Into the Fire

It's a brand new year. What lies ahead? There are two trails, one with hope and one with despair. 

The last four years have been draped in despair. 

In spite of the horrors, terrorists, and tragedies, we will search for and cling to hope. 

The only true and real hope in this world comes through Jesus. He's the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Find Him, find hope. 

Only You, Lord. Thank you is never enough. 

                                                                 AND

Rockin' out with the Doobie Brothers for New Year's Eve. "Without Love, where would you be now?" 

We know who Love Is: the Lord Jesus Christ gave it all for you. Let Him have your life. Without Him, you know where you'd be now. 

Many people make resolutions in hopes of keeping them, inspired by the dawn of a new year. No harm in that. Many people need to set goals, make lists, and determine by so doing to conquer lethargy, fears, laziness, or whatever keeps them from advancing in their daily lives.

My goal is the same every year, every day, every moment: Listen to the Lord's Spirit, discern His voice, and obey His requests. Christians often fail to remember His desires for us – whether they come via difficult tasks or simple endeavors – are for our good. Anything, any action, that brings us closer to Him will always prove to be an improvement in the way we live. Sometimes we're so engrossed in our selfish wants that we make the Lord's requests secondary to ours. That rarely works out well for us. 

As the New Year approaches, if you haven't had the absolute pleasure, privilege, and/or thrill of meeting Jesus, the Savior of the world, I pray you will. Nothing in this world offers a better way to live.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  – John 14:6 (NIV)

     Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

          "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,

           you now dismiss your servant in peace.

          For my eyes have seen your salvation,

           which you have prepared in the sight of all people.

          a light for revelation to the Gentiles

           and for glory to your people Israel."

     The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." 

Luke 2:25-35 (NIV)

From Chapter 32:

REMINDER

Jean July had the luxury of being born into a holy house with two parents who managed to praise God’s love and provision in spite of her father’s disability and eventual amputation and even when the young and vivacious Jean was told there was nothing that could correct her heart condition at such a tender age.

     He heard her words of explanation after she took him to their favorite spot up above their hideaway homes, high in the evergreens with an occasional pine, alder, or maple draping over them like a primitive shelter. They called it Eden—this place of beauty and stillness. This place where their lips first touched.

     She huffed and stopped along the way, and he asked if she was okay. She just smiled and pushed herself to get there.

     “Micah,” she said, settling into the seat of an ancient root system of a long-fallen fir. “We know God. You’ve even seen our Lord.”

     He remembered she labored over the words, reaching for more air as she spoke. “We don’t have much time left together. They—” She stumbled then. “The doctors can’t help me. It’s my heart.”

     The tears came fast then, and he panicked. He almost lunged for her but pulled her gently to himself and started to tell her they didn’t know what they were talking about. She was too young to die, and no way would he allow it. But as he struggled to speak, the Lord made sure he understood this would not be compromised. Jean July belonged to Him and what He intended for her was more and better than anything Micah or anyone else could provide. Micah wept as he held her and made no grandiose statements of her miraculous healing.

     When he could find his own oxygen and stop his wretched sobbing, he found a way to whisper, “Marry me.”

     She pulled out of his embrace and looked with wonder at his statement. “I’m going to die, Micah.” She said it so sweetly as if bestowing some noble gift upon him.

     “I know. So marry me.” He grabbed her hands. “I love you, Jean. I’ll always love you.”

Father, thank you is never enough for all the inspiration, the desire to write, the words, characters, all of it. Please help me to continue it. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Gifts given, presents opened, sized up, returns ready. The day after Christmas when inventory is taken. Leftovers ready to roll on repeat. 

Some return to work, others finish the week off.

Hope your Christmas was beautiful and wonderful and definitely meaningful. 

The real reckoning comes with the continuation of realization about who Jesus Is and that super holiday that just celebrated His coming to earth. In the big picture, that's all that truly matters. Does the adoration of our Savior continue? Do we continue to walk in His ways and listen to His voice, His instructions? Or do we fall back into a pattern of life that leaves Him on the outside of it? That's the must-answer question of our intentions. 

I pray that as the first of 2025 gets closer that more people would decide to find out who Jesus really Is. There's no comparison to living life with Him. I've lived both ways: in the world and saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. Redemption is everything. 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord."  Luke 2:11 (NIV) 

HE IS. HE came for us, to save us after being born into sin. HE's the Savior of the World. Do you want HIM? Ask HIM to rescue you. HE WILL. 

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. 

My dad was a giver. Birthday cards, Christmas cards, and lots of presents under the tree. He was the son of Italian immigrants with lots of brothers and sisters. As a boy in Butte, Montana, he physically had to learn how to fight to claim a corner to sell newspapers. Butte was a place of ill repute in the early days. Later on, he had to work in the mines. He lost the tip off his right index finger there. Following that, this Roman Catholic raised boy met and fell in love with a Methodist girl and they eloped on his 21st birthday. She was 16. My mom and dad almost made it to their 50th wedding anniversary, but cancer claimed my mother at the young age of 62. She gave so much to us.

I think I inherited his love of giving gifts. At Christmas, he gave gifts to the mailman, the garbage man, and the milkman. I have kept that tradition with the exception of the milkman – we haven't had one. I have a mail lady who is a joy. I've never met my garbage men, but I leave them gifts on the garbage cans on the Monday or whatever day before Christmas arrives. I would buy my husband multiple gifts more than I do (which are quite a few). Same with my sons, but after a point, they need or want less and less. 

Friends get gifts – and give me precious things besides their friendships. 

Giving gives me great joy. To experience smiles or great gratitude even for the little things is such a reward. 

God has been so generous and gracious to me my entire life. Giving is a gift within a gift. Thank God for His Greatest Gift of Jesus for salvation and redemption. Unequaled. Unprecedented. Unstoppable. The Great I AM. Thank you is never enough for all the gifts that come with Jesus. Amen.