Let’s take a break from reading.
“Multivitamins for your Weekend” is an email that comes out once a week FULL of good for your soul stories and videos and pictures.
Here’s the link to check out your dosage of “Only The Good Stuff.” https://annvoskamp.com/2019/12/only-the-good-stuff-multivitamins-for-your-weekend-12-07-19/
Prepare, Peace, Promise, Relationship – these are the stand out words from our first few days of Advent together.
And for today, God strings the words together while weaving in a new one; LAUGHTER.
Not expecting that were you? LAUGH. One of God’s hope for you is that you would laugh again.
In a world with so much hurt it is easy to wonder if God sees or even cares.
In today’s reading, Abraham and Sarah lived their lives in faith but Hope was fading. All Sarah wanted was a baby. As the story goes, the woman was around 90 years old when God told Abraham (her even older husband) she would have a baby. Her reaction? She laughed a snarky laugh.
Sarah LAUGHED at God.
People, can we appreciate that the author of life itself would allow the detail that one of his main characters in the beginning of humanity laughed at Him!?! Sarah and God had enough of a relationship that God called her out.
“Then the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say,Will I really have a child now that I am old? Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time..” – Genesis 18:13-14
By this time, She was AFRAID and then chose tooooooo… say sorry? Nope, Sarah LIED! Look up Genesis 18:15. It cracks me up.
And God kept his promise.
Do you know what Sarah named her baby boy? Isaac. Isaac means “he will laugh, he will rejoice.”
God’s timing, His appointed time, may not line up with ours. And that stings.
I have prayed for a lot of things in my life. Recently, I prayed for something big. I still don’t have the words to do the story justice. But in the meantime, here’s a picture of laughter.
Is anything to big for God? Nope. Keep praying. Keep talking to God, asking and trusting that His time must be the right time.
Love you.
“The Jesus Storybook Bible” pulls you in close, gets you comfy and seems to hum the song God wants to sing just for you.
Doesn’t matter how old you are, if you have kids or not; this book, the way it retells stories like today’s “A New Beginning: Noah & The Ark” feels fresh.
This is what I mean.
Old school Noah – Noah built the ark, filled the ark with animals two by two and everyone was saved. The end.
I’m exaggerating but trying to make the point. Ready? Here comes the storybook version.
Noah’s friends laughed at him, isolated him; showing us that being faithful to God does not mean a carefree life. That’s important to know. We tend to write God off when things get hard like He’s forgotten us. But life can just be hard. Period.
Here’s the difference: This version of the story illustrates how Noah lives his life WITH God – asking Him, complaining to Him, thanking Him, doubting Him, but sticking by Him – a true relationship.
The storybook tale also presents God as a God of promise and faithfulness and partnership and love.
Noah stands by his God and God stands by his word.
If you go to the authors website, you can sign up for a reading plan through “The Storybook Bible” all the way to Christmas. Here’s the link: https://www.sallylloyd-jones.com
I’ll leave you with this excerpt. Say it out loud for yourself, for your kids, your grandkids; it is true for us all:
“No matter what, in spite of everything, God would love his children – with a Never Stopping, Never Giving up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.”
The Jesus Storybook Bible p36
If we’re taking one step at a time, I just got a little extra pep in my step from this one. Day 4! We did it!
Grab a notebook or a stack of Post It notes! Oh, and grab a pen too. I want to try something together.
Today is Day 1 of Advent. Advent is the season of four Sunday’s leading up to Jesus’ birth. Advent means “the arrival of a notable person.” In my faith, that notable person is Jesus. Advent is a season can feel like a build up for the senses – lights are twinkling, cider is simmering, cold is settling in, familiar tunes are playing, anxiety rising (?).
There’s anticipation in the air. Do you feel it? Maybe you don’t. Why don’t we work at building up our Faith together this year?
God tells us the best way to build up our Faith is one step at a time.
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”
It feels like the right pace this time of year while everything else is a tornado of parties, shopping lists and family expectations – one step at a time.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet...” if you think about it, a lamp doesn’t light up a whole path; just your next step. So, one step at a time, one day at a time – that’s where DEVOTIONALS come in. Have you ever tried one?
A devotional usually offers a scripture with a brief explanation, just enough to light your next step. I went through my emails, instagram account, books around the house and put together a list of devotionals we can try. These always start with God’s word and then offer a paragraph or artwork to accompany it.
Compiling the list just proves that God will stop at nothing to get your attention. So, here’s what we do:
At the end of this, we’ll have 24 different ways to “hear” God’s voice.
Day 1 comes from the Holy Bible App. Just a verse. Nothing more.
(If you download the App https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible/id282935706, you can subscribe to daily emails.)
Day 1: I’m going to write down PREPARE. It’s a good step one. Right?
If there was a vote for worst room in a hospital, every time I say it’s the “Waiting Room.” Waiting is the worst. This time last year, ugh. This time last year, we had finally gotten into Hopkins, visited with several specialists, had several tests done; all to wait and wait and WAIT. This December is different.
I don’t know how I got to be so lucky… to be able to look back while my completely healthy boy sits at my side; but here we are. I still pinch myself. And Joseph. With such a miraculous gift of healing I love looking back to see how to keep moving forward.
A devotional I’ve been reading, launched my perspective for this post. I’m on Day 55 of “100 Days to Brave.” {sidetone: if you don’t know Annie F Downs or her writing, do yourself a favor a pick up one of her books or the devotional!} The title for today is “in the waiting season.” Again, the wait. The scripture at the top of the reading says,
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”
Psalm 27:14
David used his writing to encourage you in the wait. I like that the Bible acknowledges that life is not easy, that waiting is hard. It makes me feel better that the stars of the Bible had it rough too. Is that selfish? Anyways, David’s words are everything; especially if you are waiting. Be strong, he says. Let your heart take courage. Don’t fill your thoughts with deadlines and timelines. Don’t set your hopes or next move on the “perfect moment” or the right doctor or next month. Let your heart take courage. Let it be brave.
Jesus. Reading my journal from last year, I see how hard the wait was but how Jesus kept showing up in the wait in so many beautiful and knowing ways. There is so much comfort in handing over the pain of the unknown, the wait to Jesus. It might sound weird, but what else have you got while you wait? Really. What do you have that’s better; working off the anxiety at the gym, drinking away your worry, hiding from friends, drowning in social events? I see you. I am you. We are all human. The wait is hard for us all. And I am telling you, holding your hand and telling you; God has you. Whatever it is your waiting for; can you invite Jesus into the wait with you?
The season of Advent is all about the wait. Let your heart take courage. Breathe in deep peace. Waiting is hard.
Lucky for you, for me, for all of us; the wait is over. Jesus is born this night. Invite him in.
Merry Christmas.
