Devotionals for the Heart: Light

Twinkle Light Promise
A devotional by Paula Moldenhauer

“I am the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path.”~ John 8:12 (TLB)

“You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. . . . If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!”~ Matthew 5:14-16 (MSG)

Our first Christmas tree had only white lights. For years, held in bondage to a legalist understanding of Christmas, we’d skipped the Christmas tree, but I was hungry to express joy at the thought of Christ’s birth, so I hung white lights in the window as a reminder that Jesus, the Light of the World, came to save us from darkness within and without. All other decorations in the years to come built upon that first strand of lights, just as our lives begin with and build on Jesus.

Life is illuminated by Jesus’ grace and truth. Our thoughts, identity, and decisions are illuminated by His light.

Where there is light, darkness flees. It doesn’t matter how the enemy lied to us or who tried to steal light from us. It doesn’t matter, because Jesus, the Light of the World, is with us now. Darkness cannot exist in the presence of light.

Jesus chases the darkness away. His light heals us. His light leads us to freedom.

Jesus is the Word Incarnate. The Word is a lamp to our feet, a light to our path.

Jesus, our Light, reveals next steps. Steps of life-giving light.

In Jesus is life, and His life is the light of all mankind. The darkness of this world has not overcome His light. It cannot! (John 1:4)

God’s light is pure. In Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).

He not only lights our way, He lights us! We are like the Christmas tree. It can sit, unnoticed deep in a forest. When night comes, it is shrouded in darkness. But when wrapped in twinkle lights, that same tree cannot be hidden.

When we are illuminated by the Light of Jesus, we light up our space in this world. We are like Him: pure, white light, like a city set on a hill that can’t be hidden. Like a lamp or a candle set in the middle of a dark room.

Even in the dark times of our lives or of the world, His light shines in us and through us.

In this world of suicide bombers, gunmen in schools, and war in the Middle East, the darkness fights for position. In this world of hidden abuses that tear at personal worth and identity, darkness tries to suffocate.

But it cannot win.

In the most inky, black darkness, the tiniest light always pushes back the black. Whole caverns of darkness cannot overcome one little flickering candle.

There is no greater worship than a life surrendered to the Light. Surrendered lives pierce the darkness as they lift glowing arms to point to Jesus.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are perfect light. In You there is no darkness at all. I surrender to Your light. Take it deep inside me and heal me. Shine it at my feet and guide my next steps. Glow within me, lighting me up from the inside out that I may bring glory to Your name.

~*~
Author Bio:

Author, speaker, and mom of four, Paula Moldenhauer encourages others to live free to flourish. She shares this message when speaking at women’s events, and it permeates her written work. 

Paula has published over 300 times in non-fiction markets and has a devotional book series, Soul Scents. Her first published novella was a finalist in the ACFW Carol Awards, and she now has six published works of fiction.

Paula and her husband, Jerry, are adjusting to a sometimes-empty nest in Colorado.

Visit her at www.paulamoldenhauer.com and sign up for her newsletter to get a weekly Flourishing Moments and periodic updates on free days for her books. For daily Flourishing Moments “like” Paula’s author/speaker page

Today’s devotional was adapted from Soul Scents: Flourish Selections for Advent. Download the devotional book for *free* here (www.paulamoldenhauer.com/gifts) or you purchase it for 99 cents if you prefer to read on Kindle. 

Devotionals for the Heart: The Reason for the Christmas season

A Beautiful Tree
A devotional by Tammy Karasek

"But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." ~Luke 2:10-11 (NIV)

I’m sure we all have a memory or two that is special to us around Christmas. I’d like to share with you a particular memory that taught ME a lesson about Christmas from a three-year-old!

I must confess that I’m a recovering perfectionist. I say recovering because until the Christmas of 1989, I really had a problem with being an extreme perfectionist.

It was the beginning of December and I was sick on the couch. Our three-year-old daughter was very excited for the holiday and it was fun to watch. This year was the year she was more aware of what was going on with all of the festivities of the holiday.

My husband had put up the tree for us and we were going to be decorating but . . . I just didn’t have any energy. Each day our daughter would say, “Mommy, is dis da day? Mommy, do we decorate today?”

I’d say, “Maybe later.”

So finally, about the 4th day she informed me that she was going to decorate. Yes, three years old and sassy through and through!

Without the energy to really argue I thought she would probably put on one or two ornaments and we’d be done with it.

Well, she pulled the lid off (I still don’t know how she got it off, it’s a pretty tight lid on those containers). And one by one she pulled out the ornaments. She would say, “I be berry careful, Mommy! I be berry careful wif da ormanents.”

Sure enough, she would gingerly walk to the tree and carefully place the ornaments on the tree. I was impressed for sure.

This went on for 45 minutes or so, as she kept going at it. At one point, I glanced over at the tree and noticed that all the ornaments were about 18 inches up from the bottom branches on the tree and the other three or four feet up the tree was empty.

The perfectionist in me immediately thought, “Oh I’m going to have so much extra work to do. I’m going to have to move all of them because they are all kind of clustered right there in the front.”

As I was thinking about all of this in my mind I heard a gasp from the container. She looked like she was about to fall in but that’s not the reason she gasped.

All of a sudden she said, “I found it Mommy! I found it! And I will be berry berry careful.”

She got out and she cradled an ornament in her hand. She walked very slowly to the couch and as she got close to the couch she bent her little knees down and presented this ornament to me and, “I got the most important ormanent, Mommy! It’s dis one. Dis is why we have a Kismas twee. It’s all about da baby Jesus. Dis is da one, Mommy.”

And like now as I’m typing this, I teared up and said, “You know, little girl. You understand it. You are right. That is the most important ornament and you are right, that is why we have a Christmas tree. It is all about baby Jesus.”

And at that moment I looked at the tree and realized it was the most beautiful tree I’d ever seen. All 18 inches of those ornaments.

And so as we prepare for Christmas this year, wherever someone puts that particular ornament on our tree, that’s perfect to me because it’s their joy and they know why they are putting it on that tree in our family.

I pray that you also have a Christ filled Christmas in your home and that your family, whoever that may be that gathers with you, know why you are decorating that tree and Who we have that Christmas tree for. It is all about Baby Jesus.

By the way, a little P.S. to the story… When my husband came home later that day, he walked into the room and looked at the tree. Then looked at me and looked back at the tree.

I put my finger to my mouth and said, “Someone special wanted to decorate the tree today and I think it looks beautiful, don’t you?”

My daughter looked at him and said, “I decorated it today, Daddy! Because dis tree is all about da Baby Jesus and dis Kismas Tree is pitty. Very pitty.”

And to this day this ornament stays front and center of our Christmas tree because it really is all about the Baby Jesus.

Merry Christmas.

~*~
Author Bio:

You’ll find Tammy seeing humor and causing laughter in every aspect of life.

Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, is the driving force of her passion to always encourage others and give them The Reason to smile.

She’s been married to her college sweetheart, Larry, for 37 years, a mom to their grown daughter, Kristen and wrapped around the paw of a little dog named Hattie. Born and raised in Ohio, her family now resides in South Carolina.

She is the President of Word Weavers Upstate SC, member of ACFW and member of My Book Therapy/Novel Academy.

She’s the Blog Coordinator/Editor for Florida Christian Writers Conference, a contributor in the 2018 Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments, a monthly contributor for HeartWingsblog.com and God is Love (capturingtheidea.blogspot.com).

~*~
Connect with Tammy:
Blog: http://www.tammykarasek.com
Email: tickledpinktammy@gmail.com

Devotional by Mary Manners: Christmas Lights

Christmas is over but I believe that you will enjoy this holiday devotional by our friend Mary Manners! She's sharing a story set at Christmastime that is near and dear to her heart. My hope is that you will be encouraged as you read Mary's devotional! 

~*~
Christmas Lights
A devotional by Mary Manners

“You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.”

~ 2 Samuel 22:29 (NIV) ~

When the subject of Christmas gifts comes up, most people think of packages wrapped in colorful paper and shimmery bows, sitting under the Christmas tree, just waiting to be opened.

When I think of Christmas gifts, I think of my dad, who passed away fourteen years ago this holiday season. He was a man of many gifts, including the joy he shared for the traditions of Christmas.

Dad loved light—especially the light that brightened a fresh-cut pine tree in honor of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Each December first, like clockwork, Dad piled his family—all seven of us—into our Chevy station wagon and drove us to the tree lot where, shivering in the Chicago-winter cold, we oohed and aahed over each and every tree until we found the perfect one.

Once home, with the tree safely arranged in a metal stand and watered, Dad climbed the ladder to our attic (a mysterious place, indeed) where the Christmas lights were stored. He’d lower the battered cardboard box (re-used, season after season) to the floor below and dust it off.

Then my brother and sisters—five of us—gathered 'round him in the living room and waited, eyes huge with wonder, as he carefully unraveled the strands of lights and tested each one. No matter how stubborn the bulbs, dad always managed to get them working.

Beautiful, vibrant colors turned the room to a kaleidoscope, dancing over walls and windows with the feel of winter magic. One by one, my siblings and I each took the place of honor beside Dad, helping him to adorn the tree with light. Pine sap clung to our tiny fingers, but we didn’t care. All the while, our hearts soared with happiness and child-like wonder.

Finally, Dad gently gathered the Christmas star from the box. Hushed with awe, we waited while Dad chose one of us to hoist to his shoulders for the greatest thrill—placing the treasured beacon of light—the Baby Jesus Star—atop the highest limb. Somehow, Dad always sensed who needed that extra touch of attention, and there was never any argument.

With the lights in place (just in time for nightfall—always) we circled the tree and held hands to sing "Silent Night." In the earliest years, the tune didn’t always carry and the words were sometimes off, but Dad didn’t mind. He knew we understood what the tree—and especially the lights—symbolized, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. The most wonderful gift of all!

It’s sometimes easy to get lost in the tangle of this world—the troubles and stresses that everyday life presents. Sometimes we feel as if the darkness will consume us. During these most trying times, we must move toward the light, and the Father who loves and guides us. He will remove the darkness and fill us with His holy light.

~*~

Author bio:

Mary Manners is an award-winning romance writer who lives in the beautiful foothills of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and the cherished cats they've rescued from local animal shelters, Lucky and Gus.

She loves swimming, running, flavored coffee and Smoky Mountain sunsets.

Mary believes everyone has a story to tell, and she loves to share hers. She writes inspirational romances of all lengths, from short stories to novels—something for everyone.