A Baby’s Lullaby

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” – Luke 2:6-7

“Hush little baby don't you cry
Daddy's gonna sing you a lullaby
Everything's gonna be all right
The Lord's gonna answer your prayer tonight”

Words that sound so familiar yet are slightly different. Words that bring blessed memories and thoughts of dreams that didn’t come true. Words that have the power to soothe the most broken-hearted and terrify within the same breath.

These lyrics are a new version of a classic children’s lullaby that has been sung to children across the world. I sang the lullaby to my children as I rocked them and comforted them in the middle of the night. I’m sure many of you have also, and many of you will also sing them to your grandchildren. But I find today that they have a new meaning for me.

Can you imagine this lullaby from the perspective of Joseph as he looked in wonder at his newborn son? The questions that must have raced through his mind! What about all of the fears, the doubts, the uncertainties of being privileged to be the daddy to the Son of God? And then the realization that God was being held in his arms. Talk about being awestruck with the miracle of birth, can you imagine?

And what about the young mother, Mary? After having been forced to ride a donkey for what probably felt like years in the condition of pregnancy she was in, now she would give birth in what amounted to a cave surrounded not by doctors, nurses or mid-wives, but by oxen and sheep. Then as her child, her son, was lifted up and wrapped in cloths and placed in her arms, she was able to look in to the eyes of God. What did he see, did he see the unconditional love that a mother feels for her child? Did she see His unconditional love?

As the human infant Jesus took his first breath, did he let out a cry? Did he feel the pain of separation from God the Father that we do? And I can’t help but wonder, if Mary sang him a lullaby to comfort him and reassure him -

“Hush little baby don't you cry
Mommy's gonna sing you a lullaby
Everything's gonna be all right
The Lord's gonna answer your prayer tonight”

During this time, I pray that you feel the love of your heavenly Father and that you are able to experience the awestruck wonder of a baby born in a manger in far-off Bethlehem more than two centuries ago. And maybe you can hear in the quiet stillness of the night the sound of a lullaby being sung to each of us with the voice of Our Heavenly Father.

Merry Christmas …..

~ Rev. Pat

What is Love?

The Bible Dictionary describes “Love” as “the very nature of God”. Love is oftentimes identified as the greatest of the Christian virtues. However, when googled on the internet, many different descriptions for “love” pops up, everything from a love calculator to love songs. But, what does it really mean?

When I think of Love, lots of things come to my mind, my husband, my son, and my close friends. Christmas usually conjures thoughts of Love as we buy special gifts for those we love. There are also many Bible verses concerning Love. One that particularly stands out is John 3:16. The New International Version says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”.

Just think… “God gave His One and Only Son.” There truly is no greater love. I guess that I did not really comprehend this until I became a mother of a one and only son. My husband and I prayed for 8 years for a baby. God answered our prayers with the adoption of a precious 6 week old baby boy. I was completely overwhelmed with love for this baby the minute I laid eyes on him and my love for him has grown as each day passes. Prior to motherhood, I thought that I knew about “love”, but there is a much greater expansion to this single simple word when it refers to loving one’s own child. Sacrificing Jesus for Us is evidence of God’s amazingly incredible love for us. God knew when Jesus was born what was planned for Him and, yet God still gave us His Son. The nature of our God is truly a Love that we can just barely comprehend.

Praise be to God.

~ Samantha

Waiting................

He is a young college student, driving home for a weekend of home cooking. His parents pray for traveling mercies. And wait. Another is deployed so very far from his new beautiful bride. She prays for his safety and a phone call from him. She counts the days, the hours. And she waits. They have watched their first born leave the nest to build her own. They pray for her happiness and a visit. And they wait. She was a young, unmarried virgin, expecting a child. And engaged. Visited by the angel Gabriel, assured, she said, "I am the Lord's servant." And she waits.

At Advent, we prepare and we wait. We celebrate and remember the birth of our King, humbly in a stable. We sing, rejoice and give gifts. We praise our Father in heaven for the indescribable gift. And now, we wait for His return. For our eternity in heaven with Him. For glory forever. We wait.

Serving Him with our gifts given by Him, we too must say, "I am the Lord's servant." Love Him, Serve Him, Praise Him. Wait for Him. He is coming. Alleluia He is Coming ! We wait with joy at His return.

~ Rebecca

1 Corinthians 13, Christmas Version

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure.

Merry CHRISTmas!
~ Author Unknown

God so loved the world

John 3:16 says that God so loved the world that He gave... Love is an action word. Love gives without expectation of return. Love gives because love wants the best for the one that is loved. God's love is unconditional. We cannot make God love us more by doing more. We cannot make God love us less by our failures.

The Bible is one love story broken into sixty-six books. The Bible shows us that God is a God of love from Genesis through Revelation. Romans 5:8 tells us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Unconditional love does not wait for us to be perfect. Love loves regardless. He paid that price because He loves us not because we are worthy. He makes us worthy by His sacrifice.

1 Corinthians 13 tells us of God's agape love. We can rest secure in God's love. We know that God does not keep records of our wrongs. We are thankful that God's love is patient and kind and forgiving.

During this Advent season, we would do well to remember that we are loved. We should remember that God so loved us that He was willing to send Christ to pay our sin debt and if we accept that sacrifice, we no longer owe anything for our sins. Chris paid it all.

As we celebrate the birth of Christ, we can rejoice in the fact that our heavenly Father thinks we are fantastic. We can rejoice in the fact that we bring a warm smile to His face when He thinks of us. We can rejoice in the fact that we are the beloved of the Creator. We can rejoice in the fact that we have eternal life with our Father who will never condemn us. That is something to celebrate!

~ Ronnie

JOY!

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means ‘God is with us.’” - Matthew 1:23

 Daniel in the lion’s den
 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace

What’s the common denominator? In the midst of difficulty, God was with them. Being God, He could have easily saved them, transported them from their difficulties. Instead He chose to reveal His power through the trials, rather than remove them.

The Bible promises good things to those who seek the Lord, but there’s no guarantee this life will be easy. Trials and difficulties are a part of life.

In April of this year I was diagnosed with a rare but treatable form of cancer. Following my first surgery our water heater exploded and flooded our house. Then my grandmother passed away. I’ve been a Christian for 30 years, and the Lord was with me, but I struggled and cried and sought the Lord. Was this act of seeking and not understanding non-Christian behavior? No! I trusted God and found my joy in the fact He never wastes our present pains and trials.

Life was hard, but I found joy in the day-to-day relationship I had with my God. He never left me and I found that, despite my circumstances, I had joy. James 1:2 says when troubles come our way we should consider it an opportunity for joy.

During my time of great need, I knew God was with me and His nearness gave me joy. We can also rejoice in the fact we have a God who wants to be our intimate friend. He’s not far-removed in heaven on a throne. Jesus was God come to Earth and we can rejoice in the fact there’s no emotion or trial we will ever face that Jesus didn’t experience first-hand.

Joy comes in knowing God will NEVER leave you. He will never turn a deaf ear to your heartfelt prayers. He is interested in every detail of your life. God is with you! Rejoice!

~ Amy

Joyful! Joyful!

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” – Psalm 28:7

In my closet I have an amazing number and variety of shoes that I have acquired over the years. Some of them are for use in the yard. Some are very specific for riding the motorcycle. Some are everyday work shoes. But some of them have a very special meaning and place in my heart – these are my party shoes! Whenever I put them on, whenever I look upon them, I am filled with good – even great! – memories and my spirit leaps with joy.

During this time of year, I can’t help but wonder if Mary felt that way when she found out she would be the mother of God? I don’t think so. Although we read in the first chapter of Luke, “And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” I think her head recognized the difficulties that lay before her. I also believe she was able to find the strength of her faith in the faithfulness of God.

Have you ever been in that place where something seems insurmountable and yet, you are certain that God has determined your place in His greater plan? Several times in my life circumstances have threatened to overwhelm me and given me doubts that have crippled my spirit for a period of time. One of those times came when I was only twenty-two years old and just weeks away from getting married.

My husband-to-be and I had just spent a fun-filled weekend with his family at Disneyworld and were driving home when we fell asleep and crashed into a tree. I woke up with blood and glass in my eyes and my legs crushed under the collapsed dash of the car. As the paramedics worked to get us out of the car they realized that one of my legs was impaled and the ankle of my other leg was definitely broken. After x-rays and several other tests in the hospital I found out I had seven breaks in the right ankle and my left knee would need reconstructive surgery at a later date. (So much for me being able to dance at my own wedding!) The week after the cast came off I had further complications from the accident and spent another few days in the hospital. Finally, we were married and beginning our life together.

Life together for us started out full of the excitement of being newlyweds and the adventure of moving to a new home together. But we also found ourselves dealing with our share of problems, especially when my knee reconstruction surgery was completed only four months later. Plans for romantic dinners and dancing in nice clubs were put on hold as I learned how to walk again. Two years after this ordeal began, my hubby and I realized that the dreams we thought we wanted for our lives had been replaced by a sense of satisfaction in simpler things and new dreams were being born.

What in the world does all of this have to do with party shoes? Well, God shared a sign with me one afternoon shortly before my surgery and it has helped me so many times since then. While I was shopping that particular afternoon I came across a little porcelain figurine of a boy pulling a wagon with a little girl riding atop their belongings piled in the cart. She was holding a Bible and the title of that figurine was “Walking By Faith”. Wow! That piece so captured what had been happening in my life up to that point, and in the days since then.

So, now when I look on those party shoes – or any of my shoes, I can not help but be reminded of a young woman who held on to the faithfulness of her God and joyously surrendered herself to his plans for her life. And I pray that I can also walk with faith in the plans God has for my life, always being thankful for what He has given each of us. My heart can not help but dance for joy!

~ Rev. Pat

Letting Go

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” – John 14:27

Chaos would be a great way to describe my everyday living over the past few months. Chaos is definitely the “anti-peace.” It’s a little bit like fighting gravity. Have you ever felt like this? Felt like you were living just to get from moment to moment? This may be exactly where God wants us to be …this is where we find Him. Chaos is where He can do amazing things. When we have no control & the only solution comes through Him. It is where Prayer becomes “Help me survive today!” For me…. This is where God forced me to slow down and realize how much He loves me and how the Body of Christ represented that to me. This is when peace came.

Peace is defined as a state of tranquility or quiet, but also as freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions. (Webster.com) Our thoughts are where the enemy tries to get us; where some of the toughest battles are fought, but where God wants to be forefront…to give us tranquility and peace.

“I’m letting go of the life I planned for me and my dreams. I’m losing control of my destiny. It feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe, so I’m letting go” ~Battistelli, et al

Lord, Please provide me with Your peace that surpasses understanding today. Guard my mind from chaos and keep me in your perfect peace.

~ Elizabeth

An Event for Everyone

“There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger." - Luke 2:8-12 (MSG)

I used to love to listen to Paul Harvey, and his "Rest of the Story" radio segments. I just love to think about the story that goes before, behind and after the tales we talk about and remember. The entire Old Testament lies as the before story - several millennia since Abram's name was changed and God promised him a blessing. His descendants knew from all the scriptures that had been written since that God would send a redeemer from their current mediocrity. I like to envision those shepherds setting up their temporary camp at the end of a busy day and after their equivalent of prime-time TV, they settled in and started to rest. Someone was watching the sheep and they would likely take turns during the night.

Have you ever tried to get teenagers to get to sleep in such a situation? If they aren't exhausted there can be a lot of giggling and chattering and the adults are repeating, "go to sleep" for the umpteenth time. Finally there is peace... The gentle sounds of the sheep and maybe the crickets...

SUDDENLY! All the lights are on and trumpets are BLARING!!!

Who wouldn't be shocked and stunned? Even having seen huge blockbuster movies we would all be amazed and speechless. Add to it the pure supernaturalness of God's glory and we are all puddles of humility.

I know they were expecting something, but they had stopped expecting it NOW.

As we run headlong into the "Christmas Season" or worse the "Holiday Season" as defined by the media and marketing gurus... DON'T STOP EXPECTING JESUS TO SHOW UP! I want to go to bed expectantly and hopefully that just as I fall asleep, Christmas will come again into my life. Better yet, into each patient moment and all year long!

Merry Christmas, Christmas people!!!

~ Roger

The Approaching Season

“And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” - Luke 2: 9-10 (NKJV)

While standing in line at a local super store the other day, I overheard a lady complaining about another Christmas fast approaching. She went on to lament about how glad she would be when the season was over and how she hated standing in even longer lines and driving in increased traffic. The person she was talking too said that while her children got excited about Christmas, she was not looking forward to the extra company in her home and having to spend “all that extra money.” For just about two seconds I could almost relate to their attitude. I used to think just like they did about Christmas. My family even nicknamed me “The Grinch.” I had the ability to steal just about anyone’s Christmas Joy. Christmas was not a good time for me. But then I thought about how my attitude toward Christmas had changed. When I accepted Christ, God put a love in my heart for Christmas. This is the day we celebrate God’s greatest gift to man. The gift of his only son, Jesus!

Yes, I can relate to how a secular world feels about a holiday that over the years has become commercialized, over advertised, and even political. Retail organizations have started promoting and decorating for the Christmas shopping season way before Halloween. Many local governments will not allow decorations that depict a religious theme on their property. Society has tried to take the birth of Christ out of the very holiday that exists to celebrate that birth. The focus of Christmas has shifted from celebrating Jesus’ birth to lights, trees, gifts, Santa Claus, and more gifts. We all are involved in the secular aspects of Christmas; it’s almost impossible not to be.

So here is my challenge to you (and myself). As the Advent season approaches, commit to focusing on the real reason for the season. Read the Christmas Story found in Luke chapter 2: 1-18. If you have children read it to them. Remember the joy of your salvation and apply it to this awesome time of year. Share your joy and the Christmas Story with someone who needs joy. Your attitude about Christmas is a choice. You can choose to be joyful or not. Choose joy and share it!

Oh yeah, remember the Grinch? I’m still the Grinch in my family. The Grinch finally found the joy of Christmas, and his heart grew 3 times its normal size. That’s me!

~ Rev. Tom

Coming Home

“So he got up and went to his father.”But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” – Luke 15:20

This morning I heard a song on the radio as I was pulling into my parking space at work. It was about a man that had a message on his home phone that had been there for many years. The message was for his wayward daughter it case she called. It said something to the effect “what ever you have done, I love you, wherever you have been you can come home.” He hadn’t talked to her in many years but the song said she called and heard the message that she needed to hear.

A few minutes after hearing that song I arrived at my desk and the man next to me, who is the part-time pastor of a church, told me about a message he had just listened to from a family who had just lost a 14 year old daughter and were concerned that she was going to hell. He asked me what I thought he could tell them.

I told him about the song that I had just heard and that I think God has that message on his answering machine for all of us all of the time. That’s what Jesus came to tell us with his life and message. The prodigal son story says that clearly.

We were recently talking in Disciple 1 class about what it means to be made in the image of God. To me it means that we can love people the way God does, we don’t do that all the time, but we have the capacity when we are at our best; when we are most in touch with God. That song reflects the capacity to love as God does.

During the holiday season we all think about gathering, coming home, or remembering times when we did. Don’t miss the call of the gospel, the message from God, the reason for the season. We are welcome all the time, no matter what we have done and no matter where we have been. God loves you, and even me.

~ Rev. Dr. Scott

An Angel in a Barn

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” - Hebrews 1:14

Have you ever seen an angel? I have watched one work in a barn! Her name is Joan, nice name for an angel. Our car care ministry has many workers doing many different jobs. This is how the body of Christ operates ideally. Joan's job is feeding the workers and those being served. She brings a casserole from heaven--eggs, cheese, potatoes, bacon--yes, straight from heaven! And we are fed a wonderful breakfast for our tummies. But, her angelic work only begins there. Joan loves on everyone that comes into that dusty old barn/car repair garage. She hugs each one, smiles at each one and truly listens to each and every persons concerns. Her love accomplishes so much more in the waiting area than the mechanics do in the repair area. Folks leave with better brakes or oil changes. But, they take away something much more valuable, they take the love of Jesus Christ given by an angel named Joan.

As we wait, as advent approaches, we too must be the hands and feet of Jesus. Some of the hands get pretty dirty with lots of greasy fingernails. Others, like those of angel Joan Garling, reach out in love and touch the hearts of everyone she meets. Joan is now being an angel back in New York. How blessed are they! How we miss her sweet beautiful smile and spirit. We will see many angels this Christmas season, reminding us of the angels that announced to frightened shepherds of the coming of our Messiah.

But, I will be reminded of the angel in the barn, sweet loving Joan. Her light shines the love of Jesus, Christmas and always. Praise God for His angels among us all!

~ Rebecca

The Peace that Guards my Heart

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7

During Advent, I like to slow down and look back at the year and see where I am spiritually. Are my relationships healthy? Are there any new bad habits? Do my priorities still reflect a Christ-centered life? This is hard if I am being completely honest with myself.

I recently attended a healing service at my church. I was astounded at the number of people who went up to the altar to be anointed and prayed over with hands on them. Some went up two and three times. As I sat in my pew and prayed for those individuals, I realized that I needed to go up, too. For too long I carried a burden that I finally realized I could not ‘fix’. As I prayed at the altar, I left the burden there and immediately felt at peace as I let God take it.

The world has been tough on so many of us this year. If we attempt to deal with it all by ourselves, we quickly are overcome with anxiety, fear or failure. We must remember we are assured that whatever burden we carry, our prayers will be heard, and even when we don’t know what to pray, that the Holy Spirit is pleading for us. (Romans 8:26)

Prayer: Loving Father, thank you for the peace you provide and the promise of eternal life through your Son. May each of us claim the peace in our salvation and respond with shouts of joy and heartfelt worship in our love for Jesus every day. Amen

~ Marty

Let the Peace of Christ Rule

“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” - Colossians 3:15 NLT

The key word in this passage is “rule”. Let Christ’s peace be an empire or referee in your heart. Our heart is the center of conflict because there our feelings and desires clash – our fears and hopes, distrust and trust, jealousy and love. How can we deal with these constant conflicts and live as God wants? Paul tells us that we must decide between conflicting elements by using the rule of peace. Which choice will promote peace in our souls and the Body of Christ?
God’s peace is different than the world’s peace (“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” - John 14:27). True peace is not found in positive thinking, absence of conflict, or good feelings. It comes from knowing that our hope is secure, the victory has been won, and God is in control.

~ Gina

PEACE IN THE STORM

“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but my loving kindness will not be removed from you, and my covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says the Lord who has compassion on you.” - Isaiah 54:10

Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered.
The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled. As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd. A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner. The man who organized the contest uncovered the last painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise. Could this be peace?
A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice. The crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray. Stormy-gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain. In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls. One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power. A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch. Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs. With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil.

I rest beneath the Almighty's shade, My griefs expire, my troubles cease;
Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed, Wilt keep me still in perfect peace. - Charles Wesley

~ Rev. Phill

Passing by Peace

“Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” – 2 Corinthians 13:11

When I realized I would be writing a devotional thought on peace I quickly looked up the scripture text to refresh myself. That scared me – I have learned that when I pray for growth of the fruit in me – I’m gonna be seeing a lot of fertilizer! Little did I know that would be one of the last quiet moments of my week!

Now, my week started off like most – I had my weekly ministerial breakfast meeting, then went on to an eye doctor appointment. Mid-afternoon saw me dropping off some dry-cleaning and doing a quick stop at the grocery store for dinner before heading up to the college to attend one of my younger son’s concerts. Somewhere in that day I had several phone calls to try to respond to while trying to put the dishes from the night before into the dishwasher, and running another load of laundry. Okay, it’s only 11:00 Monday night; I have plenty of time to write a devotional on peace. Guess I should clean up the “gift” the cat has left behind, and while I’m at it, it will only take a moment to mop the rest of the kitchen floor. Oh my gossshhh, its 10 minutes to 1 and I’ve got to get some sleep! That’s okay, I’ll sit down tomorrow and get it done.

Fast-forward – and I do mean FAST- it’s Wednesday evening and I am sitting still - reading, and God is talking to me. He is teaching me what peace isn’t and what peace is.

What I learned is that peace isn’t the absence of conflict; it isn’t about calm circumstances, healthy children, or being alone with our selves. Real peace is much more. You may know someone who is constantly being pulled in 10 different directions – work, an ill parent, a rebellious teenager, and home responsibilities. And yet – there is a sense of peace about her person. You may know someone facing the shadow of death – and moving through the shadow with a calm, quiet strength.

You see the bumps and bruises and storms of life do not break God’s kind of peace. True peace is like a seed planted inside each of us, waiting to grow under the right conditions. And like all plant life – you can’t make it grow. You can prepare the soil – through the friendships you cultivate and the habits you create. You can feed and water the seed - through prayer and thoughtful use of our time, energy, and resources. But in order for the fruit to grow you must have God living in you – a part of Christ planted in us.

I also learned that when Christ is living in me it is living like Christ with Pat’s skin on. Over time – through the storms and shadows of life – I’ve learned to recognize the Holy Spirit working in me, through me, and making an impact in my life.

When our older son was born with multiple birth defects, I spent a number of years being angry and frustrated – at Matthew, at God, at myself. I would cry and yell at Matt for not doing the things I wanted him to be able to do. I would sit next to Matt’s hospital bed for weeks at a time praying that God would just make him “normal” and heal him. Then one day I surrendered my son and myself to God’s will and realized that Matthew was a part of our family and that every day I had with this child was a gift. I found peace knowing that God is with me always and I was able to move into the peace of the presence of God.

So what have I learned is peace? Peace transcends life. Peace is knowing that in joy and sorrow, confusion, conflict, or suffering Christ abides in me, Christ will never abandon me, and Christ has saved me. Peace is the gift God gave us when he sent His only son as a little baby. Peace is the Spirit of Jesus’ enduring presence in my life. Peace is the promise of God that we will be reunited with Him and with all those who love Him and follow Him.

In this season of busyness, surrender yourself to the peace God offers through a relationship with his son, Jesus – Prince of Peace.

~ Rev. Pat

Give Peace

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” - Colossians 3:15

If you’re like me when you think of peace, you often think of the feeling of contentment and calm despite circumstances. God graciously gives us this peace, His peace, the peace that passes all understanding, which has the ability to reign in us even in the toughest of circumstances. I think that God also gives us another gift of peace; and this peace requires our action. God calls us, as members of His body, to exist in peace together. Just as we receive peace from God by accepting His forgiveness for our sins, we also extend peace to others (and ourselves) when we forgive them. Not only does God want us to take action to offer forgiveness, but He calls us to go one step further and to be thankful.

The weeks leading up to Christmas are often packed with too many things to do and not enough time to do it in. Tensions run high and the people who love each other most often grow short and snippy with each other. As all the hustle and bustle goes on around you, remember the Christ Child, who brought peace to earth that glorious night. Remember the forgiveness that God has extended to you through Christ and take the action to extend it to others in your life. But don’t stop there! Be thankful for the people God has placed in your life as we give and receive peace and forgiveness from each other.

Lord, Grant us grace as we extend forgiveness and peace to one another. Help us to be thankful for those you place in our lives.

~ Lindsay

Darkness and Light

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9: 2

Advent is a time of waiting. Sometimes we are tempted to rush into Christmas with angels heralding, and shepherds oooing and awing over a cute little baby.

But we are to wait, to hold back our joyous celebrations until Christmas day. Each year, the time changes and the darkness descend upon us earlier and earlier in the evening. We are drawn back to our homes, hoping we left the porch light on.

Recently, I met my husband and son for dinner after our middle school aged son got out of school at 4:30. We got to the restaurant and enjoyed a lovely dinner honoring the veterans of our country’s military. As we left the restaurant an hour and half later, it was dark, dark, dark! We drove home under the comfort of street lights that began to disappear as we got closer to our home. We arrived at home and the porch light was not on. IT WAS DARK!

Huddling close together, clutching our packages from the day, we moved quickly to the front door, and inside the house. Our first act upon opening the front door is to turn on a light. We could not stand the darkness any longer.

As Christians, we are like this in our journey to Christmas Day when we can celebrate the birth of our Savior. Our journey is in the darkness of the world, as we await our Savior’s arrival both as a baby and as the reigning King of Kings. We need to take time in the dark nights to reflect upon our Christian journey and how we share the hope we have in Christ with those around us. People are clamoring for hope these days. The world is a bleak, scary place but we Christians know God is faithful always and calls us to be faithful too.

Our hope is in the Risen King who once was an innocent baby born into a dark world. Sometimes, we need the darkness to remind us of the hope we have in the Light of the World.

~ Rev. Cindy

From Faint to Hope

Luke 21:26a “Men will faint from terror…”

Some of us travel through life seemingly without any significant hardship or pain. Our lives seem to be charmed, until something arrests our peace and security. For others, the harsh reality of life in a fallen world breaks into our lives at a young age. Such is the case with a friend of ours whose seven year old son is today (at the time of his writing) receiving his last chemotherapy.

I was one of those who seemed to lead a charmed life for almost 45 years. There were no big problems or harsh realities. Of course, I thought some things were hard, but I did not know hard. Then a plane crashed in the Everglades transporting out oldest son into eternity. I will never forget that Saturday in May over 13 years ago.

Talk about “Men will faint with terror…” I understood the kind of pain and fear to which Jesus was referring. My wife and I and our other son will never forget that horrible day and night following the crash. Finally, about 1:00am we were left alone and went to bed. No sleep. We just cried and held each other.

Finally, about 5:00am on Sunday morning I stood in the shower weeping “as those who have no hope.” Faintly at first, then more loudly and boldly I began to hear these words of truth, “God is good, all the time.” For the first time since the news of the crash, I felt the presence of God and the assurance of the Savior. It was at that moment I began to move from fainting to hope. It allowed me later that day to declare to the national media, “We are Easter People!” There is a reason for our hope and it is the Risen Christ. Hallelujah, Praise His Name!

~ Rev. Dr. Warren

Bright Hope

“This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD'S loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him." The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.” - Lamentations 3:21-25

Florence Chadwick was the first woman to swim the English Channel both ways. She didn’t quite make it on her first attempt. It wasn’t the cold water. It wasn’t the sharks. It wasn’t the 15-hour swim. It was the fact that the fog rolled in and she couldn’t see the coastline. She quit half a mile from the goal.

When she got out of the water she said, “I’m not trying to make an excuse but I feel like if the fog hadn’t been there and I could have seen the land, I would have made it.” Later she tried again. The fog rolled in again but this time she knew that the coastline was there. And she completed the journey. In fact, she did it in two fewer hours than anybody else had ever done it.

A lot of us are like that. The fog has rolled into our lives and we’ve lost our bearings. Maybe you have given up hope about a solution to a problem. Listen and look for God to give you direction. My favorite hymn, "Great is Thy Faithfulness," reminds me that God is my cheerleader and coach …

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

~ Rev. Phill