This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. -Matthew 1:18a Jesus birth story is truly epic.  So epic that you don’t need me to retell it because it’s the most famous birth story ever told. Stories are one of the most important elements of the human experience because they “emotionalize information.” It’s one thing to say that “God became a man.”  It’s another thing to tell the Christmas story. I could say, “God loves you” or I could tell you the story of God becoming a person, like you. The Christmas story is intended to touch us at a

I am a longing soul, and I just adore the advent season.  It’s like it gives me permission to bring to mind and even conversation what seems so real to me most of the time.  The state of things are in no way the way they are supposed to be.  In my own little world, I encounter many sorrows, and when I begin adding them up with the friends and family and stories I know, it can leave me in a jumble of confusion and sadness.  Indeed, we have been cursed.  Indeed, sin spoils and ravages the glory and

I knew of a woman who named her daughter, “Peace.” Can you imagine hearing your parents say, “I love you, Peace."? What an impact this would have on one’s soul! I’ve been struck over and over again this Advent Season by the word and concept of “Peace.”  It keeps showing up everywhere. I’ve heard it in different songs, read it in different Scripture verses, Christmas cards, and even saw the word on a large sign on the  the side of the road where 2 people were advocating for “Peace”. In listening to Handel’s Messiah during this season, 2 of

In this season of advent, we are called to wait expectantly.  If you’re at all like me, waiting does not come easy.  I try to be patient, and I know patience is an evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, but this is something I constantly work on.  The wonderful thing about this season of Advent is that the “waiting” we are called to isn’t a “grind it out” kind of waiting.  It’s more like we’re called to remember what it was like when we were little children, anticipating Christmas morning.  This sort of waiting wasn’t a chore or a burden for me

“Today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11   The coming of our Savior is God’s glorious expression of grace. Our Savior is a gift, a holy and drenched with love gift. This gift is not something we conjure up, strategically initiate, or purposefully pull off. We really had nothing to do with this gift, except of course providing a critical reason why a Savior needed to come in the first place; to save us from our sin, or if you will, to save us from our narrowly boxed-in addictions to ourselves. Our Savior’s coming is all grace and all gift. The prophet’s foretelling, the angel’s announcements, old Zechariah and his

I love the song, ‘Mary Did You know’ and the beautiful message it brings. Rich and I have six children, three sons-in-law, soon to be daughter-in-law-and eight grandchildren.  There was great excitement in the coming of these family members and the hope and anticipation we had for each of them.  I like to imagine that our parents had the same feelings for us. The song leads me to imagine how Mary felt as she waited and hoped with anticipation for the birth of her baby that would be Immanuel.  Immanuel meaning God with us.  The song reflects the Prophets’

I am sitting in the Seattle airport, waiting for my flight to Dallas and then to home in Chattanooga. It has been a quick trip. I arrived here yesterday. It has been a sad trip. I came for a Memorial Service of a pastor whose wife and four children will now be living their lives without him. It has been a difficult trip. I am struggling over the fact that he took his life. But it has also been a grounding trip. I’ve experienced the Good News of life in and with Christ in a more profound way. At

A couple of months ago my friend Owen generously gave me a new personal planner (thanks Owen!).  It’s not just any personal planner, it’s an EVO planner (I’m an Explorer – find your brain type here).  My new planner has many wonderful features, but one of my favorite features is that each day the “flow” begins with gratitude.  EVO’s amazing research on productivity and brain types concluded that all humans (no matter brain type) are happier and more productive when they practice the daily discipline of expressing gratitude...not a surprise for most of you, I’m sure. Having the daily prompt (at least

Thanksgiving has always been a very special week of blessing for me. For as long as I can remember, it was a time of gatherings for our immediate family, i.e. my parents, 3 brothers and me and our extended family which included our grandparents and friends. After Jim and I married, our celebrations of the season expanded to his family as well. Delicious food, fun games, and engaging conversation with rippling sounds of laughter (and sometimes tears) were all ways of celebrating that we  were all together again!  We all looked forward to it with great anticipation....and we still

I once heard Rich say to me about a difficult relationship, “What can you show gratitude for?”  ‘I don’t have any gratitude for them’ I responded!  Rich didn’t like that answer. Not every relationship or situation in our lives leaves us being grateful.  Nevertheless, the Apostle Paul encourages us to be thankful in all things.  How in the world is that possible?  Simply put, I may not be thankful for some people or circumstances, but I can be thankful that God is present in me, with me and for me! Gratitude becomes a passageway for the very heart of