Devotionals for the Heart: Here's what Christianity is really about...

Is Christianity about Love?
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

“The worst thing about Christianity is the other Christians. They’re just so judgmental.”

Blatant criticism of my faith, like the sentence above, is something I see all the time on social media, and it’s getting worse. I’m quickly discovering how unpopular it is to be Christian. Many people assume Christians are “intolerant” and that we’re part of some cult with a distant or arrogant God who “lets bad things happen.” All of this is false, and it would be laughable if it weren’t so terrible.

Not that Christianity has ever been super popular. We were called uncool goody-goodies when I was a teen. But today, it’s different. It’s like the criticism has ramped up in new, wildly inaccurate ways. For some, our faith is synonymous with hate, which is the exact opposite of the truth.

The truth is that Christianity is rooted in love. Love is the very essence of God. But the world doesn’t seem to understand this right now. We need to change that. Love has God at its core. As scripture tells us, God “is love” (1 John 4:8 ESV). Love isn’t just being nice to other people. It’s also caring for them and showing mercy, listening and walking alongside another person so they do not feel alone.

But what do you do when the very notion of Christianity triggers a knee-jerk negative reaction in someone else? How can we counter the false messaging?

I think the best thing we can do is simply model the love of Jesus Christ. Jesus said people will know we his disciples if we have love for one another (John 13:35).

You can interpret that in a few ways. On one hand, maybe it means how we treat everyone, period. On the other, maybe it means by how we treat other Christians. I am not certain. But Jesus also said the most important commandment is to love God with all our heart and mind and soul, and second is to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). He emphasized love so much throughout his ministry that I interpret “others” as expansively as possible. I’d rather err on the side of love than exclusion.

Christian love is something the world really needs to see in obvious, extraordinary ways right now. We should never change our faith to please the world or cave to culture. But we need to remember the world is filled with a lot of lost people who need to know Jesus, even people who think they don’t want anything to do with Christianity. And Jesus said we are to go and make disciples of all nations, spreading the Gospel everywhere (Matthew 28:19-20).

Love is the best way we can do this. There are so many ways to love other people, and love doesn’t necessarily mean being nice and accepting. In explaining how to show our love for him, Jesus taught Peter that we are to feed his lambs and tend his sheep (John 21:15-19).

Here are a few ways that we can love others:

1. We can care for their basic needs—food, water, shelter, healthcare, whether that is donating money to an organization that does these things or volunteering ourselves to actively feed, build or repair houses, or provide medical care.

2. We can make sure other people know that the table is open to them. God’s church is a welcome space for seekers and believers alike. Let people know your church is a safe place. They can come to Jesus better when they know they are wanted. Sometimes it might take a while for them to decide, but as the old-fashioned saying goes, “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Kindness and love are far more attractive to people seeking and unsure. It doesn’t mean you need to water down the truth, but let God’s Word speak for itself. Do what Jesus did and point toward the Father and encourage people to draw closer to him. They will figure out on their own what that means.

3. We can listen to people. Spend time with them even if their views are completely different or seem wrong or even evil. Hear what they have to say. You don’t need to offer your opinion or advice unless it is requested. If someone can trust you enough to talk with you and share things with you, that is often a steppingstone for questions and, ultimately, changes of heart.

4. We can guard our words. Be kind when you speak about other people. To use another old saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Don’t gossip or spread stories or even talk too much about sin (that is, obey Jesus and don’t point fingers per Matthew 7:3-5). We all know sin is wrong. But when we talk too much about sin, it makes sin the focus when we all know God is most important. Jesus Christ is the only solution to sin. He’s the only one who can change someone’s heart. We are all lost without him.

These are just a few thoughts. Do you have others?

Together we can counter evil by spreading the message of love—the love that is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior—far and wide.

Let’s Pray: Lord, help me reflect your love in the world in my thoughts, actions, and words. Help me draw others to your saving grace by modeling your love so all can see. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Love One Another” by Steve Green. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Each One Reach One” by Babbie Mason. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden. She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. 

Last year, she released an Advent devotional for those seeking true closeness with God, which you can find at https://www.jessicabrodie.com/advent. Learn more about Jessica’s fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com. She has a weekly YouTube devotional and podcast. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and more. She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.

Devotionals for the Heart: Radiance

Reflecting the Radiance of Christ
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

“Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.”

— Psalm 34:5 (ESV)

A couple of weeks ago, I walked into a room full of women whose faces were illuminated with their love for God. Their radiance brought back a long-forgotten memory.

It was just a tiny, dusty little west Texas town, but I was home from college when I heard that an old Bible teacher in our church was dying. Mrs. S. had always been kind to me, and for some inexplicable reason, I decided to go visit her.

Since I wasn’t a Christian at the time, it seems strange that I willingly walked into the same hospital where my mother had died just a few years earlier. The memories of that day clung to me like burs as I approached the front desk.

Pointing down the hallway, the woman in charge gave me the room number and then said, “The family can’t get here until the weekend, so I’m glad someone will be with her.” It seemed like a cryptic comment, but I shrugged it off and walked quietly to my destination.

Mrs. S’s room was large, with her bed in the middle of it. What was unusual was the light. The windows were bare, facing the mountains that surrounded the community. Sunlight poured through the plate glass, lighting everything in the room—the bed, the IV drip, the morphine dispenser, and even the gleaming floor. It enveloped the room with comfort and warmth.

Asleep for a few blessed moments, Mrs. S. wore a peaceful smile on her face. Then my eyes saw the ravages the cancer had inflicted on her. The hands that had clapped for joy, or patted discouraged shoulders, or eagerly reached for her Bible to teach young people about her Savior, lay motionless on the bed covers. Well, almost motionless. One pulsing vein was slowly doing its job. It was clearly visible; Mrs. S’s skin was translucent.

Two nurses came to check her. Gently they woke her, stroking the sparse hair that had escaped the colorful scarf she wore. Tenderly they replaced the IV bag and checked the port in her hand. Lovingly they held her fingers between their own to warm them. “Mrs. S., did you see your visitor?” one of them asked.

When she searched the room for her guest, her eyes finally focused on me, and her emaciated face radiated joy. Speech was beyond her, but I’ve always thought she recognized me and was glad to see me. She was beautiful.

Through all the years of her life, Mrs. S. had poured out her days in order to serve the Lord. Faithfully she had taught squirming, inattentive children the truth about Jesus, the Savior of the world. Tirelessly, she had loved and nurtured all the kids in her classes, always making sure we knew that we mattered.

One insignificant little town, a “wide place in the road” was where God sent Mrs. S. to share the truth about Jesus to a bunch of skeptical girls. I can’t recall a single lesson she taught in our classroom, but the lesson from her hospital bed is the one I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Mrs. S. spent her life in the presence of the Lord. She shared her love of Jesus with everyone she met. And even in her dying, her devotion to the Lord was evident everywhere I looked. It was mirrored in the faces of her caregivers. It poured into the room through wide-open windows. It even reflected off the wax on the floor.

It’s taken a long time to understand the enduring lesson from my old teacher. Because Mrs. S. had obeyed the Lord in taking on a class with my jaded, disbelieving self in it, I was given a glimpse of a life well-lived for Christ. In her room that day, God’s peace was apparent. She rested in the glorious light He allowed me to witness.

The Lord knows all our days, and has recorded every one of our names, along with the number of days He gives. And for those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Savior and follow Him, He gives the privilege of sharing His joy, His radiance, and His light with the people around us, just like Mrs. S. did.

In the Amplified Bible, Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious [and of great consequence] in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones [so He watches over them].”

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the teachers we’ve had who taught us about Jesus Christ. Thank You for shining Your holy light into our lives, even when we don’t know Who You are. Please teach us how to spend time with You, and to be faithful in reading Your Word, the Bible. Please give us strength to obey You all the days of our lives. Help us to become a reflection of Who You are, the only true God, King of the Universe. 

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

During this time of quarantine, Karen enjoys reading, writing, and connecting with friends and family via phone calls, texts, emails, blogs, live-streams, and video conferencing.  

She is grateful that the Lord has provided so many ways for humankind to stay in community, even when we are all hunkering down in our homes.

Karen says, “In this unprecedented time, we know that He has prepared us for such a time as this! To God be all the glory!”

You can reach Karen by emailing her at this address: klmarstaller@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: A life lesson about just how much Jesus loves you!

Just for You
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.” – Matthew 18:12-13 (ESV)

As an introverted teenager growing up in church, the worst words I could hear on a youth group outing were “street evangelism” and “tracts”. This meant we had to pair up. Then, with an adult chaperone, we had to go out into the neighborhoods to knock on doors in order to share the love of Jesus Christ with strangers.

I hated street evangelism because talking to strangers terrified me. I was good with words on paper, but not delivering them in person. I finally confessed my fear to my adult helper, who took over with my partner while I watched from the sidelines. At first, I was relieved and then I felt guilty for not fulfilling “The Great Commission” (Matthew 28:16-20). I felt like a failure.

What I didn’t know (or realize then) is that God gives each of us a different gift and talent in order to share His love. Just as not all of us are called to be athletes, doctors, or writers, not all of us are called to be evangelists or pastors either. And, contrary to some beliefs, not all of us have to have a theology degree to be worthy of furthering the Kingdom of God.

God made each of us different, and that means He has a plan for each of us with regards to how His love is shared around the world and in our local communities. He sends some people out to minister to the lost and the broken, and sometimes He sends the lost and the broken directly to us.

In college I choose the creative path of theatre, which forced me out onto the public stage, where I found my physical and singing voice, and the audience came to me. Once I earned the right to be in the spotlight, I felt God meet me each time. Eventually, He gave me unique opportunities to share His love with others. As I got to know people and they got to know me, relationship building led to Kingdom building. Under this principle there is a quote by Teddy Roosevelt that rings true: “People don't care what you know, until they know that you care.” I believe that’s why as a youth I couldn’t just share God’s love with a stranger. It had to mean something first, not just to me, but to the person on the other side of the door.

I have never felt a greater connection to the power of caring about such relationship, than the first time when God used my theatrical talent in church to write and direct an Easter passion play. In doing so, I had to fully rely on God’s Spirit not only to write about His life and death, but to bring it to life on the stage by guiding and directing volunteers from our congregation. People with some – or very little – experience decided to trust me to mold and guide them, and then put the spotlight on them to tell God’s story to an audience that had been sent to receive it.

The first night of a performance I felt as nervous as I did on the days of my old evangelist youth outings. What if I didn’t do enough, God? What if no one comes to the Cross to receive salvation? As our pastor called for the lost and the broken to come forward, no one moved. I felt the walls closing in, but then I remembered that Jesus would have died on the Cross if there had only been one, if there had only been me. That’s how He sees each one of us. That one sheep that broke away from the ninety-nine. He would give everything to go after it. After me. After you.

I felt it in my spirit, God asking me, “Would you do all this for just the one? Put all of yourself out there to bring but one into my kingdom?” I felt the “yes” response to Him in my heart. Suddenly, the audience stirred, and I saw a small boy walking toward the platform. He came up to the cross and touched it.

I fell to my knees and wept with great joy. You see, I didn’t need to bring people to God. I only needed to be available to God right where I was, where I am, and because of Him people will come to His light that shines each time I step out, or sing a melody, or write words to be printed a page or acted out on a stage. Like me, He has a plan for you, to use you right where you are to touch that one who’s searching for their way back home.

Let's Pray: Dear God, you created me for a purpose. Thank you for making me unique and giving me special gifts and talents to use for the furtherance of your Kingdom. Grant me the courage to be your willing vessel. Thank you for using me to show your love to others. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen. 

*Note from Alexis: Mirachelle's message reminds me of the song "Just for Me" by Donnie McClurkin. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia, where she teaches television production at her high school alma mater. 

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is an alumnus of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program.

Mirachelle is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, American Fiction Writers Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII.

~*~
Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan

Devotionals for the Heart: Speaking the truth in love according to the Bible

In Love
A devotional by Allison M. Wilson

Key Scripture:

1 Corinthians 16:14, John 13:35, Philippians 4:8, John 3:1-20, John 4:4-26 (NASB)

I’ve been pondering this, or something like it, for a long time. My heart is heavy. 

As I scroll through social media, I see those I love, on all the different sides of the issues surrounding us in these times, being bludgeoned by the other side of whichever issue. Yesterday, a friend posted that she didn’t want to be Christian if the treatment she kept seeing was what it meant to be one. My heart broke, as I can only imagine my Savior’s does.

We are told in 1 Corinthians 16:14 to speak the truth in love. We are told in John 13:35 that those who are not in Christ will know that we are His by our love, one for another. 

Yet, is that what they see? Or, do they see us disagreeing with everyone to the point of name calling and nasty comments? Do they see the love of Christ showing through our words, whether on social media or in person, or do they see us tearing others down, just because they may not agree with us? Are we seen as loving, or as someone who ignores the hurting of someone else, in the name of our “rights” or beliefs? Is what scrolls through our timeline on social media filled with “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute…worthy of praise…”? (Philippians 4:8)

In all of the Scripture reading I have done, I have never seen Jesus scaring anyone into a relationship with Him. He already knew where the hearts of most of the Pharisees stood. For those He knew would come to Him, like Nicodemus (John 3:1-20), He spoke in love, and drew him with that love, into a right understanding. Jesus didn’t ever scare someone out of hell. He loved them into Himself. 

When He insulted the Pharisees, it was with the full knowledge, that we cannot have, of what they would choose to believe. He called out sin without calling out the person. See how He dealt with the woman at the well. (John 4:4-26) He knew her sin, full well. Everyone knew who she was and what she had done. Yet, He did not speak to her in judgement and shame her. He loved her where she was, and called her out to a better life in His love.

We cannot control what others post. We have the calling from God to be a light to those in darkness, and that darkness may even be shrouding other believers. We are not called to browbeat them into our opinion. I once heard it said that you will never convert someone you have insulted. Yet, I see insults flying around all the time, in an effort to change the minds of others. Done by those who claim the name of Jesus, it takes on even more gravity. 

We know the love of Christ, but are acting out of our flesh too often in these times. Personally, I believe that is what it means when He tells us not to take the Lord’s name in vain. We bear the name of CHRIST, but we act as poorly, and worse sometimes, as those who do not believe. The grief this must cause Him.

Let’s pray: Dearest Jesus, I do not want to be someone who drives others away from a life with You in eternity by my words or actions. I want to love as You love, see others as You see them, and walk as You walked. Show me where I am missing the mark. Guide my steps onto Your path of love for everyone I encounter, in person or online. Let only Your love be what they see from me. In the precious name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

A very early reader and lover of the written word, Allison M. Wilson has been writing since the age of 8 with the heart to impart stories and God's truth.

She has judged countless contests for the last 25 years, reviewed for several online publications, professionally edited, and written articles and devotionals.

Wife, mother, writer, editor, teacher, mentor, and mompreneur, God keeps her busy while living in east central Florida with her family.

~*~
Connect with Allison:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonmwilson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amwilson

Devotionals for the Heart: Thoughts on caring for people a bit "too much"

Caring Too Much
A devotional by Amy Odland

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” – Luke 6:27-28, 36 (NIV)

“You care too much.”

Have you ever had this said to you? Or maybe you’ve said it to someone? Is it even possible to, as a Christian, “care too much?”

In John 15:12-13 (NIV), Jesus says “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” When you think about him saying that to his twelve disciples, including Judas who would eventually betray him, you can get a better picture of what he meant in Luke 6 when he also said “love your enemies.”

According to BibleHub.com, the Greek word of enemies is echthros, which means “someone openly hostile, animated by deep-seated hatred, implies irreconcilable hostility, proceeding out of a “personal” hatred bent on inflicting harm.”

Do you have an enemy right now, someone you have deep-seated, irreconcilable hostility towards? Maybe it’s against someone who treated you unfairly or did or said hurtful things to you or a loved one. Maybe you are someone else’s enemy because of something you’ve done or said to them.

As Christians, we’re supposed to be loving and forgiving, but we don’t always do a very good job of that. We hold grudges, have angry outbursts, daydream about revenge, and want to see justice prevail quickly. I don’t know of many people, myself included, who look for ways to “lay down their life” for their enemies. But if we only love those who love us, what sets us apart from those who aren’t Christians, those who do the same kinds of acts of kindness we do? (Luke 6:32-33) 

Some of my unbelieving friends are just as kind and generous as my believing friends; the thing that sets those of us in Christ apart from the rest of the world is how we treat those who mistreat us. We become a living, breathing example of the Gospel message when we care for our enemies, which to some people, may look like “caring too much.”

Loving our enemies is only possible because of the Holy Spirit, the Helper who Jesus Christ mentions in John 14 and John 15. We love because he first loved us, because while we were still enemies of God, He sent His son to die for us. (Romans 5:10) Danielle Bernock explained it this way in one of her Christianity.com posts:

“Jesus brought up the issue of mercy repeatedly. Everyone wants mercy. The Bible tells us that mercy triumphs over judgment. Of course we want it. Giving mercy requires us to give up revenge and hand the judgment part to God. Loving our enemies doesn’t mean to allow them to continue to hurt us. That would be a failure of loving ourselves as God loves us. We can do what is in our control to protect ourselves while trusting God to step in. Loving our enemies means to see them as human beings in need of the Father’s love.”

Imagine loving your enemies in such a way you were able to say to a group of people who knew you best: “Love your enemy as I have; I’ve given you an example of how I loved mine.” Jesus Christ, in a sense, said this and then later died on the cross...even for Judas and the Pharisees. He cared about people to the point of death.

When we say to one of our brothers and sisters in Christ that they “care too much,” I wonder if we are actually meaning something else. I don’t think it’s possible, as a Christian, to “care too much” about people.

Let’s Pray: Lord, please help us care for others as you want us to. Help us love our enemies as you would love them. Give us wisdom to be able to discern when it’s time to turn the other cheek and when it’s time to “shake the dust from our sandals” and move on. Give us compassion for everyone created in your image. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Amy Odland has been serving in church ministry as a volunteer leader for over 16 years, in various worship, prayer and women’s ministry roles.

Her passion for helping women stems from her own struggles and lessons learned in her journey as a Christian since first deciding to follow the Lord in 1994. 

Amy’s priorities after her faith include her family — husband Rick, and their four kids — as well as extended family who all live close in proximity and the many friends she’s made over the years.

In addition to a love of teaching and helping her husband with the bookkeeping for their many businesses, Amy has recently expanded her stay-at-home work to include leading author’s book launch teams for publishing companies like Baker, Revell, Barbour, and Lifeway.

She also enjoys teaching new authors about platform building, self-launching, and online marketing.

~*~
Connect with Amy:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/amyodland
Instagram: https://instagram.com/amy_odland
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amy_odland
Website: https://amyodland.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Being Still

You Need Only Be Still
A devotional by Wade Webster

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only be still.” –Exodus 14:13-14 (NIV)

“What verses do you use for encouragement when God is silent in your life?”

My life as a truck driver can be quite mundane most of the time. I deliver mattresses to stores.

This was the question Mary posed after we unloaded her order. There were no customers there at the time. I gave her a copy of my book, 100 Prayers of a Writer, a few months before this time when I heard Christian music being played on the radio.

I opened with how impactful Joshua 1:9 has been many times. She shared that that is the verse she has on her Facebook profile.

Then I went on to share how God led the Hebrews into a trap against the Red Sea, the mountains and the Egyptian army just so they would see His desire to fight for them. All they had to do is be still.

Before I finished tears were rolling down Mary’s cheeks. I normally don’t like making beautiful women cry but I knew God was speaking through me to her so I continued. “Do you believe the sun is still shining on a cloudy day?”

Mary blinked and wiped her cheeks. “Yes, of course it’s shining. I just can’t see it.”

“That’s the same way God is when we can’t experience Him the way we want to. He’s still there only silent. Keep believing and taking one step at a time. He’s there for you every step of the way.”

Mary shared that the theme of being still was the message being repeated to her. She also told me that she was just reading that section of scripture in her quiet time. God was definitely speaking to her about this. I was one more conduit He was using.

A month later I had the chance to put this theme to use in my own life. My sister let me use her lake house for a day alone before the Maranatha Christian Writers’ Conference. I planned on fasting and praying that day but the prayers didn’t come.

I spent the previous week on vacation visiting my six siblings one at a time. My old car was acting up again. Distractions were everywhere. I felt the Spirit speak to me to just be still. So I was. It was exhilarating.

As I went to the conference my car got worse. It looked like I was going to miss the first half day of it. After being misdiagnosed twice the problem was found and fixed in a matter of minutes. I only missed the first few minutes of the opening keynote address.

My first four one-on-one appointments were met with the same response, “Sorry, but your platform isn’t big enough for us to publish you at this time.”

Then the only agent in attendance asked me to send him one of my manuscripts. The next publisher asked for a different one. God was in control of all of it. I just had to be obedient and still and persistent.

I don’t know what problem you’re dealing with today. I know you’ve been doing all you can to fix it with no success. I have an idea for you to seriously consider. Let it go into God’s hands.

He can solve this dilemma in ways you never thought of.

All you have to do is be still.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ.

He currently lives in Plano, Texas. He's the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. 

Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side ... and the front and back and inside. 

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

~*~
Connect with Wade:
Website: http://wadewebster.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWadeWebster
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wadewebster1

Devotionals for the Heart: Joy

Joy to the World
A devotional by Victoria Bylin

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

What happened on a particular December afternoon in 2006 bordered on a family tragedy. I say “bordered” because what happened didn’t involve human flesh and blood. No one was physically hurt, and the only thing that broke was my husband’s heart—and mine too, though to a lesser extent.

We have a long family history of putting up a nativity scene in our front yard. The tradition began in my husband’s boyhood, when his dad put up white plastic figures of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. My husband’s father hand-crafted a wooden shelter and manger, which gave the store-bought white plastic a natural and personal touch. Lit up from the inside, those white figures glowed with a serene beauty.

I don’t remember exactly when my in-laws passed that nativity set to us, but I vividly remember putting it up in the 1990s when we lived in a snowy mountain community. We put the creche up near the street where people could see it. Neighbors noticed and commented, but the best response came from a snowplow driver working all night in a snowstorm to keep our roads clear. He told us how bright and beautiful the figures were in the falling snow, and how much seeing the nativity encouraged him.

We really loved that family heirloom. I don’t know how old it was when the disaster struck in 2006. Maybe fifty years? We were starting to worry about the wiring, but my husband always checked it carefully.

As things turned out, it wasn’t the wiring that did the set in. It was a ladder—a very tall ladder that topped sideways and landed smack on Mary. The damage was irreparable, and the figure turned out to be irreplaceable even on eBay.

Our family heirloom lay crumbled and crunched on the brown winter lawn. It was just plain sad to see that treasure brought to ruin. We still miss that set, but that’s not the end of the story. The next day, My husband went to Walmart to look for a new nativity. To his surprise, there were hundreds of big boxes stacked against the wall. The figures were a different style—painted with pretty colors and facial details—but we shifted gears and bought one.

It was nice, but it wasn’t the same . . . until God made it special.

When Christmas rolled around in 2007, we were shopping for other things at Walmart and decided to check out nativity sets. We couldn’t find a single one, and we haven’t seen one for sale since then. They must be out there, probably online, but it’s no longer a Christmas display that’s easy to find. It seems that our old white set broke just in time to be easily replaced.

What we thought was a miserable accident turned into a story we tell every Christmas about how God replaces what’s broken with unexpected blessings. As Christians, we don’t always understand why difficult things happens. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. But the one constant is God’s love and grace—that he died for us while we were still sinners.

Tonight, the nativity we purchased back in 2006 is brightly lit on our lawn—a symbol of God’s great goodness and the miraculous gift of his son.

Merry Christmas to you!

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Author Bio:

Victoria Bylin is the author of 18 traditionally published romances. Known for tackling difficult subjects with great compassion, she delights in stories that shine the spotlight of God’s love on ordinary men and women facing realistic challenges.

Writing has always been a part of Victoria’s life. As a child, she wrote hundreds of letters and scribbled in journals. As an adult, she worked as a freelance journalist and editor before taking on the challenge of fiction.

She had one goal when she started her first novel: to finish a book-length manuscript, good or bad. That first effort will never see the light of day, but it led to a second manuscript and a sale to Harlequin Historical. Since then, she has written westerns and contemporary romances for both mainstream and Christian publishers, with Together With You winning the 2016 Inspirational Readers Choice Award for Best Contemporary.

Writing is a joy and a challenge for Victoria, but faith, friends and family matter to her far more. She’s a wife, mom, proud grandmother, and a dog-mom to a wacky Jack Russell Terrier. Originally from California, she and her husband currently make their home in Lexington, Kentucky. 

When she’s not writing, Victoria enjoys long walks, travel, and dark chocolate.

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Connect with Victoria:
Website: https://www.victoriabylin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Victoria.Bylin.Author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VictoriaBylin
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/victoria-bylin
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/568102.Victoria_Bylin

Words of Faith: Mytonia's story about truth and freedom

The Truth Will Set You Free
A Words of Faith story written by Mytonia Newman

How many times have we heard the saying, “The truth will set you free?”

Adults would use this phrase to coerce young children into full disclosure of their wrong-doing, and then turn around and deliver the worse punishments imaginable. What kind of “freedom” was that? 

But the truth of the matter is that the freedom of truth telling is more mental then physical. Telling the truth removes feelings of guilt, shame and anxiety and replaces them with an opportunity for repentance and forgiveness. While telling the truth has proven to be therapeutic and freeing for yourself, it can also free someone else.

I was recently afforded an opportunity to facilitate a seminar at a Women’s Ministry Retreat. My session was on finding your purpose and I used my own life experience to convey my thoughts on the topic. In preparing my remarks for the seminar, it was evident to me that a certain level of transparency, honesty and self disclosure would be necessary to convey my message effectively. I was so passionate about ensuring the authenticity of my story and working to make it relatable, that I never struggled with sharing personal details about my life. It was my truth; I had accepted it and I was willing to share.

At the end of the session and to this day, I have had numerous women approach me and thank me for my honesty about my life. Many expressed that it was exactly the message they needed to hear. Others stated that it was the best they had heard on the topic and others tearfully thanked me for sharing my story, which had now encouraged them to share their own. I was not an authority on the topic of purpose. There are thousands of people who could have done it better then me. But what I do know for sure is that people can be inspired, encouraged, restored, and drawn to Christ if we would only share our truth.

When the Bible talks about people getting over by the word of a testimony, this is what it’s talking about. Your testimony is your TRUTH about what God has done for you. There are people who are struggling and praying for clarity, answers and a break through that your testimony could offer.

We live in a society where everyone wants to put their best foot forward. We want things to be perfect or at least appear perfect. We use filters and perfect lighting to get the best “selfie” picture. We love to share pictures of happy times with our loved ones, amazingly plated food, our kids all dressed up and of course the breathtaking “current situation” vacation pictures.

But the truth is that while others are “liking” our selfies, we don’t like ourselves. Our families see more sad days than happy ones, our kids are nicely clothed on the outside but empty on the inside, and the real “current situation” is that was probably your last vacation together. That is the real truth and the unfortunate reality for many people. Very seldom do we find people brave enough people to admit these realities and acknowledge the faith they have that God has or will turn their situation around in their favor. We are “okay” with sharing our truth once God steps in. But what did it look before He did?

When Christ walked the Earth, one of his main requests was that people would go and spread the word of what he had done for them. His whole ministry of healing is what gave legitimacy to His message that he was our Savior. It has become vital that believers feel compelled to tell their story of what God has done for them. These firsthand accounts of God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness in spite of ourselves, can reach more people than a church sermon ever could. You don’t have to invite everyone you meet to church. Just tell them the truth: This is who I was and this is what I had done. But look at what He has done for me… Boom!

Yes, telling the truth and owning your stuff publically is hard. It is embarrassing and it is uncomfortable. I’m not saying to take out a newspaper advertisement and air your dirty laundry. I’m simply saying that every time you are willing to share with someone and tell the truth about what God has brought you through, it plants a seed of hope that God can do the same for them. Challenge yourself to be intentional about planting a seed of hope in someone today. Go ahead and tell your truth, and watch God set them free!

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Author bio: 

Mytonia Newman was born and raised in Huntsville, Ala. 

She was educated in the Seventh-day Adventist school system from Kindergarten through college. She graduated from Oakwood University with a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science. She continued her education at Loma Linda University in California, where she received her Masters of Public Health.

Over the past 10 years Mytonia has worked in various sectors of state and local government as well as the private sector. And whether she is writing Women’s Health legislation, reducing the number of non emergent 911 calls, or increasing awareness of preventable traumatic injuries, she has undoubtedly left her mark in the Nation’s Capital and served her community well.

Although quite accomplished professionally, Mytonia believes that her greatest accomplishment was marrying Dr. Naeem Newman and giving birth to their two children: Mya, age 11 and Deuce, age 6.

Mytonia’s love for cooking and entertaining led her recently to launch a catering business. Mytonia believes that her new venture has become more about inspiration and empowerment and less about cooking and serving. She knows God has a specific purpose for her life and commits each day to walking in it.

25 Days of Christmas Stories: The Durgin Christmas Miracle

Let's wish a "Merry Christmas" to a familiar author who is visiting with us again today! JoAnn Durgin has returned to the blog to share her real-life story about a miracle that God performed for her family many Christmases ago.

Enjoy!

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The Durgin Christmas Miracle
A guest post written by JoAnn Durgin

I’ve told this story a few times in the past few years, but I’m not going to apologize if you’ve read it before. Why? Because, in my humble opinion, it bears repeating. You might say this story is for those skeptics who say, “That couldn’t happen!” I’m sure you’ve heard how truth is sometimes much stranger than fiction? Well, my friends, this is one of those stories.

Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate and snuggle up…this is also one those warm blanket moments!

In the late 1990s, we lived on the outskirts of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and my husband, Jim, was an associate pastor for youth/music/worship. It was during the six-year period when I was a stay-at-home mom with three small children under the age of ten. Heavy snow was predicted for Christmas Eve, but that didn’t stop our excitement as we packed up the minivan and headed on our way to Grandma’s house in my native southern Indiana, across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky (where we now live). Stops included, driving straight through, we anticipated it would take about 12 to 14 hours.

The further we drove, however, the more treacherous the highway became. Huge trucks were skidding and sliding into ditches and guard rails, the roads were winding and narrow, and there were numerous fender benders and stalled cars everywhere. Did that stop the Durgins? No way! We were all singing, happy as could be, and nothing could stop us! At one point, I started to get a little apprehensive because of the blinding snow and icy road conditions. I remember giving Jim one of those looks and mouthing to him so the kids wouldn’t hear, “Do you think we should pull over and stop?” His response was to grip the steering wheel that much harder with fierce determination.

Our rumbling tummies finally forced us stop at a truck stop (still on The Pennsylvania Turnpike; it’s a really long stretch of highway). The warmth inside and the smells of a holiday buffet greeted us as we walked through the door. It was so welcoming! We knew we couldn’t stay long and needed to keep moving if we had a prayer to get to our destination before Christmas. As it was, we’d been delayed by creeping along at speeds of less than 20 miles per hour for several hours.

This is where it gets pretty wonderful. Our waitress came to our table with a radiant smile. Her name? Angel. She was sweet and as friendly as could be in spite of being hectic and busy with a number of customers. When Jim went to pay the bill, the cashier said, “Already taken care of, folks. Merry Christmas.” We’ll never know who paid for our meal, but it was one of those random acts of kindness we’ll never forget.

Now, for the part that makes my eyes mist all these years later. When we walked outside to our van, we discovered a man—who’d been sitting at the counter when we walked in (and greeted the kids with candy canes and a warm smile)—had been hard at work shoveling around our van in order to make sure we’d be able to get out of the parking lot. The man told us his name was Chris (or was it Kris?). In a red plaid flannel shirt with jeans and a heavy overcoat, he had a long white beard, thick white hair, wire frame glasses, and yes, I’m pretty certain there was a merry twinkle in those eyes. In case you think this is a case of an overactive writer’s imagination, I have witnesses (Jim and the three kids), and we all share this same marvelous memory (well, except for Matthew since he was very young at the time but he knows all about it!). To this day, we still marvel over the miracles of that exceptional trip.

The snow was falling and accumulating faster than I’d ever seen it. Spying a small motel a few miles down the highway, I exchanged a glance with Jim. He raised his brows and I shrugged. Then we both looked at each other a few seconds later and he said, “Indiana or bust.”

Nearly 18 hours after we started out, we finally made it to Indiana, and never was it so warm and welcoming! But the story’s not quite over yet… Jim had a mechanical problem with the van the day after Christmas. I can’t remember what it was, but we took the van to my mom’s mechanic (a lookalike for Larry Bird, a fact which thrilled my Celtics fanatic of a husband). Know what the mechanic said? “I don’t know how you made it that far, especially in the bad weather. This van should have broken down somewhere along the way.” I remember stopping somewhere in Ohio and filling a tire with air, but wow. I mean Wow! The Lord’s constant watch care and protection for us is amazing and awesome, isn’t it?

Psalm 46:1 - "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble."

Isaiah 41:10 - "Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

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Author bio:

JoAnn Durgin is the author of six novels (and counting) in the bestselling Lewis Legacy Series, as well as Prelude, the prequel to the series. Her other novels include Catching Serenity, Heart’s Design, Love So Amazing (Book #1 in The Wondrous Love Series), Perchance to Dream, Echoes of Edinburgh, and the popular Starlight Christmas Series. 

JoAnn lives with her husband and three children, as well as new grandbaby, Amelia Grace, in southern Indiana. 

She loves to hear from her readers at www.joanndurgin.com or www.facebook.com/authorjoanndurgin.
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Buy JoAnn's Christmas stories from the Starlight Christmas Series:

Meet Me Under the Mistletoe (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD)

Starlight fire captain Jake Marston meets his match in Nurse Julia Sinclair.

Starlight, Star Bright (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD)
Italian Cowboy Dante might take Amanda’s heart with him when he returns to Italy after a brief stopover in Starlight.

Sleigh Ride Together with You (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD)
When love comes calling at Christmas, what’s network executive Alex to do when he falls in love? Nicole discovers her true home in her heart when she returns to Starlight.

Starlight in Her Eyes (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD)
A cheeky Brit falls in love and wonders if a Christmas trip to Starlight will be his personal Christmas miracle to win Serena’s heart.