5 Ways to Embrace Christ this Nativity Fast, following the Church as our guide!

Did you know that Chrysostom means "golden mouth"? Check out this super easy feast day tradition of making the "golden mouth milk" for the feast of St John Chrysostom! Easy and healthy and one that you can pull together with items you probably already have on hand!

Over the past several years, I have been on the hunt for an Orthodox Nativity set for my family. One of my biggest hold ups when searching for sets is majority of the sets on the market have the common “barn” manger scene, which isn’t entirely accurate. I’ve been on the search for the traditional “Cave” scene. This year, we found it! We added this BRAND NEW Wooden Icon Nativity Set by Orthodox Design Company to our collection and when I opened the packaged, I squealed and did a happy dance! It’s a dream to have this heirloom Nativity set that is not only beautiful, but durable and interactive for my children!

I love Theology and all things Orthodox, but in this season of life I need simplicity. A little nugget to take and slowly digest. I try to carve out a few minutes a day to read, so sometimes I get one or two pages in. I also recently subscribed to Audible and I have enjoyed listening to books while doing chores, or nursing my little one - and I have found that I am actually able to “read” a lot more through that method. So I will share my booklist on Audible as well! Below you will find my current reading list and a brief commentary on my thoughts so far!

St Peter the Aleut is an Alaskan martyr who was killed in California during the establishment of the Spanish missions in 1815. We have learned more about St Peter over the years, but this year we wanted to do something to honor his feast day! Check out this simple feast day tradition to honor to Peter the Aleut!

I recently had an epiphany while on a hill overlooking a funeral at a monastery. Grief is something that can be shared universally. Words do no not have to be spoken to understand the depth of someone’s loss.... I saw the pain flicker across the wife’s face as she looked at her husband finally at peace. Knowing this was going to be the last time she saw him here. My heart squeezed for her. I knew this feeling. This aching in your heart. Being surrounded by loved ones and feeling so alone. How it bounces back and forth between anguish and joy that your loved one is no longer with you, but they’re not suffering anymore. 

Living the Orthodox Faith in our modern age takes intention. I’ve created a beautiful one page (per month) printable to help simplify liturgical living with fun and easy ways to incorporate into your home. Bundle and Save!

In this guide you’ll find simple and easy ideas to celebrate the Nativity of the Theotokos as a family - emphasis on easy! Activity suggestions, book recommendations, song links, and additional information so you can share her story and what this feast is all about!

The first day of the Church New Year in the Orthodox Church is September 1st. According to Holy Tradition, Christ entered the synagogue on September 1 to announce His mission to mankind (Luke 4:16-22). In this guide, I will share a little more about the significance of this day, some activities, reading suggestions, and other ways to engage with your family or community.