“but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” Luke 2:10 NLT

This is a season of joy.

Christmas, the ultimate time of joy.

I hope I don’t get caught up in the worldly things. I love baking, I love my family & friends, and I also love giving gifts. All those things are great, but I hope I don’t get caught up in it. I actually will not allow myself to. I don’t want to miss out on what Jesus has for me.

Don’t forget the reason of Christmas. I know, you’ve been told that so many times. But let me tell it to you this way – Christ wanted us to experience His joy. During Christmas, and all the time. Even when it’s hard. Even when the holidays don’t feel the same. When you just wish you could have a few more days off for Christmas break. When life feels like it is flying by. Seek the joy from the King. He not only wanted us to have joy, but to realize the ultimate joy comes from Him.

Joy is mentioned to us many times through out the four Gospels. Not only was Jesus arriving bringing good news, but it was also going to bring our world great joy. How incredible to know a savior was to be born. I don’t find it coincidental that we find in John chapter 16 the word joy once again. But this time to His disciples. This time when much hurt was about to enter. Jesus shared with his followers, “I tell you the truth. You will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.” Overtime as life evolves it’s okay to admit joy is harder to find at times. Christmas is tough for some and if we allow life to do so, all our joy will be striped away from us. Don’t allow it to happen.

This Christmas, join me in staying focused on the joy that was brought to this world with the birth of a Savior. A savior that brought and left the promise of joy. He had much purpose behind it. He was and still is that peace and joy. Don’t allow worldly things to take away the joy our greatest gift has for us. Stay focused. Even when these moments in life are difficult may you still know and seek the joy from the King. Merry Christmas.

Christmas Magic.

I mean if you haven’t figured it out by now – I love it. I’m literally all about it.

People bring me “Christmas” type presents all year long.

Sweaters.

Picture frames.

Little vintage ornaments.

I’m getting excited just writing about it.

But here’s the flip side of it – sometimes in December I get sad. I get sad because I know come January there will be an empty space in my living room and in my heart. Like a wave of blah just rushes over me out of nowhere.

Welcome to my crazy.

It happened last week. I was watching TV, and I looked over at Frank and said, “I’m sad. It’s almost over.” He’s been around long enough to know what I meant.

But in that moment God gently whispered to my soul. He said, “The magic won’t be gone in January, Daisy. I am the magic. And I am here every single day – all day long.”

What a beautiful, beautiful promise!

When the glitter is gone – He isn’t.

When the tree is down – He won’t be.

When the cocoa and cookies are finished for the season – He is still the reason.

Aren’t we glad? Aren’t we glad He is here 24/7? Aren’t we glad Jesus doesn’t happen just once a year? Aren’t we glad that we can celebrate Him and praise Him every single day?

He’s not just a December kind of God.

He’s a God that’s here for it all. And come January when the glam and the glitter have been gently packed away – He will still be right here.

Present.

Patient.

Perfect.

Peace.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John: 14:16-17).

Christmas! My most favorite time of the year!

Not for reasons you may think. It isn’t the gifts, decorations, music, or even Hallmark movies (although they all help).

You see, it was Christmas time when Jesus met me in a dark spot of chronic worrying and depression. Christmas is when He taught me to fully rely on Him for all of my needs. He showed out in a huge way. I worried about EVERYTHING!! If I did not have something to worry about – I created something.

I was newly divorced this one particular Christmas with two young daughters and zero money. I prayed like never before and told God I was tired of worrying, and that I fully trusted Him. We had never gone without. He had always made a way even it when it seemed impossible, so I was going to refuse to worry.

We were going to focus on Him and have a simple Christmas. Y’all, when I tell you the gifts overflowed from beneath my tree that year – it was unimaginable! Ridiculously so! Like, more than I would have bought for Christmas if I had money.

I sat my girls down that day and told them that those gifts are not from a Santa at the North Pole but because Jesus loved us so much. The embarrassment I had felt from being “helped” and the unworthiness I felt from not being able to do it on my own as a single mom melted as He sent people to pour His love out that Christmas, and I was never the same.

It wasn’t the gifts under the tree but learning to trust the Lord at his word!

He is our provider!

We are never alone!

He is our hope!

I encourage you to trust our Heavenly Father this season and every season. Share your gifts… gifts of His love, His hope, and His joy. Just like those lights that twinkle so bright on the tree, be a light of hope this Christmas. If Christ lays it on your heart to give this Christmas or to help someone anytime, please do!

He is calling you to be a life changer and possibly call the dry bones to life. It will be a blessing for them and you. Even if you can’t financially help – spread kindness! Hand your postmaster a Christmas card. Pay the cashier a compliment. SMILE! Random acts of kindness shine Jesus’s light in such a mighty way! I hope you all have a Merry and Blessed Christmas.

May the God of hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

When I think of being chosen, I immediately think back to the 3rd grade kickball tournament we had the last week of school.  “The schoolyard pick is my favorite,” said no one ever! The thought of being one of the last kids picked still haunts me, but I’ll never forget the look on my teammates’ faces when they realized the little pudgy girl could REALLY kick that ball! 😀 Needless to say, I was on top of the roster the next day.

This time of year, we are choosing so many things a lot like a schoolyard pick. Choosing where to spend the holidays, what gifts to give our loved ones, which festivities will we participate in, and the list goes on and on.  Some of these choices we make begrudgingly, some out of obligation, some out of guilt, but we do them and wear our weary hearts out in the meantime.  I dare say that by the time the most wonderful time of the year is over, we are pretty much over it.

Being a follower of Christ, we are to strive to have his mindset, so why are we all so tattered this time of year?

We need to decide not only on the choices we are making, but HOW we are making them:  

Gladly choosing to give a gift.

Glady choosing to say no to festivities so we can spend more time with our families.

Gladly choosing to help out that family experiencing a difficult time. 

Gladly choosing to give up some “me-time” to serve a loved one who has recently moved into a nursing home.

Gladly choosing to: ___________________.

Whatever the blank is filled with, the Lord wants us to gladly choose to do so, because He gladly chose to do so. He wants us to do this, because He did this for us.

John 3:16 tells us: 

He gladly chose to come into a dark and dying world.

He gladly chose to live as human flesh to relate to us.

He gladly chose to die for our redemption.

Our pastor releases us every Sunday with this reminder from Jesus, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”  Luke 12:32 (NASB 1995)

Take time to ponder that this Christmas season. The Father gladly chose to give us His Son, the little babe in the manger, in order to gladly give us His kingdom. 

When the 3rd-grader in me realizes that He gladly chose to pick me to receive that precious gift, I can’t help but to strive to make my choices reflect Him. My prayer is that all of us experience His gladness this Christmas, and that we strive to be a reflection of His love and grace in 2023.

Merry Christmas!

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peace. 

My mind is so rarely at peace. It spins with to-do lists, preparing and worrying too. But Christ came to bring us peace. 

Peace with God:

He came and lived a perfect life- that He knew we never could. He died and shed his blood as an offering for our transgressions. He rose again, defeating the power of death. He offers  us faith to repent and accept his gift, to become children of God and live in peace with Him. 

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

He sent us the Holy Spirit and through Him an amazing friendship. He continues to work in our hearts to refine us.  He offers us inexplicable peace. Peace the world doesn’t understand. Peace that doesn’t panic or bend to worry. Peace that trusts the sovereignty of our Father God. When we start our day setting our minds on His goodness- it is a peace that fills us and carries us through whatever else the day has in store. 

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.””

‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭33‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!”

‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The Angels told us, give glory to God! It’s the key. When we glorify Him, praise Him, thank Him, trust Him – He will give us peace. 

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭31‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Christmas and traditions go together like hot cocoa and marshmallows. Whether it’s opening pajamas on Christmas Eve or baking cookies for Santa, each new family gets to choose which traditions they will carry on to the next generation.

As an adult, church has always been a major part of my life, so going to the Christmas Eve service every year is a no-brainer; it’s such a special way to celebrate our Savior’s birth. But it wasn’t until I had my daughter that I realized I was creating a family tradition that I had never had. While I had many traditions that were wonderful and magical, Christmas Eve services were just not one of them.

Last year’s Christmas, my daughter, Charlotte, was 8-months-old, and it was her first Christmas Eve/Candlelight service to attend. As a member of the worship team, I was to sing “Silent Night” at the end of the night. I left my husband and daughter on the balcony to walk down to the stage, and, as I grabbed my mic, the lights dimmed and candles were being lit all around me. The congregation was beautiful. As I got ready to sing, I heard my daughter babbling loudly from the balcony. At that very moment, I was overwhelmed with gratitude, thankful that God had allowed me to give my daughter an experience that I had never had. The experience of a true celebration of Jesus’s birth in His church.

Because of Jesus, coming as a baby and then dying on a cross for my sins, I am able to experience His neverending joy, peace, and love, and I, because of Him, am able to share that joy, peace, and love with my own daughter. I am able to show her what it is to worship with others who also love Him. I have been given the blessing and the utmost responsibility of showing her who God is, and Christmas Eve service will always be a part of that.

I pray she, too, will choose to carry on this Christmas Eve tradition with her own family one day. While Santa, Christmas lights, trees, and presents are all so incredibly magical and have their own special place, the sweetest, most meaningful tradition of all is celebrating the true meaning of Christmas–and that is our Savior, Jesus Christ.

On my way home from soccer practice the other night, I asked my son to pray that we make it to the nearest gas station before we ran out of gas. I would like to say that it’s the first time I’ve placed one of my children in this particular emergency prayer situation, but alas, it is not. Bless my babies and their mom who likes to live on the edge regarding the “Empty” end of her gas gauge! Thanks to my son’s mad prayer power, we rolled into the nearest station on fumes and pulled up to the pump.

As I place the dispenser in my tank to fill up, I hear a string of obscene and hostile words coming from the back side of my pump. This guy was going off on that machine like it had legitimately grown arms and threatened him to throwdown right there in the parking lot. I actually got a little nervous for a second thinking this man might actually resort to physical violence against the gas pump and possibly other inanimate objects in the near vacinity. I immediately thought, “Wow! This guy has lost his mind,” and began judging him for the language he used in public and for losing his temper over something so silly (in my opinion). I even looked around to see if anyone else was getting a load of this guy. Maybe they were laughing and judging on the inside like I was. And then God stabs my heart with a reminder I need to hear in that very moment. He says, “That’s my child.”

Ouch. God reminded me that I was judging and laughing on the inside at HIS child. A child that God loves as much as He loves me. That was a painful and necessary reminder. I desperately wish that it is the first time God had to remind me of this, but alas, it is not. And as painful and embarrassing as it is every time He reminds of this, I am thankful for His Holy Spirit moving in my heart and causing my eyes to see people in my life as God’s children…His beautiful creation who He loves with all His heart. That woman at work that is always super grumpy and short with her co-workers? God made her and loves her. That guy who cuts you off in traffic and makes you slam on your breaks? Jesus died for him. That friend that hasn’t called you in a while and doesn’t put as much into your friendship as you do? God gave His one and only Son born in a manger for her salvation.

I hope this is the last time God must remind me of this truth, but, honestly, I doubt it. And, I’m thankful that God loves me as much as He loves everyone else and that while I was yet a sinner, He demonstrated His love on the cross for me too.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Knowing that I was tackling the grocery store on a Sunday afternoon, called for a peptalk and a large coffee.

I think I’ve said this before, but picking what’s for dinner for the week and then shopping for it is just the worst to me. I’d rather clean a restroom.

In the midst of my pity party God spoke to me. Well, He whispered.

He reminded me of how easy we have it here – in America. He reminded me of how hard moms have to work in remote countries to not only get food for their families but to also cook it.

And He reminded me that I have a family. Some people do not.

Sigh.

It’s really easy to take things for granted. It’s really easy to want to get lazy with life. But every day is a gift, and so is every task.

I’m gonna whine about grocery shopping again. Maybe next week. I just hope that God whispers His sweet reminder to me when I do – maybe give me a swift kick in the rump.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 9:10

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

James 1:17 NKJV

Christmas, for most people, is synonymous with gifts. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The greatest gift ever, Jesus Christ, came down to us over 2000 years ago and that is the reason we celebrate. It’s the heart of God to give so we are honoring Him by giving gifts.

I just adore this time of year — it’s a beautiful holiday! Perhaps it’s because growing up my dad made this time of year so memorable. He not only would wrap gifts perfectly – the tightest corners and sharpest lines that I have ever seen – but he also was pretty good at disguising them too.

I can see God in that.

His “gifts” may not always look like what we expect but that’s because His ways are higher and His thoughts are not ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). Our understanding of His goodness does not change the fact that He is good and perfect in all of His ways to us. His generous giving especially.

Life can throw us some curveballs and we can find ourselves in a place of heartache, chaos, or struggle and the holiday season can, at times, only make it that much harder to handle these situations when or if they come. BUT…

We can have the gift of joy in the midst of heartache. We can have the gift of peace in the midst of chaos. We can have the gift of strength in the midst of struggle.

And while the heartache, the chaos, the struggle may simply be a consequence of the world we live in, it also passes through His hands to us and therefore is a gift as well. It may not have been a gift “wrapped” the way we would have chosen, or we may have thought it was something else entirely, but when we trust His heart that never changes toward us, we find He’s the BEST gift-giver (and gift-wrapper). Why? Because it draws us closer to His presence. (Interesting how similar that word is to “presents”, am I right? Each gift gives us greater glimpses of Jesus, of His glory manifesting in our lives.

He is drawing us to His [true] good and perfect gift: Himself.

So, may I encourage you in this holiday season, however it may look for you, to celebrate the gifts you’ve been given and all the ways they have brought you closer to the “good and perfect” Gift. Let His steadfast heart spark joy, peace, strength, faith — whatever you need — within you this Christmas as you enjoy His presence.

He is good and perfect and so are His gifts.

I love to imagine the backstory of the lives of people in the Bible. What was their life like before God stepped in with an assignment. I imagine Mary was in the middle of planning her wedding, all the little intricate details that goes along with it. Maybe she was thinking about her future with Joseph and what that would look like.

Then God interrupts and sends Gabriel with a very unexpected announcement…

“Mary, you have found favor in sight of God, you are chosen to be the Mother of Jesus, the Son of God.” She doesn’t completely understand it all, but because of her trust and faith in God she accepted her role. She goes to tell her good news to her cousin Elizabeth, and they celebrate. Mary then rejoices and magnifies the Lord because she knows she is blessed.

When God interrupts life in the middle of well laid plans, He always has a purpose. We may not fully understand the direction He is taking us – and Gabriel may not show up with a big announcement. But if our trust and faith is in The Lord, we can accept the role He has set before us and know that He is God, His way and thoughts are higher than ours. He knows exactly what we need, when we need it, and the blessing that will be from it.

In Luke 2:19 “Mary pondered all the things in her heart”.

I can only imagine the wonder in her eyes as she looked at her baby! Mary did you know that the child you just delivered would one day deliver you? Did you know when you kissed His cheeks, you kissed the face of God?

Can.You.Even.Imagine?

Merry Christmas to all! Remember Jesus is the reason for the season! He is worth celebrating!