12 Days of Christmas: Day One

Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas: Godly Girl Version! Emma and I are partnering with @em.graceful to bring to you this lovely series which highlights honoring God in this Christmas season as young women. 

On her Instagram platform, Emily Grace is creating videos for each of the 12 days of this Christmas series, while we’re writing posts to go alongside her videos. Each can be enjoyed separately— however you definitely wouldn’t want to miss her marvelously unique perspective. Emily Grace is a wonderfully unhinged book dragon who drives us insane daily with her fictional crushes and ideas. And we love her to bits and pieces. 

Now to dive into our first post!

Day One: Godly Habits 

1. Bible Before Phone

2. Stay Rooted 

3. Whole for Him

4. Silence Speaks

5. Daily Bread

During the Christmas season, it can be easy to get distracted by Christmasy things like brightly wrapped presents, romantic Hallmark movies, gently drifting snow, and the bustle of holiday shopping. While those are wonderful things (especially the Hallmark movies), we have to remember they aren’t what Christmas is really about. We celebrate Christmas to celebrate our Savior’s birth; to remember the day He gave up His place in Heaven to come as a wee babe here on our lowly earth because He loved us so dearly. During this Christmas season, we should reorient our gaze upon Him and praise Him for all He's done. One of the ways we can accomplish this is by cultivating Godly habits. 

1. Bible Before Phone

God is the most important thing in our lives, and we should act like it. Many of us (myself included) grab our phones to look something up or chat with friends first thing in the morning. We think “oh, I’ll pray after I answer this text.” But then after turns into waaaaaay after. And then it never happens. 

If Christ really is the most important in our lives, shouldn’t we honor Him with our thoughts before anyone else? 

Instead of reaching for our phones as the sun rises, let’s reach for our Bibles instead. Curl up in a fuzzy blanket and read as the sun illuminates the morning. Rest in His Word. Choose to put Him first instead of our friends. 

Not just during this Christmas season, but all of life. 

2. Stay Rooted

The Christmas season is one of the busiest and most meaningful times of the year. From cute, frosting covered gingerbread houses to sledding down a steep hill in fresh snow, we want to share our experiences with everyone. Social media platforms like Instagram blow up with holiday experiences in December. While likes and comments from online friends can be fun, those relationships can’t carry you when life gets rough. We need true Christian friends who are willing to walk beside us in prayer no matter the season of life.

We aren’t meant to run this race of faith alone. Christ calls us to run alongside others, continually lifting each other up in His Word. True Christian friends will want to see each other grow in their faith and in life. They should encourage each other, study the Bible together, and have deep conversations. The heart of their relationships should be Christ, not the world. 

It can be hard to find friends who are actively seeking Christ in their lives. And before you can find them, you must be one yourself. God will bring those good friends to you in His time. So continue to strive after Him and seek deep Christian friendships that grow you into a woman after His own heart.

3. Whole for Him

Scripture reminds us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. That means every choice we make about our health is also a spiritual one. While we can go too far to where it becomes self-worship, choosing to care for our bodies isn’t vanity, it’s stewardship. 

We should take steps towards becoming whole this Christmas season. Not just spiritually, but also physically and emotionally. If we neglect one area of health, the others suffer too.  We want to steward our bodies well so that we can serve God and others to the best of our ability. 

There are a few things we can prioritize to emphasize health. Physically, we can cut back on holiday sweets, eat nutritious foods, and exercise more regularly. Emotionally, we can spend time with friends and family, make sure to limit business, and enjoy the real world by putting away our phones. Spiritually, we can remember the true meaning of Christmas, spend time in the Word, and pray without ceasing. 

Healthiness isn’t a chore or a curse or about perfection, it’s a way of honoring the Savior who came to earth to rescue us from our sins. We should choose habits that honor Him instead of ourselves.

4. Silence Speaks

It’s in the silence that God speaks the most clearly. During the Christmas season, we get distracted by busyness and excitement. Through the happy chaos of decorating the house with lights and running to the mall for one last present, we unintentionally push God away and drown out His voice. The way to fix this is by fasting. 

Fasting doesn’t always have to be about food. In this case, we should fast from distractions and business, such as phones, social media, hobbies, or even draining relationships. Anything that pulls you away from Christ this season is something worth cutting back. 

Fasting isn’t simply about cutting something out for a set time. It’s about creating space for God in your life. When we step away from distractions, the hours once filled with noise can become moments of prayer, stillness, and renewed focus on Christ. 

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” To grow in our understanding of Him, we must choose to remove distractions from our life, be still, and prioritize Him.

5. Daily Bread

Just as our bodies need food to survive, our souls need daily time with Christ to thrive. This Christmas season, set aside daily or weekly “check in” times with God. Use these times to grow deeper in your relationship with Him and your faith. Ask Him where He sees growth in your life, what habits you should continue or stop, and where He’s shaping you. If you trust Him and pray, He will bring you an answer. 

While opinions from others can be helpful, true wisdom and advice can only come from our Heavenly Father. Friends and mentors may encourage or guide you, but they’re sinful humans just like you. God’s counsel is deeply personal. He knows you better than yourself, down to your very core, including every struggle, strength, and question. When you lean on His wisdom, you’re choosing to trust the One who never fails instead of the shifting opinions of people. Remember James 1:5 which states that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God and He will generously give it to us. 

Make space for these “check ins” with God, and let His wisdom become your daily bread.

Thank you so much for joining us on Day One of the 12 Days of Christmas: Godly Girl Version! Make sure to check out Emily's video on Instagram and we hope to see you tomorrow!