Luke 2:39-40 The Return to Nazareth

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ, The last Wednesday of 2022 and what to share with you today. And with that comes another tradition recapping the year's events and beginning to think about the new year and making resolutions (goals). We have celebrated the birth of Christ and/or celebrated the Christmas season and now it is time to take down the decorations and think about the coming year. I chose Luke 2:39-40, "And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him." We have performed everything according to the Law of the Lord and now it is time to return to our Galilee. Yes we have a Galilee, it is where you life and work and have a life and now that we know who Jesus is and once again remember the reason why we are alive and able to return to our home let us focus on Him and may the favor of the Lord be upon us for we are born of the spirit and our new year's resolutions and our days forward will be adventurous for they have already been planned and purposed by the Creator of ALL things. I was watching a program about fishing last night, yes, my husband had it on so I was also kind of watching, well at the end of the show the narrator was sitting at a table and on that table was a bible - he gave thanks to the God of creation and read Genesis 1:1 and then proceeded to say, "I can't understand why some people can look at the things around them and think it was caused by... (basically the big bang theory). He went on to say, "It is simple and then he said, "why can't they get it", and looking directly into the camera he said, "Duh,". I laughed and then I had a thought, yes, Lord, along with the "Wow" moments in my life I want to have some, "Duh" moments in my life. Yes, the celebration, the gift giving, the anticipation of gathering together with family, and the time and labor spent in the preparation is now over and we must return to our home. But... I love the way the LORD always has a "but". Let up pray - Abba Father, our Creator and Father, thank You that Your favor is upon us and may we also continue to grow in Faith and become strong is our Faith and be filled with the wisdom from above and walk confidently knowing that Your Favor is upon us. In Jesus Name, Amen. Blessings,

LyndiaSue

Beginning Your Day - Isaiah 55:8-9

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ, It is officially the first day of winter - the day is the shortest and the night is the longest. And even though the day is short and the night is long it is only twenty-four hours, just the same as every other day. As you begin this shorter day and longer night with things that you have planned and thoughts of things to do or not do, pause for a moment before you begin and hear these words, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Yes, all of our thinking and ways are tiny in comparison to our LORD's. The birth of Jesus Christ was thoughts and ways that only God, our Creator, had already completed . They were completed on the seventh day when God Rested. Some say it is fate or destiny to try and define it but to me it is a miracle! A miracle that happens everyday as we wake up and ends as we fall asleep and that is a miracle in itself. For those who have insomnia you know what I mean, because it is so hard to sleep and you would give anything to be able to just close your eyes and sleep. Your very breath is from the LORD and when a person has problems breathing it is also a struggle so indeed it is a miracle. There are so many explanations for different miracles but the only truth is that God created and God planned and purposed our days whether the day is short and the night long and vice versa. As we await the miracle birth of Jesus, may we Trust that the miracle that happened so long ago is still happening in our lives each and every day. Let us pray - Abba Father, Thank You for Your thoughts and Your ways, O Lord, I pray that each dear and precious sister-in-Christ would TRUST and REST in Your thoughts and ways being higher than theirs. Lord as we come closer to the miracle of Christmas may we step into Your Presence and rejoice. In Jesus Name, Amen. Embracing the Miracles,

LyndiaSue

What's Love Got To Do With It

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ, Imagine you have received a call from a dear friend that she is on her way to the hospital because her daughter has been assaulted and as you are trying to comprehend what is being said, your response is, "I'm coming!" When you arrive at the hospital you know where to go because you have been there many times before. Sure enough she is there in the waiting room sitting in the exact same chair that you sat in several months ago. The waiting room in the hospital can be such a lonely place and at the same time a comforting place. The chairs, the pictures, and even the room itself is somehow cushioned from the outside sounds. You approach your friend and sit next to her. Since you have been here before and know your friend so well just touching her arm in silence is enough of a comfort. Many of us are in the waiting room - waiting to hear from the doctor, waiting to see what will happen next, waiting to be able to see your loved ones. The waiting room where thoughts and memories arise in our mind, where the "what ifs" in our lives seem to be out of control. The days and weeks leading up to Christmas is like being in the waiting room. We who are called who love the LORD already know the end, but for those who are still in darkness who see the waiting room as a place where their worst fears may be confirmed at any moment can be unbearable. So what's love got to do with it? Everything and even more than everything!. Our Abba Father prepared us and to quote Isaiah 26:12, "O LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works." Definition of ordained, "order or degree (something) officially; prescribe, determine." Dear and precious sisters-in-Christ let us pray - Abba Father, All and Everything in our lives LORD we praise You. LORD thank you that you have ordained peace for us from the very beginning of time until the end of our days and thank you that You have done for us all our works. Lord Your Love has everything to do with it... . Lord as we sit in the waiting room of our lives and maybe in the lives of others may we "be still and know that you are God" and that nothing is impossible with You. In Jesus Name, Amen. In the waiting room,

LyndiaSue

Focusing on Christmas

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ, Already 7 days into the month of December, and finally it is a Wednesday morning. I have been busy these past seven days because each place that I frequent is now decorated or being decorated with Christmas decor. There are trees of various sizes decorated up with so many things and there are wreaths hanging on every door or entry way. And of course the Christmas music playing is an added delight. The glitter, the glow, the colors, and the music filling up my senses. What are your favorite colors and tunes and decorations that bring joy to your heart? If you are someone who likes things to be quieter this may be something that you want to avoid at all costs. The clamor of the noises and images all at once can be so distracting but if you are able to tune out the background noises and find something to focus on, what is the reality of the month of December, then His voice in the midst of the clamor and His Presence in the midst of the glitter and glow and His Fragrance in the midst of all the other fragrances masking Him will appear. There is a beauty like none other and a fragrance like none other and a silence like none other as you focus on Christmas. Let us pray - Abba Father, Praise and Glory to You our heavenly Father. Lord I pray that as we prepare for the celebration of the birth of Christ that each day be filled with Your Voice, Your Beauty, Your Fragrance and Your Presence. And may each dear and precious sister-in-Christ be blessed as she flits and flutters in the mayhem of the world and yet her heart is focusing on the birth of Your Son (Christmas). In Jesus Name, Amen. Focusing on Christmas,

LyndiaSue