Preparing for Advent with Thanksgiving

In what ways are you preparing for Advent in the midst of Thanksgiving Week?
I can’t think of a better time of year to prepare for Advent…while our hearts are inclined toward a spirit of gratitude!
What are you thanking God for this week? Family, friends, experiences, accomplishments, in the past, present and future? This is the week to let your heart and voice explode with thankfulness and erupt with praise…don’t hold back! Take every opportunity to say “Thank you!” to your family, friends, and yes be sure to express thanks to God.
As we prepare our hearts for the season of Advent, the first Sunday of which is the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we delight in the gift of Jesus on that first Advent and we await his coming again in glory the eternal Advent. In the meantime, his Advent (coming with expectant waiting) into our hearts each day is both invitational and incarnational. He invites us to come close, draw near and follow him…and he gives us the gift of His Spirit to live incarnationally in this world.
Take time to thank God for his unspeakable, indescribable gifts and give God the glory in heart, mind and voice to all that he has so generously lavished upon you today.
Happy Thanksgiving and a Blessed Advent Season to all!

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Steve Macchia

Founder & President

The Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Macchia is founder and president of Leadership Transformations, Inc. (LTI), a ministry serving the spiritual formation, discernment, and renewal of leaders and learners since 2003. For more than 20 years he has been the Director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Doctor of Ministry Program. From 1989-2003 he was the president of Vision New England, the largest regional church renewal association in the country. Earlier in his ministry life, Steve was a member of the pastoral staff of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts for 11 years. He is the author or co-author of 17 books, including The Discerning Life (Zondervan Reflective), and Crafting a Rule of Life, Becoming A Healthy Church (LTI), and Broken and Whole (IVP).  He and his wife Ruth live in the Boston (MA) area and are the proud parents of two married children and grandparents to three adorable grandchildren. Steve’s personal website is www.SteveMacchia.com.

My soul comes alive singing the great hymns of the church and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. I’m in awe of God for fulfilling the dream for LTI that he birthed in my heart, for the team he has assembled, and the transformational impact experienced in the leaders and teams we serve.

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Mitzi Mak

Selah-West Faculty & Emmaus Faculty

Mitzi started her professional life as a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband Jerry then served cross-culturally for ten+ years, living abroad first in India and then Kurdistan, N. Iraq. In addition to being a Spiritual Director, she now serves as a Formation and Care pastor in her local church in Houston, TX. She has graduated from LTI’s Selah Spiritual Direction training as well as LTI’s Emmaus Formational Leadership Program.

Mitzi enjoys engaging conversation, reading fiction, doing jigsaw/crossword puzzles, ocean gazing and exploring the world with Jerry through food and travel.

God has two main callings in Mitzi’s life: to care for those who care for others and to be a guide in helping others have a healthy relationship with the Trinity – recognizing God’s loving presence and activity in their lives and how to faithfully respond.

Selah was a transformative experience for me – allowing the contemplative within to emerge and to beautifully co-exist with my extraverted personality.