Let’s look at the response of Mary, the shepherds and the 3 Magi (Wisemen) to the birth of Jesus and then look at our own response as we have celebrated His birth. When the angel said to Mary, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a [...]
I have been thinking during this Christmas season about Mary, the mother of Jesus. When the angel gave Mary an assignment with which she was overwhelmed, she told Mary ”For nothing is impossible with God.” Mary answered, “I am your servant, may it be to me as you have said.” God has [...]
As I was looking at the forlorn misshapen tree standing in the snow on the cover of a book I was reading last week, I was reminded of the Christmas tree we had at my house when I was a child. When I was six years old, my parents did not have much money to spend at Christmas. In order for my parents [...]
To satisfy my curiosity, I grabbed a dictionary and thesaurus from my shelf. The American Heritage Dictionary defines intentional as “done deliberately.” The Oxford American Thesaurus list the words—purposeful, deliberate, conscious, studied and preplanned—as synonyms. I considered the [...]
Discover their God-given gifts and talents. Develop a sense of satisfaction and enjoyment using their skills. Be motivated, disciplined, and challenged in their learning experiences. Treat others with respect. Stand firm for what is right and refuse the wrong with a positive attitude. Choose [...]
Do you know someone in the military from your family, church or community you can pray for by name? Ask God how he would have you support those in the military and their families. When we support their spouses and children, with our prayers and kindness, we are supporting our troops and honoring [...]
As I was thinking about Halloween coming up at the end of this month, I started thinking of jack-o-lanterns, costumes, masks, etc. Children always have a good time deciding who they are going to be and what they will wear as they go trick or treating and of course eating their treats. It reminded [...]
Teenager—desperate for a place to belong—walks awkwardly along the fringe, trying to keep in step with a group of wayward peers. Weeks pass, and his awkwardness disappears. Soon he is found standing in the way of sinners, counted as part of the crowd. He’ll eventually sit in the company of [...]
Dear Father, I pray that: (Insert your child’s name) Peace ________ will not worry about anything, but pray about everything. Philippians 4:6 Protection from the Enemy ________ will be alert and watch out for the temptations from the enemy, standing firm in his/her faith. I Peter 5:8, 9 [...]
A friend of mine recently spent the weekend with some of her children and her grandchildren. She says, “It was shocking to see how fast my four grandchildren are growing up and the challenges they are facing. It gave me much stimulus for thought and prayer and I am experiencing a lot of [...]