The Gift of Hope

By Kathy Carlton Willis –

This Christmas season I’m grateful for the gift of hope. What life is worth living without it? Hope keeps me going when no other motivator will. Hope illuminates even the darkest of days with glimmers of possibility. Hope tells me there is another day ahead—a better day. Hope whispers “it’s okay” when your heart is heavy. Hope screams out “enjoy life!” no matter what the circumstances tell me.

— I have an unwavering hope of eternal life. That’s stability.
— I have a hope of a life filled with purpose. That’s responsibility.
— I have a hope of fulfilling relationships. That’s accountability.

Hope fills my life with beauty. It tells me I will have my needs provided, alleviating all worry. It comforts my soul with peace when the world tells me all is lost. Hope is not dead. Hope is alive and well.

The best thing of all: there is always enough hope to go around. Never a shortage. To create more, share your hope with someone who feels hopeless. Some say “hope floats.” I’m not sure what that means, but I do know one thing—hope multiplies.

Hope is made possible because of the very one we celebrate this Christmas season. Hope in Him and He will never disappoint.

Let in hope and fears subside. Give away hope and you give the best gift.

AUTHOR QUOTE: To have this gift, you must embrace it. The beautiful gift-wrapped package of hope is sitting at your feet now. Have you untied the ribbons, ripped off the paper, and opened the box?

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is” (Jeremiah 17:7 KJV).

Today’s devotional is by Kathy Carlton Willis, Christ-servant, wife to Russ, editor, publicist, certified CLASSeminars speaker and faculty member. Kathy Carlton Willis Communications encompasses her many passions. Kathy’s tagline captures her essence—Light & Lively: His Reflection/Her Laughter. Schedule Kathy for a speaking event or contact her firm for promotional assistance. KCWC gets jazzed shining the light on God’s writers and speakers.

Christmas Comfort

By Robin J. Steinweg –

“Okay, Mom, when do we get to open our Christmas Eve pajamas?”

“What do you mean, ‘Christmas Eve pajamas’? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Our tall sons nudge each other and eyeball the presents under the tree. It’s tradition: Go to church, open one gift, sing carols together; drink cocoa, gobble cookies, pray together, then hit the sack.

“You know. What we get every Christmas Eve. What color are they this year?”

“I am clueless. Enlighten me.”

Son number two rolls his eyes. “We’re on to you, Mom.”

I am all innocence. “I can’t imagine why you think you’re getting pajamas.”

“It might have something to do with the fact that we’ve gotten them every Christmas Eve for eighteen years.”

“That was pure coincidence. I’m sure you’ll be surprised this year.”

Son number one pats my head. “Right, Mom. It’ll be a surprise to find out if they match or not.”

I hand them and their father packages marked “Christmas Eve.” I make them open them simultaneously. They each pull out dark green lounge pants printed with bright-colored strings of lights, and T-shirts, each a different color. “Surprise!” I holler. They laugh and go to put them on.

Traditions and rituals are not only fun, but comforting. Like knowing that Girl Scouts will appear at the door in the fall selling cookies; Mr. Rogers will don a sweater and canvas shoes on every rerun; It’s A Wonderful Life will be on TV several times each Christmas season; and bell-ringers for the Salvation Army kettles have been out in force.

The first Christmas did not offer any traditions. Conquering Romans forced the Hebrews to travel to the towns of their birth for a census, regardless of the hardship it placed on them. A woman in labor, turned away from crowded inns, found small comfort in giving birth to her firstborn in a stable. Angels appeared and terrified some shepherds. A star, never seen before, lit the way for magi to travel from the east to find a Child, the prophesied King of the Jews.

Even so, God’s Word rings true: “Comfort, comfort My people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that…her sin has been paid for.” (Isaiah 40:1-2). Now there’s comfort to last from Christmas to eternity!

QUOTE: “…remember, Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day to save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray. O, tidings of comfort and joy; comfort and joy! O, tidings of comfort and joy!” (Traditional English carol)

“I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow” (Jeremiah 31:13c NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Robin J. Steinweg. Robin’s life might be described using the game Twister: the colored dots are all occupied, limbs intertwine (hopefully not to the point of tangling), and you never know which dot the arrow will point to next, but it sure is fun getting there!

What Did You Expect?

By Jarrod Spencer –

My wife is very expressive. It is one of her great traits. I am not so expressive. It is one of my…traits. We tend to joke about this area from time to time because we are very different. Luckily, our son is more like his mommy in this area.

Since I tend to not be as expressive, I hate to open gifts in front of people. I love to receive them, but do not like to open them in front of people. The main reason is that I’ve been known to be very unexpressive when I open something that maybe wasn’t what I wanted or expected.

I can’t help but wonder if the people of Jesus’ day were much like I am about gifts? Their ancestors had passed down the prophecy to them. It was always a waiting game. “Could it be this year?” At the time of Jesus’ birth, they had experienced about 400 years of no contact from God. The time between the two Testaments, God had not sent prophets to shape up the people. So, very few even knew that the time of a Messiah being born was a possibility, especially, those outside the Jewish faith.

However, once He did come on the scene, how many people questioned it. “A child born in Bethlehem? In a manger? From a peasant family? I don’t think so.” Joseph wasn’t the Rockefeller of his day, nor was he a Heisman winner. He was from a common family. Mary—she was no princess, by heritage. She wasn’t a former Miss Israel. A commoner.

Jesus came in common form, to common folks, for a common purpose. He may not have come in a form they expected. They may have gruffed at the fact He arrived the way He did, to whom He did. Regardless, Jesus was the gift we needed, even if it didn’t seem so in the beginning. Jesus was the expected Savior, but in different form. May we praise God for the things we’re given which we didn’t expect!

PRAYER: Father, You are an expert in giving us what we need and when we need it. I love that about You. May we appreciate what comes our way from You, even in the moments of our lives we didn’t expect what you provided. May we understand what comes from You is beneficial for our lives. Thank You for giving us the unexpected!

“Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown” (Luke 4:24 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.

True Meaning of Christmas

By Kathy Carlton Willis –

What is the true meaning of Christmas? Why is it that Christmas somehow brings cheer? I think it is important to ponder the meaning of Christmas to reveal the special powers of this special holiday.

Is the meaning of Christmas found in all of the decorations? Houses and city streets are brightly decorated. The beauty and splendor of it all brings cheer to the heart, but it isn’t the true meaning of Christmas.

Maybe the meaning of Christmas is found in being with family. Certainly the holiday isn’t the same when you are apart from the ones you love the most. As much as we enjoy being with family for the holidays, the meaning of Christmas isn’t wrapped up in celebrating Christmas with our relatives.

Is the true meaning of Christmas found in gift giving? Shoppers spend hard-earned money to buy just the right gifts for their loved ones. Children can’t wait to flip through catalogs to make out their Christmas wish lists. Adults have learned it isn’t so much about receiving gifts, but about seeing eyes light up when someone you care for opens the gift you handpicked for them. But Christmas isn’t about gift giving either. Even if no one gave a single gift, Christmas would still exist.

The true meaning of Christmas is all about Who we celebrate. It’s actually a big birthday party in honor of the only One ever born to change our eternal destinations. Not only can Christ change where we go when we die, He changes who we are from the inside out, a real rebirth for us. We give gifts because the wise men came bearing gifts when they came to meet the Christ-child. We hang lights because the stars lit the sky on that nativity so long ago. And we long to be with family just like Mary longed to be with her cousin Elizabeth when she found out she was bearing the Holy One.

Everything we do to celebrate the Christmas season is all well and good as long as we remember why we celebrate in the first place. How important is the gift of Christ to you? Have you come to Him, just as you are, much like the shepherds and wise men, to allow Him to make a difference in your life?

“Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” (John 4:29 NLT).

Today’s devotional is by Kathy Carlton Willis, Christ-servant, wife to Russ, editor, publicist, certified CLASSeminars speaker and faculty member. Kathy Carlton Willis Communications encompasses her many passions. Kathy’s tagline captures her essence—Light & Lively: His Reflection/Her Laughter. Schedule Kathy for a speaking event or contact her firm for promotional assistance. KCWC gets jazzed shining the light on God’s writers and speakers.

Remedial Nativity

By Kathy Carlton Willis –

One Sunday, I taught a lesson to my Junior High class I entitled, “Remedial Nativity.” Of course, my first order of business was answering their question, “What does remedial mean?” I thought for sure they would know—so I explained it was a sort of beginner or refresher course. Just the basics. We started by looking up the word “nativity” in the Bible. The teens were surprised to learn it just means birthday. So I asked them what was different about this birthday. They were right on target when they gave the following answers: Jesus was born God in a human body. He came to be our substitute on the cross. He was perfect. We needed Him to come to patch things up between us and God the Father. He grew up to be King.

We read through Luke 1 and 2 to set the scene and evaluated what it must have been like to be greeted by an angel. To use the words of a teenager, “Mary must have freaked out!” When they found out Mary was possibly their age, they immediately formed a connection with her. They were amazed at her maturity and spirituality. Even in this age of permissiveness, the teens admitted they would have told the angel to pick someone else. They would fear the ridicule of their friends and family. I explained that all Jewish girls prayed to be the mother of the Christ child. It was the biggest honor imaginable. Honor or not, it was also filled with potential problems.

We looked at the scenario through the eyes of Joseph, and then through the eyes of her parents and other friends. We discussed the culture of the time. One student brought up the fact that Mary came into Bethlehem on the back of a donkey. I explained that this showed the tender side of Joseph because many men would have made the women walk the journey while they rode the distance. To use another of their expressions, “that’s messed up!”

Of course the lesson wasn’t complete until another teen sat confused by the facts and asked, “Where does Santa fit in to all of this?” I’ll save that for another lesson!

AUTHOR QUOTE: Christmas—Keep It Simple, Saints.

“This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18 NLT).

Today’s devotional is by Kathy Carlton Willis, Christ-servant, wife to Russ, editor, publicist, certified CLASSeminars speaker and faculty member. Kathy Carlton Willis Communications encompasses her many passions. Kathy’s tagline captures her essence—Light & Lively: His Reflection/Her Laughter. Schedule Kathy for a speaking event or contact her firm for promotional assistance. KCWC gets jazzed shining the light on God’s writers and speakers.

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