Restore
No. 22 | Preparing for the Holidays | November 2025
By Contributor Regina Sanchez
Andrea Fortenberry
What's Inside
from my heart to yours
Hi Friends!
I’m so excited that the holidays are upon on us! It’s such a special time of year.
As we head into this season, let’s prepare our hearts and focus on what really matters. It’s so easy to focus on the commercialism and quickly become overwhelmed by all “we have to do.”
The reality is that we get to choose what we do and we don’t have to do it all. Let’s be intentional about our yeses this season and say yes to what matters most.
One of the things I hope you say yes to this holiday season is rest.
It might seem counterintuitive because our calendars are so full and it just doesn’t seem like we have enough time to slow down. Rest isn’t a reward for when our to-do list is at zero (when does that actually ever happen?). Rest helps us to experience God’s presence and keeps us going to do all He has called us to do.
Some of my favorite ways to rest are Sunday naps, movies with my family, and reading a good book. During Advent, I love cozying up by my Christmas tree and reading a chapter a day of Luke and this devotional.
May you experience true rest in Him this holiday season.
xoxo,
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Grandma Mary’s Green Chile Stew
Ingredients
Two cloves of fresh garlic, minced
Lawry’s Seasoning Salt to taste
1 lb. ground beef
2 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2-14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes
1 cup Hatch green chile, diced*
*You can minimize the green chile to ½ - ¾ cup if you’d like less heat
Directions
In large stock pot, brown ground beef with garlic and potatoes.
Season with a few shakes of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt
Let’s Revive Truth
THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON
With Christmas soon approaching, some of us are beginning to think ahead regarding our gift giving ideas so not to feel the stress of this Christmas Season. What I am hoping to do in this writing is to help you do a paradigm shift in your thinking to be sure the focus is on Christ and the gift He gave to us all if we will receive it. I also will give you some novel gift ideas as well.
For Christians, this should be a time of celebration and joy of the birth of Christ. Knowing that God so loved us and that He sent His Son to come to this earth to be a Savior for you and me, should make this season a joyful time, not a stressful time. It’s family time. It’s fellowship time. It’s a time of worship, peace, and love. Yet many feel the impact of the consumerism and commercialization of this special day.
I don’t believe when Christians started celebrating the birth of Christ, that all the consumerism and stresses were something that was intended.
We might feel the pressure to outperform and outspend what we may have initially intended. We can feel like we need to spend a tremendous amount of money buying gifts that might not even be needed, wanted, or even appreciated. Then only to look at the credit card statements at the first of the year to realize we overspent.
What can you do to create that paradigm shift in your thinking to focus more on Christ than the commercialization of Christmas?
1.Meet as a family to express what you would like to see change this year regarding how you focus on Christmas as a holiday. Everyone needs to agree.
2.Take some time to volunteer helping those less fortunate than you.
3.Have your children strategize what they could do to get the focus off the gifts they will receive and onto helping others. One year my children and I made cookies and gave them to our local police and fire department to say, “Thank you for all you do.”
4.Invite at least one person or family over that are not as fortunate as you to celebrate the meaning of Christmas with your family.
5.Christmas morning be sure to read the story of Christ in Luke 1-2.
Now let me help relieve your holiday stress by giving you some easy gift giving ideas that won’t break the bank and will extend a spirit of serving as well as giving.
Also, with prices in many areas still being outrageous, many feel the stress of “Will I be able to buy my Christmas presents this year?”
How about taking a different approach this year for your Christmas shopping and perhaps consider supporting your local business owner? Our small business owners have been harmed greatly these past five years, while the big-box stores reaped billions.
What are some of those ideas you can give as a gift?
Give the gift of Christ! Talk to others about the Savior who loves them
Give the gift of exercise by hiring a personal trainer or Pilates classes
Give the gift of an esthetician
Purchase time for a massage
Pay for someone’s next hair cut/color
Buy from a local artist
Give a gift to their favorite local restaurant
Give the gift of a golf or tennis pro
Give the gift of health by hiring a health coach for someone you love.
Give the gift of a pedicure. Let them have some time of pampering.
Give them the gift of time … your time. Extend a day spent with you doing whatever their heart desires. Sign them up for the Flower of the Month Club. Every month they will receive a new flowering plant or cut flowers. This would be one of my favorites.
Create a Meal of the Month plan. This could be meals you prepare or have catered.
Tickets to the movies for two or four. It could be movie tickets to a theater or DVDs in a basket with some popcorn for them to watch at home.
How about a gift card to their favorite local coffee house (not Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts)? Spend time chatting over a cup of coffee.
Offer babysitting services. Is your friend or family member a young mom? Offer one morning a month to give her time to go and do something for herself. She’ll appreciate you forever.
Offer to clean their home from top to bottom. What a beautiful gift this would be.
Coupon book of one-on-one time, hugs and kisses, game night, doing the dishes, mowing the lawn … you get the idea.
Offer to shovel the snow or do yard work for a season for an elderly couple. This is especially helpful for the senior population who are still living in their home.
Lastly, if you feel that your budget is limited, consider some of these ways to cut back on spending in other areas.
Here are 10 Money-Saving Ideas:
Cut out stopping at Starbucks/DD for that latte or frappuccino.
Cut back on the purchase of iTunes and listen to what you currently own.
Stay off eBay/Amazon looking for bargains.
Don’t go shopping the day after Christmas to look for those “special sales.”
Consider delaying your home improvement projects for next year.
Stop eating out and eat at home. It’s healthier for you.
Save on gas and let January be a “stay at home month” for the kids. No running them around.
Cut back on your cable TV bill or streaming services. Do you really watch all those channels?
Bring your lunch to work and don’t eat out.
When you go grocery shopping, go with a list, and try your best to stick to it.
Hope you enjoy this Christmas Season and that it will be a special time for you and your family. Remember Jesus is the reason for the Season!
Regina Sanchez
Your Spiritual Life and Health Coach … believing in you!
Regina’s heart is to help “revive” what needs to be sparked to life. Her journey of healing gave her a heart to understand, to love and support women and provide tools to bring healing to your heart and your soul.
www.ReginaSanchez.com info@ReginaSanchez.com
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