Gaining a heart of wisdom
Was it the pair of turtle doves that tipped him off?Was it the countrified manner of the parents? Or did the Spirit of God produce an aura of light around the Child, visible only to Simeon's Spirit-filled gaze? We don't know how he knew, but since "it had been revealed to him by the Holy… Continue reading Now, We Are the Waiting Ones
They were really just a bunch of good old boys taking care of sheep,sleeping in shifts, trying to stay warm,and to ward off predators around a fireoutside a little town we would never have heard of if it weren't for God's redemptive plan. God's proclamation of peace on earth and goodwill to men landed in… Continue reading Make The Christmas Story Work To Fulfill Kingdom Purposes
We'll never fully recreate the scene:A young girl,An angelic voice,and an impossible-sounding announcement: "It's time for me to break the silence.I have already set my plan in motion.Here's your part." Divine intervention has a way of...Intervening.Definition: "to come in or between by way of hindrance or modification."1 It's safe to assume that giving birth to… Continue reading How to Make the Most of Those Christmas Interruptions
When the Apostle John picked up his pen and began his first letter to the church, light was one of the metaphors he turned to. As the only remaining living witness to Jesus’s life and ministry, his goal was to establish a solid base of truth concerning the Word of Life in a post-apostolic world in which… Continue reading What Happened When the True Light Arrived
Christmas is a celebration of God's great rescue plan. Paul, chief of the apostles and “chief of sinners,” put it succinctly when he wrote that God “did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all," and then asked, "How will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) Having gone… Continue reading Celebrate the Gift of a God Given Rescue Plan
Today we'll light the third Advent candle and brace ourselves for the coming week. In a perfect world, the shopping is done, the presents are wrapped, and everyone is in agreement on guest lists and festive menus. In the real world, we trust for grace. We prepare to welcome Jesus into our mess, grateful for… Continue reading What Is the Full Purpose of Advent?
How long has it been since you sat down and read both Gospel accounts of Jesus's birth?If you're like me, you can sing all the verses of every traditional Christmas carol. But when was the last time you really listened to the words? Sensory overload during the Christmas season is real. It steals our joy… Continue reading Fall in Love with the Christmas Story All Over Again
We are covered to the elbows in red and green paint, but the festive wrapping paper stretched out to dry on the table before us more than justifies the mess. The toddler points to his distinctively tiny handprints and smiles his satisfaction, as his older brothers start wondering aloud about cocoa with candy cane stirrers.… Continue reading To the Woman Who Feels Crowded by Christmas
(...and a new Christmas fiction book just for fun!) The first Sunday of Advent is less than a month away! What will you do this year to celebrate, reflect, and renew your sense of awe that God the Son would hunker down and wizen up and enter the darkness of this world? The incarnation is… Continue reading Four New Resources for Your Advent Reflection
Part Four: Carols I Want My Grandchildren to Know Christmas baking here in the Morin compound involves eleven different recipes. Most of the goodies are either carried or mailed offsite, and having a generous supply on hand makes party food, unexpected guests, and random gifting quite stress-free—even enjoyable. But looking at the list at the… Continue reading Overcome Christmas Discouragement by Remembering Your Powerful Why
Living Our Days 