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Blessed New Year!
I am sure most of us are praying for a different year in 2021 than we had in 2020. But what a perfect time to think about the things God has done THIS year! Yes, among COVID, hostility, politics, loss, cancelled trips and church services, and many other disappointments, there is SO much we can be thankful for. Even with the Christmas day bombing in downtown Nashville (and 3 days without cell or internet service at our home!). Praise that only the bomber was killed and only minor injuries for a couple of police. Shout out for our Nashville police for protecting so many from harm that day, especially as…
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He Is The Light!
Are you facing darkness right now? Are you struggling to see the light you long for? Even the short winter days can become discouraging, not to mention the year 2020 filled with so much turmoil! Interestingly, the shortest (darkest) day of the year is just a few days before we celebrate Jesus birth! I started O Come O Come Emmanuel, an advent study, right after Thanksgiving. This week the focus was the light Jesus brought to the world. Can you even imagine how dark the world was as God stayed silent for 400 years! Complete darkness! Because of sin. Since the garden, people sinned and couldn’t figure out a way…
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For the Christmas Season
This week I am sharing some helpful blog posts for this time of year. Christmas 2020 may look different for most of us this year. Many are dealing with a variety of situations and concerns. May these posts encourage you as well as provide practical help for making this Christmas all about Christ! If you have some tough relationships that sometimes overwhelm you, Perhaps you or those around you are struggling with grief this year…for any kinds of reason or loss. Check out this post from Josh and Christi Straub Finding Hope Through Grief | An Advent Family Experience from LifeWay Voices. One last one for this week that I…
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Christmas Urban Legends And Other Fun Stuff!
Let’s have a little fun about some things we may believe Scripture says about the birth of Christ. Perhaps you already knew all these, but if not, it helps us discern between things that are in the Bible and things we assume are there! It’s a challenge to us all to study the Bible personally to challenge other worldly “legends” and un truths! These posts are brought to you by Facts and Trends! CHRISTMAS URBAN LEGENDS: NO ROOM AT THE INN CHRISTMAS URBAN LEGENDS: SHEPHERDS AS OUTCASTS CHRISTMAS URBAN LEGEND: THREE KINGS OF ORIENT ARE And … 10 HILARIOUS CHURCH CHRISTMAS FAILS YOU HAVE TO SEE And one last one……
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Indescribable Joy
Sometimes during the holidays I really miss not having parents to “go home to”, but I love being the parent my kids and grandkids come to for the holidays. Just once in a while I wish I still had parents too! Our last parent died in 2009, but it was several years before that when we stopped having a parent’s home to return to for family get togethers. So, holidays include both joy and a bit of sadness. Today I read Mark 12:24-25 a new way, “Jesus spoke to them, “Isn’t this the reason why you’re mistaken: you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God? For when they…
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The Silence is Broken Part 2
Last week we looked at how God ended the 400 years of silence. If you missed that post, first read Part 1 here. How did God speak to you last week? Did He reveal something about an issue you’ve been praying about? Did He remind you of something you had stopped praying about and had even maybe forgotten about? Has He been speaking and maybe it was so different from what you expected, you just ignored His words? As I focused on Mary’s response to her Lord, I started thinking: how obedient am I when I hear Him speak? Perhaps I’m finally hearing from God after a long period of…
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The Silence is Broken! Part 1
Each year when I read chronologically through the Bible, the period of 400 years of silence makes me so sad. I’m always so ready to open the New Testament and hear his voice speak again. But I did not have to wait as the Israelites did. The Old Testament ends with Malachi 4:5-6 telling us: “Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Jesus is that promise of…
