given us so
many much needed resources for us as parents,
pastors, and resources for our children. Our kids
particularly love the magazines. Thank you and
God bless your work abundantly!”
Shop online and help
families in Canada.
Shop.<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca
FOCUS ON THE
FAMILY CANADA
RESOURCE CENTER
83 AVE
199 ST
200TH ST
84 AVE
82 AVE
80 AVE
Langley
Events Centre
204 ST
208 ST
202A ST
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 5

Off THE SHELf
for your gift list
IN OUR TECH-DRIVEN WORLD, there’s something
special about turning the pages of a traditional book, and
young children may find the experience particularly enjoyable.
Then when a story connects with your child, the book
becomes even more of a treasure. Two authors from the
list of books on this page have shared their hearts about
why they wrote their books:
“In my book In My Own Way,
I wanted to communicate
that a teen’s value doesn’t
stem from what other people
think about her or her
mistakes or failures. All that
matters is that God loves her
unconditionally, and she has
been created for a beautiful
purpose. My main character,
Amelia, learns that even
a girl who has it all together
may struggle with insecurity,
but that doesn’t control how
she sees herself. My prayer is
that this book will help guide
teen girls to realize that.”
—Kathy Buchanan
“We all feel average at
times but secretly want
to be superheroes. I’m
the father of five boys
and own three capes. As
a comedian, I co-wrote
Average Boy’s Above-
Average Summer to make
kids laugh. As a Christian,
I hope it encourages
readers to set and achieve
their goals because God
gives us the courage and
power to live for Him.
That’s what makes us
above average. And that’s
what this book is about.”
—Bob Smiley
BOARD BOOKS
God Speaks to Me
by Kristen Wetherell
God Cares for Me
by Kristen Wetherell
Whoo-Whoo Hears You?
by B&H Kids editorial staff
Find these books
and more at
Shop.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca.
KIDS BOOKS
Dolphins in Danger
Book No. 5 in “The Magnificent
Mulligans” series
by Bill Myers
Average Boy’s
Above-Average Summer
Book No. 2 in the
“Average Boy” fiction series
by Bob Smiley and Jesse Florea
Courage at the Castle
Book No. 32 in
“The Imagination Station” series
by Marianne Hering
PICTURE BOOKS
I’m Alive, Dear Mama
by Jennifer Wilder Morgan
Home Is Right Where You Are
by Ruth Chou Simons
God’s Little Astronomer
by Tina Cho
YA NOVELS
Even in Darkness
Book No. 5 in the
“High Water” series
by Tim Shoemaker
Running on Empty
Book No. 7 in the
“Riverbend Friends” series
by Jill Williamson
In My Own Way
Book No. 8 in the
“Riverbend Friends” series
by Kathy Buchanan
ADOBE STOCK - EKATERINA POKROVSKY, ALEKSANDR
6
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

kids &
teens
“THERE’S NO BETTER WAY FOR KIDS
TO LEARN POSITIVE BEHAVIORS AND
ATTITUDES THAN BY WATCHING
AND MIRRORING MOM AND DAD!”
— DR. DANNY HUERTA,
VICE PRESIDENT OF PARENTING & YOUTH
AT FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, TAKEN FROM
SEVEN TRAITS OF EFFECTIVE PARENTING
ERIN DRAGO PHOTOGRAPHY
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 7

KIdS & TEENS / HACKS & FACTS
AGES 0 TO 3
AWAY IN
A MANGER
One of my favorite ways to share the Nativity
story is by centering the message on Jesus’
manger. This makes the whole story real for my
kids. We talk about what a manger is, we sing
a lullaby, and I show them the manger from
our wooden Nativity scene. This helps my kids
understand that the Savior came in simplicity
and humility.
Christmas carols
—Kelly Lombardi
In December, we sing our favorite Christmas carols during
our bedtime routine. “O Holy Night” and “Joy to the World”
have powerful lyrics that proclaim the Gospel. Even the
youngest children can benefit from having the Good News
of Christmas sung over them as they settle into sleep, and
the words will stay in their hearts as they grow.
—Kelsey Messner
Nativity dress-up
When my children were toddlers, I collected
items to create a dress-up Nativity bin:
• Old pillowcases and headbands created head
coverings for Mary and Joseph.
• A large star ornament served as the Star of
Bethlehem.
• A stuffed sheep and a long stick for a staff
were used for the part of a shepherd.
• I painted glass jars and filled them with sticks
of cinnamon, potpourri and gold-painted
rocks for the Magi’s gifts.
• Finally, we wrapped a realistic-looking doll in
an old white sheet to represent baby Jesus.
We used each piece to act out the story in
a fun way that always brought the Christmas
story to life!
focusing on Jesus
—Elizabeth James
We tried to make the Christmas story come
alive in several ways for our young ones:
• We made birthday cakes for Jesus and used
birthday decorations in the celebrations.
• We let our kids set up our Nativity scene each
year and encouraged them to use the figurines
to tell the Christmas story.
• Our children attended live Nativity scenes at
local churches.
• We read an excerpt from an Advent book
each day of December leading up to
Christmas.
Each year, the goal was for Jesus’ story to be
the focus of our Christmas celebrations!
—Monica Vernot
LIGHTSTOCK - BROWN BAG PHOTOGRAPHY / ILLUSTRATION BY SCOTT BRUNDAGE
8
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

HACKS & FACTS / KIdS & TEENS
SECRET SISTERS
A few years ago, we started “Secret Sister” gifts with
our five daughters. They draw names, and then
I take them one at a time to shop for their Secret
Sister. As we shop, we talk about the sister’s interests
and preferences before purchasing the gift.
Next, each girl chooses the ribbons and paper and
wraps the gift. From start to finish, the goal is to
find a reasonably priced gift that’ll bring the receiver
joy. This has quickly become one of their favorite
Christmas traditions.
gift of
togetherness
Our family believes there is
nothing more generous than
spending time with others.
We let our daughter pick a
particular experience that
she knows a recipient will
enjoy doing with her, and
we then purchase the ticket
or gift card. For an added
touch, our daughter draws
an illustration on a card, giving
the recipient a hint of
the upcoming event.
the practice
of giving
To support other foster
kids, my daughter’s
school helped her organize
a toy drive for our
local Court Appointed
Special Advocates
(CASA) office. That
same year, my friend
and I helped our girls do
a toy fundraiser at Chickfil-A
for CASA as well.
We teach our kids
generosity another
way too. Instead of listing
gifts they want at
Christmas, our children
list things they want to
give to their friends and
family. They’re learning
to love the practice of
giving while also being
thankful for what they
have been given.
AGES 4 TO 8
—Jenny Nanninga
—Megan LaPorta
—Tricia Couffer
ADOBE STOCK - LA FAMIGLIA, LORDN / ILLUSTRATION BY SCOTT BRUNDAGE
HOME-
MADE
TREATS
Every year my sons and
I made a list of neighbors
and friends to give treats
to. We’d make a favorite
family recipe and spend
one day shopping for
ingredients and the next
baking and decorating. A
homemade card accompanied
each little treat.
Delivering each gift
allowed my sons to see
the grateful reaction of
our loved ones and feel
the joy of giving generously
to others.
—Jennifer Kennedy
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 9

KIdS & TEENS / HACKS & FACTS
AGES 9 TO 12
SERVING TOGETHER
My family enjoys spending time helping others—something even my sons have
grown to love. We’ve worked together packaging food for needy families, helping
a family in our church that needed yard work done and volunteering at
other ministries. Serving together showed my kids what it’s like to collaborate
and work together as a team outside our home.
As an added benefit, the kids also enjoyed our family tradition of eating at a
restaurant after we completed our service project. This was a treat they didn’t
want to miss.
taking prayer
requests
My husband and I ask for individual
prayer requests from our kids after
we say our family prayers. It’s an
open-ended time for them to bring
up things they may be struggling
with. Our kids know they’ll have time
to discuss and pray with Mom and
Dad about issues they might otherwise
keep to themselves.
—Hannah Edgar
singing stronger
—Jennifer Henn
Throughout the week, our family
watches voice lessons online.
By Sunday, we have a new skill or
two—such as not tightening the
throat and being thoughtful of our
posture—that we’re ready to try out
at church during worship. This has
become a fun family experience for
us, and our kids are more engaged
and singing stronger than ever before.
—Amberly Clowe
retro worship
My kids, ages 8 and 10,
love when their father
and I sing one or two
of our favorite worship
songs from when we
were their age. Afterward,
we ask the kids
what their favorite songs
are, and we sing them
together as a family.
—Laura Schwier
tags and bags
Last year, I invited my
10-year-old daughter
to help me get ready
for Christmas. We took
an afternoon, and she
helped me package all
her brothers’ gifts. She
loved picking out which
gift bags to use, stuffing
them with tissue and
writing the gift tags on
them. She enjoyed the
sense of accomplishment
from having been
trusted with this task.
But it also allowed us
time to bond together as
we worked on the gifts.
—Summer Parks
ADOBE STOCK - DC STUDIO / ILLUSTRATION BY SCOTT BRUNDAGE
10
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS / KIdS & TEENS
Family
Ornaments
for Advent
Make these crafts together to remember
God’s hope, peace, joy and love
BY JENNY NANNINGA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARY BATES
ADVENT calls to mind
calendars with chocolates
and other goodies hidden
behind little doors. Counting
down to Jesus’ birth is a popular
activity for many families
during the Christmas season.
Another time-honored tradition
is displaying a wreath
with colored candles and
lighting one candle each
week to reflect on the meaning
of Christ’s coming.
Advent always begins
the fourth Sunday before
Christmas, which is Dec. 1
this year. We’ve included
instructions for making
weekly Christmas ornaments
as a family to decorate your
tree. You can also sign up for
our free, 24-day Advent devotional
that’s described on
page 34.
We invite you to delve
deeper into the beauty of this
season as we look toward the
hope, peace, joy and love that
await us in the promise of a
Savior.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 11

KIdS & TEENS / PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS
Week 1
HOPE IS
FOUND
IN JESUS
Talk with your children about how
the people of God waited long ago
for Him to fulfill His greatest promise
of sending a Savior to deliver them.
Today, we know who our Savior is
and how He delivers us, but we still
long for His return. The promise of
Jesus gives our hearts hope.
As you make the Tree of Hope
ornament and hang it from a branch,
rejoice in the hope you have in Jesus.
Say together: “We’re so glad that
our hope doesn’t depend on what we
can see but on faith in the One who
sees everything.”
This year
Advent begins
Dec. 1.
“Now faith is
the assurance of
things hoped for,
the conviction
of things not seen.”
—Hebrews 11:1
BACKGROUND BY ADOBE STOCK - JULIA KISELEVA
12
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

TREE OF HOPE
ORNAMENT
Create three tassels, stack them and decorate
a beautiful 3D Christmas ornament!
Cut a 3-by-3.5-inch
piece of cardboard.
To make the first tassel, wrap yarn
around the cardboard 15 times.
Cut a 10-inch piece of yarn
and thread through
the top of yarn wrap.
Tie a knot and cut
bottom loop.
Cut a
10-inch
piece
of yarn.
Cut a
10-inch
piece
of bead
chain or
yarn.
Wrap
yarn
around
the top
of tassel
four
times;
then
secure
with a
knot.
Create
a total
of three
tassels.
Thread the
chain or yarn
through the
top tassel
and tie off
with a knot.
CREDIT TK
Apply glue to the top of
each tassel. Stack the
tassels by layering one
tassel on top of another.
When the glue is
dry, flip over and
decorate with minipom-poms
and a star.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 13

KIdS & TEENS / PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS
Week 2
GOD’S
PERFECT
PEACE
As Christians, the Prince of
Peace lives inside us, filling us
with His supernatural peace.
His peace helps us remain
still and calm in spirit when
troubles rage around us. As
you craft your paper ornament,
talk with your kids about
finding peace in our perfect
Peacemaker, not in imperfect
circumstances.
Say together: “Peace is
found in God and not in our
circumstances.”
Make this
Bird of Peace
ornament
together.
“[Jesus]
himself is
our peace.”
—Ephesians 2:14
BACKGROUND BY ADOBE STOCK - ANASTASSIYA
14
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

BIRD OF PEACE
ORNAMENT
Make a simple, handmade ornament
by tying a knot in a strip of paper.
A
Cut a 1-by-11-inch
strip of paper.
B
B
B
Overlap the
right end of
the paper with
the left end.
Tuck the
right end
under and
through
the loop.
A
Pull
each end
to form
a knot.
Head
Body
Tail
Punch a hole
in the center
top of the
body.
A
Tighten the knot
until you are happy
with the body
shape of the “bird.”
Thread the yarn
through the hole,
and add an eye
with a marker
or pen.
Notch one end for
the tail and round the
other end to shape
the head and beak.
Cut a
10-inch
piece of
thin yarn.
CREDIT TK
Double knot
the two ends,
and thread
the loop
through a
large-eye
needle.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 15

KIdS & TEENS / PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS
Week 3
JOY
COMES
FROM
GOD
Christians are on a journey that
often holds many trials. If we
look to our circumstances as the
source of our joy, we’ll inevitably
end up disappointed. People,
possessions and the pleasures of
life will fail us, but God never fails.
In Him alone is “fullness of joy.”
As you make today’s ornament,
talk with your children about how
joy comes from God and cannot
be taken away, even in difficult
times.
Say together: “No matter how
difficult our path, we know that
Jesus fills us with a lasting joy.”
Connect the
fullness of joy
to Advent.
“You make known
to me the path of life;
in your presence there
is fullness of joy;
at your right hand
are pleasures
forevermore.”
BACKGROUND BY ADOBE STOCK - NATALIA KLENOVA
—Psalm 16:11
16
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

BALL OF JOY
ORNAMENT
A simple ornament made by
stacking eight half circles.
Cut eight circles out of
colored paper stock.
Fold all eight
circles in half.
Glue the back half of
one circle to the front
half of another circle
in the stack.
Cut a 10-inch
piece of yarn,
and fold in half.
Continue gluing the
eight circle halves
together.
Do not glue the
final circle halves
together yet.
Add glue to the center
of the ornament and
adhere the yarn.
Glue the final
circle halves
together.
WANT MORE?
Find more craft ideas
in our Kids of Integrity
Christmas lesson.
KidsOfIntegrity.com/
Christmas
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 17

AD
⅓
Join the
Adventures in
Odyssey Club
A safe online
space that builds
kids’ faith
Members enjoy unlimited
access to nearly 1,000
Adventures in Odyssey episodes
plus devotions, educational
activities, games and more.
Scan to join!
Week 4
GOD’S
LOVE
IS OUR
HOPE
We don’t have to earn God’s
love because His love is unconditional.
God offers salvation to
anyone who repents and trusts
in Him.
Our hope doesn’t rest in doing
all the right things or having circumstances
work out the way
we desire. Talk with your kids
about how our hope rests in a
God whose perfect love for us
has guaranteed our salvation
and future.
Say together: “God showed us
His love by sending His Son as
our hope and our gift of salvation.”
Portions of this article originally appeared
in the December 2022/January 2023
edition of Brio magazine and was
titled “An Advent of Hope.”
18
Ad Title
Join today at
AdventuresInOdyssey.com/
Your-Great-Adventure
or call 1.844.622.9448
“Hope in the
Lord! For with
the Lord there is
steadfast love, and
with him is plentiful
redemption.”
—Psalm 130:7
God’s perfect
love is shown
to us by His
Son’s birth.
BACKGROUND BY ADOBE STOCK - ЯНА ВИННИКОВА

O R N A M E N T T E M P L A T E
TEMPLATE INSTRUCTIONS:
CUT ALONG THE SOLID LINES, AND
FOLD ALONG THE DOTTED LINES.
10
© F O C U S O N T H E F A M I LY 2 0 2
DIAMOND OF LOVE
ORNAMENT
A fun, easy-to-assemble, geometric ornament.
4
2
Download the template
and print onto the back of
your choice of paper. Then
start by cutting the solid
lines and folding along the
dotted lines of the pattern.
Attach
flap to
inside
of
paper.
Start on
the right
and begin
folding
and gluing
flaps.
4
3
1
Attach
flap to
inside
of paper.
Glue
No. 1
and
No. 2
flaps to
the inside
of the paper.
Glue the next
two inner flaps.
Cut a
10-inch
piece of
string and
tie a knot
at the end.
DIAMOND OF LOVE
CREDIT TK
Glue the knotted
end of the string
inside the diamond.
Finish
gluing the
remaining
flaps.
Download and print the
ornament template.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
Magazine
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 19

KIdS & TEENS / APOLOGETICS
counter
deconstruction
How to guide your teens
when they question their faith
BY ALISA CHILDERS
ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARK OLIVER
CREDIT TK
20
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

APOLOGETICS / KIdS & TEENS
WE’VE ALL SEEN social media posts of people announcing
they’re leaving the Christian faith. Often shared under the
hashtag #deconstruction, these posts may express indifference
or anger. Joy. Freedom. Grief. Loss. Each journey is unique, and
yet many tell the same story about abandoning certain doctrines
of the Christian faith, which they call “toxic theology.”
What is considered toxic today, though, is largely determined
by subjective experience, not objective truth. Deconstruction is
a fairly new phenomenon birthed out of postmodernism, a philosophical
approach that questions many of the ideas that define
our modern world, such as reason and logic, individual liberties
and even faith. Those who view life through this lens are deeply
skeptical of whether objective truth can be known, especially
when it comes to religion and morality.
What does all this have to do with Christian parenting and
discipleship? Everything! Because postmodernism is the water
our kids are swimming in.
CREDIT TK
The deconstruction lens
According to a groundbreaking study conducted in 2018 by the
Barna Group and Impact 360 Institute, most Gen Zers believe
that morality changes over time, and what is right is individually
determined. In other words, what’s true (or right) for one
person can be false (or wrong) for someone else.
Since postmodernism denies objective truth, it can be jarring
for Gen Zers when a Christian comes along claiming that
humans are sinful, marriage is between one man and one
woman, Jesus died for our sins and hell is real. Gen Zers assume
that Christians who hold these beliefs must be vying for power
or control through fear. Such truth claims are deemed toxic, and
it’s virtuous to ditch them.
If deconstruction ideology can convince people to reject
the idea of an outside source of authority, trust their own
hearts and live their own truth, it can obliterate a believer’s
confidence in Christianity.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 21

KIdS & TEENS / APOLOGETICS
Find resources to help you understand the issue
of deconstruction and learn how to engage with
someone who is deconstructing their faith.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Deconstruction
Countering deconstruction lies
Trying to disciple teens in today’s culture is a tough
calling. They are constantly inundated with deconstruction
lies through social media platforms. And they can’t
even enter a grocery store or mall without encountering
a pride flag or woke slogan. As Christian parents, what
can we do to counter the lies? Here are some practical
suggestions:
Discuss difficult topics. There’s no simple solution to
insulate our kids from the deconstruction movement,
but we do have a responsibility to disciple our kids. That
means exposing them to what is going on in the culture
and discussing issues from God’s perspective. Talking
through difficult topics such as sex and gender, Marxist
philosophy (which targets the nuclear family) and deconstruction
at an early age can help us stay ahead of cultural
trends rather than playing catch-up later.
When my daughter was around 8 years old, I talked
to her about homosexuality. I’m glad I did, because it
allowed me to continue our conversation as LGBT topics
permeated the culture.
Refuse to redefine words. Another way to help shield
our kids from deconstructionism is to resist the urge to
redefine words. In recent years, well-meaning evangelical
leaders have pushed to change the word deconstruction
to mean something healthy or good. Maybe you’ve heard
someone say, “Just deconstruct in a healthy way!”
This is a dangerous approach because deconstruction
is anything but healthy. Thousands of people who post
#deconstruction have one goal in mind: to turn others
away from evangelical Christianity.
Test everything. The best way to counter deconstruction
is to offer our kids a different path. We should encourage
them to make their faith their own, align their beliefs with
Scripture and validate them with evidence. The Bible tells
us to “test everything” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
THE DECONSTRUCTION
OF CHRISTIANITY
by Alisa Childers
What is deconstruction? And how
you can prevent it from dismantling
your child’s faith.
Shop.<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca
Should we encourage our kids to ask hard questions
and get rid of any beliefs that are unbiblical or untrue?
Absolutely! But we would be wise to avoid calling this
process deconstruction. Instead, let’s teach our kids a
healthier word like transformation. Rather than deconstructing
beliefs based on subjective experience, they can
reform them based on God’s Word.
Talk about truth. When our teens hear that truth isn’t
absolute, we can help them counter this claim with
examples. After all, absolutes are all around us. Talk
with your kids about mathematical absolutes, such as
2 + 2 = 4 and scientific absolutes, such as gravity.
Then as a family, discuss examples in Scripture like
1 Corinthians 15:17: “If Christ has not been raised,
your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” Christ
was either raised from the dead or He wasn’t. That’s
absolute truth. It’s not like picking your favorite color or
choosing what you want to have for lunch.
Model genuine Christianity. Finally, model what
it looks like to live an authentic Christian life. This is
22
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

APOLOGETICS / KIdS & TEENS
MY JOURNEY
TO RESTORED
FAITH
I could have been one of millions
proudly displaying the #deconstruction
hashtag in my social media posts.
After several years in the Christian music
industry, I found myself in a crisis of faith.
All the travel, radio interviews, writing
and recording took a spiritual and emotional
toll on me, along with the things
I saw in Christian culture that needed
reform.
During this time, I sat under the teaching
of a progressive Christian pastor and
became intellectually convinced that
the Bible I had trusted my entire life
was unreliable, and the historic claims
of Christianity were most likely untrue.
After just four months of listening to
skeptical claims against the trustworthiness
of the Bible, the nature of God and
the truth of the Gospel, I found my faith
shipwrecked.
something my parents did well. They were real. When
many of my friends went down the deconstruction
path, they almost always described Christianity as hypocritical,
abusive, legalistic and suffocating. I couldn’t
relate to this. My parents weren’t perfect, but they regularly
read the Bible and prayed with me, and modeled
repentance by asking for forgiveness. They served others
and weren’t legalistic. They taught me that the Bible
is God’s Word, fully inspired and inerrant. It seems so
simple, but their authentic faith in Jesus had a powerful
effect in my life.
God has chosen us as Christian parents for such a
time as this. I have so much hope for our children’s
generation. God is raising up strong and godly young
people to serve Him in uncertain times, and we get to
parent them. What a wonderful gift and responsibility.
Alisa Childers is a wife, mom, author, podcaster and worship leader.
She was a member of the award-winning CCM recording group
ZOEgirl and is currently a respected speaker at apologetics and
Christian worldview conferences. Her most recent book is The
Deconstruction of Christianity.
One night, I cried out to God, begging
Him to send someone who could
refute these claims and restore the faith
that had been so precious to me. God
answered my prayers, leading me to
study, read and listen to every resource
I could get my hands on. Over the
course of several years, I stripped down
my beliefs to the studs. Then I carefully
considered every teaching, practice and
theological position I had uncritically
accepted in my youth, and God rebuilt
my beliefs from the ground up.
The process was disorienting and agonizing,
but I concluded that Christianity is
true. I’m thankful that the Lord allowed
me to walk through that harrowing
ordeal. I’m also grateful for the faithful
discipleship of my parents. Without their
influence and example, my Christian faith
might have deconstructed into agnosticism
or some undefined spirituality.
Instead, my faith in God and His Son
and His Word has grown.
—AC
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 23

KIDS & TEENS / MEDIA
UPCOMING REVIEWS
For reviews of these and other titles,
visit PluggedIn.com, <strong>Focus</strong> on
the Family’s media review and
discernment website.
THE LORD OF THE
RINGS: THE WAR
OF THE ROHIRRIM
Can Helm Hammerhand
defend his kingdom
against the warmongering
Dunlendings?
SCHEDULED RELEASE:
DEC. 13
REFRESH YOUR PHONE HABITS
BY ADAM HOLZ
“OUR FAMILY SPENDS TOO MUCH TIME on our
phones!” Have you ever said that to your spouse? I know I’ve said
that to my wife. If you’re looking for ways to reestablish phone
guidelines in your family, here are a few strategies to consider:
Begin with conversation, not imposition. Suddenly
announcing new phone rules will likely be met with resistance.
But we can get buy-in from our tweens and teens by inviting
them to give input on our family’s phone habits with questions
like these: “Does spending hours on the phone ever seem
wasteful?” “What could we do with the time we’d save if we cut
back on texting and social media?”
Avoid all-or-nothing responses. It’s tempting to deal with
excessive screen time in one fell swoop. But that approach can
lead to unrealistic expectations. Instead, look for places you
can make specific, measurable changes to your family’s habits,
such as no phones at dinner, turning phones off an hour
before bed or a tech-free evening of the week.
Cultivate activity. Time spent tapping away on a phone is
often sedentary time. Another way to change unhealthy screen
habits is to get active. Bundle up and go for a family walk after
dinner or play a game together.
Each of these concrete steps can help you and your family
reset your phone use as we move into 2025.
Adam Holz is an editor for Plugged In and a contributing author to Becoming a
Screen-Savvy Family: How to navigate a media-saturated world—and why we should.
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3
Does the speedy blue critter have the legs
to outrun Dr. Robotnik for a third time?
SCHEDULED RELEASE:
DEC. 20
LOGO (BRANDED)
MUFASA:
THE LION KING
Will the live-action
backstory of
Simba’s dad be a
roaring success?
SCHEDULED RELEASE:
DEC. 20
CREDIT ADOBE STOCK TK - AKHENATONIMAGES
24
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

couples
“IT’S NOT HOW MANY ARGUMENTS YOU
HAVE, IT’S HOW YOU MANAGE THEM
THAT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.”
— DR. GREG SMALLEY,
VICE PRESIDENT OF MARRIAGE AT FOCUS ON THE FAMILY,
TAKEN FROM CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED MARRIAGE
ERIN DRAGO PHOTOGRAPHY
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 25

COUPLES / COMMUNICATION
the gift of
your attention
Three tips for intentionally
connecting with your spouse
BY PAUL ANGONE
ILLUSTRATIONS BY NINA HUNTER
DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, so many
things clamor for our attention. As we seek to focus on the
significance of Jesus’ birth amid all the hustle and bustle of
the season, another crucial part of Christmas is often lost:
time with our spouse. Chances are, we spend more time baking
treats and untangling string lights than paying attention
to the person we promised to have and to hold. But our significant
other is an adult and will understand, right? We
might think, We’ll reconnect sometime in June when we finally
take that vacation we promised each other three summers ago.
So, how can husbands and wives stay connected amid
activity overload during Christmastime? Here are some tips
my wife and I have found helpful in our marriage.
CREDIT TK
26
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

COMMUNICATION / COUPLES
1
Pay attention, intentionally
CREDIT TK
A transaction takes place every time we focus our
attention on something. It’s built into the phrase
pay attention. Similar to compound interest, the
more attention we pay to our spouse, the more
the connection grows.
In what areas of your marriage are you investing
your attention wisely, and in what areas are
you careening further into a relationship deficit?
Don’t let your relationship go bankrupt because
your attention is directed elsewhere. Make intentional
“attention deposits” by giving your spouse
your presence well before the presents are set
under the tree.
One of the relationship travesties of the
Christmas commotion is that we can circle
around our spouse for an entire day, week or
month during the season without actually looking
in each other’s eyes. Eye contact is the
pathway to attention.
Make the choice together to stop multitasking
while talking. To combat this tendency, my wife,
Naomi, and I make time to sit next to each other
on the couch and talk at least once a day. And we
make sure to leave our phones somewhere else
before we settle in for our chat. We’ve found that
by pausing and directing our eyes and shoulders
toward each other, we’re already showing love
before either of us says a word.
It’s hard to love your spouse well if you’re not
paying attention. Intentionality doesn’t have to
be profound or overly complex. It simply means
building new habits on small choices.
Christmas is the perfect time to develop a new
habit of pausing intentionally and paying attention
to your spouse with your eyes and posture.
2
Start asking good
questions again
Do you remember spending hours asking each
other questions when you and your spouse were
dating? Now, after years of marriage, your questions
may be more pragmatic, like, “Did you buy
the milk?” or “Can you pick up Billy at 5 o’clock?”
Marriage, however, isn’t purely transactional.
It’s a discovery. It should be about learning and
growing with each other. New seasons bring
forth new ways to know one another more fully.
My wife and I strive to focus on serving each
other in our conversations. When I feel like I’m
losing connection with her, I take the initiative
to ask questions about things she cares about.
In response, Naomi becomes animated as she
shares what she’s excited or nervous about. Just
taking the time to ask her questions about the
important parts of her day rekindles our connection
and helps the conversation flow.
All humans have a profound need to know
and be known. Give that gift to your spouse this
Christmas. It will mean far more than a new pair
of slippers or a pack of underwear.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 27

COUPLES / COMMUNICATION
LISTEN TO YOUR DAY
by Paul Angone
Life’s distractions have hampered our
ability to see and hear the finer details of
our days. But when we’re intentional to
observe the here and now around us, we
fine-tune the lenses through which we
see. This enables us to walk purposefully
through life with a firm grasp of what’s
most valuable.
Shop.<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca
3
Write an “I see you” note or text
During the holidays, do you tend to focus a little
too much on the things your spouse is doing
that annoy you, or how you’re doing way more
holiday preparation than your spouse?
If so, start choosing to notice all the things
you appreciate and cherish about your husband
or wife. We see what we choose to look for. I’ve
chosen to pay attention to who my wife really is
and notice things about her that I often take for
granted. As I pay attention to these things, I start
to see her again. Paying attention opens my eyes
to nuanced blessings that have gone unnoticed.
To remind myself of the things I appreciate
about her, I make notes to myself throughout the
day. And I often write an “I see you” note to her
about the beautiful things I’ve observed. I’ll tape
the note on the bathroom mirror in the morning
before she gets up or tuck it under the coffee
maker for her to find.
In the hectic pace of holiday activities, make daily
choices to stay connected in your marriage by paying
attention to your relationship and pausing to notice the
things you love about your spouse. It’s the lifeblood of
a Christlike love for each other and the beating heart of
your family. Give your life partner the gift of being seen
and appreciated!
Paul Angone is the author of five books and an international speaker.
He and Naomi, his wife of 17 years, have four children. His newest book
is Listen to Your Day: The life-changing practice of paying attention.
28
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

INTENTIONALITY / cOuPLES
cHRISTMAS AS A cOuPLE
The benefits of planning your
holiday season together
BY KIMBERLY COYLE
CREDIT ADOBE STOCK TK - NADIA GRAPES, JULIA_HENZE
EVERY YEAR, my mother-in-law buys a tree and
lops off the top to make it fit in her living room. She
decorates the tree with heirloom handblown ornaments
as well as a surprising number of her children’s
handmade ornaments. A splash of tinsel then adds a
sparkly finish.
The first Christmas I visited her home, the holiday
music in the kitchen was dueling with a Christmas
movie on the television so everyone had to shout
above the cacophony. At least 50 gifts had been piled
beneath the heavy boughs of the tree, and it took all
morning to celebrate.
The first time my husband, Michael, saw my mom’s
fake tree with its handful of ornaments, he made a
reference to Charlie Brown. Rather than a mound of
presents, my parents invested in a few quality gifts.
We completed the festivities within an hour.
Our minimalist celebration was the opposite of
Michael’s family’s maximalist experience, and this
disparity caused tension early on in our marriage.
Now at Christmastime I keep Philippians 2:4 in mind
as Michael and I plan our family’s celebration: “Let
each of you look not only to his own interests, but also
to the interests of others.” On the next page, you’ll find
tips that have helped me navigate our differing expectations.
Perhaps you’ll find these tips helpful too.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 29

Make a list.
Check it twice.
Ask your spouse to
make a list of desires
for the holiday
season with you.
What is most important to you?
What is most important
to your spouse?
Is hosting a party or having quiet nights
during the season of more value? What
else might we consider?
What baked goods are
essential to each of us?
In what ways can we serve the community
this year or give to those in need?
CREDIT ADOBE STOCK TK
- 기원 이, IRYNA PETRENKO, ALICE, SUNNY_SUNNY, DARIA
30
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

CREDIT ADOBE STOCK TK
- ROBU_S
REMEMBER YOU ARE A COUPLE FIRST and
parents second. Set aside a few nights during
the holiday season dedicated to couple activities.
For example, watch a holiday movie of your
spouse’s choosing or get out to connect over
hot chocolate or coffee.
Our ideas:
INVOLVE YOUR SPOUSE IN THE SEASONAL PLANNING.
Choosing togetherness over a divide-and- conquer strategy will help
keep expectations realistic.
When our church began an outreach to the homeless during
December, Michael suggested we make it a part of our family’s holiday
tradition. It quickly became the seasonal event I look forward to the
most. I love seeing our family members serve alongside one another,
packing meals for the hungry.
Our Christmas celebrations wouldn’t be the same without Michael’s
input. I’m so grateful we’ve been able to combine my minimalistic
approach with his fun-loving, memory-making approach. Both have
become an integral part of our family traditions.
Kimberly Coyle is a writing instructor and freelance writer from New Jersey.
SAFETY VIOLATION ZONE copy in this zone not safe per trim variance (.25 inch). Anything in this .25inch zone is not guaranteed safe from being trimmed off.
AD
Strengthen
your marriage with
⅓
This gives me
renewed hope to
breathe new life
into our marriage.
AD-FPO
One Third
Page
Vertical
TRIM:
2.58 x 10.5 inch
Ad Titmore Title than
Start your
31
journey
JourneyToUs.ca

Free!
PDF
DEVOTIONAL
This free PDF Advent devotional provides 24 devotions
to help you discover Jesus’ heart for all people through
His interactions in the Gospels.
From His mother Mary to Simon Peter, the Samaritan woman at the well to the apostle
Paul, there is so much to discover about our Savior through the relationships He built
during His ministry on Earth.
Inside this free PDF download
you’ll find:
5 Bible passages to read as a family
5 daily devotions to hel p you understand
the deeper truths of Scripture
5 prayers to help you recenter your heart
on the true reason for the season
5 plus, a printable Christmas craft!
Don’t miss out!
Advent begins on Sunday, December 1.
Download your
FREE Advent
devotional today
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Advent

faith &
inspiration
“THE LORD HIMSELF
WILL GIVE YOU
A SIGN. BEHOLD,
THE VIRGIN SHALL
CONCEIVE AND BEAR
A SON, AND SHALL
CALL HIS NAME
IMMANUEL.”
— ISAIAH 7:14
ERIN DRAGO PHOTOGRAPHY
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 33

FAITH & INSPIRATION / ADVENT
A SAMPLE FROM AN ADVENT ENCOUNTER DEVOTIONAL
an Advent
encounter
Discovering Jesus’ heart for all
people through His interactions in
the Gospels
BY SUBBY SZTERSZKY AND AMY VAN VEEN
IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS
leading up to Christmas, it can be easy
to get distracted by the busyness of the
season. That’s why Advent is such a gift.
Starting Sunday, December 1, we set
aside time to reflect on and joyfully anticipate
the coming of our Savior.
To help you, we’ve created a new
Advent devotional called An Advent
Encounter. Over the course of 24 days,
you will learn more about different people
Jesus interacted with. Starting with
His first relationship with God the Father
and the Holy Spirit all the way to His
encounter with the apostle Paul, you will
discover different facets of the character
of Jesus by seeing how He engaged with
and cared for people just like us. We pray
that through this free devotional, you will
learn more of God’s love for you.
In the following pages, you’ll read the
first few days of devotions, but we encourage
you to visit <strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
Advent to download the full PDF devotional—for
free!
© 2024 <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family (Canada) Association. All
rights reserved.
Download the full PDF devotional
of An Advent Encounter.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Advent
CREDIT TK
ADOBE STOCK - CUSTOM SCENE
34
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

ADVENT / FAITH & INSPIRATION
DOWNLOAD AT FOCUSONTHEFAMILY.CA/ADVENT
START HERE
on Sunday,
December 1
CREDIT TK
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 35

FAITH & INSPIRATION / ADVENT
A SAMPLE FROM AN ADVENT ENCOUNTER DEVOTIONAL
CREDIT TK
ADOBE STOCK - CUSTOM SCENE
36
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

ADVENT / FAITH & INSPIRATION
DOWNLOAD AT FOCUSONTHEFAMILY.CA/ADVENT
CREDIT TK
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 37

FAITH & INSPIRATION / A CHRISTMAS STORY
a new neighbor
A fictional story of how one little girl found the
courage to show hospitality at Christmas
BY AMY VAN VEEN | ILLUSTRATIONS BY LAURISHA BLACKSTOCK
LUCY WAS GRATEFUL for
her big brother’s company. She and
Paxton had done the walk from the
school bus stop to their new home
only once with their parents, but
since Paxton was already a teenager,
their parents trusted him to get his
little sister home safe.
Sadly, Lucy didn’t like their new
neighborhood. She missed having
her grandma down the hall in
their old apartment building and
now their new house was a whole
two hours away. Lucy remembered
her dad excitedly explaining that the
new place came with a yard and a
garage, but she didn’t care. She didn’t
like that their street was so quiet
compared to their busy apartment.
And she didn’t like that every house
looked identical—except for one.
Lucy had first spotted the odd
house when their dad drove them
to see their new home. Squeezed
between a dozen of the same
cookie-cutter houses with white
picket fences, it sat behind an
overgrown hedge and a chainlink
gate that ran the width of
the driveway. Lucy’s mom had
muttered that the property stood
out like a “sore thumb,” and she’d
heard her dad whisper back, “It’s
creepy.”
Lucy decided she wouldn’t trust
that house either. Beyond the old
gate that looked like it was never
opened there was a cracked driveway
with a zigzag of weeds leading
through the shadows to a dark grey
house and empty carport.
“Can we cross the street?” Lucy
asked her brother when they were
five houses away from the end of
the sidewalk.
“Why?” Paxton asked, clearly
annoyed by the demands of his little
sister.
“I don’t like that house.”
“It’s just a house.”
“Please? Can we just cross?”
“But our house is two down from
the creepy house.”
“See! Even you think it’s creepy!”
Paxton rolled his eyes and
checked the street before pulling on
his sister’s backpack to guide her to
the opposite sidewalk. Lucy tried
not to look back at the house, but
from this perspective, she saw even
more of the darkened driveway
beyond the chain-link gate.
For weeks Lucy and Paxton
crossed the road on their way
home from school to avoid the
creepy house. And for weeks Lucy
38
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

A CHRISTMAS STORY / FAITH & INSPIRATION
noted that nothing much happened
on the other side of the gate.
Sometimes the shadows played
tricks on her mind but when she’d
blink and look again, everything
seemed normal. Still, if her parents
couldn’t trust the creepy property
then neither could she.
Then one day, Lucy saw something
behind the chain-link gate:
two glowing eyes surrounded
by black fur in the shadows. She
tried to blink them away, but they
remained, watching her from the
darkness. She whipped her head
to stare at her feet and prayed God
would protect her and Paxton.
The next day, this pattern repeated.
Five houses before the end of the
sidewalk, Lucy and Paxton crossed
the street, and when Lucy glanced
across the road at the creepy house,
there were the glowing eyes.
Every day for weeks, it was the
same. The eyes were always in the
same spot. Some days Lucy thought
the eyes glowed red. Other days she
thought she could see sharp white
teeth and hear a growl. Paxton
never seemed to notice.
Then, on a beautiful sunny
Tuesday, Lucy was stopped in her
tracks as soon as they crossed the
street. She saw it. It was a dog. Even
though it was out of the darkness
of the hedge, it still looked like a
shadow. Pure black fur from snout
to tail and bigger than she’d imagined.
Even though the dog was just
sitting there, she was certain if it
stood up on its hind legs, it would
be as tall as her dad. She elbowed
Paxton but all he said was, “Oh,”
without breaking his stride.
On Wednesday, the dog was
there again, this time even closer to
the chain-link gate. Still staring at
them. Thursday it watched. Friday
it watched.
When they drove to church on
Sunday past the house, Lucy courageously
looked from inside the car
but couldn’t see anything.
But on Monday, it was there
again. This time the dog was lying
down, its huge black snout resting
between two enormous paws. Lucy
took a deep breath and decided not
to look at her feet. She watched the
dog watching her. And as Lucy and
her brother walked on the other
side of the street, she noticed the
dog had two little grey eyebrows
that twitched. On Tuesday, Lucy
felt braver, and she held eye contact
with the dog the whole span of
the driveway. On Wednesday, she
saw both its eyebrows twitch and
its tail brush back and forth on the
cracked concrete. This continued
for another few weeks.
Then, just after Remembrance
Day, the first snow fell. It started
slowly at noon so by the time Lucy
and Paxton were walking home
there was only a few centimeters
on the sidewalk. They crossed the
street like they normally did, but
this time Lucy didn’t see any glowing
eyes or black fur or big snout.
She did see a bunch of huge pawprints
along the edge of the gate,
as if the dog had walked back
and forth, back and forth, back
and forth, and then up the dark
driveway.
A week later the snow was gone,
and the dog was back. This time
he was lying along the gate, facing
the direction of the school bus stop.
Lucy saw his black fur sticking out
between the chain link of the gate
and when they crossed, he popped
his giant head up, twitching his eyebrows
and swaying his tail.
The next day, Lucy told Paxton,
“Let’s not cross the street today.”
Paxton turned his head in surprise.
“We should still cross the
street, Lucy. It’s safer.”
“I’m not going to cross the street.”
“Suit yourself.”
Paxton crossed the street and
Lucy whispered a prayer of protection
as she hoisted her backpack
a little higher and put one foot in
front of the other. Four houses away.
Three houses. Two houses. One
house. She saw the black fur against
the gate move when she was nearly
eye to eye with the beast. The dog’s
tail was wagging faster than she’d
seen before and his grey eyebrows
were twitching, but Lucy was frozen.
They stared at each other for
what felt like an eternity and then
the dog tilted his head down and
flopped his giant body onto the
ground. Eyebrows still twitching.
Tail still wagging. Lucy found her
feet and moved on.
The next day Lucy and the dog
did the same dance. When she
drew alongside him on the sidewalk,
he stood expectantly, and
then flopped down again, as if to
make himself smaller than her.
Paxton still crossed the street, but
now when Lucy walked the length
of the gate, she talked to the furry
shadow. “Hello. My name is Lucy.
I’m trying to be brave. I thought you
were scary. But maybe you’re not.
I like your eyebrows.”
At the beginning of December
there was another snowfall—this
time a big one. Lucy and Paxton
were prepared with snowpants and
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 39

FAITH & INSPIRATION / A CHRISTMAS STORY
snow boots and walked along the
freshly cleared sidewalk. As usual,
Paxton crossed the street, but when
Lucy reached the chain-link gate,
there was snow up to her knees.
And no dog.
The next day was the same. There
was no sign of him—not even
pawprints.
After a week of this, Lucy had an
idea. She went to her room and
grabbed her art supplies. She drew
the dog as best as she could—fluffy
tail, grey eyebrows, long black snout.
On the back of the paper she wrote,
Hello. My name is Lucy and I live
down the street. I have seen your dog
every day after school, but now he’s
gone. I used to be scared of him. But
now I miss him. Is he OK?
And then Lucy drew a box to
check for YES and a box for NO. She
found a giant plastic baggie in the
kitchen and tucked her note into
it, then bundled herself up and ran
out the front door. Using one of her
hair clips, she attached the note to
the other side of the gate and ran
back home.
Lucy checked for three days in a
row on her way home from school—
no response. But when she ran over
on Saturday morning, she spotted
boot prints in the snow and a
new plastic baggie. Her note was
gone but there was a folded piece
of lined paper with scribbly font
that looked a lot like her grandma’s
handwriting. Lucy ran back home
with the note clutched in her gloves
and brought it to her mom for help
deciphering what it said. The note
read:
Hello Lucy, my name is Dorothy.
My friends called me Dot.
I’m sorry you were scared of my
dog. He looks unfriendly, but he’s
actually very kind. My husband got
him 10 years ago when he was just a
puppy. We thought he was so beautiful
we decided to name him Beau.
I don’t want you to be worried.
Beau is just fine. He and I are a little
old, and when the snow comes,
our arthritis flares up, so we stay
inside where it’s warm. Right now,
as I write this, he’s lying by the front
door whining. It’s Friday afternoon
just after 3 p.m. For the last few
months, I’ve seen him waiting at the
gate every school day from 2:30 to
3:30 p.m. Now I know why. He was
waiting for his friend.
I’m going to include my phone
number. Please tell your parents
they can call me if they think that’s
appropriate. I’m sure Beau would
love a visit. And I wouldn’t mind
some company as well.
Thank you for your kindness. You
are a very thoughtful young lady.
God bless, Dot
That Sunday afternoon, just a
few days before Christmas, Lucy,
Paxton, her mom and her dad
drove home from church and
parked in their driveway. Lucy ran
inside to get the plate of cookies
she’d made with her mom the day
before, along with a special dog
treat they found at the store. They
then made their way down the sidewalk
to Dot’s house. Together, they
crossed the threshold of the chainlink
gate. As they walked up the
long driveway, Lucy heard her parents
talking about how they could
help Dot and they made a plan to
shovel the driveway that afternoon.
At the end of the driveway, behind
the overgrown hedge, they found a
green—not grey—house. Lucy rang
the doorbell. The door opened and
there stood a woman who looked
like one of her grandma’s friends,
and beside her stood Beau. When
he saw Lucy, Beau tilted his head
down and laid himself on the welcome
mat—eyebrows twitching,
tail wagging.
Amy Van Veen is the director of content and
creative services at <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family Canada.
40
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

CREDIT TK MYE DE LEON
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 41

fAITH & INSPIRATION / MEDIA
movie messages:
The Muppet
Christmas Carol
Seek and find worldviews
while having fun as a family
BY PLUGGED IN
ILLUSTRATIONS BY SCOTT BRUNDAGE
THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY
bombards us with obvious and subtle messages.
But we often don’t recognize them as worldviews
or notice how they skew our thinking. To help
you and your family identify varying worldviews
in the culture, play this game of Movie Messages
while watching The Muppet Christmas Carol.
ALTRUISM prioritizes the
happiness or safety of
others above our own.
CAPITALISM is an economic
system based on the laws of
supply and demand. When
demand is high and supply
is low, items are usually
more expensive.
ARISTOTELIANISM,
named after the Greek
philosopher Aristotle, relies
on deductive reasoning,
the value of hard work
and a wariness of pursuing
wealth, power or pleasure
without first pursuing virtue.
CHRISTIANITY tells us that
our lives and salvation are
dependent on God and
our belief in and allegiance
to His Son, Jesus.
Directions
1. Give every player a set of 10 worldview cards
(at right). Additional sets can be found at
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Magazine.
2. Watch The Muppet Christmas Carol until you
reach an incident on the game board. Then
pause the movie.
3. Each player chooses a card that matches the
worldview identified in the movie and places
it facedown. Then players turn over their
cards to reveal their answers.
4. The correct cards are removed from play. The
cards deemed incorrect are returned to each
player, and the movie continues.
5. This game doesn’t cover every worldview in
this movie. Players who have guessed wrong
can catch up by calling out the correct worldview
if it comes up again in the movie. (This
can only be done with worldview cards that
have been removed from play.)
6. The first player to get rid of eight cards is the
winner.
ECOCENTRISM
emphasizes that the
welfare of nature—not
humankind—should be
our primary focus.
HEDONISM asserts that
pleasure is our ultimate
goal, and we should do
whatever makes us happy.
FREE WILL is a doctrine
that tells us that our
choices, not our biology
or our backgrounds,
determine who we
ultimately become.
MISANTHROPISM takes
a dim view of humanity
overall, often based
on preconceptions of
humanity’s flaws.
Note: For young children who aren’t ready to play this
game, you can introduce them to worldview training
with a casual mention like: “Free will means that our
choices determine who we become.”
42
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025
Be sure to first check out Plugged In’s review
to see if The Muppet Christmas Carol
is right for your family.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.com/MuppetChristmasCarol
SPIRITUALISM embraces
the idea that a reality exists
outside of our five senses.
Spiritualists believe in ghosts,
magic and communication
with the dead.
WORKS-ORIENTED
THEOLOGY stresses that
what we do in this life
determines where we’ll
end up in the next.

MAKE YOUR WAY
THROUGH SCROOGE’S
HOUSE TO FIND
WORLDVIEW MESSAGES.
START
3:45
RIZZO THE RAT
EATS AN APPLE,
MUCH TO THE
ANNOYANCE
OF “CHARLES
DICKENS.”
11:30
SCROOGE
REVEALS
HIS CORE
PHILOSOPHY TO
HIS NEPHEW.
25:20
JACOB AND
ROBERT
MARLEY
APPEAR TO
SCROOGE.
27:50
THE MARLEY
BROTHERS WARN
SCROOGE THAT
A “NIGHTMARE
WAITS FOR YOU.”
35:15
56:18
BOB CRATCHIT
TALKS ABOUT TINY
TIM’S MORNING AT
CHURCH.
WHILE SCROOGE IS
WITH THE GHOST
OF CHRISTMAS PAST,
WE SEE A BUST OF
ARISTOTLE AND
OTHER INTELLECTUAL
LUMINARIES.
1:10:10
SCROOGE ASKS
THE GHOST OF
CHRISTMAS YET
TO COME IF THE
VISIONS OF THE
FUTURE CAN BE
CHANGED.
1:16:00
SCROOGE SINGS ABOUT
HIS PROMISE TO SHARE
HIS WEALTH.
CREDIT TK
Additional worldview cards
can be found in the Parents
Guide to Movie Messages.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
Magazine
END
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 43

fAITH & INSPIRATION / GRANDPARENTING
GRANDPARENTING
‘YOU WERE
ONCE THIS SIZE’
For the past few years, I have run a Bible club for my
five school-age grandchildren. The theme this year
was “Our Amazing Body.” The local pro-life center let
me borrow four realistic fetal models, each at a different
stage of development. The grandkids and I talked about
how each of us was once this size, and that their new,
expected cousin was the size of the 16-week model.
The kids held the models and passed them around,
noticing the tiny fingers, toes and noses. The grandkids
all recognized that every person is created by God from
the very beginning of development.
—Rhonda Carter
seek and find Nativity
I dye batches of rice red and green to make a sensory tub
for my granddaughters. I mix in the figures from a plastic
Nativity set and let the girls run their hands through the
rice to find each hidden item, and we talk about how
each person or animal played a part in the birth of Jesus.
—Michelle LaRo
PAJAMA
PARTY
Every Christmas Eve, my husband
and I do a pajama gift
exchange with our kids and
grandkids, and each family
also brings a dish and cookies
to share with everyone.
There are three rules: (1) If you
come, you have to participate;
(2) the gift has to be an appropriate
pair of Christmas pajamas;
and (3) you wear what you get!
Once everyone is changed
into pj’s, we snack on
Christmas cookies and hot
chocolate while we watch
A Charlie Brown Christmas.
When Linus reads Luke
2:8-14, I’m grateful we can
be reminded about what
Christmas is really about.
—Alyson Westock as told to Suzanne McKee
FOTF - SALLY DUNN / ADOBE STOCK - SEVENTYFOUR
44
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

GRANDPARENTING / fAITH & INSPIRATION
“80% of grandparents and grandchildren
share festive activities and celebrations.”
source: IJERPH 2021
GRANDPARENTING
ADOBE STOCK - IMPACT PHOTOGRAPHY / ILLUSTRATIONX - SCOTT BRUNDAGE
CAROLING CIRCLE
Every year on Christmas Eve, my husband (K-pa) and I gather our kids
and grandkids to sing Christmas carols. We sit in a circle, with jingle
bells wrapped around our wrists and reindeer ear headbands propped
on our heads, and each person takes a turn choosing the song they want
us to sing.
Two years ago, K-pa issued a change. During the next Christmas gathering,
each person was to say what his or her favorite Christ-centered
carol is and why.
Eyes rolled at first: “K-pa gave us Christmas homework?” But what each
person shared was heartfelt. One granddaughter even created a poster
with Scriptures and illustrations. Sharing our favorite carols and talking
about the Christmas story opened up meaningful dialogue, and we were
all inspired in new ways.
—Jill Osborne
Starry Night
gatherings
Grandpa and Grandma’s Annual
Starry Night began when Jupiter
and Saturn aligned in the “great
conjunction” of Dec. 21, 2020.
On that chilly night, we sat with
our young grandsons to gaze
into the night sky at what some
referred to as a reappearance of
the Christmas Star. It began a little
tradition we do at Christmastime
each year—sitting outside to
watch the night sky.
One year the boys cut out
paper stars and affixed them to
their flashlights. Another year
they brought battery-powered
lanterns.
We also hide little treasures
around the house for the boys
to find such as Nativity figurines,
cookies shaped like stars, a game
or a Scripture verse on a slip of
paper. Clues to find each treasure
also include instructions to take a
picture, sing a song or simply hug
a grandparent.
But the most important part
of Starry Night gathers everyone
together for a reading of
the Christmas story in Luke 2
by candlelight.
—Sylvia Schroeder
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 45

MY THRIVING FAMILY
Christmas pajamas
(top row) Aiden, 3, Brylee, 4,
Noah, 3 months, and Liam, 3
(bottom) Averie, 4, Titus, 1,
Maddie, 2, Declan, 1, and Zeke, 1
My sister’s and my nine grandchildren are joyful
chaos all decked out alike. —Renee from California
Kallen, 10, Jayden, 8,
and Bryson, 6
Olivia, 5 months
A picture of our boys in matching pajamas makes
a perfect photo ornament for the tree each year.
—Leanne from Alberta
Lila, 7, Sadie, 9,
and Emma, 11
Colton, 10 months,
Elliotte, 2, and
Myers, 5 months
Our sweet baby daughter wears her
first Christmas pajamas.
—Paige from Tennessee
Big smiles and colorful pajamas
express our girls’ Christmas joy!
—Catherine from Connecticut
Christmas cookies and comfy pajamas bring smiles to these
cousins. —Lyndsay from Ontario
SEND US
YOUR PHOTOS!
SUBMIT PHOTOS OF
YOUR CHILD PLAYING IN THE
SNOW OR ENJOYING A PICNIC.
Email photos to info@fotf.ca.
Include your child’s name,
age and province, and type
“Snow Fun” or “Picnic”
in the subject line.*
* Largest photo possible. Professional photos are not accepted.
ADOBE CREDIT STOCK TK - ELENA GARDER, GRACE
46
DEC 2024 / JAN 2025

Anything in this .25inch zone is not guaranteed safe from being trimmed off.
faith
kids’ your in Invest
SAFETY VIOLATION ZONE copy in this zone not safe per trim variance (.25 inch).
Ad Title
Ages
3-7
AD FPO
Full Page
TRIM: 7.75 x 10.5 inch
Teen
girls
Ages
8-12
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family Clubhouse Jr.
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family’s Brio
47
Each issue brings kids so many cool ways to explore biblical concepts and godly
decision making—through Bible stories, mysteries, celebrity interviews,
quizzes, puzzles, creative activity ideas ENand much more.
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family Clubhouse
Teach your children about following Christ with help from fun-filled magazines!
Scan to order
Subscribe or renew online at
Shop.<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Magazines or call 1.800.661.9800

<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family
8605 Explorer Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED
Non Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
<strong>Focus</strong> on
the Family
When you shop at
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family
Canada, you bless families
across the country by
supporting our ministry
#
We invite you to stop by our resource center at our
head office in Langley, BC, or you can shop online at
Shop.<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca
THANK YOU FOR CARING FOR FAMILIES!