Christmas Under the
Stars
A devotional by Donna Schlachter
“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of
sheep.”~Luke 2:8 (NLT)
Sometimes we can sanitize the words in the Bible so much
that we don’t get their true meaning. We do this all the time when we read of
Job’s sufferings, of Joseph of the Old Testament while he was in prison, and
even of Jesus and the crucifixion.
And yes, with the Christmas story.
Shepherds were the lowest of the low in Biblical times when
it came to social position and the ability to rise to prominence in the
community. We even see in the story of Joseph in Genesis that they didn’t sit
with other people (the Egyptians made his brothers sit at a separate table),
and the pharaoh suggested Joseph give them land away from everybody else.
And yet God chose to announce the birth of His Son to such
ones as these.
What was He thinking? That we’re all outsiders when it comes
to the Kingdom of Heaven? That we are all smelly and dirty before Jesus cleans
us up? That we’re all in the dark?
Yes to all of the above.
As we think of the Christmas story this year, let’s pay
attention to all the players—including those not welcome in the presence of a
King—which would be all of us.
And let’s give thanks that we are now not only welcome, but
encouraged to come in boldly.
~*~
Author bio:
Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick, her first-line
editor and biggest fan. She writes historical suspense under her own name, and
contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts.
She is a hybrid
publisher who has published a number of books under her pen name and under her
own name.
She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Sisters In
Crime; facilitates a local critique group, and teaches writing classes and
courses.
Donna is also a ghostwriter and editor of fiction and non-fiction, and
judges in a number of writing contests. She loves history and research, and
travels extensively for both. Donna
is proud to be represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.
~*~
Blurb for Donna's book, Christmas Under the Stars:
November 1858, Utah Territory
Edie Meredith strives to keep her temper and her tongue under control as she heads west with her brother to California. Raised in an itinerant preacher family, she promises she will never marry a man of the cloth.
Tom Aiken, drover of the wagon train, longs to answer his true calling: to preach, and while he realizes not every woman would choose a preacher for a husband, he hopes to soon find his help-meet.
Suspicious ‘accidents’ plague their journey. Is someone trying to keep them from reaching their destination? Or will misunderstanding and circumstances keep them apart?
~*~
Connect with Donna:
Website - www.HiStoryThruTheAges.com
Facebook - www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor
Twitter - www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter
Amazon - http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq
~*~
Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: a Rafflecopter giveaway
I would love to spend Christmas underneath the stars in real life! It would be reminiscent of the shepherds and wise men and the star over Bethlehem.
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