how the light gets in

Tag: 2 Corinthians 1:6-7

• CHRISTMAS – Day 25

  Posted at 2:09 pm by How the Light Gets In, on December 25, 2019

  Merry Christmas

  You did it. WE did it! Hooray for us! 24 days of reading God’s word. 24 days of devoting a little time to learning God’s voice. I’m so proud of you and me!

  Take a moment to scroll all the way back to Day One. Grab a piece of paper and a pencil and jot down the websites, books, Instagram accounts, Music, Photography, Email subscriptions, Apps, Artists, Podcasts, Places, People, Recipes.

  Then, take note of what struck you most – was it the beauty, the pain, the encouragement, the community?

  Finally, we should list all the scripture from the posts. The Bible still blows my mind with all those words written so long ago and somehow still very alive and so powerful.

  You know what ALLLLL this tells me?

  GOD

  WILL

  STOP

  AT

  NOTHING.

  God will stop at nothing to get YOUR attention.

  These 24 days have just been a glimpse of how relentless God is trying to grab your attention.

  Christmas gives us the sweetest example of this. Immanuel is God with us.

  Jesus IS God with us.

  But wait, the story doesn’t end here. There’s Good News! Jesus wasn’t just born, end of story. Jesus lived a life full of friendship and story telling and healing and teaching and loving. There’s more to learn. Jesus didn’t just live for you and me. He also died for you and me.

  Today we celebrate His birth but there’s so much more.

  And hey, if you’re reading this you’re alive too which means God’s not done with you. Your story with Him might just be beginning. Or maybe you go way back. Either way, keep walking with Jesus. Read His Word. Learn His voice. Look for Him.

  Remember how we started this journey with Gods word as a “lamp for our feet”? Today let’s celebrate because the light is here. Jesus – God with us – is here “to guide our feet into the path of peace.” (Luke 1:79)

  Thank you for being with me this Advent. You have made it so special for me.

  One last song Reckless Love

  Posted in DECEMBER 2019 | 0 Comments | Tagged 1 John 1:5, 1 John 1:5-7, 1 John 5:14, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 Peter 5:6, 100 Days to Brave, 2 Corinthians 1:6-7, 2 Kings 20, Acts 2:28, Advent, Ann Voskamp, Annie F Downs, Christmas, Church of the Nativity, Colossians 1:9-10, Cory Asbury, Elevation Worship, Ephesians 5:13, Exodus 33:14, Genesis 28:15, Hooray, How the Light Gets In, Isaiah 40:3-5, Isaiah 43:18-19, Jenna Mace Photography, Jesus, Jesus Calling, Job 42:5, John 11:38, Joshua 1:9, Journal, Luke 1:3-4, Luke 1:79, Matthew 14:13-21, Matthew 28:66, Psalm 119:105, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 27:14, Romans 15:13, Romans 15:4-5, Wonder, Zephaniah 3:17

• Day 20

  Posted at 11:21 am by How the Light Gets In, on December 20, 2019

  Dear Friend,

  I’ve lived long enough and through enough to tell you my pain goes deeper and wider than any of the scars on my body. The unseen scars, I believe, hurt the worst. 

  Every day, I feel braver and closer to sharing my story with you. 

  But I’m not yet. 

  Katherine Wolf is beyond brave enough; so let’s meet her.

  As 22 year old, fresh newlyweds, Katherine & her husband, Jay, were living in LA. Jay was pursuing a law degree. Katherine was modeling. Sounds pretty great, right? The couple had a son.

  

  But just 6 months later, Katherine suffered a massive brain stem stroke. She shouldn’t be here. But she is. And Katherine is very much alive. Her story didn’t end because life exploded and left her in a wheel chair with facial paralysis and more. Her faith wasn’t lost in the midst either. Neither was her joy lost.

  

  But how? Katherine clings to God and reaches out to teach you and me how to suffer strong.

  Suffer strong. Makes me cry and makes me stand a little more upright.

  Katherine and her family live in hope and have made more room for God than bitterness (which is probably what I would have chosen).

  “God always comes alongside us to comfort us in every suffering so that we can come alongside those who are in any painful trial.” 
2 Corinthians 1:4

  Let the same God who made you, the ocean, the night sky come alongside you and help you through the hurt. But you have to let Him know what’s on your heart and sit with Him a bit too.

  “I will give you the treasures of darkness.”
Isaiah 45:3

  There are treasures to be found. It’s not easy work but if I can do it, you can too. Just because you’ve given up on God doesn’t mean He’s given up on you. Just because you don’t hear Him doesn’t mean God isn’t trying to get your attention, to sit beside you and hold you close. Hope is a scary thing. I get it. But for today, I will be praying for you to reach for it. Reach for hope and believe there is more waiting for you.

  “Life defines us.

  Suffering redefines us.

  Hope refines us."

  ****You can follow Katherine and Jay on social media @hopeheals, read their books, listen to their podcast and support or attend their camp (see how much MORE there is!!!): Find links to it all on their website hopeheals

  Posted in DECEMBER 2019 | 0 Comments | Tagged 2 Corinthians 1:6-7, Advent, hopeheals, How the Light Gets In, Isaiah 45:3, Katherine Wolf, sufferstrong

• Let's take Day 10 Together

  Posted at 2:34 pm by How the Light Gets In, on December 10, 2019

  Streams in the Desert. This is a deep and sometimes heavy devotional. Take a few minutes to go through today’s reading.

  

  

  The question: “Are there some people in your circle of friends to whom you naturally go in times of trials and sorrow – people who always seem to say just the right words and who give you the very counsel you so desire? If so, you may not realize the high cost they have paid to become so skilled at binding up your gaping wounds and drying your tears.”

  That’s a doozy of a first paragraph and an important one. You need people. I need people. More importantly, we deserve a circle of trusted friends who laugh with us and wipe our tears for us. We do.

  The scripture from the “Streams in the Desert” devotional comes from a letter Paul was writing to the people of Corinth. He starts the letter by praising the God as the one “who comforts us in all our troubles with the comfort we ourselves receive from Him.” – 2 Corinthians 1:4 God sounds like a good friend, doesn’t He?

  And to bust through all the doubt of an unseen God; God sent us Jesus. By Jesus’ life we can FEEL comfort. He suffered, he cried, he was betrayed, he was hungry. And he also spent his life loving others, including everyone, being a good listener, pulling people together so he could tell stories, sharing a meal with friends.

  The verse we focus on today paints a picture of how valuable we are to one another – sharing pain, sharing comfort, sharing Hope. God made us for community. God made us for each other.

  God comforts us through His son and through each other. Look for that today.

  If the devotional felt deep, can I offer you a “lighter” look at the same message?

  Christmas Day is in our grasp so long as we have hands to clasp.

  Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we.

  Welcome Christmas while we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.

  I pray today you hold the height and width and breadth of the message:

  Dr. Seuss & “Streams in the Desert”

  You & Me & God

  – Together we go hand in hand.

  Posted in DECEMBER 2019 | 0 Comments | Tagged 2 Corinthians 1:6-7, Advent, Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, How the Light Gets In, Streams in the Desert