Blog – Page 34

Merry Christmas!

December 25, 2013trish2 Comments

Merry Christmas everyone! I am enjoying Christmas Day with my children and grandchildren. I have been anticipating their arrival. We celebrate the arrival of Jesus Christ. The Savior of the World has come, a gift from God.

16-18 “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. John 16-18 The Message

We live in a broken world full of sickness, death, trials and pain. We can’t fix our stuff only Christ can, that’s why he came. He promises to come again and make all things new and right. Until then we can trust that God is bigger than anything we are going through or any sin. Our trust of Him should not be based on our circumstances but the truth that He is who He says He is and does what He says He will do. I want to celebrate the birth of Jesus in the reality that I know he will return and fix this broken world. I will also get to see Neal again!

I’m glad God has a plan for my life and the world. He has a plan for you too. Jesus was part of God’s plan to restore the world. I pray you know Him in a personal way. He doesn’t want anyone to be without the hope and peace he offers. I know this hope and peace first hand as I have navigated through the past few years. This year is a little easier but I still think about Neal and miss him.

Merry Christmas–Christ is born!

On the journey,

Trish

What are you pondering?

December 21, 2013trishLeave a comment

After the shepherds visited Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus, Luke 2:19 tells us that “Mary treasured up all these things. And pondered them in her heart.” When Jesus was twelve years old Mary and Joseph took him to Jerulsalem for the Festival of the Passover. When they were returning home, Mary and Joseph realized Jesus was not with them. They went back and found Jesus at the temple teaching. After, “Mary treasured all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51) I wonder what her ponderings were as she was at the foot of the cross?

According to Webster to treasure is to collect and store up something of value for future use; to hold or keep as precious. To ponder is to weigh in the mind; to think about; reflect. Paul encourages us to ponder: whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things. (Phil. 4:8)

Mary suffered much: loneliness, ridicule, grief, death of her son, sorrow. She remembered her conversations, events, scriptures and pondered them in her heart inspite of her suffering. Scripture doesn’t tell us for sure but I imagine Mary continued to believe that God was good in the midst of immense sorrow, loss, and pain. In those times our faith, the treasures of our heart, is tested by fire and becomes gold.

Sorrow is a reality of life. Let it be a tool to find deeper intamacy with God. Ponder Scripture, what is true, good, lovely, noble, pure, admirable, right and praiseworthy. There we will find God in a more intimate way. Then can we treasure the trial as one of God’s greatest gifts to us. We can treasure what God has and is doing in our life.

What are you pondering?

On the journey,

Trish