Devot. Prepare Him Room

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!  

 

Well, Christmas is less than week away!  Where did the time go?

In general conversations I am asking folks, "Are you ready for next week?" 

I know many are not, I'm a little in shock that Christmas is next week!

 

But in the spiritual sense, are our hearts prepared to celebrated Christmas?  Are our heart ready to celebrate Gods Birthday? (An awesome thought if we dwell on it long enough!).  

 

As I said in a previous devot., going to a Christmas Eve service or program, wish someone a Merry Christmas, learning a traditional Christmas carol are all practical ways of spiritually preparing for Christmas.

 

At the same time, we have to consciously think, "It's Jesus birthday, Lord help me to celebrate Your birth from my heart, focus on that instead of all the bustle around me."

 

On another hand, I do want to mention something that I think bears mentioning.  

I know Christmas is not always an easy time for folks, esp. if they have lost a loved one.   

I wished to share something that has been a personal blessing to my family and myself and we have used ourselves.

 

GriefShare is a faith based ministry that has locations in churches all over the US.   Their website is packed full of resources is dealing with Grief and Surviving the holidays (even daily emails with encouragement).  We have gone through GriefShare in recent years, after the loss of a loved one.  IT HELPED SO MUCH to help us heal and feel the Lord's peace. 

 If you or someone you know is hurting, please look at/pass on this site.  https://www.griefshare.org/

 

I pray you have a very blessed week!  Devot./song below

Devot. https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/features/prepare-him-room  (Used by permission.   Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)

 

Song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOX5z5QJ_dY

Devot. Coming to Our Sense/Practical Christmas Ideas

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had a super weekend!  

 

Do you feel like you are losing your senses around Christmas time?

 

How do we keep a sense of calm in Christmas, keep Christ in Christmas and make an eternal difference in someone life?

 

In previous devot. on the blog I shared how one of Jesus' qualities was that of servanthood.   He served others, thought of others and died for others.    So how do we think of others and encourage those around us (esp. the kids and teens) to think of someone else other than themselves at a time when we think so much of 'what we are getting', rather than giving?

 

Below are some links of how you can make a difference in the life of a persecuted Christian, a child overseas this Christmas or other practical ways.

 

The first 3 places I help every year or have helped with and the first 2 places are also budget friendly, but very meaningful and meet a need for someone else.   The first sent of links from VOM I esp. love, as they are ideal for getting your family, church, youth group involved in.

 

I also have underneath the links some practical and fun ways to keeping Christ in Christmas.  

 

Pray you have a very blessed week!

 

Devot.   https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/faith-works/coming-to-our-senses-week-two  (Used by permission.   Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)

 

Useful, Practical Ways to Help:

 

Persecuted Church:  (Links Taken from https://www.persecution.com/.   Links 1 and 2 I have done with a girls Bible study I host/teach.  This is our 3rd year and the teens get so excited to help!   Link #3 we will be doing this year.  This is a great activity for the family!)

https://www.persecution.com/actionpacks/

https://www.persecution.com/familymedpacks/

https://www.vombibles.com/

https://www.christmascare.com/

 

2 Orphanages/Christian Schools Overseas, 1 Ministry in the US (Link taken from https://dwministries.org/.   I have been very excited to help with this for about 3-4 years).

https://dwministries.org/christmas-wish-list/  

 

Helping Children Overseas:  (Link taken from https://www.worldvision.org/.  Did this about 4-5 years ago.)

https://donate.worldvision.org/giftcatalog

 

Help a Child Who is Waiting to Be Adopted: https://awaa.org/one-orphan/season-of-hope

(Link taken from http://awaa.org/   This is a good, Christian agency that  is making a difference in the life of an orphan.)

 

If you are an animal lover like myself, donate a bit of money to a local animal shelter or rescue.   Found this site a few years ago, and my mom has bought from it (good products).  

They also sponser/support other causes as well. http://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/ars/home

(Link taken from

 

There is a also the Salvation Army that is around every year or local shelters.

 

Practical Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas:

~Put up a Merry Christmas sign on the front yard; say Merry Christmas; choose gifts that emphasize Christmas; pick cards that show a manger scene, has Scripture on it  (good for gifts and cards: https://www.dayspring.com/) or send a Christmas e-card(https://www.dayspring.com/ecards)

 

~Put up a manger scene inside/outside the house and explain the true Christmas story to the kids, grandkids. 

Tell 'em it's Jesus birthday!

(What my parents used to do every year when I was a kid was keep Jesus out the manger scene until Christmas Day and

then try to sneak Him into the stable Christmas morning without me seeing.  It built the anticipation of Jesus birthday and focused on the True Meaning of the season.    I now do this with the young ones in my life and they eagerly check the manger scene for Jesus' arrival.)

 

~Be courageous and put and Merry Christmas sign or Manger scene on your desk at work:)

 

~Go to a live Nativity, Christmas  program or Christmas Eve service.  

 

~Read Luke 2-the Christmas story- the night before Christmas.   Read ahead of time and jot down questions you could ask the kids/grandkids to make sure they understand.

 

~Get an Advent Calendar for next year to count down the das to Christmas (FYI, Get a 'real', nativity calendar, not Hello Kitty or something else:)  It defeats the purpose of emphasizing Jesus birthday.) 

 

~Google for a list traditional  Christmas carols, and try to learn one a week.  Most, if not all, focus on the birth and even the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Devot. A Pattern of Servanthood

Hi Folks,

I hope you have had a good weekend! 

 

This is not a Christmas devot. but it shows an  aspect of who Christ was.  He was a King, the King of Kings (Rev. 19:16), but He came to earth as a humble baby and took the form of a Servant (Phil. 2:7).

Matthew said of Jesus that He was meek and lowly in heart (Matt. 11:29).

 

Christ is our example of godliness and the area of servanthood is something we can all work on, I'm sure. Personally, I am trying harder to think of others and their interests more than myself.   How much more is this needed for child and adult alike around Christmas time, as we are gifted with so much! 

 

As you read this devot., I would suggest that you read the Matthew, Isaiah and Philippians verses highlighted in red which give you a much clearer picture of how Jesus is described as a Servant in Scripture.

 

I have also included one of my favorite Christmas carols. I pray the devot. is a blessing to your week!   Lord bless you and yours!

 

Devot. https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/pattern-for-servanthood  (Used by permission.   Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)

 

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8mjRxkMBkE

 

Devot. Christmas!

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had a great week!  Here we are into December!

 

I want to share Christmas devots. that will prepare our truly hearts for Christmas and for welcoming our Saviour's birthday.  I would love for us to make The Reason for the Season come alive in our hearts, homes, and personal lives and then spread the Meaning of joy onto someone else.

 

What the world needs right now is Hope, and as I shared in previous devots. the only lasting, tangible, eternal hope comes through knowing Jesus as our personal Saviour.   We maybe able to gain happiness through this Christmas season, but happiness is based on circumstances.  True joy is not contingent on circumstances, but is a gift from God and is there regardless of what we are going through (John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.")

 

So I have 2 questions for you this week is:

#1. How can we Keep Christ (Our Saviour) in Christmas for ourselves in a personal way?

#2. How can we instill the true Meaning of Christmas in the lives of those around us (esp. the children)?   

 

Recently, a child told me that they didn't know Christmas was Jesus' birthday.  It  greatly saddened me!!  Once upon a time, regardless of if Christmas was celebrated in a traditional/religious way or not, everyone knew that Christmas was Jesus' birthday.  What is our world and our young people coming to?  

 

Once the gifts have been unwrapped, discarded, the decorations have come down, what is left for them to hold onto after Christmas (now or when they become an adult)?      It's easy for anyone to become depressed if the gifts, decorations and festivities are all we have to look forward to.   

 

But for myself and others I know, knowing that Jesus is our Saviour, our Friend and that He is with us always, helps to carry us through the rest of the year in a joy filled way and gives us even more excitement during Christmas time!

 

I pray that the devot. below catches our hearts and gives us ideas of how to share the True Meaning of Christmas, and incorporate Jesus into His birthday and our personal lives even more this year. 

 

Have a very blessed weekend!

 

Devot. https://www.intouch.org/read/from-pastors-heart/december-2017  (Used by permission.   Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)

 

 

Devot. A Tough Command

HI Folks,

 

I hope you had a good weekend! 

 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

 

Not as easy command is it?  But the devot. below explains how we can and why we should. 

Pray it encourage you this week!   Lord bless you and yours.

 

Devot. https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/a-tough-command   (Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)

Devot. Giving Thanks for Christian Friends

Hi Folks,

I pray you enjoyed Thanksgiving Day with family and friends.   Lord bless you this week!

Devot. used by permission.  Taken from http://icr.org/

Share with a friend

November 23, 2017 Giving Thanks for Christian Friends “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.” (1 Thessalonians 1:2)   We all have much to be thankful for. It is certainly appropriate to give audible thanks for our daily bread, whether in private, at a family meal, or in public at a fine restaurant. In fact, Jesus set the example. When He miraculously fed the multitude beside the Sea of Galilee, He began with a prayer of thanksgiving: “He took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them. . . . And they did all eat, and were filled” (Matthew 15:36-37).   It is good to give thanks for our food and shelter and clothing, but the blessing of having Christian friends is even more thankworthy. The first letter to the Thessalonians was possibly Paul’s first Spirit-inspired letter to Christian friends, and Paul began with a testimony of thankfulness to God for them (see the text above).   When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he began similarly: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you” (Philippians 1:3), and to the Colossians, he started the same way: “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you” (Colossians 1:3). The same when he wrote his epistle to the church at Corinth: “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:4).   Even when writing to the Christians at Rome, whom he had not yet met personally, he wrote: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all” (Romans 1:8). He also thanked God for his personal friends Timothy (2 Timothy 1:3) and Philemon (v. 4).   Throughout our Christian life journey, we develop lasting Christian friends and can thank God for all of them. What a blessing to have such friends, and how fitting it is to give God special thanks for them at this time. HMM     This email was sent to | Print this article Unsubscribe | Subscribe

Devot. The Motivation for Gratitude

HI Folks,

I hope you are having a good weekend!   This is another 'Thanksgiving' devot.

 Psalm 107:1,2,8 states, " O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;"

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"

The request in verse 8 and 2 (bold type) is a plea.  It's saying, "Oh I wish men would praise the Lord for how good He is to mankind!  Let those who He has saved say so!!"  The request for man to praise the Lord is repeated 4 times in Psalm 107.  

I think the Psalmist, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was trying to make a very big point.  We need to praise the Lord for His goodness and what He has done for us! 

 As we enter the THANKS GIVING season, I was thinking of how much I take for granted: food every day, a warm home, a place to sleep at night.   How selfish am I in thinking that all this and so much more will always be here?!  And how many within in the US and overseas do not have this!  

 

Folks, we are SO BLESSED!  Do we thank the Lord, give Him credit (not our good fortune, our lucky stars,or our good job) for bestowing us with enough through the week? 

The little things that are everyday, would seem grand to someone else.....

I pray the devot. below is a motivation, inspiration or spiritual wakeup call for us to start giving thanks everyday-before, during and after Thanksgiving- for everyday things.

 

Doing that is catching, you know?   My pastor always says that He will say out loud, "Isn't the Lord good? He's so good to me!"  if he gets a coupon in a store, or something of that nature as he is out and about.    He does it so our Savior gets the credit for the blessing......

But as you start give thanks, in your heart, or out loud, prayerfully it will catch on in your family and your home with develop a heart of thankfulness to our Lord and help us to see how much

we have, even if it's not a lot by the world's standards.

Thanks for reading as I shared my heart this week:)   I pray that the devot. below is a blessing.   I also found a really neat Thanksgiving/year round idea that looks really great for the family. 

Pray it inspires you!  

 

 Lord bless you and yours this coming week!

Devot. and article used by permission.   Taken from  https://www.intouch.org/

 

Devot. https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/the-motivation-for-gratitude

 

Kindness Jar: https://www.intouch.org/read/blog/family-craft-kindness-jars