Day: December 15, 2019

Advent: A Calendar of Devotions 2019 — Third Sunday of Advent

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Luke 1:46-55

“And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

On this Third Sunday of Advent my church celebrated “JOY.” It was a wonderful service filled with hymns and songs of the Advent season. With all of the focus on the baby Jesus coming it can be easy to push Mary aside. Mary’s response to being chosen by God to give birth to the Savior of the world was praises to God and faithful rejoicing. Mary has found favor with God and her life was about to take on some major changes. Had she not considered how others would react; did she sense the implications of being pregnant and unwed (?); did she realize that she could lose her future husband and cause disgrace to her family…maybe she did and maybe not, the important part of the story is that she listened and followed in faith the things that were told to her my the angel. Her response to the Lord’s message was PRAISE!

It is through Mary we are able to learn of God’s grace and mercy; most importantly this grace and mercy took human form in a newborn baby boy. It is through Mary and this baby boy, the world would never be the same again.

Step out in faith and everlasting joy to God’s call in your life. This week spread JOY wherever possible! Be the light of Jesus to friend and family but most especially to strangers.

Prayer:

Lord, you called Mary to a large task, At the time it may have seemed to be more than she or anyone else could handle. Yet through her, Emmanuel would come and change the world. During this season of preparation and anticipation, work within me, to be your agent of divine change. Look upon me with favor and send me. Let this season of Advent be one of your in-breaking, not in sentimentality, but in a reordering of the world to your will and your kingdom. ~Amen.

~Hope-Peace-Joy~

References:

https://www.themissiondsm.org/message/marys-magnificat

Why not the Magnificat? Mary’s song of humble joy ought to be our song, too

https://www.biblegateway.com/

Thankful Heart ♥️

December 14, 2019

This is a post of thanksgiving, to share the joys of my heart and my life. I’m so thankful for this platform and all the wonderful individuals who take the time to follow and read my posts. I am also grateful to share my faith with all of you! I know that as soon as I start naming names, I will forget someone and that is not my intention. I am so blessed with amazing friends some old, some new and all an extension of my family. I love you all very much. This season of Advent has been especially meaningful to me because I’ve been able to share my blessings from God with family and friends.

“A friend loves at all times.” ~Proverbs 17:17

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of celebrating the Christmas season with my Esther’s Circle group through my church. These women are absolutely amazing. They bring so much joy to my life and have helped me grow in ways I never imagined possible. Sometimes they are my sisters, sometimes my mother, and always my friends. I was able to give just a token of my gratitude back to them and my heart was overflowing with gladness! Just a week ago I was able to have lunch with the Juliet’s from my church, a group of women who meet once a month for lunch at a local restaurant and enjoy good food and conversation!

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” ~Proverbs 27:17

Today, I was able to drive a couple hours away to visit a friend whom I rarely get the chance to see. She’s had a difficult year due to an injury. I’ve know her for over twenty years and we have been through a lot of stuff, good and bad. I wish her nothing but happiness and joy, lots of joy. She’s not had an easy life but she has risen above it and is brave and courageous and determined. I’ve learned a lot about myself through our friendship and I think I’m a better person because of her. We had a short visit, shared a meal and did a little shopping! It was a good day!

“…there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.” ~Proverbs 18:24

I have another friend that I’ve known for over twenty years and I really would like to visit her but we live several hours apart and our schedules make it difficult to plan. She is an amazing single mom of twin boys. She is a fantastic mom, always wanting the best for her boys. She is brave and smart, determined and funny. She sacrifices many things to provide for her family, and wants her children to experience a childhood filled with as much love and laughter as she was raised with. I’ve seen through her the precious moments of children growing too fast, one day your holding and rocking them, the next day they are running around and exploring everything and before you realize it they are 10 years old and sitting on mom’s lap or cuddling on the couch doesn’t happen as often. One thing I’ve learned in life, you never outgrow your parents. These three individuals are very close to my heart. Anyways, I have not been able to visit but I sent Christmas gifts and I can’t wait to FaceTime with them as they open their gifts. I am blessed to have all three in my life, they have given me memories that will last forever.

This past summer I was able to visit a very dear friend, we met my freshman year in college and she has a heart of gold. She and I became friends rather quickly, which is still puzzling to me because she was a sophomore or junior transfer student, and I was a nerdy freshman. We have maintained a beautiful friendship through the years, we don’t talk often or see one another very much but I trust her with my life. She and her husband have always had the ability to make me feel “wanted” and part of their life. She has 3 amazing children and because of their inclusion and sharing I feel as if I know her children but I have only met them a couple of times. My college memories are sweeter and in some cases funnier because of her. She has always loved and accepted me for who I am nothing more and nothing less. She is courageous, supportive and encouraging.

I have many more friends with similar characteristics and would love to share them with you, but this has already gotten lengthier than I had planned. My message is “do take life for granted, sure there’s parts of it that hurt and some that sucks but there’s also so much more! More goodness, more joy, more love…”.

Don’t forget to count your blessings!

~Peace & Love~

Charlotte~Char~Charlie

Advent: A Calendar of Devotions 12/14/2019

Saturday, December 14, 2019

1 Samuel 2:1-8 *This is a prayer expressing the power and holiness of God, God is our “Rock!”

“Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in my God. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in my victory. “There is no Holy One like the Lord, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry are fat with spoil. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.”

Can you imagine being with Moses and the children of Israel when they were wondering in the wilderness and seeing the moment Moses struck the rock and water sprung to quench their thirst (Exodus 17). What power, majesty and holiness of God was displayed!! Throughout history artists have tried to capture such events such as this in different expressions of art. Here’s a few:

https://brandonwilt89.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/numbers-20-was-water-from-the-rock-a-miracle-or-science-and-why-was-this-event-important-for-moses/amp/

The Bible has many examples of God’s power, God’s holiness and the greatest of all is found in a baby, born in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago. Jesus traded the beauty of heaven and its splendors reserved for the holy for the furnishings of the lowly. It is through this great sacrifice, born to a virgin and a carpenter, Mary & Joseph loved Jesus and praised God for all He had done! You and I can experience the holiness of God this Advent season by reading about and anticipating the birth of Jesus.

Prayer:

God, there is no one like you, and none can compare to you. You are our Rock, our Redeemer. May I grow in holiness as you are revealed to me. May the coming Christ Child be a reminder to me of what your holiness looks like. ~Amen.

~Hope & Peace~

References:

https://www.alamy.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/