Jesus once said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Perhaps he was preparing us for the harsh reality that welcoming God into your whole life will, at some point, come at a cost. This Advent, we will journey with the first people to be confronted with the decision of whether or not to welcome the Christ child into their own life. And we will discover that the cost—whatever it may be—is worth it.