All is calm and bright on the home front this Christmas season! The house is decorated, the kids are building expectations, and the Advent Season is in full swing!

Although the fall has been pretty crazy, there is much to be thankful for. My wife broke her ankle, but has graduated from a cast and a wheeled walker to a walking boot. My family gave me a boxer for my birthday, something I’ve wanted for a very long time. And the new life my wife carries is growing and progressing very nicely.

Although the fall has been pretty busy, there is much to look forward to. Our church is in the midst of a search for a new youth minister. We are in the middle of a preaching series that will lead us right up to the birth of Christ. And we are set to focus on prayer and fasting with the start of the New Year.

And although the fall has been hectic, it is very apparent that God is still in control, and even though I may not see the purposes behind many of these events, or their timing, I know that he does.

With all of these events in play, my blogging schedule, and even my work schedule, has been disrupted. But that’s ok. Moving into December, I hope to regain some sense of routine in my work.

In the meantime, here are the seven top posts for the month of November:

1. 6 Characteristics Of A Good Communicator
2. The Difference Between Purpose, Vision, and Mission
3. How To Take Notes While Reading The Bible
4. Our Tradition: Christmas Eve Candle Light Service
5. Why You Need To Develop A Philosophy Of Ministry
6. My Current Philosophy Of Ministry
7. Why A Daughter Needs A Dad

As usual, many of these are from my two most popular series: the series on communication and the Foundations Of Youth Ministry series. However, since it is the Christmas season, my post from a few years ago on one of our family traditions made the list as well.

Also, in case you missed them, here are my seven most recent posts, not including the Coffee Break posts, or the series on memorizing Titus.

1. Making The Perfect Cup Of Coffee: The Roast – Resources
2. The Surprising Advantage Of Gratitude – Leadership
3. Book Review: Invitation To Philippians by Donald R. Sunukjian – Reviews
4. Book Review: Persuasive Preaching by R. Larry Overstreet – Reviews
5. Book Review: The Woman Who Would Be King by Kara Cooney – Reviews
6. Making The Perfect Cup Of Coffee: Selecting Good Beans – Resources
7. Making The Perfect Cup Of Coffee – Resources

Even though the fall has been a crazy time for my family, I still managed to find the time to read and review several interesting books on the areas of history and preaching. More book reviews are on the way in December as well.

My favorite post from November was The Value Of Reading Biographies For A Leader. One of my favorite genres to read for the past couple of years has been biographies. I have devoured several in recent months. The values I gain from these lives is unmeasurable.

I hope and pray that your Christmas season is merry and bright, and the the true meaning of Christ’s birth and life is foremost in your thoughts this month!

Merry Christmas!

Question: If you are a blogger, leave a comment with your top post for the month. If you don’t blog, leave a comment with a favorite post or blog that you read this month. You can leave a comment by clicking here.