A Change of Pace

Thanks to all of you who joined us for Lent!  We hope that you enjoyed reading our reflections over the past six weeks.

Now that we have celebrated Easter and the season of Lent has come to an end, so have our posts on that season.  In the weeks ahead, we plan to post devotionals, as well as articles on writing, on Mondays and Thursdays.  Please stop back by and feel free to leave a comment. 

 

The Gifts He Left Behind

“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:17)

Peter sat with the other nine disciples in disbelief. Judas had betrayed Jesus, and now Jesus had been crucified. Peter’s Teacher, Friend, and Savior had returned to the Father. Nothing had prepared Peter for the magnitude of this loss. Now more than ever, Peter wanted to remember every comforting word that Jesus had spoken.

 

Remembering the Sacrifice

“This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19, NIV)

It’s funny to me how some of the songs we learned when we were children are not fully understood until we are much further along in our spiritual journey. Take for instance the song “Jesus Loves Me This I Know.” When I was taught that song as a child, I grasped that the Bible said that Jesus loves me. But today can I say that I understand how fully Christ loves me? That he loves me enough to have sacrificed His life for me?

As the daughter of a single mom, I understand a little about the concept of sacrifice.

 

Lingering in the Desert

Do you know how to linger well? That’s probably not a question you’ve been asked on a regular basis. If you asked me that question, I’d have to answer no.

With my Type-A checklist mentality, I constantly think ahead and look forward—to the time when the list is complete, when I get to relax, when I get to enjoy all that lies ahead. I often catch myself wondering why life isn’t easier (i.e., all about relaxing). Yet I realize that is a thought that the world has impressed upon me. After all, history proves that life is anything but easy.

 

Introduction

Reflections on Advent

In the posts over this next month, you won’t find a list of tasks to add to your to-do list or events to add to your calendar. Instead, you will find reflections from six writers whose lives and stories are all different but who all have a heart of encouragement and want to point you to Christ.

The focus of Advent is the celebration of the birth of Christ, the real reason we have anything to celebrate. This season is marked by a spirit of expectation and of anticipation. As we eagerly await Christ’s arrival, we want to use this time wisely to

Prepare
Rest
Hope
Enjoy and
Celebrate.

It is our hope that you will carve out a little time each day during December to center yourself and your family on the reason for Advent. The twenty-five daily devotionals that follow were written to encourage you. We encourage you to write down your reflections if you wish or even share them with us in the comments. Each devotional ends with a question for you to think about or discuss with your family.

Are you ready to celebrate? If so, bookmark this page, light your Advent candle, and let’s get the season started.

 

Greyhound Goes To Disney World

All teenagers go through phases, and during the summer of 1988, I happened to be going through my no-flying phase; I refused to fly on airplanes because of a bad flight I had endured on a previous vacation.

Unfortunately, the timing of this phase could not have come at a worse time. That summer, my family decided to take a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida; it was to be our first “real” vacation that wasn’t centered on visiting relatives.