As Christmas rushes toward us, we continue to move into our Eternal Advent. Clearly, we begin to see our four themes emerging; Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. Last week, we looked at Peace, as the angels proclaimed it from the night sky. “Peace on Earth. Goodwill toward men.” But what is this goodwill they speak of? “Peace on Earth, Goodwill toward men.” Re-reading the Christmas story from my NIV Bible, I noticed it does not say goodwill. Instead, Luke […]
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The wrapping and unwrapping of gifts is one of my favorite parts of Christmas. In the wrapping, I find peace and solace in the preparation of the gift itself. Unwrapping the gift gives us the “anticipation of.” It is the hope of what the gift might be. It is also in the excitement of unwrapping where we discover love and joy. These are all gifts of our Eternal Advent. As we move into the second week of Advent, we […]
While talking to my sister the other day, I randomly said, “I feel like I’m stuck in some kind of eternal Advent.” With frustration, I explained when waiting persists, it can become difficult to keep the faith. However, there is one thing that always keeps me going. Hope. Hope is like a light in the dark and always keeps me moving forward. As we said our goodbyes, I could not shake this term, “the eternal Advent.” Letting the […]
Sometimes, I forget that Thanksgiving is for giving thanks. It seems so simple. The instructions are actually in the name. Thanks-Giving, the giving of thanks. Most of the time, I breeze right passed it and miss the whole point. However, practicing an attitude of gratitude, makes it easier to remember to give thanks. Last week, I wrote a blog on 3 Steps to help us become more thankful. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude helps us learn how to be […]
If I told you there were 3 steps to help you become more thankful, would you do it? Thanksgiving is the perfect time to practice our gratitude. So, today, let’s see if we can cultivate a little more thankfulness in our lives. As I opened my Jesus Calling devotion this morning, I read, “A thankful attitude opens windows of heaven.” The words remind me that thankfulness is not a gift, it’s an attitude. And not just an attitude we choose, one […]
The last few weeks, we have been talking about our feelings. What to do when we are frustrated. How to be more content in our lives. And the best ways to combat anxiety. For me, the point is obvious. Look to God and cast your cares on Him because God cares for you. A few years ago, I spoke at a women’s retreat. The whole weekend centered around this one little verse from 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast your […]