As we move further into December, the noise of the secular Christmas can easily drown out the quiet of the second week of Advent. The only solution I know is to spend some time in deliberate quiet, listening and waiting for the Lord.

So what do you do with your mind while you are quiet? Composing a list of last-minute gifts and worrying about your credit card balance probably won’t work.

Instead, consider asking Jesus a question: What would you like me to do to improve our relationship, Jesus? Then listen and expect an answer.