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Some of my most fond years were my years at Oral Roberts University - great people, fun times, and unlimited (but hardly tasty) cafeteria food. I go back once a year to help train mission teams, and the facilitators all stay in the dorms. I'm always reminded at two things:

1. How small and humble the rooms were for two people each

2. How many great laughs, prayerful moments, and frienships were built in these spaces

The dorms are so small in fact, that it wasn't an uncommon occurence damage to be inflicted in the dorm - simply because you get too many rowdy young men in too small of a space and things are bound to break. There wasn't quite enough room for us, but that certainly didn't dampen the experience.

When we remember Advent we remember the humbleness of arrival of Jesus and how there wasn't quite enough room for Him. Luke 2:7 says,

"...and [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them."

While the consumer side of the Christmas season can be focused on bigger, better, shinier, new toys - the Advent side of the holidays focuses on smaller, quainter, humbler, less crowded spaces.

These are precisely the kinds of places that God loves to visit, inhabit, and make His presence dwell in.

As you lean into the final days of Advent:

1. Embrace the humble parts of your world

2. Huddle down in quainter, less crowded spaces

3. Wrap your arms around the quieter areas of life

...as you remember the arrival of Jesus into the world.