Could This Be The Year?

By Cynthia Ruchti –

Fresh calendars are like an unquilted stretch of new snow begging for footprints. They tease with their crisp, unmarked pages, claiming that life won’t be messy and scribbled on before the year is over.

I’m old enough to know better, to realize that somewhere within those relatively blank pages are marks already—notes about an upcoming doctor appointment made months ago, reminders about tax form due dates, speaking engagements, deadlines…

The thirty-one open boxes under the stunning photograph of a lighthouse will start to fill before I take a step back to admire it. Church meetings. A family get-together. Worship practice (what an odd phrase! Practice for worship is…worship!). Birthdays I won’t remember soon enough to send a card. Garbage night. Phone numbers. Things that don’t fit on the to-do list.

When I take down this calendar to put up a new one next January, what story will these pages tell?

Will this be the year that I conquer my battle with—? It’s a multiple choice question.

Is this the year I stick to the discipline of—? Again, multiple choice.

Will this year be marked by lightning-fast obedience, divinely-appointed risk-taking, books read and written, regret-free living in relationships?

How many squares on the calendar will be filled with surprises, unexpected challenges, things I’d rather forget than remember?

Is this the year I won’t flinch when they come?

Although I regularly commit my day to the Lord, I don’t remember laying a whole calendar before Him. But it seems like a good idea, doesn’t it?

How can I move from block to block, three hundred and sixty five times, without His help? How can I hope to navigate that maze, dodging distractions and things circled four times and accented with exclamation marks if I’m not letting Him lead the way?

PRAYER: Father God, Lord of my life, early in the morning (and the year) will I rise up and seek You. I need You every hour, every block, every page.

“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee… Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me,” (Psalm 63:1a, 7-8 KJV).

Today’s devotional is by Cynthia Ruchti, writer/producer of THE HEARTBEAT OF THE HOME radio ministry and past president of American Christian Fiction Writers. Cynthia’s debut novel—They Almost Always Come Home—and novella—“The Heart’s Harbor” in A Door County Christmas—released in 2010. Cynthia writes stories of hope that glows in the dark. www.cynthiaruchti.com.

The Road Less Traveled

By Cheri Cowell –

Whether we call them New Year’s resolutions or simply think of them as plans for the start of a new year, many of us choose new paths this time of year. When choosing a path forward we can follow the road less traveled, but if we are honest, most of us prefer the path of relative ease. Crowded and filled with familiarity, this road appears to go where we want to go, after-all “everyone” is on it. One look at the commercials this time of year and we know this crowded thoroughfare—buy this product or that and you’ll look younger, feel smarter, reach your dreams. You can have it all, they scream, if only you… Songs are made to glorify this super-highway and books tempt us with stories of its fulfillment. However, once lulled by its smooth surface, we find little truth in its travel brochures. The grass isn’t greener on the other side—weeds still grow there, too.

The lesson is clear: be sure you are not fooled by their flashy advertisements. The road less traveled, the more difficult way is the true path to fulfillment. This familiar passage in Matthew speaks of this narrow way, but separated from the next passage we don’t know how to find this road and will easily fall prey to deceptive advertising. So, what is this big secret? Simple. Look at the fruit. Jesus asks, “Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” The road less traveled might be less crowded, but those who’ve found it will have the life those on the other paths only dream of.

PRAYER: Thank You for being the Gate through which the road less traveled passes. Help me to be aware of false advertising, and to resist the lull of the path of relative ease.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14, 15-20 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Cheri Cowell, author of Direction: Discernment for the Decisions of Your Life, a great book for those looking for a guide on the road less traveled. Visit her website at http://www.CheriCowell.com

What Did You Find?

By Jarrod Spencer –

My wife and I traveled to her grandmother’s house for the holidays one year, using my father-in-law’s directions. The car we traveled in had no overhead light, so Aubrey was forced to read the directions using the under-dash light. We thought it said to look for a “green house,” however before it was too late, we realized we needed to turn at the “greenhouse,” a plant nursery. We didn’t miss our turn, but we still joke about it each time we drive by there. We were following directions but ended up with something totally different by the time we reached this part of the trip.

Finding something totally different than what we expect isn’t abnormal. It’s possible people reacted that way when Jesus was born—and even today, when they find Jesus.

There are some interesting life lessons we can learn from trips, such as when the shepherds searched for the baby Jesus. First, don’t over-plan your trip. Each day you may do much of the same thing; but don’t forget to plan for flexibility. God may throw something at you that you never thought was going to be in your day of travels. The unexpected can make it very interesting!

Second, the unexpected may actually have been planned. God brings about something that may be a surprise to you, but certainly didn’t take Him by surprise. Your day may be going the way you planned it, but when something unplanned happens, that may have been God interjecting and saying, “This is what I’ve got planned.”

Finally, reveal the manger. Have you ever hidden something behind your back that you were going to later reveal? All Christians have something they need to reveal to others—Jesus! He is our treasure. Bring Him front and center, and show others your Savior, even if the reveal wasn’t what they expected.

The shepherds found Him in a manger. You found Him somewhere else. Let’s make sure others see Him in all sorts of places.

AUTHOR QUOTE: People may not have planned to see Jesus when they met up with you, but hopefully He is exactly what they’ll find.

“When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them” (Luke 2:15-18 ESV).

Today’s devotional is by Jarrod Spencer. He is a seeker of God’s surprises in everyday life, looking for ways to be used by God with anyone he comes in contact with. He has a passion for encouraging people through the written word and exercises that passion with blogging and sending out a weekly text of encouragement. You can read more of his writings at http://jarrodspencer.blogspot.com and his church’s website is http://www.colbychurch.com.

May Your Days Be Merry and Bright

By Aubrey Spencer –

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! We are all moved in and settled in our new home in Kansas, just in time for my favorite holiday. I love the lights, the music, the decorations, the traditions, the cheer, the excitement and, of course, Santa! I’m telling you, moving around this time of the year has been a great motivator for me. In just two weeks time, I’ve completely unpacked, decked the house out for Christmas and am ready to host our annual Holiday Open House on Sunday.

You see, if it weren’t for my love of all things Christmas and my clouded vision that comes from the joy of this season, I would be staring at a number of things that aren’t so festive. Like the fact that we had a leak from the hot water heater that flooded our basement last week. Or how running the washing machine made the shower drain overflow Monday night, causing the basement to flood again. Or dealing with fussy Oliver, who’s getting more teeth, has his first cold and hasn’t been so jolly the last week, to say the least. Or possibly, the fact that our living situation is temporary because we’re renting a house still up for sale while waiting for our own home to sell back in Illinois. Our charming house is tiny, and half of our belongings are still packed, stored in the garage because our furniture won’t all fit. Compounding all these frustrations, in just one week’s time, we lost the house keys once, locked ourselves out of the house once and locked the office keys inside the office. Crazy, huh?

It would be so easy for me to become the Grinch if I focused on all that craziness. But, I’m thinking of better things: twinkling lights, mistletoe, Christmas carols, joy, friendship, and laughter.

Truth is, it’s easy not to be bah hum bug during the holidays. The real work begins when problems arise and there are no silver bells to distract me. It is in those moments that I must remember what Scripture tells me—dwell on things above. With that focus, my days will be merry and bright, through the holidays and beyond.

PRAYER: Father, I pray that You will help me focus on You and all Your blessings instead of the troubles and difficulties that come my way. Help me to see situations through Your eyes and to fill myself with Your goodness.

“…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” (Philippians 4:8 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Aubrey Spencer. Aubrey is a real housewife of northwest Kansas. She is a minister’s wife and a mom to two little miracles, Oliver and Ava. She has a passion for writing and entertaining but realizes her greatest ministry at the moment is to raise her children to be people after God’s own heart. She loves to see how God shows up in everyday situations. Read more of her writings at http://ministrymama.blogspot.com.

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