An Opportunity to Give

We have an opportunity today to reach into our giving...fund and pull out some love, aid, and help to a family in need. 

I don't have all the details, but the one that matters most. They have lost everything. The fire consumed it all in its fury. It left nothing untouched. Though it did not reach them physically, it reached them mentally, deep in their hearts, in their minds, it found its way. 

Until I am able to give more distinct details, I ask that if the Lord has opened your heart to giving, giving Him, giving His love, would you pray for this family of many. This family of many, now without a home, is trying to figure out what next. 

We are all capable of praying, we are capable of giving, giving love, help, encouragement, and even money. 

There Is Only Room For One

"Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests, and asked, "How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you? And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for the right time and place to betray Jesus." Matthew 26:14-16

His "ME" desired to be fed. It begged for attention, praise, and money. If only he could wrap his fingers around those three things and bring them into existence, the "Me" would be satisfied, quieted, less demanding. It, the "Me" would finally have what it wanted.

He was sure he was on the right track. He was the treasure for Jesus and knew he would one day be great in the Kingdom of God. He just had to wait it out, keep doing what he was doing. The only problem was, the "Me" grew more and more impatient as time went on. 

And then one day, he, the "Me", realized his hope for praise, attention, and money would never happen as long as he followed Jesus. 

So he did the unthinkable, and all for the sake of pleasing and feeding the hunger pains of the "Me". He betrayed Jesus.

For the first time the "Me" was temporarily satisfied. But it didn't last long. That temporary fix, soon turned into a gut wrenching pain, shame, and fear, that lead him to his own death, a death that the "Me" drove him to. 

This desire to please the "Me, the self" is deadly, not only to yourself, but to others around you. The need to please and tend to the "Me" is what placed Christ on the Cross. There were many, many "Me's" placed on the cross that day. "Me's" that love the temporary satisfaction of the world, the sin. 

There is not room for Christ and "Me". Only Christ! When our hearts and minds focus on what the "Me" needs and wants, it begins to take the place of Christ. It becomes first. It becomes our idol.

Jesus take up every square inch of my heart, and fill my thoughts with only Your Word, so that the "Me" is suffocated out and has no room to return. Amen

Healing will Come

"Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of leprosy." 2 Kings 5:10

I placed breakfast on the bar and moved to the sink to rinse the dishes, when Avery suggests that I pray this morning.

We bow our heads and offer our thanks, and ask our request for Dax to be healed. We close with amen, when out of his precious mouth Avery says, "Mommy, it is kind of like Dax has leprosy, Jesus healed the man with leprosy. He will heal bubba too." (Dax has mild to severe eczema, okay, severe crawl out of his skin every second eczema.)

I turn my head back to the sink, laugh, and ask Avery, "Did you learn that last night with daddy?"

Avery, "Yes, mommy, does Dax have leprosy?"

"No baby, Dax does not have leprosy." I replied.

"Jesus will heal him, mommy."

"Yes baby, Jesus will heal Dax."

He has not one question or doubt, he believes Jesus will heal. How have we lost that faith in Jesus today. That faith that does not question or doubt, just faith that believes Jesus will heal.

So many suffer, yes, but those who belong to the Lord, are ALWAYS healed. One way or another Jesus ALWAYS heals, whether in life or death. Healing is coming.

Jesus thank You for the faith of this child. May we all have this child-like faith. Amen

The Simple Beauty of His Penmanship

“These stone tablets were God’s work; the words on them were written by God himself.” Exodus 32:16

On this side of the cross, the sky as His tablet, He, in the simplest form, nothing fancy, just plain reaches down from Heaven and places a J.

To a mommy lost in the thoughts of her day, it brings stillness. To a five year old little boy who spots it from the backseat and shouts, “Mommy look, a J for Jesus.”  It brings questions, intrigue, and reveals Jesus’ awesomeness.

“How did He do that mommy?”

“Do what baby?”

“How did He put His letter there?”

In the simplest form, nothing fancy, just plain. He reaches down from Heaven and places a J.

                A mommy still and silenced gazes at the beauty of His penmanship. She gently breaks the silence with a soft whisper, “Thank You.” Thank You for giving him, this 5 year old little boy, the vision to see You, Jesus, in the things that many of us don’t! Thank You Jesus, for the visible gesture of love You have given us. Thank You, for reaching down from Heaven, in the simplest form to show Your presence.

Jesus thank You for allowing us to capture the beauty of Your penmanship and presence. Amen

Confess, Acknowledge, and get Honest

Do you ever just wish you could physically cleanse your heart? I mean really get in there with a hammer and chisel and clean out those hardened areas.

David felt that way too, and since he couldn’t physically clean out his heart, he went to the One who could.

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, 
and my sin is always before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.  Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 

Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 

Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 

Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 

Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. 

Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 

Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.  My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.” Psalm 51

All throughout this prayer is healing, beauty, hope, and reassurance. David knew the only way to be cleansed and healed was by confessing, acknowledging, and being completely honest before the Lord.  

Maybe it’s time we confess, acknowledge and get honest before the Lord so we, too, can be cleaned out.

Jesus because of Your great compassion blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from sin. Then create in my a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me. Amen

Altar Sunday

Jesus as we gather together in Your house. May our hearts be open and receptive to Your Word and the teaching of the Holy Spirit. As we approach the altar may we lay all at Your feet that hinders us from having complete fellowship with You.

Jesus bring us closer to the cross.

What is He calling you to lay at the altar?

Still Wondering

"Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you." Romans 12:3

Yesterday I asked you how much faith God has given you? I am curious if you answered that question?

I pondered on that passage all night long. How much faith God has given you. It really is a powerful verse and a deep question.

This morning I looked into some parallels and wanted to share them with you, because if you are like me, you have to exhaust every area of understanding humanly possible.

Amplified- "For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him." Romans 12:3

The Message-(I really like this one) "I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him." Romans 12:3


NASB-"For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith." Romans 12:3


NIV- "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." Romans 12:3


Each translation brings a whole new meaning to the passage. I love it! 


I believe The Message brings it to a whole new level for me. "The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God IS and by what he does for us, NOT by what we are and what we do for him." 


Faith-knowing who God is and what He does for us. Wow!


Jesus thank You for the amount of faith I have been given, may it only increase from here to eternity. Amen

How much faith have you been given

"Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us."

How much faith has God given you?

No More Hiding

“Now, although Adam and his wife were both naked, neither of them felt any shame.”  Genesis 2:25

They are seen, our sins.  There is no hiding. Not from Him there’s not. To Him they are public, to man they are both hidden and public.

There is no running, not from Him, from man, yes, but not from Him. Not from Jesus.

Adam and Eve tried that, running and hiding, from God. “Toward evening they heard the LORD God walking about in the garden, so they hid themselves among the trees. The LORD God called to Adam, ‘Where are you?’ He replied, ‘I heard you, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” Genesis 3:8-10

We try it too.

The fear, shame, and embarrassment, it used to not exist. Only beauty, exposed, raw, pure beauty existed, that was before the apple.

That apple, full of poison, filled them, filled us with shame, fear, and embarrassment and with the need to hide, to bury, to cover up. Even to deceive.

Intimacy and closeness became less intimate, more distant. Now on this side of the cross, today, in 2012 they have even become less sacred, more used, more accepted in all the wrong ways.

Many of us bear the scars of those decisions. Many of us still wear the chains of the worldly intimacy and closeness with man. We give into the flesh, the pulling of our chains.

Many of us still try to hide those scars, for some they are still fresh, raw, sore, and shameful.

He sees them, there is no hiding. No matter how many layers we apply. We might be able to keep man from seeing, but He sees, Jesus, He sees them.

There is no deceiving, only transparency. Transparency, that is as clear as glass and can be seen all the way through. There is no hiding, no covering it up.

The hiding we think we are doing, is hurting Him, the One who sees it and hears it, the One who is standing right there, right beside us. He is everywhere.

Not even the dark of night can hide it, the sin, it can’t even hide us. Exposed, always exposed before Him.

What if we stopped hiding, running, deceiving, and came to Him? What then?

Then He would cover us in the clothing of His blood. He would draw us in, close and intimately just as we are. He would wipe away the shame; remove the fear, and embarrassment, and then strip us of all the sin. Bringing us back to the way it should be, the way my friend Paula says, with such beauty. He would bring us back to being naked and UNashamed.

Just as they were, Adam and Eve, in the beginning, before the apple, before the sin!

“Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” Psalm 32:5

 Jesus bring us back to You naked and unashamed. May our scars be a constant reminder of the scars you bore for us. May we stop running and hiding and come to You just as we are, in chains, in shame, in fear, and lay at the foot of the cross, exposed and broken before You. For then, then we will be set free, healed, and held intimately and closely in the arms of You, our saving grace. Amen

Giving Fund

“Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, ‘Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well’-but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?” James 2:15-16

This need to give, to do till everything is given and done, has resulted in a Giving Fund.

Giving doesn’t always mean money. We can give many things, our time, prayer, a cooked meal, a pie, a hug, an ear, a Bible, groceries. We can give a blanket, a coat, clothes, extra toys. Things we have excess in that could be beneficial to someone who has little.

What about love, kindness, gentleness, Jesus, friendship, support, encouragement.

All of these things we can give, we can do.

All of these things require less of the “Me” and more of them, more of Him.

In Philippians 2:3-4 Paul says, “Don’t be selfish; don’t live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don’t think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing.”

The Giving Fund requires us to make ourselves nothing, just as Christ made Himself nothing. (Philippians 2:7)

It requires selflessness, humility, and a heart with a pure motive.

So I ask that you pray for this Giving Fund. Pray it will become all that God wants it to be. Pray it will bless as many lives and break the bondage of slavery that many are living in. Pray for God’s guidance and leadership to govern it. And pray for people to take part in the Giving Fund.

If you are interested in being a part of the Giving Fund, please contact me or my husband at;

godlygossip@gmail.com or garrett.morgan@jasperisd.net

Our prayer is that, we, the Body of Christ will join together, functioning as one, to serve. Would you consider serving with us? You can do it right where you are.

It is only good enough, when the enough, becomes everything.

“In all the world has there ever been such sorrow? O daughter of Jerusalem, to what can I compare your anguish? O virgin daughter of Zion, how can I comfort you? For your wound is as deep as the sea. Who can heal you?”  Lamentations 2:13

When you wonder if you are doing enough, giving enough for Him who gave everything, did everything.

So many starving, homeless, and hurting people surround me and I wonder if I am doing enough. Then again when did enough become good enough? It only becomes good enough when the enough has become everything.

This burden and brokenness of doing more, it doesn’t go away, instead it increases, it deepens when you see the smile on the faces of those He has helped. That’s joy, true joy, joy that I crave, joy that is given freely by Him, His grace.

It is enough when taken, it is more than enough, because everything He has and is, is more than enough, it is everything.

He brings me back to the 27 million chained to slavery. I can see them, the chains; their marks left on me are a constant reminder of what He did for me, how He set me free; free from sin, death, and more.

I can see the chains still wrapped around the arms of those enslaved to hunger, fear, abuse, sin, loneliness, and worldliness. And it causes me to look at my scars and my heart breaks. How can I do more, give more, for Him for them.

They grow tighter, those chains, they grow tighter and become heavier. I see them on the girls around the world enslaved to sex-trafficking, to women enslaved to their husbands who in some countries are free to beat them, hurt them, use them, and leave them. Those chains, tight and heavy are even strapped on girls and women in America.

For many, those chains were put on by others, but for a lot they put the chains on themselves, hoping that love came with those chains. When will it be enough, when will His love be enough, it is everything, His love, isn’t it?

I see so many bearing the chains of slavery, some of them are women dressed beautifully who sit in church. Others walk the streets, the aisles of Walmart, even the halls of school, bearing those chains of slavery.

Captivity is what slavery really means, and it just so happens that there is One who is able to set the captives free. Christ!

His death, His blood, His resurrection! It sets us free. It can set them free. But they have to see, from us, who bear the scars, not the chains, but the scars. They have to see Him in those scars.

Help, aid, love, the Word, consistency, His blood, and the Cross. They each need to see, hear, and know about each of them, that hope lies within them and that He offers it freely to them.  For then enough becomes everything.

Who will go? I will go Lord, send me.

“Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Lord, I’ll go! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8

27 Million

"I have cried until the tears no longer come. My heart is broken, my spirit poured out, as I see what has happened to my people. Little children and tiny babies are fainting and dying in the streets. Mama, we want food, they cry, and then collapse in their mother's arms. Their lives ebb away like a life of a warrior wounded in battle." Lamentations 2:11-12

"Did you know 27 million people live in slavery?" Those words rolled off his tongue, out of his mouth, and straight into my heart. 

As our Pastor spoke that deafening truth, I was floored. 27 million people live in slavery.

Let that sink in for a minute. Maybe some of us are included in that 27 million. My first thoughts were those bound in the slavery of starvation, addiction, sin and abuse.

That saddens me greatly. It also saddened Jeremiah greatly, in the powerful book of Lamentations. Jeremiah had a love for people that ran so deep, he was often found broken and weeping. The people turned to selfishness and sinfulness and rejected God, therefore bringing great suffering and exile upon themselves. It devastated the Lord, which devastated Jeremiah.

Do we share in the same sorrow for the 27 million people living in slavery today? Or do our eyes only see inward? I am guilty Lord of looking inward, forgive me.

Jeremiah wept until tears no longer came. His heart broken and his spirit poured out, as he saw what had happened to his people. Little children and tiny babies are fainting and dying in the streets. They are crying out, “Mama, I am hungry.” And then collapse in their mother’s arms. This is reality today! The slavery of starvation!

I can't help but to be brought back to the question I asked you earlier in the week, "Where are we brothers and sisters? Where are we, those of us whom call ourselves servants of God?"

.How can we rise up within our own communities and help those trapped in slavery?

Today I pray our eyes would only see the slavery that surrounds us. I pray our hearts would begin to break for the things that break the Lord’s. I pray we move outside of our comfort zones and fears and into the battle field where slavery runs rampant.

Jesus break my heart for what breaks Yours. Forgive me for thinking I have to have more in order to help more. I have plenty in You, and in You my resources and funds will never run dry. Amen

Altar Sunday

"When they arrived at the place where God has told Abraham to go, he built an altar and placed the wood on it. Then he tied Isaac up and laid him on the altar over the wood." Genesis 22:9

May today be the day we lay ourselves on the altar as a living sacrifice to the Lord. Surrendering all of ourselves to the One who paid the price.

Jesus remove us from our comfort zones, remove us from our routine today as we gather together in Your house. May Your presence be so known and the Holy Spirit be so strong within us that we move outside of the confinement of our pews and kneel at the altar of Your feet. Amen

Praying with Confidence

Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD’s.
Exodus 9:28-30

Do we pray with such confidence as Moses? We really don't have to plea, we just have to believe.

If you have ever kept a prayer journal or calendar and went back and looked at it, when were the times you saw your prayers answered? More than likely those were the times you believed and trusted fully and completely.

Oh, that we, as brothers and sisters would pray with such confidence. For then I believe God would do some mighty things!

Make Me Nothing

 There are many moments spent with the Lord that He reveals a deep truth that leaves me startled, yet curious and broken.

Have you ever been there?

The truth was found here;

“Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8

I have done the complete opposite of what Christ did. I have demanded and clung to my rights as whom, Kristi. Who am I, that, I should demand and cling to these rights I think I have?

Understand I am not speaking negatively of myself or degrading myself, by any means. I have learned a very important truth this morning, brethren.

How can I believe or even think that I deserve anything, brethren I deserve nothing, and I should not demand or cling to what I think I deserve.

Christ, God Himself, did not demand or cling to His rights as God. And if anyone deserves or has the right to cling to His rights, it is Him.

I, a mere mortal, have believed that I deserve to be happy, I deserve to have things, I deserve to get to go and do things, I deserve to spend what I want, because it is my money, I deserve to be rewarded for the things I have done and do, I deserve to take a break, I deserve to be pampered.  And I have clung to those rights.

The truth is; Jesus made Himself nothing. He took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. He came here to serve and did not demand to be served, nor should I, a mere speck, who by His grace alone even exist.

This world leads us to believe we have rights and that we should demand those rights. But if I, a lover of Jesus Christ, want to imitate Him, then I must make myself nothing. I must take on the humble position of a slave.

Jesus forgive me for demanding my rights. Forgive me for clinging to them as though I actually deserve them. Thank You for opening my eyes and showing me the first steps in overcoming the “me”. Thank You for showing me through Your Word what it means to be truly humble. Amen

Anyone can wear the title.

“I call to you, to all of you! I am raising my voice to all people. How naïve you are! Let me give you common sense. O foolish ones, let me give you understanding. Listen to me! For I have excellent things to tell you. Everything I say is right, for I speak the truth and hate every kind of deception. My advice is wholesome and good. There is nothing crooked or twisted in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those who want to learn.” Proverbs 8:4-9

Where are we brothers and sisters? Why are we hiding? Why are we not taking a stand for Christ more?

Why are our churches not packed? We, who call ourselves children of God? Where are we? He is calling us. His voice is raised.

Why do we not crave His wholesome and good advice?

Has the world captured us? Has it lured us into to selfish living?

He has wonderful and excellent things to tell us, so why are we not listening more? We should crave His voice.  He makes it plain and clear for us. So why do we make it so difficult?

Are we afraid?

Do we only want the title of Christian, yet not live as one?

The cost of following Him means giving up everything, yourself, your wants and desires, your comfort, everything. The rich man had the opportunity to follow Christ; all he had to do was sell everything.

All we have to do is sell everything and follow Him. He, who is calling, He, the One who offers wholesome and good advice. He, the One who gives life, hope, peace, comfort, protection, healing, love, and joy.

We are few, you and me who have counted the cost, sold it all, died to it all, we are few.

Anyone can wear the title, Christian. But only a few will ever walk it.

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Trust Issues

“This is what the Lord says: Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives. But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence.” Jeremiah 17:5-7

Which are you? The one who puts his/her trust in mere humans, or the one who puts his/her trust in the Lord?

I am beginning to see how quickly we respond with, “I trust in Christ.”

That was me this morning when Jesus and I were visiting. He asked me the same question and I was quick to say, “You, Jesus, I trust in You.”

When He quickly replied, “In all things? You trust Me with every part of your life?”

Sigh…

“Am I the first one you come to? Often times I am, but more often you go to a human." 

Oh, brethren these moments, not my favorite, but in the same sense some of the best moments because Jesus is the love of my life and I am desperate to please Him in every way possible, and it begins with my trust in Him.

So, what can be learned from this?

For starters I need to bring it down and place my trust under a microscope. 

Secondly, I need to constantly be aware that if I am putting my trust in anyone or anything other than Christ I am going to have trust issues.

Thirdly, I need to evaluate all situations and circumstances according to the Word of God.

When I am sick, do I trust the doctor to heal me or do I trust Christ? Yes doctors are fabulous but doctors are also human. Jesus created my body, He knows it best.

In my marriage, do I trust more in my husband to meet my needs, to provide for me and the boys, or do I trust Christ to meet our needs, provide for us, and hold us together? Christ created marriage, Christ holds marriages together, and Christ blesses marriages that are centered on Him. I should be more committed to my marriage with Christ than I am to Garrett. Because then my commitment to Garrett will be that much stronger. I will be fully satisfied in Christ and from Christ.

When I lose a loved one, do I trust more in a human to comfort me or do I trust in Christ to comfort me? A human can only comfort me temporarily; Christ’s comfort is constant and continual. Christ knows the ache and pain and emptiness best, because He can see it and He knows exactly how to ease it, relieve it, and fill it. No human could ever do it as good as Christ.

What about addiction? Addiction is the lack of trust in Christ and more trust in a substance to meet the need. Wouldn’t you agree with that?

Think about all the times you trusted someone or something only to have that trust broken. Stinks doesn’t it? Yet we still put more trust in those someone’s and something’s more than we put in Christ. It is rather funny that we continue to trust humans yet fear humans, rather than Christ.

Christ is the ruler of heaven and earth. Christ is the creator of life and death. Christ is our defender, warrior, protector, and comforter.  Christ is the one with the final say.  His wrath is greater than any human wrath. Christ is the one who determines our final destination, heaven or hell. Christ is also the one that never leaves us nor forsakes us. He never breaks His promises and no matter what our trust in Him will never be broken.

God very specifically says, “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the LORD.” Jeremiah 17:5

Trusting Christ is something we are to do at ALL times, above ALL things and ALL people. We cannot and should not wait until we hit rock bottom or until a crisis happens to trust in Him. “O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your hear to him, for God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:8

He has to become the first one we go to. Before any person, any doctor, anything.  

“For the word of the LORD holds true, and everything he does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good, and his unfailing love fills the earth.” Psalm 33:4-5


The Bible reveals the importance of trusting in Christ and it is a GREAT place to go if you have trust issues.

Why is it great to trust in the Lord? Because we are blessed for doing so.

"But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8


Jesus I want to be one of those trees!

 Jesus forgive me for not trusting You in every area of my life. Keep me attentive and aware of when I begin to develop trust issues. I want nothing more than to trust in You and You alone. Move me closer to that every second. Remind me every second that human life is fleeting, we are here today and gone tomorrow. Remind me that human knowledge only goes so far, but that Your knowledge is wider, deeper, and greater than what I could ever comprehend. Jesus You are more than worthy of my trust. How crazy I am for thinking any different. Jesus there is great joy that comes to those who trust in You. (Psalm 34:8). Reveal to me every area where my trust in You is lacking. Amen

“Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness. But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever. I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will wait for your mercies in the presence of your people.” Psalm 52:7-9

What do you get excited about?

The Lord has really hammered me lately on this question. And I know why ,because He wants us to be EXCITED about Him.

I want us to be EXCITED about Him. So I ask, again, what do you get excited about?

Oh, I hope Jesus was your first response. If not maybe His Word can change your answer.

Here are just a few reasons to get excited.

1. "You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all your sins. He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ's cross." Colossians 2:13-14


2. "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:38-39


3. "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Romans 5:8


4. "I will never fail you. I will never forsake you." Hebrews 13:5


5. "My child, don't ignore it when the Lord disciplines you and don't be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children." Hebrews 12:5-6


6. "But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.(It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved." Ephesians 2:4-5


Are you starting to get excited, too?

God's Word is full of excitement.

Jesus there is so much to be excited about. In this New Year help us to focus on the excitement You offer. In Jesus name, amen. 

A Range of Emotions…just not the ones you would expect.

“The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud commotion that could be heard far in the distance.” Ezra 3:13

I know the feeling of anticipation, excitement, being nervous, even frustrated, and all too well.  I get all four of them every Friday night at my husband’s football games and for my brother-in-law who coaches for the Redskins.

 I get those same four feelings during Avery’s t-ball games, soccer games, and now basketball games. I get them when company comes over and I am not sure what mood my sweet baby Dax will be in.

I also get them before I speak, when Garrett speaks, when I teach, and even when I study.

Sometimes I even get them when I write.

I like them. Is that odd? Maybe a little. Normal, I think so.

I know these, put a knot in my stomach feelings so well because I get them when I study the Precious Word of God. That is why I like them.

I love the anticipation of my daily affair with Jesus. I get overly excited to open His Word, I get nervous when He begins to speak, when He calls me to go and do, and when He disciplines me. I even get frustrated when I realize I have failed Him, disappointed Him, and sinned against Him. I get frustrated when  I don’t understand a particular passage, all to find out I didn’t get it because I wouldn’t listen, or because I tried to get it from my own human logic. That, I know, accomplishes nothing.

These feelings, they don’t stop there.

Do you know I anticipate sharing God’s Word with you and others? I get VERY excited when I see and hear others excited about Jesus. I get VERY excited to see others come to Christ, to see walls broken down, lives transformed, marriages restored, sick people healed, and addictions overcome. I get VERY excited to teach God’s Word and be taught. I get VERY excited to see young and old hunger and become passionate about the Lord and His Word.

I get nervous when I see people get caught up in sin, I get nervous when God reminds me that time is running out and people are dying and going to hell.

I get frustrated when people disregard the Word of God, His existence, and the power and importance of His death. I get frustrated when I/we fail to minister to the broken and instead minister to self. I get frustrated when we know our lifestyles are worldly yet we continue to try and straddle both God and the World.

I like these feelings because I believe Jesus experienced them too.

Christ’s anticipation-The Cross

Christ’s excitement-When He is chosen to be Lord of our life and when He gets to bring us home. I think He has many, many, many excitements.

Christ’s nervousness- The time right before His death.

Christ’s frustrations-being ignored, rejected, placed second…

These are just a few of what He and I have discussed. His Word is full of so many more. I hope you will open it up with anticipation and excitement to find out more.

Jesus may we anticipate our meeting with You more. May we become excited about Your Word and who You are. May our nervousness move us to deeper faith and trust, and may our frustrations become teaching tools that help us grow. Amen

Where are You Sweet One?

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” Philippians 3:13

Where is your heart sweet one? Where have you wondered, strayed, or remained?

Is your heart broken, shattered or torn in two? Have you moved closer to the cross or further away?

Where are you sweet one? Have you wondered out to sea and are now trying to figure out how you got there and how you will return to shore?

Where is your mind sweet one? Is it centered on the Word or centered on the World? Where has your mind taken your actions and your words? Has your mind brought you closer to the cross or further away?

Where are you headed sweet one? Are you headed in a new direction? Is it leading you closer to Christ or farther away?

Today you and I sit in a New Year, with a new chance and a new opportunity to heal, to turn around, to make right what we did wrong. We have the opportunity, you and I, to run closer to Christ, closer to the cross.

So where ever you’re going sweet one, may it be in the direction of life, light, hope, healing, peace, and joy, may it be in the direction of Jesus Christ,  the one who gives it all.

Today is here, the past is gone, set your eyes forward sweet one to what lies ahead.

You are not able to go back only forward. Yesterday you were broken but today you are new, new in Christ who made you.

Sweet one where are your eyes? Are they on that which is temporary, or on that which is everlasting?

Are your eyes fixed on the light or surrounded by the dark? Where do you allow your eyes to lead you sweet one?

Today in this New Year, Christ offers His light. Open your eyes and receive it, see it, and don’t ever look away from it. Let it guide you and direct you, for it will lead you to true life, to Christ.

Sweet one in this day, this New Year, find yourself searching for Christ.

Let your blessings from 2011 carry you into 2012

Happy New Year sweet ones! May you look back and reflect only on your blessings from the Lord alone and allow His greatness and love to carry you into the New Year.

With so much love

Godly Gossip

" Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-14

We were never alone, nor will we ever be

“For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.” Joshua 1:5

Another year is coming to a close and as I sit here and reflect on this past year there have been so many changes. Some good, some not so good, some needed, and some that I never would have expected.

I don’t know what this past year was like for you. But I do know that no matter what it was like, good, bad, exciting, hard, smooth, etc. God was with you and me every step, every day, every second, and every minute of every day.

He held our hands, He wiped our tears, He whispered words of love. He caught our hearts when they shattered and He laid next to us when we couldn’t get up.

He braced us for the news, and encouraged us through His Word. He held us until we fell asleep, reassured us when we worried, and reminded us, He was near when we feared the worst and the worst it was.

He promised healing, maybe not in the way we hoped, but in the way He knew was best. For some He called home, and for others He needed to keep here just a little while longer.

He taught us, disciplined us, and strengthened us. He spoke to us and for us. He challenged us and called us. He even sat back and watched us.

Never once in the 365 days of 2011 did He leave us, fail us, or forsake us.

He was, is, and will always be, our God, our Lover, our Savior, our Protector, our Redeemer, our Healer, our Friend, our Comforter, our Teacher, our Leader, our Source of Life, our Breath of Life, our Daily Bread, our Hope, our Future, our E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!

Jesus You are our rock and our redeemer. You keep watch over all things, You control all things, and You love all things. We can never escape Your love or Your presence and for that we praise You, thank You, and fall down in worship because of You. Thank You Jesus, Amen

Human Effort Accomplishes Nothing

“It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing.” John 6:63

I often find myself frustrated, overwhelmed, and exhausted. Have you ever been there? Maybe like me, you have even found yourself doubting your ability to do certain things, or be the child God has called you to be.

I have doubted myself. I have questioned and even wondered if spiritual change was taking place within me. Am I growing? Am I reflecting His image, His character, His Word?

Am I…

Can I…

Will I…

Who am I kidding, I am not…nor will I ever be…

These thoughts they run through this weak mortal brain of mine. But through the thickness of these thoughts, these words, these doubts. Something light, yet solid and strong, seeps in and glides over the thickness of these words and shouts.

“HUMAN EFFORT ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING.” John 6:63

It is the Spirit…

You can do nothing on your own. For I am the vine you are the branch, If a man remains in Me and I in him, he can produce much fruit. APART from Me, he can DO NOTHING. (John 15:5)

I must stop this effort to accomplish Jesus likeness on my own. I must sit here in this truth, that my human effort can accomplish nothing, but doubt, frustration, exhaustion, weariness, and even produces more self than selfless. I must sit here in this truth, that it is the Spirit within me that accomplishes eternal life, gives eternal life. It is the Spirit within me that accomplishes Christ likeness, gives aid, help, guidance, and the ability to grow and change.

It is the Spirit, which Christ left, to fill me, with His presence, His love, His guidance, His peace, His Word, His comfort, and the desire to grow DAILY, to love DAILY, to be more selfless DAILY, and to be madly in love with HIM more and more every day.

I am relinquishing my own human effort, so to live by the power of the Spirit.

Jesus You have made clear the importance of the Spirit and the NEED for Him. Thank You for leaving such a great counselor behind to lead me closer to You. Amen

A different kind of rest

““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

How often have I read through this verse thinking of rest in the manner of sleep. That might sound crazy to some, but to me sleep seemed to be the thing that would ease my weariness and lighten my burdens. But God's rest is not a good dose of sleep. His rest comes in the form of love, peace, comfort and healing.

So how does one find rest in those? By first removing the heavy yoke of the world and placing Christ's yoke on.

You see so often I have, and, I am sure many of you have too, looked to things of the world and people who might be able to lighten, even remove our burdens and weariness. Yet how quickly we find out that it never gets lighter or goes away. Why? Because the yoke of the world is heavy, wearisome, sinful, stressful, frustrating, and overwhelming.

And no matter how much sleep we get, we still wake up to the same burdens. Unless we have taken off the yoke of the world and put the yoke of Christ on. The light, loving, peaceful, healing yoke that supplies true and lasting "rest".

Jesus You are humble and gentle and in You there is rest that my soul needs. Thank You!

When you know Jesus is at work

Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Sunday December 19

On our way to church Avery says, " I have asked Jesus to live in my heart."

Mommy: What does that mean Avery?

Avery: It means now I need to go get baptized and go to heaven.

Mommy and daddy....

When you know they get it

 "People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:15-17

December 20, 2011

Avery sitting at the bar eating says, " I just heard God talk to me."

Daddy replies, "What did He say?"

Avery: He said Avery. And I said yes God I am listening."

Daddy: what else did He say?

Avery that's all! 

T'was the Night of His Birth

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.” Luke 2:14

DAY 25-I cannot believe it is finally here! It has been an amazing journey to Bethlehem. Today we celebrate the life of our King, from His birth, to the grave, to the throne of Heaven. Our Savior and King, He is here indeed. Let’s go out and shout at the top of our lungs to the ends of the earth, the battle has been won!!

T’was the night of His birth and all through the fields

Not a sheep was baaing not even a coyote was howling.

The Shepherds were their guarding with care

When all of a sudden they stood with a stare

Right where they stood was a vision so clear

It was the angel of the Lord that shook them with fear.

As the Shepherds hearts pounded

There the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded

Don’t be afraid I bring you great news.

I know it will leave you very amused.

It is of great joy for everyone!

For a baby is born, the one and only Son.

Yes the Messiah, has truly been born

And one day the curtain will be torn.

Here in Bethlehem in this tiny town,

Comes forth the child who will wear the crown

He has come as Holy and Pure

Giving a promise that is forever sure.

You must hurry now and go and see.

For He is placed in a manger as snug as can be

The mother has wrapped Him in strips of cloth

And one day those men will rip them off.

Before they were off their they saw

A vast host of angels singing a song

Glory to God, in the highest of heaven,

And peace on earth to all whom God favors

So off they went to see the wonderful gift

And their in the manger the mother did lift

The Savior who came in human flesh

Quickly they went to share with all

Everything they had heard and saw.

The people were amazed

And their in her heart Mary did praise.

For our Savior is here the very one that SAVES!

Merry Christmas!!  

Here in Human Flesh!

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us).” Matthew 1:23

DAY 24- We have finally made it to Bethlehem, David’s ancient home and soon to be the village where a ruler would be born. Today is the day! Jesus is here!

The minutes seemed to pass by slower and slower as my labor progressed, and as a distraction I kept recalling the words Gabriel spoke to me in describing my son.

Your son Mary, He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David. He will reign over Israel forever and His Kingdom will never end!

My Son, who I am to name Jesus, will be Holy, Pure, and Perfect. My heart began to fill up with so much emotion.  The time was finally here, I, a lowly servant girl am about to give birth to the Son of the Most High.  The very one that would shower mercy upon Israel…….

And then…………oh, I can still hear it like it was yesterday, there it was the sound of His cry. My ears have never heard a better noise!

Then came the moment He was placed upon my chest, the feeling of His little body next to mine was a moment I would capture forever. I gentle wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in the manger. 

Joseph and I could not take our eyes off of Him, here in human flesh, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Son of the Most High! 

“Oh, how I praise the Lord. How I rejoice in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me.” Luke 1:46-49

He is here, He is here, I want to shout from the mountain tops, our Savior and Redeemer is here.  Oh, Praise the Lord for today is the day of Salvation, today is the beginning of a new life to come.

It would not take long for the news to travel, and oh, just how amazing it would be delivered.

Stay tuned……………………….

A Place of Resemblance!

“O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.” Matthew 2:6

DAY 23- It has been a long couple of days, but we are finally coming into Bethlehem. Today we will hear all about the moments leading up to the birth of Jesus.

It was a long trip for Mary and me, we were lucky enough to have found a donkey to carry Mary. It was beginning to become very hard for her to walk such long distance.  Finally arriving into Bethlehem we went right away to register.  We got everything taken care of and headed over to the Village Inn to try and get a room.

At this point Mary had started to go into labor and we both knew it would not be very long after.  Things began to get a little rushed, we went in to try and get a room but there were none available and no exceptions were being made.  So we walked around trying to find a place that would be suitable enough for Mary and the baby.

That is when we came across a stable! Our stables back then were not like your stables today. They were caves that were dark, cold, and dirty, but provided some protection from wind and rain. It was the best we found and at that time seemed just fine for Mary and I, and we really didn’t have that much time anyway.

There were no bed’s just hay and feeding troughs (mangers) that had been carved out of the rock wall of the stable used to place food in for the animals. Mary and I talked and decided with some fresh hay, well as fresh as we could find, we would place the baby in one of the troughs (mangers).

It worked for us and we were thankful that we just had some where to go. Of course just like you, we thought we would have had our baby in Nazareth, but the work of the Lord and the timing of Augustus’ decree decided otherwise. 

But the prophecy of long ago “O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.” (Matthew 2:6) would soon be fulfilled.

My friends upon hearing this story I hope you leave here today with a heart of thankfulness, a heart that will reflect on the place your Savior would be born. We should not be so consumed with the things of this world that will only perish, but with the very things of Jesus. We should be thankful for the warmth of our homes, and beds, and the clothes we have. But most of all my friends, remember this, this place, this very cave, that was dark and dirty would represent the world, a dark, dirty place full of sin in desperate need of a Savior that would bring light, hope, and warmth.

Deliverance, Mercy, Forgiveness…

“I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death.” Isaiah 53:12

DAY 22-Today will be our last day here in Jerusalem and then we will be heading on to Bethlehem.  I hope you have had time to let the words of Isaiah absorb within you.

I want to finish sharing with you the words from our friend Isaiah.

“But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins-that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s plan will prosper in his hands.  When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins……He was counted among those who were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners.”  Isaiah 53:8-12

Lord it is truly the celebration of Your Son’s death. It is what He took on for all of us, it was our sins he carried. It is the very purpose He came to earth in human flesh. How amazing is Your grace!   

Oh, my sweet friends that you would truly grasp the importance of His death that made His birth so incredible, the selfless love of our Father to send His Son to deliver us.

I pray you will see the nature of our Father and His divine plan for each of us.  This journey is not just about the amazing detail of Jesus’ birth but about the amazing detail of His death-the very death that gave you and me life!!!

We will meet you here early tomorrow morning we must get to Bethlehem in time to register. 

All for YOU

“There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.” Isaiah 53:2

DAY 21- It has been a long two days of traveling and we are almost to Bethlehem. We are coming into Jerusalem today and we must stop here. There is something very important that I must share with you before we arrive in Bethlehem. 

Today I must share with you the message from our friend Isaiah. The importance of his words, of the event he describes is what makes the arrival of our Son so significant. Let’s put it this way the significance of His birth is the importance of His death.

“He was despised and rejected-a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care.  Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the guilt and sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death.” Isaiah 53:3-8

My brothers and sisters you must store these words in your heart. Let them penetrate to the core of your soul. For this, though just a part of the prophecy, is what makes this journey, it is what makes the reason of our Son’s birth so special. This is the reason we should celebrate, no, not what He endured, but what He sacrificed. Today my friends we celebrate the life of Jesus’ death, because from His death we have received life! 

We will stay here in Jerusalem tonight and tomorrow we will continue hearing more from Isaiah.  As we depart from one another I ask that you lift your hearts up to the Lord and praise Him for the gift of life. 

Life given-Life taken

“See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted.” Isaiah 52:13

DAY 20- It will be a long journey to Bethlehem my friends, but we have much to discuss.  Today the Lord is leading us in a different direction, a direction that will lead us to the cross. It is the cross and the death that makes the birth so magnificent.

There are many things we celebrate, but there are two very significant celebrations that will and have changed the lives of many forever, the birth of our Son and the death of our Son.  I know this comes at a very unusual time, but it is so important that you understand just how amazing LIFE is! It is what will make the birth of our Son so much greater to each of you.

Over the next couple of days we will be hearing from our friend Isaiah and the prophecy He gave long ago about the importance of our Son’s life.

We must keep traveling, but I want to begin sharing with you a story that still impacts Mary and me so much, a story that brings bittersweet feelings to our heart. We hope that by the time we reach Bethlehem you will have a deeper understanding of just how amazing the arrival of our Son is.

“See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted. Many were amazed when they saw him-beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know he was a person. And he will again startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence. For they will see what they had not previously been told about; they will understand what they had not heard about.” Isaiah 52:13-15

Please pardon us for being so emotional, it still humbles us every time we share this story.  You see this servant, the one who would be highly exalted, the one who would be beaten and bloodied, so disfigured He could not be recognized, would also be the one that was placed in the womb of my wife Mary. He would be the Savior that would take upon Himself, our sin so we could receive life.

So today, today we are celebrating life-life given and life taken. Do you celebrate the gift of true life?

His Amazing Timing!

“All returned to their own towns to register for this census.

DAY 19- We have made it to Nazareth! God has been so good and faithful; He led us here safely.  Today we are going to meet up with Mary and Joseph, some things are going on and I am not sure how long we will stay here.  Let’s get going they are waiting.

We are so glad you made it, we saw the Lord leading you, and we knew you would make it. You are just in time, we are getting ready to leave, a census has been decreed and we must return back to our home towns.

Let me start from the beginning I see some of you with puzzled looks on your face.

Augustus, the Roman emperor has just sent out a decree that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. So we all must return to our home towns to register for the census. Since I am a descendant of King David we must go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. (Luke 2:1-4)

So we have no time to spare, we have a 70 mile journey ahead of us, we need to get going.  We will visit on the way.

Have you ever stopped to let all of this sink in? The timing of this is amazing.  Apparently Mary was getting close to delivering and God knew exactly where He wanted His Son to be born. I mean what impeccable timing for Augustus to send out a decree. God’s amazing timing!

I think we seem to forget just how planned out our lives really are. What timing for Mary to have to travel, and ladies you know what I am talking about, 9 months pregnant, could you imagine traveling by foot, camel or donkey 70 miles? Augustus could have sent out the decree months before or after. His timing brother though hard to understand at times, is always perfect and fitting in the end.

And how wonderful for us, that we are getting to see first hand the work of the Lord.  It is all in His timing, and according to His will. Why would we choose to live according to our will and not His?

In the end when our eyes are opened, we will see how perfect His plan for us was and is.

Have you experienced God’s perfect timing and plan in your life?

A Prayer for Your Journey

“You both precede me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.” Psalm 139:5

DAY 18- Pack up camp, gather the family, we are headed to the village of Nazareth. There, we will meet up with Joseph and Mary.  Oh my goodness we are getting close! If everyone is ready let’s head out!

Lord we praise You, we praise Your mighty name.  You are and will forever be the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  We stand in awe of Your holiness.  Thank You for the wonderful privilege of being Your children.

Father thank you so much for all of our sweet friends and family that have gathered together over these last 18 days to hear the stories of Your greatness.  As they leave us to begin their journey to Bethlehem we ask that You both proceed and follow them.

Lord we ask that as they travel You will begin to do a work within them. Prepare their hearts for what they will hear and see over the next 7 days. We ask that You remove any and all distractions so they can put all their attention on You.

Go with them now Lord as they leave us to meet up with Mary and Joseph. Bless their time together Lord and again thank You, thank You for the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful journey. In Jesus name, amen.

We have enjoyed each and every one of you so much. Elizabeth and I will continue to pray for you as you journey the rest of the way. Give Joseph and Mary our love.  Just follow the light that precedes you, it is God leading the way.