Questions · Advent
Advent questions for each Sunday of the waiting
For the family that lights the Advent wreath at dinner, the small group meeting in December, or anyone who wants Christmas to start slower. One set of questions for each of the four Sundays before Christmas: hope, peace, joy and love.
- 21 questions
- EN + TL on every card
- Free in the app
Kumustahan is a bilingual conversation card app: 1,200 questions in English and Filipino across 7 decks, with a short reflection on the back of every card.
Think of one part of your life where you're learning to trust God's timing.
Mag-isip ng isang part ng buhay mo kung saan natututo kang magtiwala sa timing ni Lord.
Waiting can feel slow, even when you are still moving. Patience grows as you keep choosing trust one day at a time.
Mabagal minsan ang waiting, kahit may ginagawa ka pa rin. Lumalago yung patience habang pinipili mong magtiwala one day at a time.
The questions
21 Advent questions
Every question in English and Filipino/Tagalog, word for word from the Kumustahan decks. Open “Back of the card” for the reflection printed on the other side.
First Sunday: hope
5 questions
The first candle. Waiting, timing and what you’re hoping for.
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Think of one part of your life where you're learning to trust God's timing.
Mag-isip ng isang part ng buhay mo kung saan natututo kang magtiwala sa timing ni Lord.
Back of the card
Waiting can feel slow, even when you are still moving. Patience grows as you keep choosing trust one day at a time.
Mabagal minsan ang waiting, kahit may ginagawa ka pa rin. Lumalago yung patience habang pinipili mong magtiwala one day at a time.
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Share one area where waiting is testing your trust.
Mag-share ng area kung saan tine-test ng waiting ang trust mo.
Back of the card
Waiting can reveal what we fear losing. It can also become a place where trust grows slowly and honestly.
Sa waiting, lumalabas minsan kung ano ang takot tayong mawala. Puwede rin itong maging place kung saan dahan-dahang lumalago ang trust.
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Name one truth you want your future self to remember about God.
Magbanggit ng truth about Lord na gusto mong maalala ng future self mo.
Back of the card
Some truths become anchors later. Naming one now can help you remember when the next season feels different.
May truths na nagiging anchor later. Kapag pinangalanan mo ngayon, mas may babalikan ka kapag iba na ang next season.
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Name one small hope that helps you keep going.
Magbanggit ng isang maliit na hope na tumutulong sa'yo magpatuloy.
Back of the card
A small hope can still carry real strength. It may be quiet, but it is not nothing.
May totoong lakas din ang maliit na hope. Tahimik man siya, hindi ibig sabihin wala siyang bigat.
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Name one good thing you are quietly hoping for.
Magsabi ng isang good thing na tahimik mong hinihiling lately.
Back of the card
Quiet hopes still deserve room. Saying them gently can remind you that wanting good things is not foolish.
May lugar din ang tahimik na hopes. Kapag nasabi mo sila nang gentle, naaalala mong hindi foolish ang umasa sa mabuti.
Second Sunday: peace
5 questions
Rest, worry and the things that can wait.
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What makes it easier for you to really rest?
Ano yung nakakatulong sa'yo na talagang makapagpahinga?
Back of the card
Rest can start with small things: less pressure, a quiet place, honest prayer, or someone who lets you slow down.
Minsan nagsisimula ang pahinga sa simple lang: bawas pressure, tahimik na lugar, honest prayer, o taong hinahayaan kang huminga muna.
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Share a part of Scripture that has been comforting, even without fixing everything.
Mag-share ng part ng Scripture na nakaka-comfort, kahit hindi nito fina-fix lahat.
Back of the card
Comfort does not always remove the situation. Sometimes Scripture gives enough light for the next step.
Hindi laging inaalis ng comfort ang situation. Minsan ang Scripture, nagbibigay lang ng sapat na ilaw para sa next step.
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Pick one worry you need to pray about before deciding what to do next.
Pumili ng isang worry na kailangan mong i-pray muna bago mag-decide ng next step.
Back of the card
Planning is not wrong. Prayer helps you bring the worry to God first, so fear does not lead every next step.
Hindi mali ang planning. Tinutulungan ka ng prayer na dalhin muna kay Lord yung worry, para hindi fear ang manguna sa next step.
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Think of a place or time when it's easier for you to be honest with God in prayer. Why there?
Isipin yung place or time na mas madali sa'yo maging honest kay God sa prayer. Bakit doon?
Back of the card
Some places help us stop performing. It might be a quiet room, a commute, a walk, or any moment where you can be real with God.
May mga lugar o moment na mas madali maging totoo. Pwedeng tahimik na kwarto, commute, lakad, o kahit anong oras na kaya mong maging real kay God.
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Name one thing that can wait until tomorrow.
Magbanggit ng isang bagay na puwedeng maghintay hanggang bukas.
Back of the card
Not everything needs today's strength. Letting one thing wait can be a practical kind of kindness.
Hindi lahat kailangan ng lakas mo today. Minsan praktikal na kindness yung hayaan munang maghintay ang isang bagay.
Third Sunday: joy
5 questions
The rose candle. Gladness in ordinary days.
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Tell us about a recent time serving felt joyful.
Kuwento ng recent time na masaya mag-serve.
Back of the card
Joy in serving is worth noticing. It can show where love is becoming more than duty.
Pansinin kapag may joy sa pag-serve. Minsan doon mo nakikita na yung love, hindi lang duty.
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Point to one blessing from this week that you almost overlooked.
Magbanggit ng isang blessing this week na halos hindi mo napansin.
Back of the card
Some blessings are quiet. Noticing them can help you look back on the week with more gratitude.
May blessings na tahimik lang. Kapag napansin mo sila, mas nagiging grateful ka habang binabalikan yung week.
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Think of one ordinary moment this week that reminded you of God.
Mag-isip ng ordinary moment this week na nagpaalala sa'yo kay Lord.
Back of the card
Worship can begin with attention. A small reminder can turn an ordinary moment back toward God.
Puwedeng magsimula ang worship sa pagpansin. Isang maliit na reminder lang, puwedeng bumalik kay Lord yung ordinary moment.
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What made you laugh when you least expected it?
Ano ang nagpatawa sa'yo noong hindi mo inaasahan?
Back of the card
Give the scene a caption if you like.
Kung gusto mo, bigyan ng caption ang eksenang iyon.
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What helps you notice God's grace in everyday life?
Ano yung nakakatulong sa'yo mapansin yung grace ni God sa everyday life?
Back of the card
Grace can show up in quiet ways: enough strength for the day, an encouraging word, a small provision, or peace you did not expect.
Minsan simple lang dumating yung grace: sapat na lakas for the day, encouraging na salita, maliit na provision, o peace na hindi mo in-expect.
Fourth Sunday: love
6 questions
Kindness given, received and sometimes owed.
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Choose one relationship where you want to reflect Jesus more in how you treat them.
Pumili ng isang relationship kung saan gusto mong mas ma-reflect si Jesus sa pakikitungo mo sa kanila.
Back of the card
Following Jesus often becomes visible in one relationship at a time: patience, truth, kindness, repair, and steady love.
Madalas nakikita ang pagsunod kay Jesus one relationship at a time: patience, truth, kindness, repair, at steady love.
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When did someone remind you of God's kindness recently?
Kailan may taong nagpaalala sa'yo ng kindness ni Lord recently?
Back of the card
God's kindness can reach us through people. Remembering those moments can make gratitude more concrete.
Puwedeng dumating ang kindness ni Lord through people. Kapag naalala mo yung moments na yun, mas nagiging concrete ang gratitude.
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Share a moment when you knew you needed to say sorry.
Mag-share ng moment na alam mong kailangan mong mag-sorry.
Back of the card
Repair can feel holy and awkward at the same time. A sincere sorry can be one way we follow Jesus in real relationships.
Puwedeng holy at awkward ang pag-aayos ng relationship. Yung sincere na sorry, puwedeng maging isang way ng pagsunod kay Jesus sa real relationships.
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Who could you ask to pray with you this week?
Sino yung puwede mong yayain mag-pray kasama mo this week?
Back of the card
Praying with someone can make faith feel less alone. Even a simple, honest prayer together can bring comfort and courage.
Kapag may kasama kang mag-pray, hindi masyadong lonely yung faith. Kahit simpleng honest prayer together, puwedeng magdala ng comfort at courage.
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Name one kind of help you are learning to accept from others.
Magbanggit ng isang klase ng help na natututo kang tanggapin mula sa iba.
Back of the card
Receiving help can feel vulnerable. It can also remind us that God often cares for us through other people.
Nakaka-vulnerable tumanggap ng help. Minsan pinapaalala nito na ginagamit din ni Lord ang ibang tao para alagaan tayo.
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How do you usually show a friend that you care?
Paano mo usually pinapakita sa friend na may care ka?
Back of the card
Care has many shapes: checking in, feeding people, remembering details, giving space, or staying when it gets inconvenient.
Maraming itsura ang care: nangangamusta, nagpapakain, nakakaalala ng details, nagbibigay ng space, o nananatili kahit hassle.
How to use them
Before you ask
Advent questions turn the four Sundays before Christmas into four short conversations about hope, peace, joy and love. Advent is a season of waiting, and December rarely feels like waiting: it fills with parties, shopping and programs. A question at the wreath slows the table down for ten minutes once a week.
Light the candle, read a short passage if your family does, then ask one or two questions from that Sunday’s set and let everyone answer, the youngest first. You don’t need to finish the list. One honest answer about waiting or worry does more than a rushed round of every card.
Traditions differ on the names and order of the candles. Some churches use prophecy, Bethlehem, shepherds and angels, and some put love second. Follow your own church and use whichever set fits that week’s candle.
Good for
Tips
- Keep it to ten minutes. Advent is about slowing down, not adding a program.
- Let a child light the candle and ask the first question.
- Write one answer from each Sunday on a card and read them all on Christmas Eve.
- For young children, rephrase a question in simpler words and keep the same idea.
- Don’t worry if you miss a Sunday. Pick up with that week’s candle.
Decks for this
A simple plan for the four Sundays
Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. In 2026 that is November 29, followed by December 6, 13 and 20.
| Sunday | Candle | Try this |
|---|---|---|
| First | Hope | Ask about waiting. Each person names something they’re hoping for this season. |
| Second | Peace | Ask about worry and rest. End by praying for one worry someone shared. |
| Third | Joy | Light the rose candle and ask about small gladness from the week. |
| Fourth | Love | Ask about kindness, then pick one kind thing to do before Christmas. |
Advent questions
Frequently asked questions
What are good Advent questions for families?
Questions that match each Sunday’s candle: what you’re hoping for and waiting on, what helps you rest and what you worry about, where you noticed joy this week, and how you can show love before Christmas.
What are the four themes of Advent?
Many churches use hope, peace, joy and love, with the rose candle for joy on the third Sunday. Others use prophecy, Bethlehem, shepherds and angels. The questions here follow hope, peace, joy and love.
Can we use these questions in a small group?
Yes. Use one Sunday’s set for each December meeting and give people a minute of quiet before answering.
Are these Advent questions in an app?
They come from the faith deck in Kumustahan, a free conversation card app. Every card also has a Filipino translation for bilingual families.
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