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Emmanuel

December 25, 2013

Christmas is about the great mystery of Emmanuel, “God with us.” Jesus gave up equality with God to come down from glory as a baby. Mary would carry the Son of God in her womb and be His earthly mother. She submitted to God’s plans for her in spite of the questions and whispers surrounding her. She believed the words of Gabriel when he told her she was “highly favored” by the Lord and He was with her.

She gave her body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this was her spiritual act of worship. Did Mary know that Isaiah 53 was a prophecy about her son? Did she know that His birth would change history? Mary’s attitude, one of humility, love, and confidence, provides an example.

May we have the same attitude of humility when [ … ]

A Gift Beyond Measure

December 24, 2013

“In biblical times, much like today, times of great joy were often accompanied by the giving of gifts…

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. (Matthew 2:10–11)

God, of course, gave the greatest gift of all: His love wrapped up in His Son, Jesus. God’s love changes everything and everyone it touches. It protects and breathes life and purpose into every minute of every day. God’s love is a gift beyond measure that surrounds us and covers us when the fires of life rain down.”

Excerpted from Knowing God by Name by Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, and Mary Southerland

Daily Reflection: How [ … ]

Mary Was Unique Because God Chose Her

December 23, 2013

“The virgin’s name was Mary. Luke 1:27

A second reminder of her innocence. One meaning of her name is ‘bitter,’ perhaps a hint of her sorrow to come. Being loved by God would not spare her the heartaches and tragedies of life. Yet in the Bible we never see any bitterness in her words or actions. Impressive, no?
She was ‘likely uneducated and probably came from a poor family.’ Like the child she bore, who ‘had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him,’ Mary, I suspect, was rather plain in appearance. Certainly in her dress and speech, perhaps also in her face and figure, she was unremarkable.

But God didn’t choose Mary because she was unique. Mary was unique because God chose her. He knew her tender heart, [ … ]

Giving An Amount That Matters

December 20, 2013

“King David knew that a gift that cost him nothing was worth nothing to God. The king was seeking out a location to offer a gift of burnt offerings. An attractive altar arrangement and a team of oxen had been offered to David for free. But he wanted his giving to be the acceptable kind, so he insisted on paying for the items at full market price (see 2 Samuel 24:22–25).

This brings us to our first truth about acceptable gifts (ones that get God’s attention). When it comes to our gifts, the amount matters.
When the gift amount matters to us, it can matter to God too.”

Excerpted from Plastic Donuts by Jeff Anderson

Daily Reflection: Are you truly giving sacrificially?

NEWS: Timothy Lewis Featured on Amarillo Globe & News

December 19, 2013

Timothy Lewis, author of Forever Friday, was featured in the Amarillo Globe & News Tuesday. The Amarillo Globe & News writes about Lewis’s aunt and uncle who were the inspiration for Forever Friday; while rummaging through the remains of their estate sale, Lewis and his brother found a collection of postcards. FuBob had sent a Friday postcard weekly to his wife for nearly 60 years, from their marriage in 1927 until his death in 1986.

 

To read the entire article, click here.

Look for Me

December 19, 2013

“I recently learned that celebrating Christmas is not far from the heart of God, either. Feeling like Jesus had gotten lost in the frenzy of the holiday season, I asked the Lord to show me what I could do to teach my children the true meaning of Christmas. I was caught off-guard when He simply replied, ‘Don’t do anything differently. Look in the middle of the celebration and you will find Me.’

He was right, of course. I didn’t need to orchestrate moments to pontificate with my kids about ‘the commercialization of Christmas.’ Instead, Jesus was beckoning me to come to the party and bring the kids. In doing so, we ran into Him at school, in our living room, even at the mall. He hid in the lights, the carols, and the cards. He was there when we dressed [ … ]

Who Invented Christmas?

December 18, 2013

“Mama,” Little Cub asked one night. “Who ‘vented Christmas? Was it Santa?”
         “No,” Mama Bear said. “God invented Christmas. God gave us Christmas.”
         “Is God more important than Santa?”
         “Oh yes, much more important!” Mama said with a smile…
“What is that?” Little Cub asked in wonder as she watched the dancing lights in the sky.
         “That is God at work, Little Cub. He sent his only Son as a baby so that we would know light from dark. Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus is how God gave us Christmas.”

Excerpted from God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa T. Bergren

Daily Reflection: How can you thank God for everything He has given you?

On the 12th Day of Christmas…Classic Books, Timeless Wisdom

December 17, 2013

We all know them.

They’re the ones with a degree in English literature, theology, or philosophy. (Maybe even all three!) They pin quotes from great thinkers, writers and artists on their Pinterest boards. These people say things like, “As the great apologists say…”, and they head straight to the musty, dusty bookshelves in every antique store.

These are the Classics-lovers.

If you gift wrap a gorgeous, leather-bound tome with fragile pages full of long-standing wisdom, these people will talk about your excellent gift giving skills all year long. But let’s face it–the books that aren’t leather-bound are pretty great, too.

On this 12th Day of Christmas, I wanted to share a few of my favorite classic authors and books with you. These books are bursting with soul-nourishing, timeless wisdom, but manage to be as accessible and enjoyable a read as [ … ]