December 2 | DINOSAURS + DINNER DATES | So much fun tonight hanging with the dinosaurs @tellusmuseum with my main man and our awesome @nsckennesaw staff team. Grateful for these people who love Jesus and love people really well! #LiveSent
December 7 | FINAL FOUR | I’m so proud of our @nccseagles football team! These guys have been working so hard for many months…in front of us on Friday nights, but mostly behind the scenes on super hot summer days, in the weight room, early in the morning, after a full day of school, and everything in between. The coaches know that the game of football is simply a tool to invest in the hearts and minds of young men to help them ultimately become godly men, husbands, fathers, and leaders in their community. Our coaches do a fantastic job of pointing these guys to Jesus. I’m so proud of our players, coaches, managers, trainers, and families. The brotherhood of NCCS Football is special! This year was our first trip ever to the Final Four and our first time playing football in December. We’ve come a long way baby! Let’s run it back next year. Well done Eagles! #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily #FinalFour #TakeTheLand
**The Final Four game was also the 23rd anniversary of the first date that Clint and I went on. Turns out high school football is the perfect date as far as we are both concerned!!
December 8 | 12 YEARS OLD | The Lord is so gracious and kind! Eli is 12 today and truly becoming a young man in so many ways. He loves Jesus, loves helping, and is so much fun to be around. He still loves all sports and any chance to hang out with friends. Eli enjoys cooking…and eating…specifically burgers and cookies. Some other favorites continue to be: Alabama football, anything for the NCCS Eagles, NorthStar middle school ministry, “Coach Strange keys to success”, projects with Dad, cooking up ideas with Emma, and going places with Mom. Eli is quick to smile and loves to make people laugh…and he’s even figuring out the right times for that on occasion as a developing skill 😂 The Lord is really working in his heart. Eli, you are so easy to celebrate and we love you so much! Happy Birthday E! 🎉💙 @clintstrange32
December 11 | O COME LET US ADORE HIM | I’m so thankful for our incredible @nccsarts department…all the disciplines and all the directors and students. Just a crazy talented crew from top to bottom! I wanted to give a special shoutout to our Upper School Visual Arts students who painted this mural LIVE during the Christmas concert last night.
Each tile depicts the life and ministry of Jesus and was painted independently of the others…and then brought together into this one incredible piece of art. Well done artists and great leadership by Mr. Nate Rupp @bigbrave! 📷 @briannehonaker
December 12 | CHRISTMAS CHAPEL | Thank you Lord for the gift of being a part of the @nccseagles community where we can worship together, study Scripture, and celebrate Jesus together. Christmas chapel is always a favorite!
December 13 | REPEAT THE SOUNDING JOY | I’ve been really challenged and encouraged by this Advent devotional by Christopher Ash this year. This portion in particular reminds us that things in this world aren’t the way God intended. Sin messed it all up…and we keep messing it up. But God. In Christ, all the broken things will ultimately be put back together.
Luke 1:67-75
God is faithful. He is working. #Advent
December 14 | HOPE FOR CHRISTMAS | Super fun morning hanging with our @nccseagles students helping with Hope for Christmas in partnership with the Acworth location of @crosspointcity church that meets on our campus. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to see some really cool families in our community getting to have an extra special Christmas! HOPE has a name… JESUS.
December 14 | COOKIES AND COCOA | Special thanks to our awesome @NCCSEagles Upper School parents who are keeping us fueled to the finish line. So grateful for their encouragement! #GoEagles #WeAreNCCS #NCCSFamily
December 16 | ALL VISUAL ARTS SHOW | Just when I think I’ve seen it all, our Upper School Visual Arts students have blown me away yet again with their incredible talent and variety of gifts and interests. This year’s Upper School Fall Art show features a variety of drawings, paintings, photographs, sculptures, and 3-D art that rivals the world’s most famous art galleries. I’m so thankful for the way that our art classes help our students learn more about God, the ultimate Creator. Well done Mr. Rupp, Mrs. Slaughter, and Upper School Art students. I loved your show! Check it out in the FAB until Thursday! @nccsarts @bigbrave
December 24 | CHRISTMAS EVE | It has been such a joy for our whole family to get to be a part of serving at Christmas at NorthStar yesterday and today. We had a blast seeing friends, catching up with people we haven’t seen in awhile, helping people find seats, greeting people, setting up candles, worshipping with our church family, sharing stories with dear friends, and be by reminded about what a privilege it is to be pursued and cared for by The Good Shepherd. I’m so glad my Mom could be with us! @nsckennesaw @clintstrange32 @emma.k.strange Also, Eli’s first Celsius…but not a whole one. Staff kids…gotta keep an extra eye on them 😂
December 25 | MERRY CHRISTMAS
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
December 26 | CHRISTMAS DINNER OUT | So fun to try out the new @1885grillkennesaw tonight with Mom. We love having her in town to make new memories! We LOVE 1885 Acworth and highly recommend the new Kennesaw location as well. #7000days
December 31 | NIGHT WILL BE NO MORE | Today is the last day of 2024. I don’t know what this year held for you, but God does. Even better, He holds 2025 and you and He desires to for you to know the HOPE that we can only find in Christ.
My Scripture reading today is the last one of the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan for 2024. The end of 2 Chronicles, Psalms, Malachi, and Revelation all remind us that God is in control and He has a plan for all of this.
Tomorrow, I will start a new reading plan that will take me through the entire Bible again. Do I do that just to read through the Bible each year? I read through the Bible to remind myself that God is faithful and He is working. There is a grand plan. He is the Creator of it as well as my Provider and Sustainer. He knows me better than anyone AND He loves me more than I could ever imagine. He is the source of true Joy and the ultimate anchor of Hope. It’s easy to become distracted. I read the Bible to make sure my heart and mind are reminded daily of what is true.
In Christ, there will be no more night. He came to restore our relationship with our Heavenly Father and He will return again to “make all things new” (Revelation 21:5).
God is working. He is faithful.
#MCheyeneReadingPlan
