From Receipt Chaos to Christmas Joy
Receipts. Good for noting what we’ve received. Plus maybe a 35-cent coupon. In the physical. But on the spiritual side—the eternal—there’s no way to fully note all we’ve received in Christ.
The Big Q with Cynthia L. Simmons
Q: How can you endure Christmas if you have just lost a loved one? So many of us understand the ache of loosing a loved one, especially during the holidays. My father died the Sunday before Thanksgiving, which plunged me into grief. That December, I had gum surgery and then succumbed to the flu. I battled depression throughout that holiday. The joy around me accentuated my sorrow and the empty place in my heart.
The Rocking Horse Miracle
That weekend, we discovered a truth more beautiful than any home tour. Yet God restored that joy too— A simple wooden rocking horse became a symbol of the quiet miraculous ways God brings lost things home...
The Symphony and the Sears Wishbook of Dreams: (7 Ways to Unwrap the Presents in His Prescence)
Here’s what I’ve been thinking about—there is a present of discovery as we sink into God’s presence every day. You hear that? Present. Presence. We get to unwrap His presents—these gifts He’s giving us—in His presence. Every single day. But do we? Do we wait for them? Do we see them? Do we have that anticipation, that excitement we had as kids circling things in the Sears catalog? Or have we just ... lost the wonder?
The Gift That Can’t Stay Wrapped
A handful of songs on my stand-up bass for the Christmas Eve service. And our family of twenty for a week of food and fun. But as the calendar turned, my stress levels escalated as I tried to make each event perfect and memorable. In the years since then I have found that the greatest gift I can give others— prayer—is also one that keeps on giving . . . not only to them but also to me. As we surround the days ahead in prayer, we will find this spiritual gift has a lasting impact.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Getting Beyond Pintrest Christmas
Here’s the thing about those Pinterest quotes, those “Choose Joy This Christmas” signs—when you’re at your lowest, they just bounce off you. They’re flat. One-dimensional words that don’t mean anything when you’re suffocating inside your own head while everyone else is singing carols.
Pray Your Way Out of the Holiday Blues
As the world sings, “O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,” tragedy can suddenly zap away our joy. Loved ones can pass away, and lives can be turned upside down.
The Busy Heart Leads to the Empty Heart
The story of Christmas is so familiar we might overlook the new heart available from a powerful Creator who became a babe in a manger.
The Big Q
Q: Amid the Christmas traditions of Santa Claus, trees, and presents, how can Christians celebrate while staying true to the holiday’s deeper spiritual meaning? A: The modern Santa Claus is actually a fascinating transformation of a remarkable historical figure.
The First Noel
Each year as my family decorates the tree, we sing “The First Noel” and add on those yarn wreaths. We remember it is a “choice to rejoice.” It also seems as we reflect on that first Christmas and our decision to “choose joy,” we can see why God placed this vital truth in our lives as a strong foundation for our future.