Christmas Time Is Here!

The Thanksgiving holiday is officially over. Now the season of Christmas is here.
When I think of the Christmas season and all that it brings I always have one word that describes it best for me, HOPE. Christmas is the season of hope.
On that dark Christmas night, as Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem, searching for a room, I wonder if they felt hopeful. They were all alone, away from their families, and Mary was due to give birth. As we recall the story, we know that Mary and Joseph found no room. But they found a stable where the animals were kept out of the elements. That's right, animals. Does that seem like a picture of hope to you?
Some how, I really believe that Mary and Joseph did believe in that hope. They knew the Savior of the world was about to be born. The God of Heaven and earth, our glorious King, coming to this earth all for love's sake, to save us, to give us hope and a future, That is a picture of hope.
I believe in that hope. I believe in that love that Jesus has for us. He came as a babe, born in the stable, giving hope to all mankind for all eternity.
As you go through these next few weeks of this Advent season, I encourage you to read the story of Jesus' birth in the Bible. Let it remind you of the hope you can have. Let it remind you that you are never alone in this world, but Jesus is right by your side. Let it remind you that no matter how hard things seem, or how lonely you may feel, Jesus is right by your side.
As you read His story, call out to Him. Let Him know your feelings. Let Him into your heart and into your life so that you can know, without a doubt, that you will never be alone. You have HOPE for all eternity.
I pray, faithful readers, that you will experience that hope this Christmas season. I pray that it gives you a new level of faith. And I pray that as you receive the newness of that feeling of hope, you can pass some of that hope along to someone who needs it.

46 And Mary said:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
47 and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
48 because He has looked with favor
on the humble condition of His slave.
Surely, from now on all generations
will call me blessed,
49 because the Mighty One
has done great things for me,
and His name is holy.
50 His mercy is from generation to generation
on those who fear Him.
Luke 1:46-50 HSCB

So Thankful

Greetings to all of you. I am continuing with my theme of thankfulness.  This is the week before we celebrate Thanksgiving here in the United States.  It reminds us to be thankful for the blessings in our lives, whether large or small. This week I am extremely thankful to God for His miracle touch on my family.
My brother, whom I am very close to, had a massive heart attack on Monday. Just moments after leaving my home. I had no idea that could have been our last time seeing him until we'd meet in heaven. My brother and I have always been very close.  Someone even said you two could be twins. We seem to have that connection that twins often have. Thinking alike, having each other on our mind, and so on. I am so very thankful for the brother I have. He is 2 years older than I, so he has always been here for me. And I was very close to losing him.  I pray for all of my family everyday, with our safety included in those prayers. The Lord was watching over my brother, keeping him safe until help arrived.
So that got me thinking. How often do we take things for granted, including those people in our lives that we are closest to? How often do we take our jobs for granted? How often do we take our homes for granted, or our vehicles, or our financial blessings? When something or someone is in our life everyday, regardless of our frame of mind or attitude, I think we just expect that to always be. We often don't even think to pray for things we are used to having everyday, or for those we have in our lives. Sure we may say a quick prayer for them during our quiet times before the Lord. But do we really intercede for them? Do we really intercede for our supply, for our jobs (whether we like them or not)?
Trust me, I am not perfect at this. But I have always felt, for me, that intercession needs to be a large part of my life. So I do pray for my family and intercede everyday for them. I always pray for our safety and for God's protection around us. For me, I know this is a very important part of my prayer time every day.
I know there are many topics I need to pray for more often. There are people that I need to pray for in more detail. But I do hold intercession as a very important part of my life.
And with that comes thanksgiving. I know God deserves all the glory for what He does for us every day, every moment of our lives. For me, I need to thank God everyday. This is as important as the intercession.  I even thank Him for things I haven't seen yet.
So I want to encourage you readers, take the time to intercede for those you love, for those topics that are important to you. And remember those things you have not seen come to fruition yet.
I firmly believe, without a doubt, that I still have my brother today because of my prayers and the prayers of many others that love him.
You may never know who is praying for you, you may never know the outcome of something you have prayed for, for someone else. But that's ok. God hears our prayers. That alone is enough to shout out a huge thanks for. Let your heart be full of thanksgiving.
Everyday someone may be facing a crisis. Someone may have lost someone dear to them. Those people need our prayers for them. And if that is you, or me, it is important for us to be thankful and continue to pray.
I pray for you, faithful readers, that your hearts are full of thanksgiving, and hopeful for the things yet to come. I am thankful for all the Lord has planned for each of your lives. He loves you. He wants us to trust Him.
Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm Thankful

November is a month that many like to express their thankfulness for different things. I think its a great reminder to keep us all on track.
I personally like to express my thankfulness everyday. At least during my prayer times. Like most of you I do have so much to be thankful for. However, most of us live busy lives, have so much going on in our lives, or maybe just having a bad day. Those are the days we seldom feel like giving thanks. We get stuck in our low moments and have a negative conversation with ourselves. Come on, we all do this at times.  The important part of this scenario is that we remember to pull ourselves out of that negative spot. Get ourselves back into the mindset of being thankful instead of grumbling.
It is through those times we often learn something new. Out of that negative, low place, we learn something new that will help us down the road.
I know for me, if I've been grumbling, when I get that new revelation, and start being thankful the way I am supposed to be, that I feel so much brighter, and so much more useful. I will think "Yes, Lord, I am useful. I can do this."
That is something I know God has for us all. Those times of victory and feeling thankful. Those times when we realize God has a plan for your life, and He wants to use you. That alone is a reason to be thankful.
I encourage you to reach deep within your heart and find that thankful place. For me it doesn't take much, I am thankful for so much. Here are a few: that I am alive, I have a beautiful family, I can walk, I can talk, I can see to read my Bible, I can hear, and most of all God can use my circumstances to glorify Himself.
There are many more things I am thankful for. Everyday I tell God thank you.
I encourage you friends, you are useful, you are loved by God, and you have reasons to be thankful.
I pray you find this "happy" place that you can run to and feel secure in, so that it takes you out of the low place and back into the thankfulness.
Together we can help others find their thankfulness. I am thankful for you, my faithful readers.
Remember that song years ago, "Don't worry, be Happy"? So much truth to that statement.

Thess 5:18
Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.