Christmas isn’t all happy. Trying to make it that way actually diminishes our enjoyment and meaning of this sacred season. Consider the first Christmas. The backdrop is that God’s people go four centuries without hearing a word from God. When God finally speaks, Zechariah (John the Baptist’s father) refuses to believe it and is struck…
As a mother, I connect with Mary and the emotional ups and downs she experienced in caring for her child Jesus. To prepare for Advent I meditated on Mary’s story recently in my women’s small group. My friend Nancy shared the fruit of her meditation on Mary being “highly favored” by God (Luke 1:28). This…
In a few months I’m going to be a “Papa!” Our daughter Jennie is pregnant with a baby girl! This is helping Kristi and me have a fresh and joyful celebration of the birth of Christ. The precious gift of a baby girl reminds me of Jesus’ free gift for you: God is your Abba…
As Christmas approaches it seems we have to go faster and faster! How can we be unhurried? The traffic keeps getting worse. The lines in the stores keep getting longer. We don’t want to miss out on special events, parties, and gathering with family and friends. We have presents to wrap and food to prepare.…
As we celebrate the Prince of Peace we may get robbed of peace! What a tragic irony that would be! Let’s resist the cultural swirl of hurrying here and there and internalizing stress. We can relax… even in December! It’s all about how we react to stress. For instance, I had a conversation with Dallas…
In the first Advent God keeps saying, “Fear not!” It’s a word we need to hear today too. Zechariah and Elizabeth were told that after decades of waiting they’d finally have a child in their old age. (Luke 1:5-25) But “Don’t fear being disappointed again.” Mary was a young, unmarried woman who was impregnated with…
Advent is a celebration of the coming of Christ — and the whole Trinity! I wonder if you’ve ever meditated on the Trinity? This has been one of the most important practices in my life. What a blessing to see the way the Father, Son and Spirit love and honor one another — and us.…
When we tell Mary’s part in the Christmas story it’s easy to idealize her. It’s as if she had such great faith in the word of the Lord, even as a young woman, that all she needed was God. It was Mary and God, alone in a world of people who scorned her — even…
In his book Joy Starts Here Jim Wilder says that every child and hurting person needs a Gentle Protector. A Gentle Protector is someone who has power and uses it to defend and care for those in need. I realized recently that the Gentle Protector you need (and me too!) is hidden in the Christmas story. He’s…
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant… The Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name.” — Luke 1:46-49 Have you ever been so overjoyed that you burst out in song? Perhaps…