God has a plan

Have you ever been in need, but not been able to find a person or place that could help? It feels so discouraging. It makes you feel unseen. It is a scary place when we feel we have no one to help us.

In today's Christmas story, Joseph and Mary have traveled a long distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census. It was time for the baby to be born, but there was no place for them to stay. I cannot imagine how scary and lonely that felt even though the heard clearly from God. 

But God was orchestrating His plan. His son would not enter the world in a nice hospital or fancy birthing center. Simplicity started early for the Son of God. 

I don't know about you, but my experience in driving to the hospital was full of great aniticipation and anxiety even though I knew I had a full hospital staff waiting to help with the process. Lol. Greg and I knew where we were going to get help. Mary and Joseph did not. Oh my! Maybe this made it easier for them to keep their trust in God and not people or circumstances.

In the end even though there was no "inn" for baby Jesus to be born in Mary ended up holding all that happened as dear in her heart.

Jesus was born and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and placed Him in a manger. This was a sign declared by the prophets long ago. God was on the move even when people could not see it. 

Some journeys must take us to the place where the only person we can trust to help us is God. We may not feel He is orchestrating His plan, but He is and once we make it through we, too, can be like Mary and hold all things dear in our hearts.

Christmas Story: Baby Jesus is born

In the end even though there was no "inn" for baby Jesus to be born in Mary ended 

Anticipation for Jesus Birth

Anticipation gives me such joy! I love looking forward to something, sometimes I get a ticklish feeling runing up and down my spine as I anticipate something fun. It makes me wiggle and giggle.

Yet, there are times that when I anticipate something that it takes too long and it falls into the category of waiting. I do not like waiting. It makes me feel heavy and sluggish. It feels like a burden. 

I imagine the anticipation and wait for the birth of Jesus brought about both of those feelings. There were those that were so excited that they felt their spine tickle, but the wait was long. You really need to know why you are waiting to get the joy of aniticipation when it is a long wait.

Just before the birth of Jesus there were 400 years of silence from God. There were no prophets giving His messages. They had to focus on what they knew. They knew the Messiah or Savior of the world was coming, but not when. They needed to prepare their hearts to give Him room when He arrived, but didn't know the day or time. 

The last of the birth pangs before Jesus' arrival were long and laborious. The wait was hard.

Today, we start the advent season anticipating the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Christmas is such a happy time because it is when God's presence comes in human form. Christmas is the fulfillment of the Messiah's arrival. 

He came to us as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. Heaven's gift, Emmanuel, which means God with us. We no longer are waiting His first arrival. He has arrived. He has made a way for all men to draw into the presence of God and know the gift of eternal life.

Join me in celebrating the birth of Jesus on this first day of advent. Here is the first story in our series.

The Christmas Story: the Angel Gabriel Appears to Mary

Christmas: Being Seen Gives Hope

Listen to the story: Mary Visits Elizabeth

Do you ever feel unseen? There is something powerful that happens in us when we are seen. Hope rises. I love that God gave Mary the truth that her cousin was pregnant so that Mary would go see her. This would be someone she could tell what is happening inside her that might understand.

Upon arriving, Elizabeth's baby leapt in her womb because he knew who was in Mary's womb. Talk about miraculous sight! That moment confirmed what Mary had seen and heard from the angel. It gave her hope.

When I feel unseen or unheard I feel despair? Do you? We are created to know and be known.  

The moment Elizabeth saw Mary she was very specific in her words, "You are blessed among women..." As I reflect on how Elizabeth made Mary feel seen, I realize that she was very specific about what was important to Mary in the moment. This may not be what this story intentionally teaches, but this is the power of story unfolding. I see a leader, an aunt, speaking hope to someone in need of hope. She was quick in letting Mary hear her words of encouragement. I see this and I think I can do that! 

How can I speak to someone in such a way that they know they are seen? 

When the Spirit of God is at work in us, He will give us the miraculous in the moment, too. It may not be as dramatic as John the Baptist type moment leaping in the womb, but it will come in giving us insight in what to say.

Father, show us how to help others be seen and find hope!

Gabriel telling Mary she will have a Son named Jesus by a student in Hope for Children Orphanage

https://youtu.be/bx0xjgnwGSo

A student at Hope for the Children Orphanage made a video for me after I put out an encouragement for people to tell the Christmas story in their heart language. I have received several videos from Hope for the Children Orphanage and it sounds like more are coming. I will post one here, but all will be uploaded on my YouTube channel.  I am so proud of them for learning the Christmas story, English, and retelling it. Thank you Sgatluak Geng, my dear brother Simon, who translated for me when I taught in Gambella, for teaching the students how to tell Bible stories! My heart rejoices in how you and your team serve so faithfully!  Thank you for all you do!

Christmas Story: Wise Men from the east visit Jesus and worship Him.

https://youtu.be/IXd157e0ha0

Have you ever noticed that the good news of Jesus will cause some to want to cause harm and others to worship? How do you respond?  What good gift can you give Jesus this year? How might you worship Him? 

Christmas Story: Angel visits Joseph in a dream

Often hope is only found in our obedience in times of suffering. Check out today's Christmas Story and notice how Joseph obeyed immediately even when things did not make sense.

https://youtu.be/UwvqZz64soU

Christmas Story: Mary visits Elizabeth

https://youtu.be/Plikk7iGy28

Christmas Story: The Angel Gabriel appears to Mary

https://youtu.be/Tgt3ieXv-yw