Christmas Joy by Lorilee Guenter

 Since the very first Christmas morning music has been part of the season. The shepherds witnessed an angel chorus proclaiming the Good News. They responded immediately and went to check what the angels had told them. Our songs capture this story as they encapsulate the same Good News that the angels proclaimed, "The Lord is come!"

Likewise, music has been part of my Christmas season for as long as I can remember. Everywhere you go, Christmas music is heard. Stores play it in an attempt to elevate the mood of shoppers. Old favorites are pulled out for our church services and on the radio. These are joined by newer songs that encourage us to pause and reflect on the older familiar words.

This year, as I reflect, I find myself wondering why we save favorites like "Joy to the World" only for the Advent and Christmas season. The Good News we echo from the angels should permeate all of our life, not only one or two months each year. Every day, we need to prepare Him room or, in the words of another song, ask, "Is there room in your heart for Him?" It is a question I have been reflecting on as part of this season. What have I been making room for?

I mourn the loss of family gatherings, of sharing food and laughter, of hugs and the hum of conversations. I miss the Christmas parties with friends. There are many things this year that we have lost. But amidst the losses, I have found more time to reflect and consider the words of my favorite songs of the season. Songs that are full of story and wonder. Songs that echo the words of the angels: "I bring you good news of great joy that shall be for all the people." Luke 2:10.

As we move from 2020 into the unknown of 2021, I hope I don't lose these lessons I am learning. Maybe I'll even continue to sing, off key and with great joy, my favorite songs that proclaim, "The Saviour reigns!"

Shrinking Violet, Shouting Stone ~ Valerie Ronald

One of my earliest childhood memories is the scent of clean cotton warmed by my mother’s skin. Her full skirts offered a shy little girl a safe place to hide from inquisitive adults trying to engage her in conversation. I remember being just the right height to grasp the fullest part of her skirt and roll myself into her side. Childish logic told me if I couldn’t see the person trying to speak to me then I wouldn’t have to answer. If I was particularly reticent, my mother had to disentangle me from her skirt before she could move.

Nowadays I prefer to call myself an introvert rather than shy, although I still find it difficult to extend myself to strangers and social gatherings often exhaust me rather than energize. I am quite content with my own company much of the time. Deliberate socialization is something I need to work at. I admit when COVID-19 hit, I secretly rejoiced in having permission to stay at home. Not to say I don’t enjoy people but prefer a few close friends or family to unfamiliar crowds. 

How did I end up here? I asked myself the first time I stepped up to a microphone to address a large group of women. That question and the memory of hiding in my mother’s skirts often comes to mind before I speak publicly. The response to the question is what gives me courage to unroll from the skirt of shyness and speak with confidence. Not confidence in myself, for like Moses, I am not eloquent and my shyness often makes me slow of speech and tongue. My confidence is in God, whose promise to Moses is the same to me, “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (Ex.3:12)

 God has chosen to place me in opportune situations to share His good news.

 ~ Good news too important to keep to myself. 

~ Good news emboldening me to look each person in the eye with a holy joy bubbling up inside as I tell what it means to me.

~ Good news able to make all the difference in the lives of my listeners. 

I speak about the Gospel - the good news of forgiveness, hope, joy and new life found in a relationship with Jesus, my living Savior. God’s extraordinary direction comes through opportunities to tell His story and mine to guests at Christian Women’s Clubs throughout Canada and the United States.

 In Luke 19 the Pharisees criticized Jesus for allowing His disciples to shout accolades of praise to Him as made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. 
“I tell you,” He replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40 NIV) 

 If God can use inanimate stones to proclaim the deity of His Son, I know He can use a reticent introvert like myself. He is the only reason this shrinking violet has become a shouting stone. No cause or campaign could stir me to speak like I love to speak about Jesus. When I speak about Him I feel His passion giving strength to my voice, His truth enlivening my words, His love shining from my eyes upon the people listening. I am no preacher, but I know intimately what He has done for me and what He means to me and I cannot help but share it. Occasionally God gives me the gift of hearing how some part of my story was influential in a woman giving her heart to Him. This fills me with abundant joy and praise for the One who saved her. 

 Sometimes when I am giving a talk I experience a sort of “out-of-body” view of the whole scene and have an internal laugh. It reminds me of the story of someone finding a turtle on a fence post. How did a creature unable to climb vertically arrive atop a fence post except by someone putting it there? Only God could take a shy introvert, flood her with exciting news about Himself and then put her on multiple “fence posts” from which to share it with many others needing to hear. 

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus.” 
- 2 Corinthians 4:13 - 14 NIV 

 Valerie Ronald lives in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. She is a graduate of Vancouver's Langara College journalism program, and has worked as a newspaper reporter, freelance writer, public speaker and bookstore employee. Valerie finds being a member of the Manitoba Christian Writers Association has honed her writing skill and confidence. She writes devotionals for her home church bulletins and her online blog. Her current book project chronicles how God's faithfulness saw her through the dark valleys of divorce and cancer. Along with her husband, Valerie enjoys spending time with their blended family and six grandchildren. She is a nature photographer, water colorist, cat lover and Scrabble addict.

More of her devotionals can be read on her blog   https://scriptordeus.wordpress.com

A Divine Appointment with a Tim Horton's Angel by Glynis M Belec

A friend sent me a private message on Facebook the other day bemoaning the fact that she was going to give up all this Christianity stuff because it just didn't seem worth the struggle. God rarely shows up to help when she needs it, she said, so what is it all about anyway?

As a fairly new believer, this lovely pal of mine was facing a multitude of trials and she was having trouble believing a good God would allow her to continue to go through them. She'd had a rough life. Her choices were just that—her choices, although some of them were made in response to a terrible home life. A search. A need to find love. And she ended up finding love in all the wrong places.

It was a tough conversation. It made me think. How do I answer her? I gave her a general answer about how God shows up at just the right time and how He really does have everything under control and then how important it is to trust and wait. But I needed more.

This morning, I believe the Lord gave me more. A scripture to pass on. And one of my own stories of how He showed up at exactly the right time!

Habakkuk 2:3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

     God is not a divine game of Chance. He has orchestrated our days. I remember the day I received the diagnosis of cancer. My entire life as I had planned it came crashing down. Everything came to a screeching halt and all I could think of was I would soon be dying of cancer. After leaving the doctor's office, my hubby and I went to a nearby Tim Horton's to have tea and to try to get our heads around the 'news'. What would we tell our children? How would our lives change? When will I die? How could we do this? What about my Dad? My work? My students? Our finances? A million questions and we had not one answer.

But God did.

I've written about this many times and the story still stirs my soul. As I sat silently weeping at the table in Tim Hortons, my hubby went to the counter to order our drinks. I was wiping the silent tears from my eyes and I happened to catch the eye of a lady a few tables over. She smiled at me and nodded. A nondescript persona - grey hair, about my height, glasses, a warm smile! Embarrassed, I quickly sniffed and wiped my eyes. I turned away, waiting for my hubby to return. A moment passed and I felt a tender hand on my shoulder. I looked around. The woman from the other table looked me square in the eye.

"Here," she said, "this is for you."

I reached out for the little piece of green paper she was holding in her hand. I unfolded it and read it.

         
           "I said a prayer for you today

            And know God must have heard.

            I felt the answer in my heart

            Although he spoke no word!

            I didn't ask for wealth or fame

            (I knew you wouldn't mind).

            I asked him to send treasures

            Of a far more lasting kind!

            I asked that he be near you

            At the start of each new day;

            To grant you health and blessings

            And friends to share your way!

            I asked for happiness for you

            In all things great and small.

            But it was for his loving care

            I prayed the most of all!"

I looked up with tears in my eyes, wanting to thank the lovely lady for what she had just done for my heart. She wasn't there. My husband was there, though. 

"Here you go," he said, unbeknown about what had just transpired. 

"Did you see that lady?" I asked my hubby. 

"What lady?" 

I explained to my husband what had happened and I showed him the paper. He read it. 

We both had tears in our eyes. But this time, they were tears of joy. Of gratitude. Of wonder and perfection at God's timing. It was like the little grey-haired lady in the corner was a representative of Christ—an angel. Vanished. Gone. She delivered her message and then she had moved on. 

Our conversation that followed was not all sweetness and joy because we did have much to discuss and plan, but our sadness was covered knowing that God was surely with us on our journey and we would get through it no matter what. We still didn't have all the answers to our million questions, but we did find that perfect peace that really does passeth all understanding. 

I still carry the little piece of green paper from my Tim Horton's angel in my wallet. I love sharing this story with anyone who will listen. I think God has placed it on my heart because He likes it when we pass on not only His Holy and beautiful Word, but He wants us to connect our stories and show others how He really does care and how He really does meet us at His appointed time.

            Isaiah 40:31-1 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Maybe it's time to visit my friend. I think I'll take her a Timmies ...

Glynis lives, loves, laughs and does an awful lot of reading, writing, publishing and praying in her home office. 

        How thrilled Glynis is to be part of GOOD GRIEF PEOPLE (Angel Hope Publishing) - an anthology filled with stories that help readers recognize, honour and celebrate  the individuality of grief.      

               www.glynismbelec.com 

Cry Out! What Shall I Cry? by Sharon Espeseth

Isaiah cried out that the Lord was coming and that the people should prepare his way. By his foretelling, Isaiah was preparing the way of the Lord. To prophecy, however, means more than "to foretell." To prophecy is also defined in Gage Canadian Dictionary as to "speak when or as if divinely inspired."

The Christian Classics Ethereal Library online (ccel.org) says, "A prophet of God was not primarily a future teller, but one who spoke God's word to the people of his day. The word "prophet" literally means 'to boil up like a fountain." Isaiah was a spokesman for God to the people of his day. Because he spoke so much about the coming of the Messiah, Isaiah is often referred to as the Messianic prophet.

Isaiah is quoted more than 40 times in the New Testament. Some refer to the Book of Isaiah as "the fifth gospel" or the "Gospel according to Isaiah." (‎www.dovercoc.org/Sermons/isaiah.html)

Before reading further in this blog, my friends, you would do well to read Isaiah Chapter 40.

In this chapter, we read God's words through Isaiah, a familiar passage: "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God," and "A voice of one calling in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord."
The whole chapter speaks of how God cares for his people. So beautifully is this written, and so great is the message of God's watching over his children like a shepherd, that it is a memorable read. We learn of God the Creator who never tires or grows weary in looking after us, our causes and concerns. Isaiah reminds us that God gives strength to the weary and that, when we hope in the Lord, he will renew our strength so we will soar on eagles' wings.

This being Advent, we await the celebration of Jesus coming to earth, where he became Emmanuel, or "God with us." Having accepted Christ's love, mercy, forgiveness, and salvation, it is incumbent on us to share this Good News in our writing and in our daily living. At the same time, we must prepare ourselves for Christ's second coming.

Today, just as in Isaiah's time there are wars, political instability, and clashes of ideology and religions. It was in times like this, that a voice said to Isaiah, "Cry out."

To this, Isaiah responded, "What shall I cry?" The rest of the chapter explains the message to be given, and it is to be given boldly. We are to go up on a high mountain and lift up our voice with a shout. We are not to be afraid to say, or to write, to the people, "Here is your God!"

What shall we cry? We believers in Christ have, through our faith, experienced love, hope, joy, and peace--attributes that are emphasized during Advent, attributes much needed in today's world. Should not God's working in our lives be something that causes us "to boil up like a fountain"?

Like Isaiah, we are commanded to prepare the way of the Lord. We are to comfort God's people and give them true hope in God. We are to straighten out as much as we can in this world and in our lives. By helping others, we make some of "the rough ground level" and the "rugged places plain." By living and sharing the good news of salvation, ". . . the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together."

The Good News of Great Joy, the Angel Brought...-Sulo Moorthy

"What...you haven't done your Christmas shopping yet?" my co-worker asked rolling her eyes heavenward. Fearing she might gasp to death, I didn't dare to tell her that I hadn't even put the Christmas tree up or done any kind baking for the season.

Usually by this time, a week before Christmas, a fir tree donned with twinkling lights and dangling ornaments would stand elegantly at the corner of our living room with beautifully wrapped up packages skirting its base. I would have also baked the traditional Sri Lankan Christmas cake-the moist black fruit cake a month ahead, cut into pieces and wrapped them up in silvery paper and stored away somewhere in the cupboard. This time somehow, I had put off all things till the last minute, including the blog I needed to post four days prior to Christmas on Inscribe Writers online.

So, when I went home that day, I hurried to my computer to complete the blog which needed to be posted on the 21st. Since I've already given a title and written half-way through,I thought I could finish it in no time. But to my annoyance, words refused to come down my brain and I was in no mood to sit and glare at the screen. Neither was I in a mind to decorate the tree or bake cookies. So, I did what I always did when I'm upset or bored. I turned on the television and scanned the movies on NetFlix to find something new and interesting to watch.

A documentary titled Mama Heidi soon caught my attention. It's the story of Heidi Baker who went with her husband Rolland to Mozambique in 1995 to take care of a horribly dilapidated orphanage with eighty children,when the country was ravaged by civil war and famine. Heidi,lovingly called Mama by the orphans looked fearless and angelic in her mid forties. She walks down dusty streets to rescue dirt crusted unloved and unloveable children from starvation, prostitution and diseases like cholera, malaria, tuberculosis and scabies. She even takes five to six kids from the orphanage to her house every week to give them shower, food and bed and made them feel at home.

"If God doesn't show up, we are dead." said Heidi in one of her interviews. The government tried to close down their center, refused to give the licence to operate the medical clinic,banned them from singing and praying, God showed up in a big way to provide, protect and lead. Bakers' house was robbed and shot at many times. Heidi says, whenever she felt overwhelmed with what she was doing, she heard God saying to her. "Just love the one in front of you, " and He would do the rest.

So,after soaking in God's presence for long hours, Heidi gets back on her feet to seek and minister to the poor, sick and unloveable. Sometimes, the road leads her to the dumpsites where the children live and work amidst swarming flies, smoldering garbage and indescrbable stench.

In such an area, where no foreigner dare to tread, Mama Heidi stands like one of them, singing, preaching and praying in the children's native language. "God has done wonders at the dump,"she says as she lovingly hugs a young man who had once threatened to kill her. Heidi has become the Good News to those abandoned children and unloveable teenagers in Mozambique. They see, touch and experience Christ through her. This is truly the Good News of great joy the angel declared to the shepherds two thousand years ago.

By 1999,the number of orphanaged children has grown from eighty to thousands and Bakers had built two hundred bush churches and trained local pastors.

Watching Mama Heidi made me not to fret any more about Christmas shopping, baking and wrapping done on time. Instead, it shifted my focus to change the title of my posting for Inscribe Writers online and write something different. After all, Christmas is never about me or mine. It's more about Him and His.

The Good News of Christmas - Jan Keats

The time came when the prophecy of a Savior was unfolding. God’s only son was going to be born. God sent an angel to Nazareth to proclaim to Mary that she was the chosen one to bear God’s only son. Mary was troubled by the message because she was a virgin. “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”(Luke 1:34) The angel assured Mary that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the Holy One that was to come will be called the Son of God. Mary accepted God’s will for her life. “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38)

One can imagine the emotions Mary was feeling. After all, she was going to give birth to the Savior of the world. Oh, what joy and anxious moments that must have overwhelmed Mary and Joseph! What was God’s purpose for sending His son into the world? What was God’s purpose in choosing Mary to the Mother of this Holy infant?
We find God’s purpose in Matthew 1: 21-23, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus because He will save His people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel – which means God with us.”

In His adolescent years Jesus grew wise. Luke 2:40 says, “The child grew and became strong, He was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.” When Jesus and His parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover, His parents learned just how wise He was. As the people were traveling home, they noticed that Jesus wasn’t with them, so they headed back to look for him. He was found sitting among the teachers, who were amazed at His understanding of the word of God. Luke 2: 52 says: “ Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and with favour with God and men.”

As an adult the time came for Jesus to fulfill God’s purpose that was set before him. He traveled many towns and villages preaching the good news. Many people came to hear Jesus and to be healed of their diseases. (Luke 6:18) He performed many miracles; Jesus enabled the lame to walk and to the many who suffered from terrible diseases, He gave healing and new hope again. The good news spread rapidly and many placed their faith in Him.
The Good News of Christmas is what many people looked forward to upon hearing of the virgin birth. (Luke 2:38) It is a joyous occasion that the angels and the shepherds exclaimed. And it is for all people. (Luke 2:10)

Thoughts:

How would you feel if God had Chosen you to be the parent of His son?

How do you think the people of Nazareth reacted to the news of the birth of baby Jesus?

Do you think that it is more difficult to share the Good news of Jesus Birth considering the pressures in our society today?

Copyright Jan Keats