In Time for the Holidays

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(Today I’m at fellow Living by Grace hostess Maria Morgan’s blog talking about my editing services, my writing, and my Jesus. Join me. šŸ™‚ )

Have you ever longed for one more hour in your day? One more day in your week? One more month before the holidays? šŸ˜‰ If so, perhaps you’re taking on responsibilities and tasks God never assigned to you. Last week, Chana Keefer encouraged us to keep first things first. (You can read her post here.) But how do we do that? How do we filter out all the gunk that crowds our day in order to bring us back in the center of God’s will?

This summer and fall, our move and some health issues forced me to do some major schedule-cleaning. At times, this has been hard, but remembering God’s in control and that His love is incomprehensible, never failing, helps. And as I prayerfully evaluate my schedule, it’s raised an important question: How much of my day is centered in God’s will? What activities come from selfish motivations or fear?

There’s only one way to know for sure, and that’s to bring everything–the big, the small, the mundane, and the exciting–before God, asking for guidance.

“What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,” says the Lord. “You make plans that are contrary to mine. YOu make alliances not directed by My Spirit, thus piling up your sins” (Isaiah 31:1 NLT).

In Isaiah 31, God is specifically chastising the people of Israel for forming an alliance with Egypt instead of looking to God for aid.

We may not be facing a military battle or fearful of a raid, but how often do we allow our fears–of rejection, of failure, of poverty or illness–crowd out the voice of God?

And what’s the result? Sorrow. Packing our schedule full of things that are not assigned by God leaves us depleted, discouraged, and sorrowful.

God says, “Only in returning to Me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15b NLT).

Only in returning to God–seeking Him out in each moment and courageously carving out those time-stealers that leave us ineffective. Confident that, if we follow whole-heartedly after God, He will work everything out.

I love this quote from Glynnis Whitwer from Proverbs 31 Ministries:

“The key to balance is seeking God’s will for me in this season, and not spending time on assignments meant for other people.”

(You can read her entire devotion titled One Cup Life here.)

Seeking God’s will in *every season,* whether you’re residing in the palace or the desert.

What about you? How many time-stealers have you allowed to creep into your day? How many of your obligations are based on a desire to please others? On fear of failure? Fear of the future, or fear of illness? Selfishness or pride? And is that time-stealer robbing you of experiencing God’s best?

Let’s talk about this.

Join us at Living by GraceĀ today as we talk about making God and the things of God first in our lives.

And make sure to come back to Living By Grace Friday and Saturday for a continuation of our in-depth look at the book of James.

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It’s almost a new year, and I hope you are one step closer to Christ, one suitcase lighter, with one less wound and one more giggle. Ultimately, I hope after reading my favorite blog posts for 2011, you walked away not merely entertained, but changed. Because honestly, if these posts only “tickle your ears” I’m wasting my time. For myself, I pray each time I write, I write first and foremost to myself, impressing the lessons God is showing me deep into my heart. Because if I am not growing, I am dying.

This has been a year of contrasts for me. I have seen some radical transformation in lives following whole-heartedly after Christ. I have seen extreme comfort brought to those in sorrow. But I have also seen hearts harden, relationships crumble, and darkness enshroud those who have wandered from Christ one slow step at a time. As I close out 2011, I am reminded of Casting Crowns’ song, “It’s a Slow Fade.” How we forget that! In 2012, may we all boast the opposite–not a slow fade into marital or family destruction, sin, or selfishness, but instead, a steady transformation to marital and spiritual intimacy and growth. Each day we have a choice, to draw near to God or drift from Him. There is no middle ground.

I want to thank all the authors who allowed me to repost their grace-filled words. Each one impacted me on a heart and spiritual level. I enjoyed seeing your favorites. (Please note, I did not count comments made by myself or the post’s author.)

And your favorites were:

#3, with 3 tweets, 5 FB shares, and 2 “likes”…. Julie Arduini with How Would You Handle it?

Here’s a snippet of her post: Our daughter is in general good health now but as a baby had chronic multiple issues. Since sheā€™s been 3 months old, weight is one of them. Weā€™ve been to a dietician and work with an endocronologist. We have seven plus years of files, appointments, therapies and oh yesā€¦the comments. (Read the rest here.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#2, with 1 tweet, 14 FB shares, and 1 “like”… Eileen Rife with Heart Murmurs.

I remember hearing the words, ā€œheart murmur,ā€ from our daughterā€™s pediatrician when she was a young child. An immediate alarm sounded in my head, quickly followed by the doctorā€™s reassurance. ā€œThese types of murmurs are typically benign and something the child grows out of. Weā€™ll keep a watch on it.ā€

True to his words, my daughter did grow out of it. The physical heart murmur, that is. But there was another type of heart murmur birthed in her by God that continues to grow to this day. (Read more here.)

 

 

And your FAVORITE post for 2011…

 

 

 

#1, with 8 tweets, 15 FB shares, and 2 “likes”… Jimmy Davis with Between a Rock and a Hard Place.

Yep, here I am again. In one of those ā€œrock and hard placeā€ seasons, wondering how to be refreshed in the desert. And then I was reminded today that God and I have had this discussion before. So here it is, from my old blog over three years ago. Reading this encouraged me to keep my eyes on Jesus, even and especially when Iā€™m feeling ā€œstuck.ā€ A good reminder during Holy Week. (Read the rest here.)

Congrats to all of our top three bloggers! And to my readers, thank you so much for your participation. I know all participating bloggers were encouraged.

Starting in January, I’m going to look at intentional living—in our homes, our marriages, at our work place, in our walk with Christ. Although I’m not really one to make New Years’ Resolutions, I do like the reminder to start again. As I’ve already mentioned, I’ve come to realize whenever I quit growing, I start dying. But to grow, I need to live intentionally. With determined focus, forgetting what is behind—my failings and shortcomings, goals I set but never reached—pressing toward what lies ahead. I hope you’ll join me!

And to all my blogging friends, if you’d like to help spur us on with some insight you believe God’s given you, check out my “Join Me” page for themes and details.

And to all, as you surf the web in 2012, if you find a post you think we’d love, shoot me an email. It might end up in my top 20 of 2012. šŸ™‚

Happy Thursday, all, and may your day be saturated by grace and spurred by love.

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How many times have we heard the phrase, “It’s not about you?” And while this is so true, reminding us that most often people respond based on their own thoughts, perceptions, and hurts, if you are a follower of Christ, you can’t rely on the “but that’s how I feel” crutch. Your call is to flip things–to fight the human tendency toward self-centeredness as you place others interest above your own. This means taking the time to look at people–truly look at them, evaluating your words not only in terms of what you are trying to say, but in how they might be perceived. As you read about the ancient prophet named Jonah, retold by Robin Prater from the Robin’s Nest, think of your own life. Does Christ’s love really dwell within you and flow through you, or are you too centered on self? Remember, it isn’t about you.

Sometimes we can’t see the writing in the sand until we are washed ashore by Robin Prater

Is is really all about us? How many times have you woke up bright and bushy-tailed only to have someone walk through the kitchen with a poor attitude? Then all of a sudden your smile parishes and now your attitude is like thick mud?
We often think more of ourselves than those around us. How do we know? It shows in our attitude. It shows in our actions. The sad accompaniment to our actions is that they rub off on those around us.
Look at Jonah. Yes, Jonah, the Prophet, the one called by God, who did what when called? He ran. He didn’t want anything to do with Nineveh. He hated the people of Nineveh. But God loved them and wanted them to repent. He wanted to see them worship Him instead of their gods. But Mr. Selfish himself said no to God. In his one action of saying, “No, God”, made the earth around him tremble.
When Jonah said no to God, he ran aboard a ship filled with men. Men who needed God, but what did they see? A man running from God. Jonah’s actions touched these men before him. As God caused the waters to roar, these sea-faring men were in fear of their life. These men lived on the sea. They had seen storms before. For them to be in fear, this must have been a monster.
They called upon their gods to save them and where is Jonah? Sleeping down below. He isn’t thinking of his God, the men aboard the ship, nor the people of Nineveh. How could he sleep in such peace? I have to ask myself the same question. At times there is so much going on around me and instead of being in prayer or reaching out to others, I high tail into my own little world and say, “Who cares. Let someone else take care of that.” This is exactly what Jonah did.
But what catches my eye is the fact that after these men find Jonah and cast lots, Jonah, tells them to throw him off ship. They don’t! Instead they try to row their way back to shore. These unsaved men, heathens as Jonah would have called them, had more regard for Jonah, than this man of God had for a whole city of people dying. How many of us have been aboard that same ship?
The storm didn’t calm so the men threw Jonah off the ship. The waters turned smooth and all is as it was before they ever saw the likes of Jonah. But everything changed for Jonah. He lands in the belly of a big fish and remains there for three days.
Jonah is spit out and he goes to the people in Nineveh. They repent. They see that there is a God and what does Jonah do? He gets angry with God for not punishing them.
The very grace that God showed Jonah was great, but the grace He Jonah felt the grace God showed to the people of Nineveh was unjustified. Did he really think he deserved God’s grace more than they did? Did he really think his sin wasn’t as big? How often to we judge those around us and find our sins to be small in comparison? Oh, I don’t have enough time to count the accusations I have made, the judgements and claims of, “Well, maybe they deserve to sit in their shame for a while”. How can we be so full of ourselves?
What I gain today is the fact that I need to see those very people around me, not through my eyes, but through God’s. I need to love those around me with His kind of love. When God calls me to speak, I need to speak. When He calls me to move I need to move on His behalf. There is always someone watching and waiting to say, “Hey, she isn’t a Christian. Look at her actions.” You know, to a point they are right. I am in no way perfect. I am a work in progress, just like Jonah. I fail and I fall hard. But I believe in a God who chooses to love me for me. I have faith in a God who washes me in His grace and covers me in forgiveness when I choose to walk a different way. He calls me back to Him just as He did Jonah.
Sometimes we can be slow learners. It took a ship, a storm, a big fish, a country of people, a plant and God’s sovereign love to show Jonah that life wasn’t about him, but all about God and His will for our lives.
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in time of honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.”
Romans 12:9-17
Lord, as You wash me with Your forgiving grace daily, help me to do the same to those around me. Guide me in the right path and set before me, Your will. Give me the wisdom I need to serve You in every way and the understanding when I cannot see the end in sight. May I love those around me with Your love. I want to be so focused on You that when You call I hear and I will answer according to Your will for my life. Help me to be a witness those around me and may my walk with You shine before all men bringing honor and glory to Your holy name.
Robin Prater blogs at the Robin’s Nest and reviews for numerous publishers. She is a sinner saved by grace who uses her words to glorify Christ and share His love with others. Visit her blog to find out more about her and her writing or shoot her an email at srprater(at)gmail(dot)com.
This concludes my top 20 of 2011! Remember, if you loved today’s post and want to see it make it to the top three, leave a comment, FB share it, “like’ it, or tweet it. Then come back (either tomorrow or Friday) when I reveal the top three, chosen by *you*!

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It’s the day after Christmas. Some will spend the day cherishing newly made memories. Others will nurse reopened wounds–wounds that tookĀ them by surprise when out of the blue, scar tissue ripped off, ushering in feelings buried deep within. And staring at the tinsel, the wrapping paper, the newly-opened gifts, they wonder if perhaps something’s wrong with them. Where’s their yuletide joy?Ā Their Christmas spirit?

There are as many reasons behind the holiday blues as there are those who suffer from it. Anxiety regarding financial problems, loss of loved ones, relationship difficulties, and the onset of colder, darker weather can all trigger a downward spiral. Add to that the expectations of holiday euphoria, and many are left with a tragic let-down.

Christ came that we may have abundant life–free of guilt, shame, anxiety, and bitterness. The promise is there, but we have to grab hold of it.

Having trouble finding the “joy, joy, joy, down in your heart”?

Maybe it’s buried beneath a hefty mound of baggage. Now that all your presents are unwrapped, perhaps it’s time to do some unpacking.

Join me on Internet Cafe Devotions as we talk about seemingly random behavior in light of our bulging suitcases.

(Read the article here.)

Then tomorrow come back as I post the last of my top 20 blog post finds for 2011.

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As I look around my house, wrapping paper strewn across the floor, packages lined on the shelves, and shopping lists still waiting to be fulfilled, a twinge of conviction nabs my heart. Each present, each tinsel, each afternoon shopping spree has the capacity to send our daughter a message–to train generosity or materialism. Each holiday celebration can either draw her heart further to Christ or center it more firmly around herself.

A while back I realized if I truly wanted to train compassion, I needed to pull her out of middle-class suberbiaĀ once in a while. It’s easy to long for X-boxes and other trinkets–to feel entitled and deprived–when you’re surrounded by friends who have those very items you lack. But surrounded by extreme poverty, by those who have little if anything to call their own, those wants begin to fade as something else rises in their place–compassion. Realizing this, my husband and I started to make determined efforts to place her in serving roles, around those who had far less than her. And we’ve noticed a definite change–less of the gimmes and a stronger desire to give.

What about you? What will you do to actively train compassion and contentment this year? Don’t buy into the lie that your children need oneĀ hundred gifts under theĀ tree. In fact,Ā those gifts youĀ fought for, stood in line for, scrimped and saved to give them, could very well do more harm than good.Ā Our children don’t need more cause to think of themselves, but instead, encouragement to look beyond and into the hearts of others.Ā Ā 

As parents, may we remember our greatest call is to train not the next CEO but instead, a fully-devoted follower of Christ. With each activity we plan and conversation we initiate, may the lofty call outlined in Philipians 2:1-8 burn fresh in our minds as we remember this call is not for us alone, but for our children as well.

1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Ā 5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Ā 6 Who, being in very natureGod,
Ā Ā Ā did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
Ā Ā Ā by taking the very natureof a servant,
Ā Ā Ā being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
Ā Ā Ā he humbled himself
Ā Ā Ā by becoming obedient to deathā€”
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā even death on a cross!

Lord, this Christmas remove materialism from my heart and home. Remind me to demonstrate it’s true meaning in how I spend my time, the things I buy, and the words I say. Prevent me from spreading the cancer of materialism into the lives of others and may I instead encourage radical obedience and full surrender.

Join us at Living by Grace as we talk about ways to show our children the true meaning of Christmas.

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You might remember my post a while back about doing what we love, whatever that is, for the glory of God. There are countless ways we can do that, but today I want to highlight an author who’s reaching an audience near and dear to my heart–teenagers. This morning Shellie Neumeier, author of Driven, sent an email through the ACFW writer’s loop and I asked her if I could share it here. (And if you know anything about author royalties, you’ll understand that a dollar per book is a hefty chunk! Way to go, Shellie!)

Young Adult Novel Driven Helps Fund the Edge

Shellie: I love Sunday mornings, but before I dive into mine, I wanted to let you know about a special place that’s near and dear to my heart. A few years ago, a small church decided to ask their community how they could serve them. This community had been hit hard by the economy. So hard, that the busing to the local high school had been stopped and many of the lower grades were left without busing, too. BUT in many cases both parents needed to work, so how were parents to pick up their children from school (the ones who were too old for daycare)? What were the teens to do for the hours before their parents came home?

In answer to that need, Wellspring Community Church decided to open a teen center. The Edge soon found itself filled to the brim and within two years, serves to feed and provide for more than 100 teens every afternoon (yup, that’s 100 teens every day…imagine the amount of food they go through:D). Volunteers come to serve the snack bar, mix with the kids, and just love on them. Most volunteers are local youth leaders, some are fantastic parents, and others just have some time to spare and want to serve. There are small groups and classes. I get toĀ  teach a writing class there once a week and these kids are so grateful! I wish I could do more. That’s when it hit me…

During the next two months (until Jan. 31, 2012), for every paperback copy of DRIVEN sold $1 will be given to The Edge so they can continue to support and serve these kids. DRIVEN can be found on Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble. com (those are probably the easiest sites to pick it up at). At amazon, the PB is only $6.01. If you decide to pick up a copy as a gift for a teen or just for yourself, first Thank You! and second, please send me a note letting me know where you picked up the book, the price it sold for, and when it was purchased (so I can keep track of the monies to be sent to The Edge).

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A while back, after one particularly crabby day, my daughter looked at me and said, ā€œYou forgot to pray today, didnā€™t you?ā€

Standing in our kitchen, schooled by a child, I realized how much truth she packed in that statement. Amidst the hustle and bustle of my day, Iā€™d inadvertently left God out of the equation, and it showed. The peace that surpassed understanding? Forgot to grab hold of it. The strength made perfect in weakness? Missed that one, too. By neglecting to connect with my Power-source, Iā€™d trudged through my day ill-equipped and overwhelmed.Ā 

Our ā€œpick yourself up by your bootstrapsā€ generation tells us to work harder, strive longer, grit your teeth and get it done, but God flips that. He says, ā€œSlow down and come to me, and let me guide you through lifeā€™s hurdles.ā€ God never intended for us to walk through life alone. Heā€™s always there, watching, ready to help us move from stress to peace and fear to victory. All we need to do is abide. Heā€™ll take care of the rest.

The 19th century theologian, E.M. Bounds, said, “The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day.”

Fritters away the morning. When I neglect my prayer time, thatā€™s what I do. Run around, expending a large amount of energy, accomplishing little. And yet, when I take the time to pause and connect with God, He stills my heart, fills me with truth and clarity, and helps me navigate through the chaos of my day.

Iā€™ve learned when it comes to my relationship with God, the age-old phrase, ā€œItā€™s about quality, not quantifyā€ rings true. As a mom, most days I donā€™t have the time to lock myself in a prayer closet, but I do have snippets of time sprinkled throughout my day that can be grabbed and cherished. Itā€™s about recognizing and catching those continual God-moments.

Most often, itā€™s a mind-set, a realization that Godā€™s there, ever-present. Itā€™s about inviting God to do life with me, whether Iā€™m cleaning toilets or singing praises. Because Iā€™m easily distracted by the here and now, I often use little reminders to help me pause and focus on God.

I tape notes on my steering wheel with a verse or a prayer request. This turns the countless minutes spent waiting at stoplights into cherished God-moments that add peace to the rest of my day.

I set reminders on my phone. When the alarm chimes, I pause for a minute or two to talk to God or remember a verse from my morning Bible reading.

I tape a challenge or ā€œlife-changeā€ verse on the inside of our door so that I can pause to commit my day to God each time I leave the house.

I ask God for help turning my day over to Him, clinging to the promise of James 4:8 which says, ā€œDraw near to God and He will draw near to you.ā€ This reminds me that God is always there, whether I feel His presence or not.

And finally, I toss out all-or-nothing thinking that tells me prayer must be formal to be effective. When thinking of my relationship with God, Iā€™m often reminded of my marriage. It doesnā€™t take much for my heart to connect with my husband. On his days off, I enjoy just having him around, whether we are talking or co-existing. Itā€™s about doing life together and knowing weā€™re united.

I believe our spiritual walk can be strengthened if we view it in the same way. God loves it when we carve out time in our busy day to rest at His feet, but He longs for more. He wants to be a part of our entire day. Heā€™s already there, watching us, loving us. The goal, then, is to recognize His presence, grab hold of it, and cherish it.

What about you? How do you find–make–time for God amidst your busy day? Notice a difference when you do? Join us at Living by Grace as we talk about how to grab hold of those God moments.

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When our daughterĀ was young, I was the “Mommy-and-Me-Jamboree” addict. I cherished every moment–every giggle, every storytime, every craft activity. And I loved to turn everything into a party. Why craft alone when I could invite the mom’s club to join us? Why play tea without making it a tea party? (That was the cutest event ever!) Birthday parties?Ā Planned, themed, decorated to the hilt and packed with games.Ā All to see my daughter’s face light up and her eyesĀ squinch upĀ behind a cheeky smile–priceless. Ā 

Then one day it hit me. What if I started throwing parties for God? Meaning, what if I found a way to do what I loved, organizing fun and creative events, to reach others and build up the body of Christ? A short time later, I launchedĀ a “Family Ministry”.

Our first event was a skating party. Next, a scavenger hunt at a local trail, followed a month later by a pizza pool party. Yep, it was a blast!

Last week I taught my Sunday school class what it means to do everything for the glory of God and I challenged them to think about those things they love to do. Often we think serving is something we have to do, and we don’t really think in terms of those things we love to do. But I believe God is glorified when we’re on fire, not burned out. When you’re doing what you love, no one has to nudge or guilt you into doing it. The act of service bubbles out of who you are.

Let me give an example. There’s a woman at our church who loves to bake and shop. Not unusual, I know, and upon first glance, we might assume these actions are trivial. But she found a way to flip them–to use them for God’s glory. Our church has formed a relationship with an orphanage in El Salvador and this year, we want to buy Christmas gifts for all the girls. (If you want to help donate to our ongoing orphan ministry, shoot me an email at jenniferaslattery(at)gmail(dot)com) So what did my dear sister in Christ do? She baked cinnamon roles and sold them to co-workers as a way to help fund this endeavor. Then, she perused the stores, using her $10 and 50% off coupons to stretch each dollar.

*As a side note–if you live in the Midwest and are looking for something romantic to do this Christmas, join us for a charity dinner at the Gladstone Community Center in Gladstone Missouri from 6-10pm on Dec. 17th and help bring hope to El Salvadoran orphans. Make a weekend of it and stay at the Plaza. Shoot me an email for more info.

I know another woman who loves to craft. Today, she runs Christ’s Kitchen, an organization that teaches homeless and impoverished women to make craft items and soup mixes, which sell in various stores throughout Washington State. Others who love to knit make scarves for the homeless and our service men. Some sew quilts. Others coach sports teams, host youth game nights, and women’s luncheons.

It really isn’t about what you do, but about using what you do–whatever you do–to bring glory to God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (NIV)

Love this song! (And the video’s hilarious!) Sweeping up Cheerios, flipping burgers, wiping snotty noses, speaking in front of an audience of 10,000–God sees it all the same as long as everything you do is done for God’s glory.

What about you? what do you love to do and how can you do what you love to bring God glory? Join us at Living by Grace as we talk about how to live the ultimate adventure by doing everything we do for God’s glory.

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Hopefully all my subscribers have enjoyed having a week of Slattery-free blog post updates. grin. I was going to wait to post the top three of 2010 until tomorrow, but I realized I need to kick off my plans for January…

So what were your favorite devos of my top twenty? In my opinion, all the devos were awesome and drew our hearts closer to God in continual surrender. However, there were three that appeared to strike a heart-chord with you all.

By far, Edie Melson’s God’s Timing is Always Perfect, was your top choice. Apparently we all struggle with patience and faith, trusting that God is still working even when things don’t go according to our plan or timetable. You might want to read her post again, then spend some time reading through Genesis 37-45. God revealed His plan to Joseph when he was seventeen, but for decades, circumstances appeared to negate the vision he had received. He was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, taken into a strange land, thrown into prison. Could all that really be part of God’s plan? Had he heard correctly? Had God changed His mind? Not at all. God was working the entire time, molding Joseph into the man He created him to be.

Your second favorite happened to be one of my favorites as well, primarily because of the little God-moment application God gave me the night before. Who would have thought God would use taxes of all things to share His love? Thanks Gail for reminding us all of our need to be magnetic. May God’s light shine so brightly within us that no matter where we go, no matter what we do, the people we come into contact with catch a hug from God. Read her post again, Oh, To Be Magnetic, and ask God to fill you so completely with His Holy Spirit, His love pours out unhindered.

Your third favorite was Sheila Holinghead’s A Glimpse of Beauty. Let each day, each moment, each moonlit stroll and early morning sunrise be an opportunity to discover afresh the beauty of our Creator.

Join me tomorrow as I prepare for the New Year and the series God’s laid on my heart.