Before Advent began this year there was a deep longing to draw close to God and sense his presence. From Thanksgiving to Christmas life has been a blur. An amazing, fast paced and event packed season that leaves me exhausted and ready to head south to rest. Every year I pray that I won't just…Read more Advent: deep longing
Advent
Advent: Learning from our Crockpot
When Becky sears a roast on a Saturday night to go into the crockpot, I think, I preach shorter messages. She prepares a meal that cooks slowly all night long. When our family gets up Sunday morning, everyone talks about how good it smells and we can hardly wait to get home to eat. I've…Read more Advent: Learning from our Crockpot
Advent Fasting Reveals Emotional Hunger
"Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we…Read more Advent Fasting Reveals Emotional Hunger
The Difference – Advent 3
I'm fortunate. Every Christmas in my memory has been a good one: a merry one. Pondering the birth of Christ and His Second Coming so far has deepened my love for this wonderful holiday. My life is so very different because of Christ. The world we live in so much better because of Christ. In…Read more The Difference – Advent 3
Advent Rescued Christmas for Us
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).” (Matthew 1:23, ESV) My parents made Christmas a special and festive time of the year for my sisters and me. However, the Christmas season was fairly short compared to what I experience as a…Read more Advent Rescued Christmas for Us
Wonderful Counselor
Good counsel refreshes, strengthens and enlightens us. It can save our lives, our marriages, our fortunes. It is priceless and rare but it is available to all of us in Christ. Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be a Wonderful Counselor. You can build a loving marriage, a happy home, a fulfilling career, vibrant churches and…Read more Wonderful Counselor
A Child’s Eyes
The Children's ministries and Creative Arts ministries at Woodland Church put on a terrific performance of The First Day of Christmas Sunday morning. Why do children look angelic when they are singing the songs of Christmas? Perhaps they help us to see Christmas through a child's again. Remember that wonderful time of life when belief…Read more A Child’s Eyes
Trust is a Good Place to Begin a Journey
After Mary's visit from the angel announcing God's choice of her to bear the Messiah. Mary started a difficult journey. Her family would be scandalized, her fiance Joseph would want to break the engagement quietly and the gossip would begin in her small town. Where to begin? Well, the obvious place was trust. Trust that…Read more Trust is a Good Place to Begin a Journey
Christmas Journeys
In just a few days many people will make journeys to the special place they call home. They will load up cars with children, pets and presents to go over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house. Christmas has been about journey from the beginning. When the angel gave Mary the news that…Read more Christmas Journeys
Christmas Dreams
Dreams are a part of Christmas. Clement Clark Moore recognized this in wonderful poem The Night before Christmas. "The children were all nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads." Their dreams keep them awake late Christmas Eve and wake them early on Christmas Day. Joseph dreamed twice in…Read more Christmas Dreams
Coram Deo 