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Advent, Articles, Blog Series, Christian Living, Devotionals

Longing For Christ – Hope

I have been waiting for this season for months. It is my favorite time of year. No matter what is going on in life, I am always extra hopeful during this season.

Today marks the beginning of Advent and I look forward to celebrating and focusing my area of study on the anticipation and birth of Christ. Advent means “coming,” as in “Christ is coming.” It represents the expectation, anticipation, and preparation of the birth of Jesus. Jesus was born as fully God and fully man, and even as the King of the world, He was born in a lowly manger to identify with us. He came for us so that we may have the hope of Eternal life, and to live and reign in our hearts.

His coming fulfills the Old Testament prophecies such as the one fromJeremiah 33:14-16. It states, “The days are coming, ’declares the LORD, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior.’”

Lately as I have dwelled upon the hope of Christ, I immediately think of the words from the famous Christmas hymn, “Oh Holy Night.” “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.” This year has been a weary one so it does my soul good to read and study about this blessed hope. I long for Christ and need His hope today more than ever before. I’ve always been a very hopeful person but that hope has been challenged as my world has been turned upside down from health problems the past couple of years.

I am Type A by nature and have always had a plan or something to hope for in the future. However, that has changed — that is, changed in the way the world so often views hope. For example, I no longer have the hope of a job to return to, the hope of continuing education, or the hope of a marriage, and the list could go on and on. Even though none of these earthly hopes are present in a my life, I have the Heavenly Hope that comes from Jesus. He is enough. He is my healer, provider, husband, sustainer, and the lover of my soul.

Jesus is my greatest hope and that will never change no matter what comes my way. He is the only hope I need, and turns my darkness into light and brings comfort to my weary soul.

I am so grateful for this gift of hope, and I pray that you will cling to it no matter what circumstances you find yourself in today. Thanks for joining me on this Advent journey and be sure to read the blog next week as I write about peace.

To find all the post in this series viset here.

Advent, Books, Reading

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Book Review

About the Book:

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Abingdon, October 2016)

Celebrate 31 days of a Christ-filled Christmas season.

For Christians worldwide, the month of December is filled with joy and wonder as we anticipate the celebration of Christ’s birth. There is no other time of the year that can compare to the Christmas season for both the young and young at heart.

From December to New Year’s Eve, reawaken the wonder, joy, and magic that is Christmas with daily scripture and inspirational readings of stories behind popular Christmas traditions, carols and movies. Enjoy a wealth of fun activities to help make the most of the season, including heartwarming holiday recipes and homemade gift ideas.

With this soon-to-be-cherished holiday devotional, best-selling author Ace Collins will capture your imagination and help to make each day of December more memorable and meaningful to you, and those you love, by shining a light on the real spirit of the season.

Purchase a copy: https://bit.ly/2frWQG8

My Thoughts:

Over the past couple of years I have done an Advent study throughout the Holiday season. I had been trying to narrow down my options for this year, but then received this in the mail and looked no further. This is a great devotional for Advent and is great for the entire family. Collins writes a devotional for each day starting on a December 1, and ending on December 31. Each day has a Scripture readings as well as different stories from the Christmss season. Thus little book is full of joy and I’m glad to be participating in this devotional celebrating the birth of our Savior.

I was given a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group.

About the Author:

Ace Collins defines himself as a storyteller. He has authored more than sixty books that have sold more than 2.5 million copies. His catalog includes novels, biographies, children’s works as well as books on history, culture and faith. He has also been the featured speaker at the National Archives Distinguished Lecture Series, hosted a network television special and does college basketball play-by-play. Ace lives in Arkansas.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Advent, Articles, Holidays

Anticipating Christ: Love

^“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ~John 3:16

Love. Love represents everything God is and 1 John reminds us of that for it says that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). God loved us so much that He sacrificed his one and only son Jesus Christ on the cross to pay for our sins. It all started with a loving God, an obedient teenage girl named Mary, and a baby born in a manger. This is a gift that we could never repay. However, in return God wants our heart. Our whole heart. He wants us to die to self, live for Him, and according to His Word. Luke 1o:27 commands us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.”

As theologian Jeremy Taylor states, “Love is the greatest thing God can give us, for himself is love, and love is the greatest thing we can give to God, for it will also give ourselves. . . . The apostle calls love the bond of perfection. It is the old, and it is the new, and it is the great commandment, and it is all the commandments, for it is the fulfilling of the law.”

No matter who you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done — God is always ready for you to come to Him and receive His love and forgiveness. He is always there ready for us to come to Him. Only His perfect love will give the ultimate fulfillment we long for on this earth. Spouses, family, and friends may love us greatly, but Jesus’ love is the only love that will never fail in this life. As we fully accept the love of Christ, we are able to love others as the Bible commands and be the people God desires us to be.

As Christmas approaches the central focus should be on the birth of Christ and the love that He represents. It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and lose sight of what the season is all about.

Christmas is not about me. Christmas is not about you. Christmas is not about presents or food. Christmas is about the Eternal love that was born in a manger to bring hope to the hopeless, peace to the restless, joy to the grieving, and love to the lost and hurting. It is a time to truly celebrate this baby who became our Savior, and praise Him for all He has done and will continue to do.

If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed this week, or if the holidays are a sad and lonely time for you please take a moment to remember that you are not alone. God’s love for you surpasses anything that you could ever imagine and the love of Christ is the greatest gift He has ever given so accept that love and a peace and joy that is unexplainable will fill your soul. Also, spend some time today doing something nice for someone else, and spend time encouraging them with the love of God because you never know how your act of kindness will impact their Christmas.

Erin will be posting her blog soon and you won’t want to miss it. I will put the link here once it is posted.

To view all posts in this series visit here.

Advent, Holidays

Anticipating Christ: Joy

“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

Joy. The Bible calls us to have joy every single day. Philippians 4:4 says to rejoice always. Even when we do not feel like it we are supposed to rejoice. That sounds good until you are going through a really hard season and then it just plain rough.

I have found myself during many sleepless nights saying “But God my health is terrible can’t you have a little sympathy? I don’t feel like rejoicing right now. What is joyful in this?” Some others may be saying, “but God my job is so hard and this is not at all where I thought I would be right now in my life. I am miserable and don’t know what my purpose is. When will one of my dreams finally come true?” Or “but God married life is not what I thought it would be. What happened to living happily ever after? I just don’t love him anymore or feel loved. And lastly, “but God I am in my 30s and STILL single. I have dreamed of being married for years and being a helpmate to someone. When will it be my turn already? ”

All of these scenarios many have experienced, and none of these make it easy to have joy, and are even worse during the holidays. How can we rejoice at Christmas when life is in shambles? This past week I was diagnosed with hand, foot, and mouth virus, a bladder infection, and a bacterial infection. This is not at all how I wanted to spend my days leading up to Christmas. After the year I have had I wanted a bit of a break.

However, that is when God so gently reminded me yet again that —

Joy is not defined by the circumstances of life. Joy is simply Jesus. Joy is found in the tiny baby who was born in a manger. Joy is found in the one who lowered himself to be a servant and washed the disciples feet. Joy is found in Him who performed many miracles. Joy is found in the man who died on the cross and in the Savior who rose again. Joy is found in Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

When I take the focus off myself and put it on the Lord my circumstances suddenly feel lighter. As we focus on the greatness of Jesus and what He has done for us — our circumstances will not always change, but our perspective towards them will. Then, a great joy that we didn’t think was possible will fill our hearts and minds. Also, along with that joy the Lord will give His strength to help us walk the hard roads in a way that is honoring to Him.

As Christmas week is approaching take time to dwell on the only one who can make your joy complete.

Erin also recently wrote an amazing post on joy over on her blog. Read it here and be encouraged!

To read all posts in this series visit here.

Advent, Articles

Anticipating Christ: Peace

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” ~Isaiah 9:6

Happy Sunday, my friends! I am late in getting this advent post up because I have literally been in bed sick with cold/flu as well as a bladder infection since last Monday. I am heading to the doctor tomorrow, but I am just now able to see through the fog a bit.

One of my favorite descriptions of Christ that we hear often during the holiday season is “Prince of Peace.” Jesus is the author of peace and gave His life on the cross and rose again so that we could experience His peace for eternity. What an amazing gift! Certain seasons of life can weigh you down, and everything around you can be a chaotic mess, but that is when God’s peace shines through the most.

Throughout my life I have read the phrase — “Peace beyond my understanding” that comes from Philippians 4 numerous times, but over the past year I have truly understood that statement. Especially in the last few months. This past year has been the hardest of my entire life. I feel like everything that I once knew has been stripped away. My health. My home. My job. Even my friendships have changed. I feel like nothing has remained the same — except for Jesus.

A couple of years ago I listened to a talk from Naghmeh Abedini. Her husband Saeed is currently imprisoned in Iran because of his Christian faith, while Naghmeh and her kids are back in the States praying continually for his return. In her talk, Naghmeh mentioned that the only way she is getting through each day is the overwhelming peace that is beyond her understanding, and how that can only be from the Lord. I now am also experiencing that exact same peace in my life, and it is a miracle from God. Some of my hardest days have been some of my sweetest times with Jesus. In the hardest season of my life, I am more at peace than I have ever been, and there is no other place I would rather be.

During this Christmas season, I am thanking God each day for His son Jesus who was born to give peace to us all! Make room for Christ in your life this week, and allow His peace to fill your heart and soul.

Erin wrote an awesome post on peace earlier this week on her blog so be sure to check that out here.

Also, check back here soon for the next post in the series.

To view all posts in this series visit here.

Advent, Articles

Anticipating Christ: Hope

Today marks the beginning of advent and I am thrilled to be writing a blog series during this season along with my friend Erin. Leading up to Christmas we will both be writing a new post each week focusing on the themes of advent which include: hope, joy, peace and love.

When I think of Christ, I automatically think of the word hope, and His hope could not be any more evident than at Christmas time. Merriam Webster’s Dictonary defines hope as: “to cherish a desire with anticipation, or to “expect with confidence.” Advent is a perfect example of this type of hope, and the ultimate hope that we have in life that comes from Christ.

Advent means “coming,” as in “Christ is coming.” It represents the expectation, anticipation, and preparation of the birth of Jesus. Jesus was born as fully God and fully man, and as the King of Kings was born in a lowly manger to identify with us. He came for us so that we may have the hope of Eternal life, and to live and reign in our hearts. His coming fulfills the Old Testament prophecies such as Jeremiah 33:14-16 which states, “The days are coming, ’declares the LORD, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior.’”

This hope is also mentioned in Romans 15:12-13 — “And again, Isaiah says, The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

This year more than ever in my life, I am thankful for the hope that comes from the Lord. 2015 would have been filled with many hopeless days had it not been for the hope that I have found in Jesus. I have dealt with a lot of health problems, and there have been many days this year where to the world all hope would have seemed lost, but no matter what circumstances I face in this life, I will ALWAYS have hope because of the Savior. That truth has got me through many hard days, and I pray if you are facing an overwhelming situation or if life seems too much to bear that you dwell on the hope that Jesus gives.

The holidays can be a busy time filled with lots of fun and celebrations, or for some a time that is overwhelming or a sad reminder of what they do not have. However, it is so easy to lose focus of who should receive our utmost attention during the season. My prayer for this Christmas is that we would make room for the Savior in our lives and give Him the honor that He deserves.

Be sure to also check out Erin’s post here.

To view more posts in the Advent Series visit here.

Advent, Articles

Anticipating Christ

Happy Day after Thanksgiving (aka – Black Friday)! I hope your day yesterday was filled with lots of fun, food, and family time. While many of you are currently out shopping looking for the sales, I have decided not to fight the crowd and stay home in pjs, watch Christmas movies, and do all of my shopping online. There is nothing that I want bad enough to fight the frenzy that is happening today so instead I am enjoying a lazy morning and currently listening to one of my favorite Christmas albums by Matt Wertz. If you are a Christmas music lover like me, you must check it out. Download it here.

Anyways, on to more important topics and the real reason for the season. With the start of the Christmas season comes Advent, and I am excited to be doing a new series on my blog along with my friend Erin to celebrate the anticipation and preparation of the birth of Jesus. The series is called “Anticipating Christ,” and will be focusing on the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. We will each be writing a new post each Sunday leading up to Christmas starting November 29th. In all the hustle and bustle of the holidays it is so easy to get wrapped up in the commercialization and material aspects of the holiday that we lose focus of Jesus which should be the focal point of everything we do at Christmas as well as throughout the year. My prayer is to learn more and grow closer to my Savior this season more than ever before, and I hope that you will join us on this journey.

Be sure to visit Erin’s blog here. It is filled with lots of great encouragement and resources. Remember to check back on Sunday for our first posts in the series.

To sign up to receive my posts daily in your inbox visit here.

Longing For Christ – Hope

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Book Review

Anticipating Christ: Love

Anticipating Christ: Joy

Anticipating Christ: Peace

Anticipating Christ: Hope

Anticipating Christ

ameliamcneilly

ameliamcneilly

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