Devotionals for the Heart: Immanuel

Rendering a Response to Immanuel
A devotional by Cyndi Staudt

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” 

–Luke 2:19 (NIV)

Waking up the day after Thanksgiving ushers in a host of holiday traditions. One of my favorites has to be the mysterious overnight transition of radio stations to all Christmas music, all the time. While I have many “favorites”, one that moves my heart annually is “Mary Did You Know?” Its soul-stirring lyrics never cease to move my heart to ponder what Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, actually might have known.

It seems most Israelites studied then Torah and had extensive book knowledge and teaching about the Messiah. They had passages memorized about how He would come to the world, how He would leave the world, and highlights of what He would accomplish through His incarnation. Yet it still seems many missed the main messages taught in the temple and written in the scrolls. And when Jesus actually arrived on the scene, many missed Him completely and reacted in ways we can hardly fathom. In fact, in the Bible, we see as many responses to the arrival of Immanuel as there are people engaged in the experience.

As the Gospel of Luke recounts the story, we encounter an angel delivering the sensational news of the arrival of Jesus to shepherds in the fields. Proclaiming His arrival, pacifying the frightened shepherds, and praising God with a host of angels joining in, these messengers expressed adoration, appreciation, and joy at the magnificent news they were entrusted to deliver.

We find the shepherds went through a range of emotions and reactions. Their initial fear turned into curiosity that drove them to “hurry” to Bethlehem. Upon seeing Jesus with his new parents, the shepherds became evangelists, sharing the astonishing news with everyone they could. Finally, they returned to the fields glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.

One might miss the short sentence thrown in the middle of this exciting account of Christ’s birth if they weren’t paying attention. Nestled in Luke 2:19 (NIV) we learn that while all of this was happening around her, Mary “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” While the angels made a heavenly and earthly commotion, Mary chose to store the events in the recesses of her heart. When the shepherds visited, and with excitement shared the news about Jesus with everyone they could, Mary quietly contained her thoughts and emotions to process and ponder them internally.

In the Book of Matthew, we learn King Herod’s jealousy of what he heard about Jesus moved him to deceit and plotting murder. Fearing (quite illogically) that Jesus would eventually take over his throne, Herod tried to trick the wise men into revealing where they found Jesus. When they failed to return with the information he desired, Herod ordered the death of every child in Bethlehem under the age of two, hoping he would kill the child everyone was worshipping and claiming to be king of the Jews.

At the same time, wise men traveled approximately 400 miles, estimated to have taken months as they traveled by night, following the star which “filled them with joy”. When they finally made it to Jesus, they offered gifts and bowed down to worship the baby in a manger. In the midst of this we are only told that Mary thought carefully about all these things but seemingly kept her reactions and emotions inside.

Yes, the reactions to Jesus were many and it makes me wonder: What is my reaction to Jesus Christ's arrival into the world? What is yours? Each year we have an opportunity to revisit this and remind ourselves that the Christmas holiday is far more than decked halls and trimmed trees. His miraculous manifestation onto the Earth can’t be ignored and demands a response. What will ours be this year? While it may not go as far as deceit and plotting murder, we might get so caught up in finding the perfect gift, making the perfect holiday menu, or perfectly decorating our house that we lose sight of the perfect baby born in a manger on a rescue mission for us.

I think Mary had the right idea with her pondering and treasuring. This year let’s commit to making time to sit with The Holy Spirit, pondering Christ’s arrival, treasuring His selfless incarnation, and refocusing our hearts on the reason for the season.

Let’s Pray:

Holy Lord, as we enter the Christmas season, we invite You into our hearts and homes with joy and expectancy, celebrating Your selfless arrival into our earthly experience. You could have opted out of the rescue mission that would cost You everything, but You decided we were worth it, choosing to leave Your home in Heaven for a humble manger stall. Pour Your presence into our hearts, prompting peace and gratitude for You while reminding us of the real reason for this special season. We love You, we adore You, and we worship You. Thank You for Your indescribable gift. In Jesus’s precious name we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Jesus Born On This Day” by AVALON. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Cyndi Staudt is a Jesus-loving, adrenaline junkie who is devoted to living her life for Jesus Christ until the day she is living with Him. 

With a passion for cultivating a craving for God’s Word, her devotions and Bible studies are saturated with faith and hope to stir your soul to connect with God in deeper, more intimate ways.

Through her writing she hopes to ignite your desire to read God’s Word, invite your heart to experience God’s love, and inspire you to live your live life “souled out” to the One whose love has no limits.

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Connect with Cyndi on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/souledoutcyndi/

My Review of CSB Lifeway Women’s Bible and a special giveaway for you!

Momentum Influencer Network sent a copy of the CSB Lifeway Women’s Bible to me and asked me to write a review of it. 

Before I share my review, read these words below from the professionals of Momentum:

The CSB Lifeway Women’s Bible makes for a beautiful, thoughtful Christmas gift for the women of God in your life! 

The Lifeway Women’s Bible includes an in-depth collection of:

• Bible reading helps from prominent voices in the Lifeway Women community (including Jackie Hill Perry, Jennifer Rothschild, Priscilla Shirer, Angie Smith, Lisa Harper, Lauren Chandler, Gloria Furman, Mary Kassian, Kelly King, Trillia Newbell, Kelly Minter and more!) 
• Over 100 articles placed alongside the corresponding biblical text to foster deep reflection on Bible passages and topics focused on the life needs of women 
• Nearly 100 short devotional thoughts placed throughout the Bible 
• Bible genre introductions with a short overview and reading plan highlighting key passages in that section 
• 66 book-focused introductions providing a concise overview with book-specific timelines 
• Over 40 character profiles of key women in the Bible with questions for application 
• More than 35 reflection questions to help women engage more deeply with the Bible 
• Nearly 100 brief inspirational quotes on the Bible 
• Over 25 word studies on individual words or phrases detailing meaning and significance, and over 30 charts, tables, and maps. It features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible® (CSB). 

Fun Fact: You can get 50% off your purchase of one (1) Lifeway Women’s Bible with code SAVE50LWB (Only available on Lifeway.com. Limit 1 Bible at 50% off retail price, any Lifeway Women’s Bible sku. Limit one offer per person. Cannot be stacked with any other offer. Valid 11/15/22-12/31/22.)

Visit the Lifeway website for more details:
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~*~

My Review of the Lifeway CSB Women’s Bible:

What is not to love about this Bible? Absolutely nothing!

I loved the smooth, professional packaging that was the shell that held the actual Bible. Upon removing the Bible from the shell casing, the texture of the leather cover was smooth to touch. And the marigold color of it was so beautiful. 

Just holding this precious book in my hands made me want to open it and read it. So I opened it and browsed its lovely features that were perfectly placed throughout this word of God.

This is not your ordinary Bible because the extra features within cater to the faith walk of women who are chasing God. Reading this special edition will help the female reader to feel more closely connected to God. Poring through these sacred pages will help her see her worth in the way that her Creator has seen her all along.

You will be inspired by the features from famous Christian women of God like Priscilla Shirer, Angie Smith, Lisa Harper, Lauren Chandler and Kelly Minter.

You will be educated by the 100 articles that help you dive deeper into the Biblical text that focus on the life needs that you have as a woman. You will love all of the devotional thoughts placed strategically throughout this Bible. You will be challenged to engage more by way of the reflection questions within and you will be uplifted by the brief inspirational quotes!

My only regret is not finding out about this beautiful edition sooner! It’s a must-have that will change your life for the better, forever. 

~*~

Giveaway for U.S. Residents ONLY: 1 (one) copy of the Lifeway CSB Women’s Bible (Marigold LeatherTouch Edition)

Enter the giveaway contest here:
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Disclosure: Many thanks to Lifeway Christian Resources for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

#CSBWomensBibleMIN #LifewayWomensBible #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Devotionals for the Heart: Messiah

Jesus Christ: Our Ultimate Promise
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” –Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

The people of Israel had received the promise of their long-awaited Messiah from the prophet Isaiah well over 700 years before the infant Jesus Christ was ever placed in a feeding trough in Bethlehem. It was an inauspicious beginning for their eagerly anticipated King and was mostly overlooked in the history of God’s people. They had waited such a long time and they missed the child born to two poor, weary travelers in the middle of the night.

Even though many missed Christ’s birth, in today’s world, so many years later, it seems as though most people eagerly wait for December 25 to arrive. It’s a holiday, a day with friends and family, a day to open presents and drink lots of hot cocoa. But it’s so much more than that.

Right now, we enter the season we call Advent, the four weeks before Christmas when we consider not only the birth of Jesus Christ, but also His return. For some of us, it’s a time of quiet contemplation of the wonderful gift of our Savior, Jesus. Others experience a yearning in our heart to see our Savior return to Earth. And for others, it’s a deeply rooted longing to join our Jesus in Heaven, to live with Him for all eternity. For many others it’s all three, but they all involve one thing—waiting on God’s timing.

A few days ago, a dear family member and I were talking about Advent and what it means. We spoke of looking forward and looking back. We talked about waiting and the joys of seeing God’s promises fulfilled and those waiting to be fulfilled. Then she said, “It all depends on what we do while we’re waiting.” That struck a chord—do I practice active waiting?

Her comment sent me on a path of personal discovery. In the beauty and stillness of worship, do I remember to praise the Maker of Heaven and Earth as I thank Him for the promises He has brought to completion? While I long for His return, am I telling others about His first coming and the reason He came—to save us from sin? As I live every moment of the day, do I humbly obey my Lord and Savior when He says, “Follow Me?” (Matthew 16:24)

Do I? Or am I all tied up in my own agenda and miss all that God is showing me? So many times, the answer is yes. But, thankfully, our Father in Heaven is rich in forgiveness, and He wants so much more for me than my self-serving desires.

So, join me, followers of Jesus, as we walk through this Advent season together. Let’s make a deliberate choice to look back with reverent hearts to God’s miracle of a baby in a manger. Let’s look forward as we pray for the moment when our friends and loved ones accept Jesus as their Savior. Let’s spend our time ministering to the needs of the people around us. And when our Lord says, “Follow Me” into a place we’ve never even considered, let’s embrace His perfect plan and obey His loving invitation.

With joy we will watch. With hope we will wait. And we will live in humble obedience to our Lord and Savior. God’s promise of Messiah took many years to be fulfilled, and His prophecy about the return of Christ is what we still await. But in the meantime, we devote ourselves to praise, to thanksgiving, to petition, and to service whenever and wherever He directs, not just for one month out of the year, but for always.

The psalmist urges us to “be strong” and “wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14 ESV). The Apostle Paul encourages us to make the “best use of the time” that we have because “the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16 ESV). So, in the whirlwind of parties, concerts, get-togethers, and holiday traditions, let’s praise the Lord for our Savior, King Jesus, and then let’s wait expectantly for God’s promise of His return to take us home with Him.

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord Jesus, You are our Promise, our only hope of Heaven. Thank You for coming to Earth to save us, and we rejoice that You’re coming again! Help us to follow You whole-heartedly wherever You lead us. We wait for You, Jesus! In Your precious, Holy Name we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Messiah” by Francesca Battistelli. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Karen Marstaller is a retired high school teacher who spent most of her career challenging creative students to write. Her heart is for her readers. 

She writes to encourage them, to make them laugh, to show them that life is a beautiful journey, and regardless of their past, to show them that there is joy ahead if they will just keep looking.

Karen and her husband live in central Texas in a sweet little home that they completely remodeled. They enjoy spending time with their family, which includes seven precious grandchildren.

Most of all, Karen writes in obedience to the command to love your neighbor, to offer a cup of water to those who are dying of thirst, and to comfort others with the comfort she has received.

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

Devotionals for the Heart: Loving People and Living for Jesus Christ

Start with the end in mind
A devotional by Patricia Russell

"I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." —Philippians 3:14 (NLT)

Have you ever heard the words “start with the end in mind” in relation to planning an event, a recording or any project? What do you think the reason for this is?

The end is what you want to accomplish. The end is the culmination of all the plans, preparation and processes you’ve gone through to arrive at the destination. So, in order to write the plan, having the end in mind and working backwards is ideal.

When one’s life has ended, and final goodbyes are planned to honor the person by having a homegoing service, there are many people who want to share their thoughts about the person and what they meant to them. I have often thought about who would say what about me at my homegoing. The more we think about it is the more we want to live with that end in mind. What I mean is, I want to love people so well that if I die before Jesus Christ returns to Earth to take His faithful followers home to Heaven, the life I lived leaves a legacy behind showing everyone that I loved people, I loved Jesus, and I used my God-given gifts for the benefit of others.

The best person to teach us how this is actually lived out is Jesus Christ. On the night of His arrest, He gathered His disciples together for dinner. He asked them to eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of Him. So that when He died, they would remember and reflect on what He taught them. Now, the question is, “Are we following Jesus, serving Him and others, and living intentionally with purpose from day to day?”

We should also ponder these questions: “Do we do things, share knowledge with people, encourage and empower others so that we are not keeping the knowledge to ourselves?” and “What mark are we intentionally leaving on this world so that when we leave, they will know we were here? Will people know through the way we lived and legacy of faith we leave behind, that Jesus loves them?”

The apostle Paul had accomplished so much when he said in Philippians 3:12, “I press on”. 

He had not finished. He still had more to do. He was focused on the end goal. The goal kept him moving in the right direction. He continued by saying in Philippians 3:14: “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

The race was ongoing, and he was not quitting. No one wants to quit when there is a “prize” to gain. And when God is giving out prizes you know it’s gonna be good.

The Apostle Paul calls us who are spiritually mature to agree to run to win. How do we do this? We listen and look for people who need encouragement to keep going. You know how just one word of encouragement can change your life for the better. Just one word can push you forward when you feel like quitting. Weeks will come, months will pass, and years will close but whatever you do, don’t give up. Focus on the goal which will keep you pressing forward despite the discouragement and distractions. Stay determined like Paul and run to win!

Let’s Pray:
Father God, we praise You and thank You for everything. You know the end of our days and it is your desire for us to receive the prize you have set before us. Lord, we believe your Word and know you will strengthen us as we run this race of life to win! In Jesus’s Name we pray, Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Press On” by Selah. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Patricia is an encourager. She passionately uses her gifting as an author, speaker, pastor, recording artist, worship leader and coach. 

Stronger Resilience: Stories to Empower the Mind, Body & Spirit (a book that she wrote) was an Amazon Bestseller in October 2020.

Patricia sings! She has released two CDs titled Draw Me Nearer and Lord I Trust You.

She also travels to speak to audiences internationally.

When she is not ministering to save souls in God’s Kingdom, Patricia enjoys reading, writing and connecting like-minded people who can sharpen each other in the journey to their dreams and goals.

As a two-time breast cancer overcomer, her desire is to coach others to live life to the fullest by understanding their gifting from God and using it.

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Connect with Patricia:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrussellsings/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrussellonline
Twitter: https://twitter.com/patrussellsings
Email: patrussellsings@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Why we should have a compassionate heart

A Compassionate Heart
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

Many of you know I have a passion for helping people understand mental and emotional health. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I have discovered some Christians are leery of talking about these issues—or taking medication or seeking counseling.

Mental illness includes anxiety, depression, Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia, and more. You cannot always tell a person has it. It’s often called an “invisible illness”, much like diabetes.

While I don’t have mental illness, my daughter does, as do several family members. I grew up understanding a lot. One thing that truly helps me love my people well is learning as much as I can so I can understand even better. When we understand what people go through—grief, addiction, mental health, relationship struggles, physical health, disabilities, trauma, and more—it helps build empathy and compassion.

The Bible tells us compassion is one of the ways we can model Christ and love others well in this world. One of my favorite verses, from the Apostle Paul, urges us to, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:12-13 NIV).

I love the idea of “clothing” myself in a jacket or a robe of compassion and all these other qualities so people see the light of Christ through me.

Like many illnesses, mental illness can be a mysterious thing. Because it deals with the brain, it’s often tough to discover exactly what is going on, as we can’t really get in there and work on somebody’s brain on a regular basis. It affects hormones, adrenaline, light sensitivity, sleep…all sorts of things. Doctors know a fair amount about mental illness, but they don’t know everything.

It’s the same with cancer. You’d think by now we’d have a cure for cancer, but we don’t, and I’ve lost far too many loved ones at this point; perhaps we all have. We have medicine that can help put someone in remission, but sometimes the cancer comes back and spreads. It’s the same with diabetes—with all the money going into researching a cure, it certainly would be wonderful if we had a drug we could give someone that automatically and perfectly regulates their insulin for life. Instead, it’s just daily maintenance, checking and staying on top of insulin levels to make sure everything is okay.

It's much the same with mental illness—daily maintenance and constant checking-in are required for someone to live well and manage their disease. And it’s up to the people around them, those of us who love and support them (and are also very much impacted by their illness), to learn how to do this. That’s why something I learned recently really resonated, and I have to share.

Recently, I heard a Ted Talk speaker, Dr. Stuart Ablon, give a really interesting analogy about mental illness and the behavioral issues that often come along with it, comparing it to a learning disability. Ablon works with kids and teens experiencing mental and behavioral health issues and is the director of the Think:Kids program in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. He said research is making psychiatrists and other mental health professionals understand that it’s not that kids do well if they want to—rather, it’s that kids do well if they can.

That is, people with mental and behavioral health problems don’t necessarily lack the will to get better but the skills to get better. It’s up to us all to figure out what is standing in their way of getting better…how to develop those skills.

It’s an apt and powerful analogy, he said, to realize it’s much like a learning disability, except instead of having problems in reading, writing, or math, they have problems in problem-solving, frustration-tolerance, or flexibility.

I believe he’s right. I’ve seen firsthand how with mental illness, someone might have anxiety or depression or something else, but because they’ve learned how to control their emotions and behavior rationally—whether through therapy, medication, or other hard work—they’re able to function reasonably well with their illness. This is because they have learned to modify their behavior accordingly.

It is absolutely not my daughter’s fault that she has mental illness. It runs in the family and it’s something she inherited, and she’s working hard to manage it.

But it does get frustrating sometimes. That’s when it is helpful to try to understand it from a different perspective. I’m acknowledging that what she’s going through is tough and that she has to work extra hard at things that might come far more easily to someone else.

I wonder if that’s a bit how Jesus feels about us. As the Son of God, Jesus was born as a man. He spent more than three decades in a human body, experiencing life the same way we do. He faced the temptations we face. He understands what it means to overcome struggles, for he had to do that too. And he told us exactly what we need to do for salvation: We need to believe and repent. We need to keep his commands and love God and others.

But sometimes that’s easier said than done, isn’t it? It can be really hard to put our enemies, people who have done nasty things to us, on the same basic level as our loved ones, to care for them the same way we care for ourselves. It can be really hard to keep our thoughts on God when our bodies are tempted.

Maybe it was easy for Jesus to live without sin. We know he was the only perfect human being who walked the earth. Who knows—perhaps as the Son of God, he was more naturally inclined to be able to resist those things. I’m not exactly sure how the mystery of his divinity works, but I do know that he is aware of how hard it is for us. He knows how it feels to be tempted, and he knows all the moods and hormones and desires running through our bones.

Perhaps Jesus looks at us—all us sinful, struggling humans—with the same sympathy I have for my daughter. He sees how hard we’re working and hopes we can get it right for our own good because he loves us.

Loving people isn’t never easy, but it’s something we’re commanded to do. If you, like me, love someone with mental illness, do your best to try to wrap your head around what they go through. If you’re having trouble relating, see if comparing it to diabetes, or a learning disability, might help you open your mind a little bit more to their experience.

We live in a fallen world, and I think it’s so important that we extend grace to people in the same way God extends grace to us.

Let’s Pray: Lord, please grant me compassion to love others in the world around me in a way that honors and reflects the merciful way You love us. Help me to develop increased kindness and sympathy for those with mental illness and other behavioral issues. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
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. Learn more about her 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: How to free your mind from negative thoughts

Captive Thoughts
A devotional by Chaplain Paul Anderson

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”—2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV

My mother died 22 years ago, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Yesterday, while driving, I realized that I was descending into a grief spiral and depression. I didn’t want to go there. I started thinking of ways to stop the spiral. My brain searched for ways to meet the command I had given it.

Soon, four Bible verses and some literary quotes blazed into my mind.

The first one was Proverbs 23:7 (KJV). It says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” So many of our negative perspectives are like jails and our minds are prisoners of our thoughts.

A second verse that quickly pierced my thought stream was 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV). It says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

We can fight with and win release from stinking thinking.

The third arrow of light that pierced the enveloping darkness around me was written by Napoleon Hill in his book Think and Grow Rich. He said, “The individual must control his deepest perceptions of himself lest he be overwhelmed by the forces of negativism and defeat in those around him.”

My soul, defying the gravitational pull of despair, began to soar again.

The point here is that God has given us strong minds. Almost everyone experiences fleeting thoughts of fear, malice, insufficiency and/or ideas that are incongruent with the bedrock principles that inform and guide our lives. Those thoughts are fleeting because they just don’t fit. Those that linger and become delusions or fantasies must be handled much more aggressively. 

They must be combatted, vigorously.

Reasoning and discussion will not suffice. Like weeds in a garden, those thoughts must be met with destructive intent. The emotional constructs that underlie our lusts and weaknesses must meet the wrecking balls of faith, conviction and submission. The deconstruction of sinful thoughts is combat. If there are survivors, they must become captors, prisoners of war. They must be confined, reeducated and redirected. We do this by our knowledge of Christ, His will and His word.

The fourth beacon of light God brought to my memory was 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV), “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” In preparation for those inevitably challenging moments, we must fill our memories with positivity, optimism and words of assurance.

Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the willingness to persevere with mission focus, even in the face of fear. Such as these examples from the Bible: Noah built a ship before it had ever rained. Moses faced the most formidable king and army of his era with a simple wooden staff. Joshua led his army with the bold assurance from God that he would not fail. David’s flaws and sins were evident to his entire kingdom, yet his humility and ultimate submission to God became his life plan and legacy. He was a man after God’s own heart. 

Whether you are a man, woman, boy or girl, you too can achieve, overcome, thrive and become legendary in your sphere of influence. A spark, a match, a flame, a flashlight or torch of faith and optimism can alter the flow of depression, negativity and self-doubt.

Please accept two more powerful cliches that helped me. Both are from Viktor Frankl, a survivor of the holocaust in Germany. In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, he said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves…Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”

You still have the power of choice. Choose life!

Let’s Pray:

Dear God,

Please bless the people reading these words today. Bless them with spiritual faith and fiber. Let Your Light shine into their darkness and cause their souls to soar, just like you did for me. If they are happy and already soaring, bless them with an opportunity to let the light that you have loaned to them, shine into someone else’s life.

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Choose Life” by Big Tent Revival. Listen to this song here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Chaplain Paul Anderson served for 20 years as a U.S. Navy Chaplain. Over 26 years of active duty, he was promoted through the ranks from Seaman Apprentice (E2) to his final rank as Commander (O5) in the Chaplain’s Corps.

Prior to his Naval career, Chaplain Anderson pastored in the Allegheny East and Potomac Conferences of Seventh-day Adventists. His undergraduate preparation for ministry was completed at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md.

He has subsequently earned four graduate degrees: a Master of Divinity from Andrews University in Michigan, a Master of Education in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland and a Masters of Sacred Theology in Religion and Culture from Boston University. His Doctor of Ministry degree was conferred by Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Chaplain Anderson also completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He also holds certifications in Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Civil Mediation, Alternative Workplace Dispute Resolution, Temperament Analysis, Marriage Enrichment, Workforce Diversity, and is a certified Life Coach.

You may connect with Chaplain Anderson via email at this address, psanderson75@gmail.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: A beautiful, true story that will never end

The Never-Ending Story
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”– Luke 2:10-11 (ESV)

Have you ever been so engrossed in a story that you couldn’t put it down?

I was so fascinated by a book once that, even at a slumber party, I stole time away in a corner to dive into its pages, gripped by an invisible thread entwined with wonder, discovery, and delight.

I couldn’t wait to know how the story would end. At its conclusion, I was flooded with a wave of glee. For days I had been enraptured, even marveled, at the vibrant setting, characters, romance, and adventure. I set the finished book down, and then, after a few moments back in my reality, I suddenly felt empty. Incomplete. The wonder and awe were gone. My delight disappeared. I felt unsatisfied. My spirit needed a story where wonder, discovery, and delight were never-ending.

People often prepare for the Christmas holidays with anticipation and wonder. Picking the perfect gift for friends and loved ones, then imagining them being opened with joy and excitement. We take time to purchase and carefully wrap these gifts, only for the paper and trimmings to be torn off within minutes on the celebratory morning. Wonder, discovery, and delight come and go like the wind. Toys are played with for a few days, then cast off for another distraction. The issue isn’t the attraction of things to us, it’s the lack of worth we find in them.

Like my book, their usefulness is short-lived. Any one thing can be cast off for another. Finish one book, you can pick up another.

Yet, our Christmas holiday is meant to be filled with so much more meaning than exchanging physical gifts. It is meant to be celebrated for the ultimate gift that is filled with holiness and wonder – the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He did not come wrapped in paper and bows or even wearing a crown but was born in a lowly stable in a small town. Born to the Virgin Mary, announced to a flock of shepherds by angels, and traveling kings offering gifts were led to Him by a star. What a spectacular beginning! It is a story that starts with wonder, leads to discovery, and continues to this day to bring delight to millions because it is the greatest story ever told.

The story of Jesus transcends time and place. It is as far-reaching as the north is from the south. It spreads joy, hope, love, peace, deliverance, and majesty. It increases faith and challenges humanity to love one another. It holds the answer to every prayer and the wisdom to face any challenge. It will not leave you empty, incomplete, or unsatisfied. In fact, it promises the more you read it, seek its truths, and grow closer to God with all your heart, you will find all your heart can desire or even imagine. No other story in history holds that much power.

So, while you may have selected the perfect gift to be opened to shouts and tears of joy or can’t wait to hunker down on a cold winter’s night with a good book, I hope on Christmas morning that you take time to open the pages to Jesus Christ’s never-ending story in the Bible book of Luke, and read it with your family, friends, and loved ones. I pray that as you read, you are met with great wonder, discovery, and delight. It is the only story that never stops giving and will last forever.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank You for sending us your son, Jesus who is the ultimate gift. We praise You and give thanks for all the wondrous and miraculous ways His story continues to connect and bless us. Thank You for Your Word that never stops giving and transcends time. We give You all the glory, honor, and praise. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: Handel: Messiah “For Unto Us a Child is Born” performed by The London Symphony Orchestra. Listen to it here: https://youtu.be/MS3vpAWW2Zc

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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.

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