Another year is
about to begin. There is something hopeful about turning the page, starting
anew, pondering the year ahead of us. Are you waiting for something? Making a
resolution or two? Praying for transformation?
I gave up resolutions years ago. Invariably, they would be set aside after a week or two,
often with no recollection of what I had resolved in the first place. A few
years back my cousin gave me the idea of selecting a word of the year. This
tradition has made a difference to me, as I decide, with God’s help, where to
place my focus and heart and how the Holy Spirit can help.
Without planning,
the first two years began with an “A word,” followed by “B.” In 2017 my word of
the year was “authentic.” I wanted to be truly myself wherever God took me, in every
and all situations. In 2018, the word chosen was “beginning.” That particular
year, our oldest daughter became engaged, our youngest daughter became
pregnant, my husband was newly retired and we took care for our grandchild full
time. Talk about beginnings!
From there, I continued
the alphabetical theme. Last year the word was “content.” This word came to
mind after witnessing my almost 90-year-old neighbor, Phyllis. She has weakened
considerably over the last couple of years, both in mind and body. This dear
friend of mine is always upbeat and content. The Bible verse that reminds me of
her is found in 1 Timothy 6:6. But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Godly and content. I want to grow up to be just like Phyllis.
Being content with
whatever life brings can only come through Jesus. This year’s word is
“devoted.” The word is described as being loyal, faithful, true, steadfast,
dedicated, devout, loving, affectionate, caring.
All words that
describe Jesus. As we draw closer to Him and His word, more devoted to Him, the
Bible promises us that we will be made more and more into His image, drawing in
more and more of His light. What a gift it is to be be devoted to Jesus.
And we all, who with unveiled faces, contemplate
the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image, with ever-increasing
glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 3:18
Devoted
to Christ. Devoted to family. Devoted to friends. Devoted to study. Devoted to
what is most valuable in life.
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one
another above yourselves. Romans 12:10
Father,
Let this year be devoted to You, to become more and more like
Jesus, to listen, read and meditate on Your Word and to shine with the light of
Christ to the world around us.
Amen
See you back here on January 6th. Happy New
Year! I will be praying for you.
Jesus came to this earth to fulfill the promises made by our
God. The promises are many and were written for our benefit by the prophets of
old, filled with and led by the power of the Holy Spirit. Over 300 prophecies
were fulfilled at the first coming of Jesus.
God promised a
future redemption when sin first came upon the earth through one man. Another
man, the perfect man, would, one day, conquer death for us all. It is Jesus.
Thank Him this season. Glorify His holy name. Share His promises with others.
Tell them about His goodness and His unfailing love. He is trustworthy and
faithful even when we are not.
Isaiah left us with
these words. They were written over 700 years before Jesus was born. They were
fulfilled in a manger over two thousand years ago.
Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign.
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son and will call Him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7;14
For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given,
and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
“He will
be called Immanuel.” Immanuel, “God with
us.” Worship the Mighty Counselor, our Mighty God, our Prince of Peace. It is
Jesus. God is with us.
Father,
Thank You for the miraculous ways You have fulfilled Your
promises to this earth. We are humbled by Your everlasting love for us. Let the
good news of Jesus spread throughout the world.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Merry Christmas! See you back here on Monday for a note about
the New Year.
My mind and my heart have been on a roller-coaster ride of
thoughts and emotions this week, from the sad news of my uncle moving to
hospice, to laughing often and savoring moments with our little grandson. Where
are your thoughts today? Wherever you find yourself this Christmas season,
Jesus is with you.
God is the only one
who knows the span of our lives and He is present from before our birth until
death.
Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days
ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. How
precious to me are Your thoughts, God! How vast the sum of them! Were I to
count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand-when I awake I am still
with You. Psalm 139:16-18
God has Your life
in His Almighty hands. Trust Him with your joys and sorrows. Find peace in the
knowledge that He is with you morning, noon and night, from before you were
born until death and beyond. What peace this brings.
May this season of
joy bring you back to the good news that never fades. Jesus was born. The Word
became flesh and lived among us. (John 1) He overcame death for us. And He has
the whole world in His hands.
Jesus,
Your ways astound us and Your Word comforts us. Help each one
of us to find Your peace that passes understanding through the seasons all the
days of our lives. Be with those who mourn and thank You for the joys of the
season.
Amen
The older I get,
the more I appreciate the breath of life. Having reached my mid-sixties, I find
myself filled with gratitude. So many friends and family members are in heaven. The loss of loved ones reminds us of the fragility of
life and reminds us to savor the time we have now, and reminds us to tell
others how much we love them.
Others have told me
about the joys of being a grandparent and, oh my goodness, were they right!
What a gift to be able to care for our almost-two-year old grandson. He is
filled with personality, with action and with snuggles (once in a while when he
stops for a minute)
He has developed a
few minor fears; i.e. the garbage truck, any loud noise, along with the
“eeshies” he spots on the floor. And often, we will respond, “Do you want me to
hold you?”
Now, when he is
scared, he will look up at me and say, “Hold you, Nana!”
The cutest! Maybe we
can say to Jesus, “Hold You, Jesus,” when we are scared or worried or anxious
or facing a fear. Just as Gavin relies on his mommy and dada and his
grandparents to protect and hold him, we can always go to our protector and
hang on for dear life.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will
rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge
and my fortress, My God in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2
We hope to be here
for all of our grandkids, to assist in teaching, to find delight in playing and
in loving them into adulthood. We savor it all, understanding the passage of
time. And we hold You, Jesus to help us through each day.
Father,
Thank You for the lessons we learn from the young children
around us. Teach us to love and find joy and rely on others to help us through,
too. We have You.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Watch the children around you during the holidays. Look at the
magic in their smiles and the light in their eyes. Make sure you tell them
about Jesus. A friend of mine reminded me, “Santa gives you what you want and
Jesus gives you what you need.”
The magic of
Christmas needs the Christ child, the baby born to save the world. Children
understand Him better than we do. Just let them know, He is their God. He will
never leave them. He will be there beside them for the rest of their lives. The
Bible lets us know how important it is to train our children in the faith.
Train up a child in the way he should go, even
when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your
care, watching over them…1 Peter 5:2a
“These commandments that I give you today are to
be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit
at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Let them believe in
the magic of the season and let them believe in Christ!
Amen
It is tough to lose someone around Christmas. It can also be
comforting to know that the anticipation of celebrating the birth of the Son of
God, can be remembered as the time that our loved ones found their way home.
Home. I pray you
are safe and protected and live with loved ones this season. I pray your
memories bring smiles and warmth and laughs. How wonderful it is to share life
with people we care about, to share stories, to share joys and sorrows, to
experience all of life together.
If you are lonely
this Christmas, remember you have brothers and sisters surrounding you in
Christ. Church can bring fellowship and love, can offer others to pray with you
and for you and can provide a home away from home.
Church is meant for
the lost, the forgotten, the weary and the guilt-ridden people of the world.
Christ came for all of us lost souls, to save us and give us new life. Let Him
comfort you, bring you hope, and help you find peace in your soul.
He works in the
deep recesses of our hearts, the spots where it is difficult to bring others
in, the dust-filled, dirty corners of our past, the broken parts where our
loved ones used to reside, the parts we need to share, but don’t have the
courage to do so.
Pour it out. He
came to heal us all.
Jesus answered, “It is not the healthy who need a
doctor, but the sick.” Luke 5:31
We are all lost and
forlorn without Jesus. Let Him hear everything, all of it and let the great
physician heal you from the inside out.
Lord,
Thank You for taking us just as we are. We all need Your
healing power in our lives. Bring the right people around us to learn more
about You and what You can do. Comfort the lonely and bring joy to the
burdened.
In Jesus name,
Amen
A card and heart-felt letter was mailed off to my last
surviving uncle immediately after speaking with my cousin last week. My
one-of-a-kind, larger-than-life Uncle Paul was about to be moved from the
hospital to hospice care at home.
The call came as a
complete shock. My Uncle Paul and Aunt Mary Ellen, 92 and 91 respectively,
sounded great on the phone just a few weeks ago. They have been married for
seventy-two years and have led an active and healthy life for all of those
years.
My uncle’s eyes
were watering and one lid was drooping, but other than that, all was well.
After a CT scan on his head, the doctors discovered a mass behind his sinus
area that was pressing on his nose and eye, another mass on the back of his
skull, and they believed both to be cancerous. After moving him to the neurological
wing of the hospital, an MRI came back with more shocking news. His entire body
is filled with cancer, from his bones, to his lungs to his spleen.
God has blessed him
with the absence of pain, a miracle! I always tell him how much he means to me,
in every letter, during every conversation. You see, this man has been a role
model and gift to me since childhood. He and my aunt have lived all of their
married life in Oregon. When they came for visits, it was as if the clouds
parted and the sun came out for all to see.
This talented
athlete, all 6’3” of this delightful man, filled those visits with the most
amazing feats. He walked on his hands
down the block, held this delighted toddler in the palm of one hand, his arm straightened
to the sky above, dove off cliffs, made us laugh until we cried with his corny
jokes, and left us speechless with his escapades and love.
Most of all, he has
lived by his life by faith. Our phone conversations always end in the same way:
“Jesus is coming soon, Judy,” and “Shine your light,” followed by, “We sure do love
you and your family and pray for you each and every morning.” What a gift to be
savored. I can’t express how much I will miss his voice, his light, his
testimony, his love and his faithful prayers covering me and my family.
My mom and her
sister and another uncle were all born in Sweden, Paul was born here a couple
of years after the family arrived. Swedish was spoken fluently, and a large
group of Swedes would often gather around the piano and sing Swedish songs.
In the letter to
Paul last week, I said to “Greet the Folks at Home.” In Swedish it translates
to “Halsa Dem Darhemma,” one of the songs I still remember so clearly. My Uncle Paul will soon greet the folks in
heaven, our forever home. Paul has been
ready to go home to Jesus for some time. His beloved son, Dan, is there along with his
parents and siblings. He is at peace and I know the Holy Spirit will surround
their family as they wait for the angels to escort him home.
I hope you all have a larger-than-life person to
bring wisdom and joy to your days, one not ashamed to speak loudly the word of
Christ. Paul has touched many lives and I am more than blessed to have known
him.
I thank my God every time I remember you. Philippians
1:3
Dear God,
I do thank You for the long and amazing life of Uncle Paul. I
pray his entry into his heavenly home will be soon and that the journey will be
pain-free. And I know he will hear the words he has longed to hear, “Well done
good and faithful servant.” The folks at home are waiting for a joyous reunion.
Amen
I pray you will
find joy as you continue to anticipate and prepare for this Christmas season. We find it in
the eyes of our young children, in the hearts of family and friends, in the
memories we savor and the memories to come. Treasure each moment.
Ponder the ways of
God over this time and picture His majesty. He offers new life now
and forever and all He asks is that we believe in His Son, Jesus, in his birth,
life, death and resurrection from the dead.
One perfect man
took the blame. He suffered the consequences of a fallen world. He took it all
on the cross, over many hours of excruciating pain and agony. And He lives
today. I pray you will give Christ a chance and open your hearts to Him. The
gift is there waiting for you. Is it time to receive it? The answer waits in
your longing heart. The fear of death can be vanquished forever and your life can
be transformed with renewed peace and joy.
Ponder. Treasure.
Marvel. Pray. He is real and He is waiting for you.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one
and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal
life. John 3:16
Jesus,
Thank You for Your saving grace that offers us eternal life. I
pray for each person reading this to feel the presence of Your Holy Spirit and that their hearts will be opened to Jesus.
Amen
The guarantee of our heavenly home should provide all we need
to get through all that life gives, the good, the bad and the ugly. Remember,
we live in a fallen world. Even with our sins wiped clean in God’s sight, we
will remain fallen, frail human beings until we receive our new bodies and live
forever in heaven.
The earth is
deteriorating along with humanity. The Bible describes all that is happening
right now, in our world, in great detail. None of it surprises God. The earth
groans right along with us.
For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children
of God to be revealed. Romans 8:19
We know that the whole creation has been groaning,
as in the pains of childbirth, right up to the present time. Not only so, but
we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we
wait eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, , the redemption of our
bodies. Romans 8;22-23
The creation waits
eagerly. We wait eagerly. Some days seem impossible to navigate. But,
wait! We have hope. Always hope. And our
Savior offers all we need to get through each and every single day.
The older we get,
the more we anticipate heaven, but even the younger generation should keep an
eternal perspective. The end of this short life is only the beginning of all things
new and perfected. Wait in eager anticipation. He is coming again to set up a
new heaven and a new earth for you and for me.
Lord,
The anticipation continues throughout our lives as we draw
ever nearer to heaven. We eagerly await seeing those who have gone before us.
We miss them deeply. But one day soon, we will see You and we will see them and
the reunion will never end.
In Jesus name,
Amen
If you haven’t listened to the song, “Mary Did You Know?” I
highly encourage you to do so. Mary could not possibly know all that her precious Son would mean to the world.
Mary had an
unexpected visit with an angel. Gabriel gave her the news straight from the
mouth of God. This young girl was highly favored in God’s sight and would
have the privilege of carrying the Son of God and raising Him. It was
impossible for her to comprehend this message, nor understand all that was to
come
. Can you imagine
her thoughts as this precious child grew within her womb, as she raised her
face to the sky above the manger brightly lit by the star, witnessing the
worship of the shepherds and the wise men,
along with the full glory of the angelic host?
But Mary treasured up all these things and
pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19
It is
hard to fathom the thoughts and ponderings of Joseph and Mary as they raised
their young Son. There is little written about the childhood years of Jesus,
but as they traveled among their community from Jerusalem to Nazareth, Jesus
stayed behind.
When His parents
realized the twelve-year-old was not among them, they were worried and went
back to find Him. Jesus told them they should not be surprised that He needed
to be in His Father’s house. The others in the temple had been astonished at
His maturity and understanding.
The child’s mother and father marveled at what was
said about Him. Luke 2:33
Let’s take time
over this season of anticipation and hope, to treasure all of these things in
our hearts and ponder them, to marvel in all of God’s ways. How can we possibly
comprehend all of the marvelous works of our God? After all, His own mother and
father, His sisters and brothers, and His disciples could not anticipate all
that was to come.
Jesus continues to
provide moments to be treasured, insight to be pondered, and acts in which we
can marvel. Treasure the moments He gives you today.
Lord,
We can’t thank You enough for the Word of God that brings all
of our human frailties into focus. As we ponder Your birth, and treasure the
truths of who You are, as we marvel at our salvation and all that is to come,
let us praise You from the mountaintops!
Jesus Christ is born! Hallelujah!
Amen
You may have seen or heard about the Advent tradition of
reading through the Gospel of Luke beginning on December 1st with
Chapter 1 and ending on Christmas Eve with Chapter 24. It is always a good idea
to revisit the Gospels and travel along through the birth, life, death and
resurrection of Jesus. There is no better time than in the weeks leading up to
Christmas.
My husband and I began,
what I hope will be, a new tradition of doing just that. Refreshing our
memories on all of the details of the life of Christ will lift us up, and fill
us with renewed anticipation and expectation as we get ready to celebrate all He has done
and all He will do throughout our lives, and for the life ahead in our forever
home.
Maybe these verses
will whet your appetite for more.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For
there is born to you this day in the City of David, a Savior, who is Christ the
Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in
swaddling clothes lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12
The Son of God and
His humble beginnings, leading to a life of service and sacrifice and to our
redemption as He was raised to new life. Behold! A child is born. Glory to God
in the highest!
Father,
Your Son brought new life and joy into this dark world. The
brilliant star lit the night sky and led the shepherds and the wise men as they
came to the miraculous sight of Jesus. Never let us forget. We anticipate the
celebration.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Are you looking
forward to a future event? Waiting expectantly for an answer? For a prayer to
be answered? For a hopeful outcome? During this Advent season, we anticipate
the celebration of the birth of Christ. We know with certainty that He walked
the earth and grew up as a sinless man, the one who would save us, and we can
anticipate, with certainty, His return.
His timing is
perfect in everything, His purposes fulfilled in their entirety, past present
and future. When the perfect time came to pass, God sent Jesus into our world.
One man brought sin into the world and one man came to redeem us all.
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death
reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s
provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the
one man, Jesus Christ? Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in
condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in
justification and life for all people. Romans 5:17-18
We are filled with
thanksgiving as we anticipate the celebration of the birth of Christ. Christmas
is all about Him, the perfect man. We who believe, receive the gift of His
righteousness, and this precious gift, filled with grace, is given freely to
all who believe!
Jesus,
You gave us life beyond death. There are no words to thank You
for all You have done for this world. We celebrate Your humanity and Your
deity, the Son of Man and the Son of God.
Amen
One other misconception in our culture today is that we can
pray to angels and ask for their help. Angels only listen to and obey God. When
John saw an angel in person as he was receiving information for the book of
Revelation, here is what happened in John’s words.
At this,
I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a
fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the
testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears
testimony to Jesus.” Revelation 19:10
This angel
astounded John and he bowed down to worship. The angel is forceful in his
language. Notice all of the exclamation points! The angels are fellow servants
along with us. There is no need to pray to angels or to anyone else. Jesus is
the intermediary for the Father. We pray in His holy name.
Father,
We praise You for Your plan of redemption and we praise You
for the angels. Someday we will see them face-to-face, along with Jesus. Until
that day, we know they are around us, serving You, just as we do, and we pray
only to the Father through and to Your Son.
In Jesus name,
Amen
There is a misconception among the general population that
people turn into protective angels after death. This simply is not true! We
will be given heavenly, eternal bodies one day, but angels are separate beings,
created by God to worship Him, to serve Him and to glorify Him.
Humans were created
in God’s image. (See Genesis 1) Angels are separate beings described both in
the book of Ezekiel, Chapters 1 and 10 and in the book of Isaiah Chapter 6. The
descriptions of the seraphim and cherubim are incredible and I look forward to
being in the presence of the angelic host one day.
The seraphim:
Above him
were seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings, they covered their faces,
with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. Isaiah 6:2
The cherubim:
But each
of them had four faces and four wings. Their legs were straight, their feet
were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. Under their wings
on their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings
and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight
ahead. They did not turn as they moved. Their faces looked like this: Each of
the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face
of a lion, and on the left, the face of an ox, each also had the face of an
eagle. Ezekiel 1:6-10
Not exactly the
cute image of the cherubs we see in pictures and statues, right? The sights and
sounds of our heavenly home are beyond our imagination and angels are just one
part of all we will see and experience.
Father,
Your creation astounds us as we look around us today during
our earthly lives and when we are in eternity with spiritual bodies and minds
we will see so much more. We thank You for the gift of Your angels. Place them
around us.
In Jesus name,
Amen
I have studied death and dying, have worked with hospice
patients and have heard stories of those nearing death. Many people, as they
near death, see angels There is a story in the Gospel of Luke about an angel
escorting someone to heaven. I love the thought of being introduced into heaven
by an angel. He just might show us around and introduce us to our Lord.
“the time
came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side.” Luke
16:22a
This can be a
comforting verse to the dying. Angels are nearby. The dying person may even see
the angels as they near the time to go home to heaven.
Father,
Thank You for sharing stories with us about angels. We are
grateful for their presence, for their protection and for their guidance. They
serve and honor You.
In Jesus name,
Amen
I believe we all have an angel or angels assigned to us by our
God. Our “guardian angels,” although there is no such term in the Bible. One
reason for believing each of us has an angel is found in the Book of Acts.
Peter has been
arrested for his association with Jesus. King Herod has already put James to
death and he plans to do the same with Peter. You can read the full miraculous
story in Acts 12. Many of the disciples and followers of Christ are together
praying for Peter. God hears their prayers and sends an angel to free Peter.
Four sets of four
soldiers each are assigned to guard him day and night and when the angel comes
to wake him, he is chained between two soldiers and two others guard the prison
door. Peter thinks he is dreaming as the angel leads him outside to his
freedom.
In the home where
his friends wait and pray, a servant goes to the door and sees Peter standing
before her. She is so flabbergasted, she slams the door, and runs to tell the
others. And they don’t believe her! Listen to what they believe.
“You’re
out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they
said, “It must be his angel.” Acts 12:15
Did you read the
words, “his angel?” Maybe our spiritual angels can manifest themselves to look
like us? We can only imagine, but I love to think of angels surrounding us and
protecting us and leading us to safety. All because we belong to the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords.
Jesus,
We thank You for Your angels. We believe they exist. They are
spoken of over and over again in Your Word. Thank You for giving us access to
Your holy angels.
Amen
This week we will revisit the topic of angels. These blogs
were written about fifteen years ago after an in-depth study on what the Bible has to say about angels. You may be surprised at the truth and the misconceptions we
all have about them. Open your spiritual eyes and let’s take a look.
Did you know angels
are messengers sent in service to the believers?
Are not
all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Hebrews 1:14
That’s me! I am
going to inherit salvation because of Jesus. How about you? Isn’t it exciting
to think of angels as our ministering spirits? They serve us in miraculous
ways. You may have been assisted by an angel or protected by an angel.
Angels were created
by God to serve and worship Him. Created to do God’s bidding, they hearken to
His Word. If you are reading or speaking Scripture out loud, there may be
angels surrounding you. Angles can take on human form to serve us. You may have
heard about or experienced someone coming to help and then vanishing, seemingly
into thin air. Could it have been an angel? Be kind and hospitable to everyone
and one day you may meet an angel in disguise!
Do not
forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown
hospitality to angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2
Father,
Your ways are wonderful and miraculous. Keep us protected,
served and surrounded by Your angels. Keep our eyes open for ways to serve You.
Who knows if one day we will meet an angel?
In Jesus name,
Amen
