New Year’s Choices – Which Way Will I Go?

December 31, 2022 by 4 Comments

An arrow going both directions, requiring choicesAT THE START of each New Year we find ourselves in a different place than the year before. While some things are the same, others have changed. Over the course of our life, a metamorphosis takes place with each year adding and subtracting. But we hardly notice the changes from one day to the next. Change comes gradually.

Some of the change is due to natural physical progression, like getting older and children growing up. Other change results from unexpected calamity that rocks our world, or unexpected, hoped-for blessings that give us wings of joy.

But some of this change involves our own choices . . . some big, some small. In Robert Frost’s famous poem, “The Road Not Taken,” the poem concludes with:

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

Each choice we make—even the little ones—causes our path to diverge ever so slightly.

New Year’s Resolutions

This is the time of year for New Year’s resolutions, the time of the year when many of us assess where we’ve been and where we want to go. Sometimes we tend to make resolutions that are a little hard to attain or just out of reach. But more accurately, we can regard this as a time of choices and setting goals. With new beginnings come new opportunities. As you clear the slate of this past year and look ahead to a new one, what will you choose to do? How will your path diverge from where you are now?

As you begin this new year, I encourage you to ask for God’s guidance in making the choices that will lead you into the year ahead. To help with this, I’ve provided a goal setting guide with scriptures that can help you think and pray through each area of your life and develop practical ways to reach the objectives you establish for the year ahead. I invite you to print them out so you can keep them where you can continue to pray over them throughout the year.

If you set goals or resolutions last year, how did it turn out? What will you do differently this year?

GOAL SETTING FOR THE NEW YEAR

I. PERSONAL GOALS:

Practical Steps For Achieving:

 

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19

II. MARRIAGE AND RELATIONSHIP GOALS:

Practical Steps For Achieving:

 

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Eph. 5:21

III. FAMILY GOALS:

Practical Steps for Achieving:

 

“Love is patient; love is kind. It does not envy; it does not boast; it is not proud. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking; it is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” I Cor. 13:4-7

IV. CAREER GOALS:

Practical Steps for Achieving:

 

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Prov. 16:3

V. ATTITUDE GOALS:

Practical Steps for Achieving:

 

“…be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Eph. 4:23-24

VI. GOALS OF SERVICE TO GOD AND OTHERS:

Practical Steps for Achieving:

 

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Heb. 13:16

VII. SPIRITUAL GOALS:

Practical Steps for Achieving:

 

“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and joyfully giving thanks to the Father…” Col. 1:10-11

Robert Frost – The Road not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

If you have seen big changes in your marriage this year and need to find direction on the road to take from here, I encourage you to check out my two books for those whose marriages are in a troubled place. Broken Heart on Hold, Surviving Separation, will help your heart find healing so you are stronger and able to make wise choices on the road ahead. Fighting for Your Marriage while Separated gives you the tools that can help you make positive choices that help restore your marriage.

 

From Heart Talk by Linda W. Rooks

 

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Surprised by Christmas

December 21, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Brght starTHE FIRST TIME I saw the Eiffel Tower, my friend and I had been traveling through Europe for six weeks and had ended our trip with an all-nighter on the train to Paris from the coast of Spain. Weary, dirty, and bedraggled, we lugged our suitcases into the Metro and onto a crowded train, heading in the direction of our hotel. Hanging onto the ropes and leaning against a post for support, we stared out the window as the train sped through the dark underground, stopping intermittently at stations along the way.

Suddenly the car burst from the darkness of the tunnel into the bright sunshine of morning, and there, towering above us was the Eiffel Tower in all her majesty. I gaped in wonder and awe at the beauty of this amazing landmark I’d seen replicated in pictures throughout my life. It was glorious! My weariness evaporated as I gazed for a few brief moments at its magnificence.

The train, in all its hurry, immediately descended into the underground again, and that amazing spectacle disappeared. But the elation that filled my soul restored my energy and enthusiasm. Years later, I can still picture that glorious scene before me.

Of course we went back later to see it again, and it was thrilling. But we didn’t experience the same elation as we did at that first glimpse when the Eiffel tower leapt from the dark underground into the sunlight in all its glory—an exquisite surprise breaking upon the darkness of our tired souls.

That day I learned something about darkness, light, and beauty. I learned that sometimes BECAUSE of the darkness, the light becomes more radiant, and beauty surprises us with its splendor.

Christmas came that way. The first Christmas over 2000 years ago broke through the darkness of sin and instability as the light of the world came to earth and transformed a stable into the birthplace of a king.

Four hundred years earlier, Isaiah had prophesied: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:2)

On that first Christmas the darkness of God’s silence, which had lingered over the earth for 400 years, suddenly dispersed: Emmanuel brought His light into the world—Emmanuel, meaning God is with us.

The Drama of Christmas

The drama unfolds at Christmas with the darkness dispersing because the mighty One who Himself spoke light into existence was coming to us in the form of a small, innocent child. Emmanuel had come!

Emmanuel—

God with us,

the light of the world.

The angels who had worshiped the son of God in heaven and known his splendor and power, witnessed his coming to earth as a wee child—a baby. Imagine what a stunning sight that was! No wonder the angels could not suppress their singing and praised God that He would love these humans so much that He would strip away his majesty and come to earth Himself in the form of an infant.

The shepherds in the fields at night were stunned by the Heavenly light and the angels singing. Out of the doldrums of sleep and boredom the shepherds arose in wonder to seek the king who was born.

Light shone in the darkness and the people wandering without God in the futility of their minds, in the darkness of doubt and fear, suddenly had light to see. God’s wondrous light had come into the world

When we’re looking at the tinsel, colored lights and Christmas trees, we may miss the true drama that happened on Christmas day. But when we brush all that aside, and peer through the darkness of our own frailty, we see the glory and wonder of the mighty God who created the universe, nestled in the wee form of a baby. The powerful God who spoke words that brought forth the waters, the land, and all living things allowed Himself to become restrained into the confines of the small mortal body of a tiny infant. All of his majesty, authority, supremacy, and power contained in something so small and vulnerable.

And for what reason? How does the Bible describe it?

“Unto US a child is born, unto US . . . . (Isaiah 9:6)

He came to us.

He came for us.

He came because He was willing to do whatever was necessary to save us . . .

. . . Including leaving all his glory behind and taking the humble form of a tiny child who had to rely on others to take care of his most basic needs.

. . . Including the prospect of dying on a cross in pain and disgrace.

Emmanuel was in that manger. God WITH us! The mighty God, author of creation, who controlled the powers of nature, who holds all things together. Who was in the very beginning as the Word . . .

He was in the beginning and yet he came to earth to live in the body of a baby. Emmanuel. God with us.

In the body of that baby, God was saying, I am the mighty God, but I love you. I love you so much I don’t want you to perish. I want you to have eternal life, and so I am coming to you. I am giving my only son to you. I will die for you. I am your Emmanuel.

Amazed, Marveled, Astonished

Throughout scripture, the words amazed, marveled, astonished, and wonder are used to describe how people reacted to Jesus. Why?

Because of His mighty power, because he had authority over all things, because of his healing power, because he could walk on the water and turn water into wine.

Pastor Tom Myers of Neighborhood Alliance Church expressed it quite beautifully: “When words rolled off Jesus’ tongue, He could reorder reality.” Jesus could take five loaves of bread and two fish, lift them up to heaven, speak a few words, and amazingly it was enough to feed 5,000 people. He could speak through the thunder and lightning as waves crashed threateningly over a small fishing boat and immediately calm the storm.

But the mighty God who did miraculous signs and showed the wonders of God, also washed the disciple’s feet and humbled himself to take the path of the cross.

As you awaken on Christmas Day, some of you are not arising with a spirit of joy. Christmas day is laced with uncertainty. Difficult life circumstances cloud your soul. Darkness hides the beauty of the day.

But because of that very darkness, you may actually find it easier to peer behind the tinsel of ordinary Christmas trappings and expectations to grasp the true drama of Christmas and let the light of Emmanuel permeate your darkness. Emmanuel has been born into our lives. God is here.

In whatever situation you find yourself, lift the veil of darkness this Christmas and let God’s light shine forth. Come kneel now before the manger. Surrender the darkness to the Christ Child and let Him open your eyes to the wonder of who He is—

Emmanuel—Christ is with us—with you—now.

The almighty God, who created the universe, walked on water, and healed the sick is within your reach. Bathe yourself in His glory. Celebrate the wonder of Christmas.

Emmanuel – God with us—the Light of the world.

It’s not the gifts, the wrapping paper, the Christmas dinner, even the family gathering together. It’s the amazing revelation that the God who created the universe would choose to descend into the flesh that he Himself created so He could walk and talk with us and then die so we could find the path He laid out for us, a path that leads to life everlasting.

That’s how much He loves us.

Open your eyes this year to the wonder of Christmas. When God is with us, light shines in the darkness, and we can see again.

Experience the wonder of Christmas through song by listening to Mark Harris’s beautiful rendition of Mary Did You Know

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Obstacles into Blessings

December 6, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Panorama of people having picnics in a park

Photo by Robert Bye

“Linda Rooks!”

Hearing my name, I turned towards the voice behind me to see a smiling face among the throngs of people who had come to hear the Christmas concert in the park. It was the face of a friend I hadn’t seen in years, but who had racked up a lot of close memories from times in the past. After a big hug, words of mutual joy at our reunion, and a couple of introductions, she went on to join the party she’d come with and I went on to meet up with mine.

When I woke up the next morning, a smile spread across my face as I recalled seeing her happy demeanor.  She looked so good! My mind traveled back to earlier times when I wouldn’t have been able to say that. She’d gone through some rough times, but she’d persevered, always leaning on God and looking to Him for answers, however challenging those answers might be to the general comfort and direction of her life.

But God had been good to her and turned “those lemons into lemonade”, as my evangelist friend Jimmy Sowder would have said. She had used the obstacles and turned them into blessings.

The memories brought joy to my morning as I began to thank God for the blessings He had brought to my life as well as the lives of others, resulting in a morning of thanksgiving as I recounted the various lives I’d seen that were touched by God in turning obstacles into blessings.

It’s a theme so dominant in life—and even in nature—that we often miss it as we trudge through the difficulties of life.

At Christmas, the celebration of the birth of the Christ child brings joy because of the salvation He brings to all people, but it originated amidst troubling times in a smelly stable for a woman whose pregnancy brought hard questions and grave concern.  God didn’t make His greatest blessing something that arrived easily and majestically.  He shone His glory through humble circumstances, simple people, and difficult obstacles.

It’s a theme to grab hold of and hold close to our hearts when we journey through the ups and downs of life. I hate it when the toilet is leaking, the refrigerator goes on the blink, and the roof needs repairs. Even worse is the discouragement and desperation we may feel when debts begin to mount, money in our bank account seems to dwindle, miscommunications careen into our marriage, or a relationship is on the brink of collapse. But along the way, God uses those challenges to bring new people into our lives, speak to us about changes we need to make, and open our eyes to new directions to take, while calling us to turn to him for answers and comfort.

“Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live,” God says to us through the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 55:3).

All through the book of Isaiah, God calls us to come to him, listen to him and trust him. And throughout the ages and all of scripture, his clarion call is the same. When troubles spike, we need to first of all go to God, listen to him and trust him to take us through the difficulties. Instead of choosing the world’s answers, we need to trust God’s answers.

When I was only a teenager, struggling through my first serious heartache, I happened upon Matthew 6:33. The words spoke truth and hope to me then and has been a guiding light to me ever since. Matthew 6:33, says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

God has the answers for us when we are willing to go to him first, answers that “through his mighty power at work within us, is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”Ephesians 2:20

We may not see the answers immediately. We may have to wait for the fullness of God’s timing to bring them about. But when the answers come, they will bring joy to us and smiles to the faces of those who’ve watched us persevere to win the battle and turn obstacles into blessings.

“Why do you complain, O Jacob? Why do you say, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”?  Do you not know? Have you not heard? the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom” (Isaiah 40:27-28).

“I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs” (Isaiah 41:18).

If you are praying that God will turn the obstacles in your marriage into blessings, you might want to let my book, Broken Heart on Hold, accompany you on your journey.

 

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A Special Family Christmas Eve Service in Your Own Home

December 22, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Photo by Jose Antonio Hernandez

Since Christmas Eve services might look different this year and may even be non-existent in places where churches are closed, I want to offer you a sweet and meaningful alternative you can have in your own home. It’s the Family Christmas Eve service my parents did with my brother and I when we were growing up.

It became a treasured tradition I even carried into my own family when my husband and I had children of our own. In fact, we still do it today, even when we attend services at church. Many times our adult children and their children participate as well. Although the Christmas Eve services at church are always beautiful and meaningful, our folksy Christmas Eve service at home joins us together as a family in a personal celebration of the Christ child that took root in my soul as a child and imprinted cherished memories in my heart for a lifetime.

If you’re lamenting the loss of attending a Christmas Eve service, Covid doesn’t have to steal Christmas from you. In fact, it may launch a tradition you will treasure for years to come.

Family Christmas Eve Service

Leader: The service will begin with the youngest member of the family lighting the Christmas candle in honor of the Holy Christ Child.

(While the candle is being lit, read)

Leader: And Jesus said: “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.  Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter it.” (Luke 18:15-17)

Leader: Now we will read the Christmas story.  (Different members of the family will read different selections.)

Read:  Luke 2:1-7

Everyone sing:  “Away in a Manger”

Read:  Luke 2:8-14

Everyone sing: “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “The First Noel.”

Read:  Luke 2:15-20

Everyone sing:  “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem”

Read:  Matthew 2:1-12

Everyone sing:  “We Three Kings”

Leader: Now let us pray.

Prayer:

Oh precious Father of our Lord, who was born on this sacred day, and Father of mankind, a mankind that is not always aware of your constant presence, and Father of ours, we thank you this evening for the original Christmas gift that you gave, which awakened our hearts to Thy love and which gave us the loving Christmas spirit of giving which is at the very core of our Christmas tradition.  Thank you for the gift of your only Son whom You loved, but whom You gave for us because You so loved us.

Dear Father, help us to remember the true meaning of Christmas all through the Christmas season, even when horns are honking at us in the Christmas rush traffic, when shoppers jostle us or carelessly block our way when we are hurrying about our business.  Imbue us with the Christmas spirit at these times and on Christmas day when we are filled with the excitement of opening presents, eating turkey and Christmas goodies, and visiting with family and friends.

But most of all, help the Christmas season to be just a beginning to our New Year so that throughout the coming year we are filled with, and can spread to others, the Christmas spirit of love, joy, peace, hope and understanding.  Infiltrate our thoughts and our desires so that we will desire what you would have us desire and so that we will remember those who need us, our services, and our worldly goods.

Help us not to bypass anyone who we could help, nor say an unkind word to save our pride, but help us to live as Christ taught us to live and to remember His words, “Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these, you have done it unto me.”

Finally, dear Lord, give a peace to our souls so that in the stillness that You provide, we can block out the clamor, frustrations, and worries of the world sufficiently enough to be aware of Your constant presence, to hear Your voice, and to discover Your will for our lives.  And as each year passes, help our spirits to grow and mature so that in our final years our souls will be able to enter into Your heavenly glory, not as strangers, but as your true sons and daughters.

In the name of the holy Babe of Christmas we pray.  Amen

Everyone sing:  “Silent Night”

Leader: The oldest member of the family will extinguish the candle, ending the ceremony, but beginning a year of service to our newborn Lord.

*Suggested preparation: Put out one Christmas candle, find four Bibles (or pass one around and share), hand out song sheets for everyone. (lyrics can be found by clicking on song links above).

If you’re trying to hold together a broken family because of a troubled marriage, let my book, Fighting for Your Marriage while Separated, help you put it back together.

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Strength for the Weary

December 10, 2020 by Leave a Comment

I was on my third run to the drug store in two hours. This time it was to get batteries for the blood pressure monitor I had just bought during run #2. My husband had recently endured two lengthy hospital stays in the last three weeks, and we were both exhausted. The tests, the doctor’s appointments, the new routines that had to be followed, staying stocked up on the right food and drink, remaining observant about health issues. I had to remain vigilant, but it was wearing me out.

As I reached the stoplight at the end of my street, I closed my eyes and sighed deeply. “Help me, God, I’m so tired.”

Into my mind immediately came Isaiah 40:31. “Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

As I finished reciting the verse, my spirit lifted. “Those who wait on the Lord” . . . . Yes, that’s what I needed right then. The Lord . . . renews my strength when I am weary. The words were so fitting. I felt like I was constantly running around, trying to help my husband, trying to remember everything I needed to do and everything he needed to do. But God was telling me when I wait on Him I “will run and not grow weary for He will renew my strength.” I repeated the verse over and over in my mind.  And as the scripture settled and took root in my spirit, I honestly didn’t feel as weary. I repeated the verse over and over in my mind as I took the last turn into the drug store. God was filling me up with His strength, and as He gave me His strength, He was renewing my strength.

Many of us feel weary right now. Maybe it’s not because of trying to help an ailing loved one, but because of continued lockdowns and the inability to go out and socialize with friends and family. You may be dealing with a shrinking budget because of shutdowns at work, or perhaps you’re trying to hold down a job while also trying to help your children do school from home. Maybe your marriage was already crumbling before the world was hit by Covid, and this situation is exacerbating the friction between you.

Or perhaps you’re actually one of those who are suffering from Covid yourself or have a friend or family member trying to recover from this frightful virus. Perhaps you live by yourself and the loneliness is descending like a cloud of darkness over your spirit.

Whatever the reason, too many of us are weary.

Right before Jesus was born, the world was weary too. The Bible says they lived in darkness.  Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, looked forward to the coming of Christ as he spoke this prophecy at the birth of his son, who was to be the forerunner of the Messiah. “The rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace” (Luke 1:78-79).

In the darkness, God sent the Light of the World to shine into our lives to bring us hope and peace. God knew what was happening. God saw the hopelessness people were experiencing. God knew what was needed. And He sent us Jesus.

So yes we are weary. Yes, we’ve walked through a cloud of fear and uncertainly. Our normal lives have been disrupted. Even with a vaccine coming, we still don’t know how we will hold on.

But Christmas is coming. And it’s not just about the lights, the presents, and the music. It’s about the Christ child, who brought hope and salvation so we could turn our worlds around. No longer do we need to depend on the world to bring us joy. We only need to invite the Savior into our life and let Him settle there.  And each time we feel the weariness descend upon our hearts, we need to “wait upon the Lord.”  “He will renew [our] strength.” We will feel our hearts “mount up on wings like eagles. We will run and not be weary. We will walk and not faint.”

“Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, ‘’My way is hidden from the Lord, my cause is disregarded by my God’? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40: 27-31).

 

If you are weary from trying to reconcile a broken marriage, you can find hope and strength through my book, Broken Heart on Hold, Surviving Separation. In this book, as I walk with you through this difficult valley, I believe you will “renew your strength” for the journey ahead.

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The Christmas Story

December 25, 2019 by Leave a Comment

As Christmas day draws to a close, let’s not forget what we have been celebrating. This is what it’s all about, and this is the story.

First the story was foretold to the Jews in Isaiah 9:6.

The Prophecy

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)

And then, years later, the story finally came to pass. It is told in Luke 2:1-19 and Matthew 2:1-12

A Baby Born in Bethlehem – Luke 2:1-19

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

The Magi Visit the Messiah – Matthew 2:1-12

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 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, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Text from the New International Version

Merry Christmas, and may the Babe of Bethlehem dwell in your hearts throughout the New Year.

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When the “Merry” Has Disappeared from Christmas

December 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Christmas seems to have fully arrived. You see it everywhere you go. Festive displays glisten on the main streets of town. Lights sparkle throughout the neighborhood.  The words Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday greet you continually.

But for many of you the “merry” has disappeared from Christmas this year.  Things are different, and a “Merry Christmas” greeting has a hollow ring. Your heart is heavy with the idea of how you will even “get through” Christmas. This isn’t the Christmas you wanted. This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be. The sparkle and laughter are gone as memories of Christmases past assault your heart, and anxiety nibbles at future hopes and dreams.

When gloom hangs over our lives, however, we may discover within ourselves a more natural yearning to peer into the reality of the Christmas we celebrate. As we put aside the glamour, it becomes easier to travel back to how it all began—before the sparkle, before the happy music, before the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping.

There was hustle and bustle on that day, but not of people shopping; it was the descending of large numbers of people upon a small town, all trying to find the basic comforts of a place to stay and something to eat. We see a young woman, nine months pregnant riding a donkey. Can you imagine riding 80 miles on a donkey when you are nine months pregnant? And when she was ready to deliver her baby, who was the Son of the eternal God, she couldn’t even find a decent place to stay. Imagine having to deliver your baby in a smelly stable!

And that is how God came to us – not in a convenient, clean, easy way, but through tough and challenging circumstances. No warm, fine bed for Mary, the mother of God, no fragrant rooms, no support of family and friends who were far away and may have even questioned her virtue and the conception of this baby. No, God came to us in the midst of doubt, confusion, political unrest, and physical hardship. When God sent his Son to be born on this earth, he didn’t clear an easy path for him. He didn’t have a room waiting in Bethlehem. It was hard.

And, oftentimes, that is the way God still comes to us.  In the distractions of active lives, we are often too busy to notice God’s presence. We may have thought we had everything figured out ourselves – that we’d surely find a room in Bethlehem.  We never expected to have to stay in a smelly stable.  We still can’t figure out why things have turned out the way they have.

But, cradled on a bed of hay, in the middle of the odors and pain, we see a tiny baby, the gift of God’s love. It was the first time God was visible to mankind. And in the midst of the difficulties of your life, God has come to show you Himself. It is sometimes only when these other things are stripped away that our eyes are fully opened and we see beyond the glitter into the glory where finally we see Christmas. Perhaps for the first time, the invisible God becomes visible in our eyes, and we see Jesus himself.

God has come to love you with a love you will not find anywhere else—not in a husband or wife, not a parent or a child or a friend. God’s love will not fail you. It is unconditional and everlasting. He will not always show you a clear, easy path to your destination. But He will be with you and guide you, and at just the right time, He may prompt the wife of an innkeeper to say, “I have a place for you. I have an answer. There’s a stable out back…”

His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are higher than ours. He has a plan that is beyond anything we can see. When we take hold of God, we move beyond the barriers of our finite understanding into the reaches of God’s eternal purposes. Eternity is within our grasp. We become a part of His story.

Two thousand years ago, Mary and Joseph didn’t hear the refrains of Silent Night as they gathered clean straw to make a bed for Mary to bear a child; they didn’t see the picturesque setting of a child being born in a manger as they settled down among the animals. It was hard.

But God came to them in the middle of these difficult circumstances, not just for them, but for us.  Jesus was born into our world and into our lives.  And this is the Christmas we celebrate…a Christmas born in hardship, but wrapped in holiness and love, extending through all the ages of the earth into the glories and wonders of eternity.

If the “merry” has disappeared from your Christmas, may God’s blessings shine through the midst of your circumstances and give you a deep joy and peace that rises high above and beyond your understanding.

*  * *

And if the merry has disappeared from your Christmas because of a marriage in crisis, you can find hope and healing in my books Broken Heart on Hold and Fighting for Your Marriage while Separated.

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When Christmas Loses It’s Sparkle

December 13, 2018 by 2 Comments

CHRISTMAS IS COMING SOON. Bright lights sparkle on houses in your neighborhood. Joyous refrains stream throughout department stores and across the airwaves. Everywhere you see Christmas trees, Santa Clauses, and signs that say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. But for some of you, the words Merry Christmas have a hollow ring to them this year. Your heart is heavy with the idea of how you will even “get through” Christmas, let alone make it merry. Things are different this year. And it’s hard.

The Christmas we’re used to is full of sparkle and laughter. It’s always been a time of fun and celebration. But when gloom hangs over our lives and questions about the future occupy our minds, we may actually find it easier to peer more closely into the reality of the Christmas we celebrate. For when we put aside the glamor of the holidays, we can travel back to how it really all began—before the sparkle, before the happy music, before the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping.

There was hustle and bustle on that day, but not of people shopping; it was the descending of large numbers of people upon a small town, all trying to find the basic comforts of a place to stay and something to eat. We see a young woman, nine months pregnant riding a donkey. Can you imagine riding 80 miles on a donkey when you are nine months pregnant? And when she was ready to deliver her baby, who was the Son of the eternal God, she couldn’t even find a decent place to stay. Imagine having to deliver your baby in a smelly stable! And that is how God came to us – not in a convenient, clean, easy way, but through difficult circumstances. No warm, fine bed for Mary, the mother of God, no fragrant rooms, no support of family and friends who were far away and may have even questioned her virtue and the conception of this baby. No, God came to us in the midst of doubt, confusion, political unrest, and physical hardship. When God sent his Son to be born on this earth, he didn’t clear an easy path for him. He didn’t have a room waiting in Bethlehem. It was hard.

And, oftentimes, that is the way God still comes to us.  In the distractions of active lives, we are often too busy to notice God’s presence. We may have thought we had everything figured out ourselves – that we’d surely find a room in Bethlehem.  We never expected to have to stay in a smelly stable.  We still can’t figure out why things have turned out the way they have.

But, cradled on a bed of hay, in the middle of the odors and pain, we see a tiny baby, the gift of God’s love. It was the first time God was visible to mankind. And in the midst of the difficulties of your life, God has come to show you himself. It is sometimes only when these other things are stripped away that our eyes are fully opened and we see beyond the glitter into the glory where finally we see Christmas. Perhaps for the first time, the invisible God becomes visible in our eyes, and we see Jesus himself.

God has come to love you with a love you will not find anywhere else—not in a husband or wife, not a parent or a child or a friend. God’s love will not fail you. It is unconditional and everlasting. He will not always show you a clear, easy path to your destination. But He will be with you and guide you, and at just the right time, He may prompt the wife of an innkeeper to say, “I have a place for you. I have an answer. There’s a stable out back…”

His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are higher than ours. He has a plan that is beyond anything we can see. When we take hold of God, we move beyond the barriers of our finite understanding into the reaches of God’s eternal purposes. Eternity is within our grasp. We become a part of His story.

Two thousand years ago, Mary and Joseph didn’t hear the refrains of Silent Night as they gathered clean straw to make a bed for Mary to bear a child; they didn’t see the picturesque setting of a child being born in a manger as they settled down among the animals. It was hard.

But God came to them in the middle of these difficult circumstances, not just for them, but for us.  Jesus was born into our world and into our lives.  And this is the Christmas we celebrate…a Christmas born in hardship, but wrapped in holiness and love, extending through all the ages of the earth into the glories and wonders of eternity.

May God’s blessings shine through the midst of your circumstances this Christmas and give you a deep joy and peace that rises high above and beyond your understanding.

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Christmas, Depression, disappointment, Doubt, Grief, Hope, Jesus, Knowing God, Problems, Trying to understand, Uncategorized, Where is God? Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Christmas

December 25, 2017 by Leave a Comment

 

Yesterday, while driving around doing my last bits of Christmas shopping, Christmas music from Z88, our local Christian radio station, played on the radio. As I rounded a corner, the song “Mary Did you Know” was reaching its highpoint, asking Mary, the mother of Jesus, if she realizes that the baby in her arms is actually the God of creation, the all powerful and loving God who came to earth save us.

As the song came to its climactic conclusion, with the last words reminding Mary that the child asleep in her arms is the great “I AM,” I looked through the front window at the car in front of me and was astounded at the license plate. The lettering on it began with three letters: “IAM.”

“Ha,” I thought. “Okay, God you got my attention. You want me to focus on Who You ARE! Yes, Christmas shopping is fine, but you don’t want me to lose sight of the fact that the Great I AM came to us at Christmas, humbling Himself as a little baby so we could identify with Him and catch hold of the Light He brought into the world to save us from the darkness around us.”

I drove to a strip mall and continued my shopping. About an hour later, I pulled out of the parking lot, and there in front of me was another car with a license plate with lettering that began with “IAM.”

Wow! Was God trying to tell me something or what?

“Is this a sign from you, God? A message from you?”

As I wrapped Christmas presents that evening, went to a Christmas service, and continued thinking about what had happened, I saw that God was pushing through my Christmas routine to remind me of Who He Was and why I celebrate Christmas to begin with. He wanted to keep me focused on His Greatness, His omnipotence, and the revelation of His love at Christmas!

It’s so easy to get lost in the haphazard commotion of Christmas preparations so that the darkness of the world’s priorities begins to seep into our thinking. We get angry because someone in front of us waits at a stop sign too long. We get frustrated over the long lines at the department store. We “lose it” because the scotch tape runs out before we’ve finished our wrapping.

And for some of us, desperate circumstances have already caused the darkness around us to grow so intense that we are blind to the light that tries to break through. Christmas is merely something to manage until it’s over.

But if we look up and open our eyes, perhaps we will see that in His message of “I AM” He is telling us I Am the all-powerful God—more powerful than anything that comes against you. I AM your all-loving God, who loves you in the midst of hateful or hurtful messages. I AM the all-knowing God, who knows all about you and your circumstances. Nothing surprises me or keeps me from knowing what’s best for you. Trust Me. I came at Christmas time because I love you.

If we open our hearts and whisper a prayer, thanking God for His gift of life to us at Christmas and inviting Him into our lives, perhaps we will see the Christ Child—that baby in the manger—beaming His light of love on us to guide us through the shadows. As scripture tells us in both Isaiah 9:2 and Matthew 4:16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

The name of that great light is Jesus, who is not just the baby in the manger but Almighty God. Pastor Matt Heard reminded us of that at the church service last night. When we whisper the name of Jesus, we invite that light into our lives. Then we can know the great IAM, the light of the world, who dispels the darkness and leads us into truth and grace.

 

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Memories of a Christmas Past

December 13, 2016 by Leave a Comment

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus as our Savior. That, of course, is the most important thing about Christmas.  But Christmas is also a time we want to be with family and perhaps—for just a moment—linger on memories of Christmases past.

Two months ago I lost my brother. During my years as a young girl, he was my hero. When we grew up he was my protector and the one I could depend on when I needed a loving hug.

So today, I’m remembering.

I’m remembering my brother and my favorite Christmas. It’s fitting somehow that he was a major part of it for he was always very generous. And perhaps the first blushes of his gift of generosity began to blossom that year. At any rate, it was on that Christmas I learned how to experience true joy in the midst of all the trappings of the Christmas season.

My Favorite Christmas

Multi-colored lights on the houses in the hills above our house sparkled with a fairy tale promise of things to come. Every day a couple of new presents showed up beneath the tree. The restlessness that stirs within a 12-year-old girl as Christmas day approaches had reached a fever pitch. Tomorrow was Christmas day, and I couldn’t wait for it to come. Neither could my 17-year-old brother.

When we came down to breakfast, the smell of bacon greeted us but no cheery “good morning” from our mother as usual. We saw her speaking quietly on the phone, nodding her head, her eyes shaded with concern. She studied Johnny and me thoughtfully as we pulled our chairs up to the table.

After getting off the phone, she silently walked to the stove, brought a platter of eggs and bacon to the table, and sat down to join us. “I have something for you two to do today,” she began. “There’s a woman in our church with four children who has no money, and they’ll have no Christmas this year.” She paused as her eyes glanced from one of us to the other. “I told the church secretary that we would help out and get them some gifts. I’d like for you two to go downtown today and pick out some presents for the children. They all need pajamas, and you can get each of them a toy.” She reached for the paper she’d set beside her plate. “Here are their names, ages and sizes.”

Johnny and I felt very grown up and important that day as we drove downtown with a sizable amount of cash, shopping from store to store for the only presents these children would get for Christmas. With the sound of Christmas carols in the background, I felt an awesome responsibility as we first picked out pajamas for each child and then headed to the toy store. If this were their only toy, it had to be special, something to really brighten their day.  Johnny chose Lincoln logs for the older boy and a truck for the younger. I sorted through the entire shelf of dolls to pick out ones that would be perfect playmates for each of the girls. Johnny suggested we top it off with a present for the mom. He threw in a little money of his own that he made at the Safeway to make up the difference. Then we headed for home to do the wrapping.

Since I had just emerged from childhood myself, the idea of playing Santa Claus loomed large in my mind. I loved the specialness of Christmas. I loved the surprises and the beautifully wrapped presents. Never before had the happiness of four children depended on me . . . and my brother.

Johnny obviously felt the same burden, and, as my older brother with a host of creative ideas, he, as usual, took the lead in devising the plan for the evening. It unfolded as an event that forever changed my idea of what makes a “happy” Christmas.

After dinner we had our traditional family Christmas Eve service in which we lit candles, read the Christmas story from the Bible, and gathered around the piano to sing Christmas carols. According to our usual practice, Mother tried to hit the right keys on the piano, and we tried to hit the right notes to match, but the occasional discordant sharps and flats added to the merriment. Our family celebration, like our family itself, was imperfect but full of grace.

Afterwards when it was getting late, we bundled the gifts into the Chrysler and drove to the house. Johnny and I sat in the back with the presents on our laps, my parents in the front. When my father got to the address, he pulled stealthily along side the unlit end of the house. Johnny and I gathered up the presents, carried them quietly to the front door and set them on the stoop.

Poised and ready to run back to the car, Johnny rang the doorbell. He and I raced to our waiting getaway vehicle and jumped in. My father took off and we laughed and chatted excitedly about what had transpired.

Remaining anonymous was part of the aura of the adventure. We felt that we had joined in the mystery of Santa Claus. For all these children knew, Santa Claus really did deliver the presents to their door that year. And for all we knew, perhaps that year we really did become Santa Claus. We hadn’t gone down a chimney, and we didn’t arrive on a sleigh, but we had a driver both lively and quick (my father), who took off as soon as the presents were left.  And in our hearts we had the pure delight of making children happy by surprising them with gifts on Christmas morning.

That night as I climbed into bed, visions of sugar plums danced in my head as I imagined that mother going to the door and discovering the presents, the children finding them under the tree in the morning, and the myth of Santa Claus perpetuated for children who might have thought they’d been forgotten if we had not assumed his role.

I’m sure there were many presents for me under the tree at our house the next morning too. And I’m sure it was grand.  But I don’t remember a single one I received. I only remember the dolls, the truck, the Lincoln logs and the pajamas we bought for four children we’d never met. And I remember speeding off into the night, exhilarated by the joy dancing in my heart over delivering these presents to this family the night before Christmas.

It was the year I played Santa Claus with my brother and the year I came to realize it’s really true, that old maxim: It really is better to give than to receive.

 

 

 

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