Loving Grip

By Elaine James –

My husband knew that I was disappointed. He also knew that I really needed that walk on the beach. He began to find playful ways to keep from letting go of my hand. Thankfully, I started to enjoy the game and even found myself laughing. I am thankful my husband did not let my frustration bother him. He was determined to somehow help me to enjoy myself despite the obstacles. It was hard for me not to let my negative emotions get the best of me at first, but his special attention caught my eye.

Often, I find myself trying to hold on to God’s hand and stay on His path. Challenging circumstances in life vie for my attention leaving me frustrated and feeling like giving up – just like that walk on the beach began. Fortunately, like my husband, God doesn’t loosen His grip.
The Bible says, “For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness” (Psalm 107:9 NKJV). At times we are tempted to call things that turn around for good a coincidence. But this verse helps us to recognize it is not a coincidence. It’s God’s goodness which gives us reason to celebrate with hearts of gratitude.

Maybe you can relate. You feel at times like giving up. Just like my husband caught my attention and helped me to enjoy a walk hand-in-hand, God’s loving grip can catch our attention as He walks with us filling our hearts with joy.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your loving grip that keeps hold of me as I continue to walk and talk with You and find satisfaction in life to carry on. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Dazzled

By Elaine James –

Take a moment and remember a time when you were outside in the pitch black of the night and saw the amazing sky in all of its vastness. Did you lie down and look up and really take in the vastness of the sky? You couldn’t help but say “God you did all this.”

A friend asked a friend to lie down on the ground in Wyoming so they could stargaze. One spoke up with amazement in his voice and asked, “Why did God create so many stars and make the universe so vast?!”

The other replied, “Because God wants to dazzle you.”

Long ago, God, who is the intelligent designer, created the heavens and the earth. He is an amazing artist who has a ginormous love for us. He created the world with such intricacy. Awesome! I am challenged to be still and know that God is God. I use the word challenged because there is such urgency in my mind to be task-orientated that I struggle with time management. I can only imagine that you might struggle with this as well.

In this New Year I want to start out remembering the times where I was overcome viewing His starry sky. After all I just heard the Christmas story and was dazzled by the star that rose after Jesus was born (Matthew 2).

Imagine if everyone decided to start out their New Year with the starry Christmas night still in their heart and images of their last starry gaze in that special place. Slowly take a deep breath in and let it out with a prayer “God, take hold of my hand, here we go into the New Year, I don’t want to do this year without you.”

“And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:14-18 NIV).

Dazzled

By Elaine James –

Take a moment and remember a time when you were outside in the pitch black of the night and saw the amazing sky in all of its vastness. Did you lie down and look up and really take in the vastness of the sky? You couldn’t help but say “God you did all this.”

A friend asked a friend to lie down on the ground in Wyoming so they could stargaze. One spoke up with amazement in his voice and asked, “Why did God create so many stars and make the universe so vast?!”

The other replied, “Because God wants to dazzle you.”

Long ago, God, who is the intelligent designer, created the heavens and the earth. He is an amazing artist who has a ginormous love for us. He created the world with such intricacy. Awesome! I am challenged to be still and know that God is God. I use the word challenged because there is such urgency in my mind to be task-orientated that I struggle with time management. I can only imagine that you might struggle with this as well.

In this New Year I want to start out remembering the times where I was overcome viewing His starry sky. After all I just heard the Christmas story and was dazzled by the star that rose after Jesus was born (Matthew 2).

Imagine if everyone decided to start out their New Year with the starry Christmas night still in their heart and images of their last starry gaze in that special place. Slowly take a deep breath in and let it out with a prayer “God, take hold of my hand, here we go into the New Year, I don’t want to do this year without you.”

“And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:14-18 NIV).

Hurry Up

By Elaine James –

“Hurry up, we have to go!” I yelled.

I ran out onto the back porch with my baby in my arms racing to get into the car and all of the sudden I tumbled, crashing to the ground. I checked out the baby and, miraculously, no injuries.

My toddler came running up with a panicked look shouting “Mom are you okay?”

“Thank goodness we are fine” I spoke with a bit of reassurance in my voice. This could have been more serious. With resolve I said, “Listen to me. Let’s agree right here, right now we will not say the H word any longer.”

“What’s the H word, mom?” Nick asked peering at me with his cute inquiring eyes.

“Hurry!” I explained. “We were divinely lucky this time, but if we continue to hurry every time we go somewhere one of us may get hurt. All hands in!”

I had us put our hands all in on top of each other like the ball players do when they come out of a huddle, and we cheered, “No more hurrying!”

It felt good when we came to an agreement. No yelling. No screaming. Just teamwork. Yay for our team!
The Bible teaches that we are to submit to one another and be team builders. Jesus selected the twelve disciples, taught them and encouraged them to work together. One day the disciples came to Jesus and said, “‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat’” (Matthew 14:15-16 NIV).
Jesus made a plan, the disciples responded and obeyed therefore Jesus was able to create a miracle, which resulted in order, peace, joy and contentment. Teamwork!

This New Year you may prayerfully consider this question “How can I intentionally and deliberately build better teamwork into important relationships in my life?” Wait and trust the Holy Spirit to answer this meaningful question.

You may be tempted to call a teambuilding meeting where you get dreary looks and meaningless head nodding. Consider trying this instead:

1. Get a package of Three Musketeer’s candy bars.
2. Attach a note to the candy stating your desire to build team work in the New Year.
3. Include the motto “All for One, One for All.” Certainly that will pique their taste buds and interest!

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21 NIV).

PRAYER: Father, thank- you for a New Year. My desire is to be deliberately intentional in my relationships this year so that I can build a team like you did, Jesus. (Name the team members) Help guide us all with clarity and unity. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Creating the Perfect Christmas

By Elaine James –

“You get your panties all in a bunch!” he blurted out. Oh boy is he in trouble I thought. I watched my friend Tom bury himself as he rolled his eyes and came out with that to his wife. What was he thinking by saying that?

Tom was expressing his frustration about the family Christmas dinner that was just around the corner. He went on a rant describing how uptight Cindy gets. I felt for Cindy because I understood where she was coming from. I know she loves Pinterest and she has been perusing that website getting inspiring ideas with the desire to create the perfect Christmas.

Have you found yourself trying to keep up with the times and new ideas? Or with the age-old desire of creating the perfect Christmas? Are your panties in a bunch? Or maybe you have found yourself just giving up and doing the complete opposite–nothing?

The Bible teaches us the perfect perspective of how to celebrate Christmas. It starts with the angel declaring to Mary, “And listen! You will become pregnant and will give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus” (Luke 1:31 AMP). Mary’s response “Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said” (Luke 1:38 AMP).

We can relate that to our lives. We pray for our plans. We become pregnant with an idea. We respond as the handmaiden of the Lord knowing that “For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment” (Luke 1:37AMP). We can fulfill the perfect Christmas in God’s power.

Next time you imagine yourself creating a perfect Christmas think of yourself being nine months pregnant. Imagine Mary travelling 80 miles, about one week on foot, to get to her perfect Christmas celebration. What would happen to all our perspectives of wanting a perfect Christmas? The world could fulfill their perfect Christmas with this promise, “No word from God shall be without power” (Luke 1:37 AMP).

PRAYER: Thank you for the free gift of Jesus Christ. You always have the perfect plans. Help me be guided this Christmas with your promise that I will be with Your power to create Your perfect Christmas plans. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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