When you pause to give thanks for baby Jesus, remember to give thanks for our King doing battle with a dragon. And this year, when you place your manger scene on the mantle, look for the red dragon. He’s there in the hay. 12/23/25
Christmas may be over, but we have been reminded once again of our calling. To be that hope that Jesus showed us how to be. To be joyful in a world so sad. To be the love that people seek. To be the light that can never be dimmed. 12/27/24
Though dragons have always been a part of our world, we know that the endings of dragons have also echoed through the pages of history. Let us remember that our Knight is no longer a babe in a manger, but is grown, into the Heavenly Warrior He was always meant to become, and His sword is now drawn. 12/24/24
But then enters the tiniest sliver of light into that dark room and everything changes. The more light we let in, the more the shadows pull back and have to disappear; they have no choice because the Light always overtakes the dark. 12/23/24
Happy Sunday and Merry Christmas, everyone! We pray that your week was full of Jesus’ presence and that you are experiencing Him this Christmas season. Let’s take some time to pause today by reading another beautiful poem by G. K. Chesterton! 12/22/24
Unlike Santa whom the world worships, we don’t have to ask for a single thing from Jesus. He knows us. He knows what we need and what we desire with our hearts. He knows what is good for us. He’s already in pursuit of us. This is the beauty of Christmas. He’s always there waiting for us to make that leap of faith, allowing Him to lead us and be Lord of our lives. 12/20/24
Not for a second longer did I want my beliefs or experiences of Christmas to be marked by the kinds of lies secularism and modernism attempt to get me to latch on to and believe, just so they can fill their pockets full of temporary profit. As Chesterton once said, “Christmas is a time when things happen; things that do not always happen”, and this was my hope and desire for this season. 12/19/24
Jesus, Lord at thy birth. Absolutely. Will you believe it completely and act like it this Christmas? I say yes and amen. Let’s go all in with this Jesus, Christmas, born to save us from our sin, miracle. 12/18/24
As we walked through the store, I was left a little stunned by the thought. What is the point of all this if we aren’t celebrating Jesus’ birth? If we aren’t celebrating the literal salvation of the Earth, what is the point of it all? Where do they think this all comes from? Then, the Lord turned the question back on me. What do these people think you actually celebrate at Christmas? 12/17/24
As I was writing to the new mom and dad, it became even more clear to me that the Christmas season needs to be held to a higher reverence than what we give it. It should be a somber, yet joyful, reminder of God’s unrelenting love. 12/16/24
Welcome to the third Sunday of Blogmas! Let us take some time to quiet our hearts and be still before the Lord today. Here is a lovely poem to read by G. K. Chesterton... 12/15/24
These gifts aren't like the ones wrapped in paper and tied with ribbon that don’t last, either. We’re storing up treasures, gifts, in Heaven for all eternity. The enemy cannot take what treasures we have placed in Heaven with our praise. Those treasures of mine often look like people and moments; that’s what we can take with us to heaven. 12/14/24
See, what Scrooge meant by this was that Cratchit had a certain kind of joy and happiness, which he had no other words to explain except for the three he meant as an insult; “Another Christmas lunatic.” Maybe, just maybe, to be a Christmas lunatic is to be a Christian. 12/12/24
I’ll confess that the older I’ve become, the more grateful I am for Amazon. Online purchasing is a lot easier and less stressful than making the annual pilgrimage to all the stores. However, my goal in this short little article is to have you, the reader, consider your preparedness, not for Christmas, but for the second coming of Christ. 12/11/24
So, what then does it mean to be truly human, a species which embodies all of these things? Quite frankly, to be human is to be a baby in a manger. To be most human is to be a figure which voluntarily self-sacrifices for others. Because that baby in a manger we somehow forget to celebrate in all the hubbub of this industrialized season, is the only one who got it right. 12/10/24
All that we really must do to accomplish the preparation of our hearts for Christ this Advent is to become aware of the depth of our need for Him. And just like He has done since that very first Christmas, He will pour Himself out to meet that need. 12/9/24
Happy Sunday! We are so enjoying Blogmas and pray y’all are as well! Enjoy this rich and meaningful poem by G. K. Chesterton today. 12/8/24
We have allowed the enemy to twist God's truth in subtle ways to try and get us to redefine His truth with ours. That is the fight of our day. We may not be signing up to physically storm the beaches of Normandy as our boys did those 83 years ago; but will we sign up to storm the gates of Hell and reclaim what we have so foolishly allowed the enemy to take? 12/7/24
Instead of settling for what is quick and convenient, how about we take our time, and remember that maybe “a drive thru” kind of Christmas will never truly satisfy the longings we all have. 12/6/24
See, repentance is not just for murder, adultery, and stealing. Repentance is also about trading a former thought for a new thought; changing whatever it is God is calling us to change. If it's stealing, by all means get to repenting. But if it's putting the emphasis on everything but Jesus this Christmas; get after repentance for that just the same. 12/4/24
I implore you to never forget, though, light cannot shine out from us if we are not connected to the source of that light. This Advent season is the perfect time to examine if you are truly abiding in Christ. There is no better time to behold Him and adore Him. 12/2/24
Our family has been incredibly blessed by the opportunities God has given us to preach the Gospel here, and we are so looking forward to what 2024 will bring!
Enjoy this beautiful poem this evening by Henry Van Dyke! Happy New Year’s Eve, y’all! 🙂
I often imagine this is how the Lord viewed us before He chose to send His Son. I can see Him looking down at us after His 400 years of silence and recognizing that the people He loved did not need to be conquered. They needed to be healed.
The King has come! We celebrate this Christmas Day for that reason. No longer is our world grey and grim. No, it is now bursting with hope and joy because the Light has come into our darkness in the most powerful way.
Happy Sunday! Enjoy this rich and meaningful poem by our most beloved Lewis today.
You see, Church happens in places like the Bailey’s living room, on Christmas Eve, with a multitude of people who have hardly anything to give, but they give it with such joy. Such love. Such surrender.
To be truthful, I suppose I am a bit fearful of what 2023 may bring, and at the same time what it may not bring. I guess you could say I currently find myself “world weary”.
As Lucy explains to her older brother, Edmund, what she had encountered while in Narnia, she says something that intrigues me. She says, “It’s always winter, but never gets to Christmas.”
When you pause to give thanks for baby Jesus, remember to give thanks for our King doing battle with a dragon. And this year, when you place your manger scene on the mantle, look for the red dragon. He’s there in the hay.
Scrooge examined his life, his heart, against God’s standard and found himself lacking. He knew that he could not change on his own but called on the Spirit to strive within him. You and I have a wonderful opportunity to ask the Holy Spirit to live within us this Christmas day and every day, friend!
Happy Sunday! We are so enjoying Blogmas, and pray y'all are as well! This has become one of my favorite poems this season. Enjoy! - L
Not many are crowned much of anything at birth, except maybe to be called first born, middle daughter, or maybe even an unexpected surprise! Even in the families of royalty, children have to wait their turn to be called king or queen. Not Jesus. He was Lord at birth.
Our Savior is one who desires every part of your heart, and mind, and speech, and yet we rob Him of the power to display Himself through these things around the people we may very well have the greatest influence over.
This is what the American Church is saying today. We have the same desire to rule over ourselves and imitate the world around us. We are selfish, have turned away from God countless times, and worshiped false idols whenever we have had the chance. Just like He did with the Israelites, God will say to us, you get what you ask for. He will remove His mighty hand from us and allow us to suffer in our rebellion against His perfect plan.
God’s grace is not a license to sin. As a matter of fact, according to Paul it’s a deterrent.
By doing what he said he couldn’t do, Trigger saved the rest of his crew, and their mission to capture the Enigma and bring it back to America was ultimately successful. I believe "can’t" is the most dangerous word that could ever come out of any of our mouths.
Maybe you share some similarities with Thomas as well. You might be skeptical, a bit unsure of your faith. You may have more questions than you can count. Jesus has something for you. He can turn your skepticism into belief.
As I have listened to stories today from some of my favorite historians, and pondered the commitment of the greatest generation of Americans on the heels of Pearl Harbor, I am left wondering if we presently have any real understanding of that type of sacrifice.
What I wanted to share with y’all on this very special day is that “Salvation to all that will is nigh.” Meaning, if you desire salvation, a personal relationship with Jesus, He is near to you at this very moment. All you have to do is reach out, call out for Him.
I ask you to please begin each day this holiday season alone in the presence of our heavenly Father. Focus on the Lord. Focus on His attributes, and His precious Word to you. Ask Him to open up your way as you journey through your day with the Prince of Peace beside you.
Did you catch it, friends? Not only did Aslan leap over the Table, representing death, but Lucy scrambled over it too! This is what our death-defying hero has done for you and for me. He has made a way for us to scramble over death and get to Him, never to be separated from God; to have everlasting life! Hallelujah and Amen!
Now, take courage, dear heart, for suffering is no longer meant to produce only misery. Because Christ has assumed human suffering, that means we can also be confident that He has healed and restored it to its most divine form.
Our mission remains the same. Madie & I, and our family, want to help people just like you get serious about being serious for Jesus. We don’t believe that anyone can take Jesus and living for Him too seriously.
Most of the time they sat in silence, but every now and then one of them would pick up a flute and start playing; breaking through the oppressive silence. Pushing back the darkness.
You see, we wage “wars” that won’t ever satisfy us like real war will. All because we don’t want it to be an inconvenience on our part. We want to create the “wars” we fight. We want to plan them so that we’re certain we can win them before we even start.
You see, I believe that Scrooge’s story is so powerful because it can so closely relate to us and our present lives. I want you to think back over your life. Think about the past, about your innocence. Think about your present, the things you most want. Think about what your future may be, about whether your eternity will be dark as Scrooge’s was once bound to be.
In the final scene, Churchill's minister for war asks him one question in regard to his position on Hitler. "Changed your mind?" to which Churchill responds, "Those who never change their mind, never change anything."
As we have just experienced Christmas day, I want us all to ask ourselves a simple question. Presents or presence? Which of those two options are more valuable to you?
Happy Sunday! Our family has decided to continue BLOGMAS this week because we have enjoyed sharing with y'all, and didn't want it to end quite yet! Let's continue to challenge ourselves to live wholeheartedly for Christ, no matter what day it is! Enjoy this poem for today. 🙂
The King has come! We celebrate this Christmas Day for that reason. No longer is our world grey and grim. No, it is now bursting with hope and joy because the Light has come into our darkness in the most powerful way. What an adventure this has been! Have a very Merry Christmas, y’all!
I have a question for us to think about today… What does Jesus marvel at us for?
You see, in that moment, I focused on the darkness, and the power I thought it had over the way we may celebrate Christmas in the future. Now, I focus on the small things, as I wrote about in one of my other, recent posts. I began to focus on the things I can do to keep darkness at bay, the intimate gatherings we have during this season. The good food we are blessed to enjoy. The presents we have the privilege of giving, and I was reminded all over again that Christmas is about the little things.
But let's stop and sit for a minute. Just let the Holy Spirit refresh our minds. Who is the Baby in the manger... Really?
The question is, how different are we than the folks Gabriel was describing from those early days? What is Gabriel saying about our level of belief today? Do you think he would be looking down at us and saying, "Now this generation of the Church really gets it. Man, look how they are living."
Our souls are in desperate need of harmony. Harmony with our Messiah. We are longing to dance with the only One who understands everything about us. The One who doesn’t simply play the note we long to dance to, but is the note itself.
Enjoy this delightful poem this cold, winter Sunday! We look forward to continuing on with this journey of Advent with you this final week!
From the time when he was that innocent child in a manger, this was his goal. This was his mission. This is the reason He suffered and died. To deal with Darkness.
It was said of old Scrooge that after that, he kept Christmas in his heart all the days of the year. What will people say about us? Which spirit have you?
Let me be clear, this substandard approach to genuine Christian living was never God’s intention for His people. God calls His people to holy living as evidenced in Matthew 1:21. Jesus did not arrive on planet earth with the mission of saving His people IN their sins but FROM them.
Imagine how your life would change if you made an effort to seek out things that nourish your soul and glorify Christ as the logos! How would your child’s life change if you gave them great works of literature, art, and music to consider versus Facebook, YouTube, and Tik-tok.
Will we choose to engage with the story that is unfolding right before our eyes? Do we long to rise up and open our eyes to His coming this Christmas season and in this New Year that is before us? Just as Gideon, Mary, Joseph, Noah, Peter, Simeon, Micaiah, and many other heroes of the faith all had to choose whether or not to engage with the story before them, so do we.
Calvin was confused because his church friends really did not understand the meaning of Advent. They could not explain the meaning of Advent to him. However, Hunter knows fully what Advent means because she is celebrating a new life, a new start with Jesus.
Happy Sunday, everyone! We will be back again tomorrow with a new BLOGMAS post. Be sure to scroll through the recent posts from this past week in case you missed any!
You see, the reason I always felt so much happier and more content around Christmas time, is because of the small things, that kept the darkness at bay for the month of December. The small things that changed a little girl’s view of the world, even for a short time.
I just pray that we spend more time on cultivating our relationship with Christ this Christmas than we do on buying and wrapping material gifts. Let us be swept up in the true wonder of the season; the Lord came to dwell among us! May we feed our own souls with the right kind of worship and share the good news of Jesus birth, death, resurrection, and second coming with those around us.
There is comfort in the trials that winter brings, because the Lord who has created them never lets them weather us without also allowing us to experience the hope and joy of Christmas. Jesus has always promised His presence to us. But in order to understand the beauty of Christmas, we must understand just how bleak winter can be.
As I have listened to stories today from some of my favorite historians, and pondered the commitment of the greatest generation of Americans on the heels of Pearl Harbor, I am left wondering if we presently have any real understanding of that type of sacrifice.
While I was driving, I was asked if I thought that, on either occasion, those people knew Jesus? We hadn’t talked about either situation at the time, but apparently, I was not the only one to notice what was happening. My reply was vague, at best, because even if I thought that they did know Jesus, they certainly didn’t act as if they did.
Scrooge examined his life, his heart, against God’s standard and found himself lacking. He knew that he could not change on his own but called on the Spirit to strive within him. You and I have a wonderful opportunity to ask the Holy Spirit to live within us this Christmas day and every day, friend!
We pray this encourages your heart to be willing to see the mystery of Christ and His coming. Happy Sunday & Merry Christmas!
I’m going to be bold and write that maybe many of us are uncertain about who we genuinely are to Jesus, because we live for the noise, the busyness. Our arms never can stop flailing about. We can never sit still to seek Him. We despise quiet and if it begins to surround us, we fill it with other distractions.
I believe that a childlike faith actually consists of this thought that we are merely a small part in the big scheme of life, but we take pride in Jesus wanting to use us. We still see those endless possibilities, but they are now cultivated by God, and used to help us step off the shore and dive into an ocean of incredibility.
Advent is a chance for us to prepare for the coming or arrival of the most important person into our midst. Friend, is Jesus your longed-for guest today and every day? Do you desire the arrival of the kingdom in your home and in your heart this Advent season?
I invite you to allow God to bring you back to Him this Christmas. Back to His heart and what truly matters in life. The reason He came into this world was to save us from our wretched sin and the misery that pertains to it. May revivals take place in our hearts and homes this year as we begin where we may have left our first love.
The Few 