“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” ~Luke 6:35-36 (NRSV)
Friends, thank you for your support. Some of you have been with me since the beginning of this journey other only for a few hours; EACH of you matter to me and I am so appreciative. In the past eight years, I have gained experience and hopefully grown as a writer. I pray that God continues to work through me to reach His children and share His Love with the world.
God Bless you, one and all!
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.” ~Numbers 6:24-26 (NRSV)
~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.
Music videos were not part of the original post, I hope they speak to you as they did to me.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” ~Deuteronomy 31:6
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” ~Romans 15:13
~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.
Today I am reposting a previously published post, this is the fourth highest viewed. I hope you find something that blesses you through these words, I cannot take complete credit for the words and inspirations, in that I know the Holy Spirit is always with me and I want to share the LOVE of God with my followers. Peace to you ~
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NRSV)
“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.” — Psalm 62:1-2 (NRSV) —
~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.
I’ve been so blessed since starting my blog, I love the WP community and connections. I aspire to be a writer and to share my faith with the world. This blog come into fruition from the support and encouragement of a very dear friend, Jan. Our friendship has become even more enriched through the years. I believe our friendship and connection was from God, His timing for what we need at specific times in our lives.
“The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.” — Proverbs 16:9 (NRSV) —
I have decided to repost the top 5 posts on my site since I began it. I must give credit to a friend of mine that also did something similar on his site. I encourage you to check his blog out, he’s great writer and provides truth. http://tomvanderwell.com/
Holy God, I give thanks for my friends, family and WP community for connection and laughter, for comfort and strength, for encouragement and unity, for forgiveness and grace, for celebration and joy. They are so many things to me, such a rich tapestry of blessings, woven through my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.
Thank you all for joining me during Advent 2021. I so appreciate the comments, feedback, pings and most especially the connectedness of the WP family. I am also thankful to my friends, family, coworkers and FB followers. I look forward to more reading and writing in the new year. I hope everyone had the Christmas they had hoped for. My hope for the season was to spend time with those I love, mission partly accomplished. I worked through the holiday but have plans to see my dad, brother, and my niece and her family and hopefully more relatives too on my next days off. I was blessed to recently spend time with my aunt, my cousin and her daughter. We made several dozens of cookies, candies and other sweet treats but the best part with being together. We reminisced about the past and family members no longer with us physically. I miss the Christmas’ of past, waking early to open presents, staying up late wrapping presents and assembling toys for the morning. Such joys!! Our memories are priceless!
🎄 ✝️ 🌟 ❤️ ✨ 🎁 🎄 ✝️ 🌟 ❤️ ✨ 🎁 🎄
I love Christmas for all the reasons; family, food, friends and faith! In recent years, this one included I have not set the bar very high with regards to the holidays. I love blogging and sharing my faith perspectives and gift giving. I love to see the faces of those opening the gifts; I spend a lot time trying to find “the gift” that seems to be just right for them. The expression of excitement and sheer joy is so much more valuable to me than the gift itself. Giving is a gift that God has blessed me with, not through wealth, I definitely live within a budget but I make it work if it’s important to me. I have many footprints on my heart from people I have met in my life that are so dear to me. Some have moved on and we don’t see or talk with one another anymore, but my memories of them are fully intact and it’s true what they say, “you may not remember what people say, but you will always remember how they made you feel.”Quote attributed to Carol Buchner, Maya Angelou and others.
Photo Credit: Carol Flinn Yep, that’s me
What Are Your 2022 Hopes?
Things that I hope to accomplish in the new year are to ___________________. I have many ideas and plans not yet formulated or penned to paper. I know, I sense the Holy Spirit leading me to something… I am ready to heed this nudging and tugging upon my heart. I am tired of the circling pattern I have had my life going in. The pandemic has not helped with everything shutdown; life waits for no one. I trust God’s timing and this just might be the year for me to discover new people, new places and my place in the midst of it all.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” —Proverbs 3:5-6 (NRSV)
A huge miscalculation on my part in living my life to its fullest potential is this…I am still trying to balance the past while trying to move forward; an impossible feat. It’s like trying to push 2 same pole magnets together…
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.
— Søren Kierkegaard
“But I will hope continually, and will praise you yet more and more.” —Psalm 71:14 (NRSV) —
Everyone has a past, but that’s just it–it’s in the past. You can learn from it, but you can’t change it.
—Nicholas Sparks
“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.” — Hebrews 10:23 -(NRSV) —
~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” —Luke 2:11 (NIV)
Prayer ~
Heaven Father, the God of the universe who gave His only Son to save all mankind. Jesus is the Light of the World. Help us to seek the Light, guide us to share the Light and Love you freely give. Today, open our hearts and minds to the great sacrifices of individuals that faithfully traveled the path you set before them. Mary & Joseph, the Shepherds & the Wisemen… God you showed your love for us through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, it made possible the bridge to reunite with you, our Heavenly Father. The relationship that was fractured due to sin, is now bridged because of Jesus.Amen
“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)
HOPE — 1st Candle
— The first candle reminds us of the promise that a Messiah would come, bringing peace and love to the world.
PEACE – PREPARATION — 2nd Candle
— The second candle reminds us that the prophets waited for a Messiah to come and save the people.
JOY — 3rd Candle
— The third candle reminds us that Jesus’ birth brings joy to all who believe in Him, so we join all of creation in celebrating Him.
LOVE — 4th Candle
— The fourth candle reminds us that God demonstrated His love by sending His Son Jesus to be born in a manger and suffer and die for our sins, so we may live forever with Him.
CHRIST (CHRISTMAS) — 5th Candle
— The fifth candle shows us that the waiting is over. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is born!
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” —John 1:14 (NIV)
Reading of the Christmas Story
The Birth of Jesus
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.” —Luke 2:1-21 (NIV)
Jesus Presented in the Temple
“When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” ), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” 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 on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 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 may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of 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.” There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.“ Luke 2:22-40 (NIV)
Discussion Questions
1. The eternal God entered this world as a baby in a manger, as a Gift for all people: rich, poor, educated and unschooled, young and old. What does this tell us about God?
God holds all life as precious. Every single person has worth. God, by design wanted Jesus born and experience everything you and I experience in this conditional world. God loves us as the “whole” of mankind but He also loves each of us individually because He created us individually.
2. How can we respond to God’s great gift?
This great gift does not get in return what it gives so freely. I believe we over complicate this great gift, we start adding conditions to responding to this gift. Conditions and/or rules as some might call them. I think the basic things we can do in response to God’s gift of Jesus Christ is this: 1.) believe and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, repenting and being saved. 2.) Love everyone.
Jesus tells us plainly, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” —John 13:34-35
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” —1 Corinthians 13:13
Friends—
It has been complete joy for me to share this Advent season with you. I wish you a Very Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season. ✝️✨🛐🌟💜
~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” —1 John 4:7-12 (ESV)
Today, we review the past week and our “unwrapping the names of Jesus” I hope you have learned something new or was surprised by acts of LOVE. ❣️
LOVE IN ACTION
Here’s a few ideas to put your LOVE INTO ACTION:
❤️ Write a letter to your children, your parents or someone special to you recounting a special Christmas memory.
🧡 Host a free pancake breakfast for international students or people new to the neighborhood or your church. Look for opportunities to build bridges and point them to Immanuel — God with us.
💛 Bake a cake for Jesus, the Son of Man who left the splendor of heaven to take on human flesh. Encourage others to come up with ideas to say “Happy Birthday” to Jesus through loving others near them.
💚 Tape $1 in quarters on washers in laundromats to serve those who may be going through hardship. As you do this pray and ask God to reveal Himself to the person using the coins in a special way. Pray that this simple act of kindness to relieve burdens on the heart of the one accepting the gifts.
💙 Set up a hot cocoa stand for the homeless in you car or van or cab, driving around the city handing out cups of cocoa hot and given in LOVE.
💜 If you neighborhood has snow, shovel a neighbors driveway or sidewalks. You can open doors for strangers at stores. Say thank you and you’re welcome, smile at someone. Spread the LOVE of Jesus through your acts of kindness.
Merry Christmas Eve 🎄🎁🌟
~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” — John 1:29 – (ESV) —
Hello dear friends —
The name we unwrap for Jesus today is “Lamb of God.” I wonder what the disciples thought of this name for Jesus. Given the Jewish practice of Atonement, “lamb” would have most likely refer to sacrifice. Innocent and blemish free animals were used for sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. The practice of sacrifice was instituted by God to satisfy His righteousness wrath for sin. Sin requires punishment and atonement. In order to be forgiven for a sin, innocent blood must be spilled, sacrificial lambs were killed throughout the Old Testament in order to bear the burden of people’s sins. This practice sin transferred from the guilty party to the animal (lamb). The person was declared innocent while the animal bore sin’s just punishment: death.
The first recorded sacrifice in scripture is when God provided clothing for Adam and Eve, covering their nakedness and their sin at an animals expense. “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.“ Genesis 3:21 (ESV)https://biblehub.com/genesis/3-21.htm
The Old Testament has a few very significant events when it is speaking of sacrifices.
• God tested Abraham’s love, calling him to sacrifice his own son, Isaac.
• Passover lamb, this is when the Israelites had endured 9 horrendous plagues God had sent upon the Egyptians to ensure the freedom of the Israelites, the final plague was to kill each firstborn son. But God protected the Israelites that followed His instructions concerning the blood of a sacrificed lamb’s blood on their doorposts.
God, Himself instituted the sacrificial system but it was limited in scope: the sacrifice of atonement was required every year. It was a foreshadowing of Jesus. Jesus, the Lamb of God came to fulfill and supersede the original sacrificial system. Jesus’ death on the cross atoned for all sin of humankind’s sin once and for all, through faith in Jesus.
This is not blind forgiveness but violent justice, not cheap grace, not temporary oversight but eternal reconciliation. God doesn’t ignore sin: He acknowledges them and makes provision for them through His own Son. The Lamb of God makes possible our relationship with God.
CHALLENGE
Have you lost the wonder and awe of Jesus’ sacrifice for your sins? Today, worship Jesus for His sacrificial atonement, for taking all sins on Himself. Pick a hymn or song that speaks to His sacrifice, and sing it to Him in thankfulness. *(See http://www.onethingalone/songs-of-worship for recommended playlists.
A few of my personal favorites are:
• The Old Rugged Cross
• Trust and Obey
• In the Garden
Prayer ~
Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice. You are the Lamb of God! You are worthy of all praise and glory. You took my sun upon yourself so that I could be forgiven, you gave me your righteousness when I was the one who deserves death. Lord, take my life, mold me into the person you created me to be. In Jesus name, Amen!
“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” -Isaiah 53:3 (ESV)
Hello friends —
I’m so pleased you took a few minutes of your day to visit my site. Today, we unwrap the name of Jesus, “Man of Sorrows.” Jesus gave up Heaven for a time so you and I could be reconciled with God. Jesus suffered all the things that you and I should have. Jesus knew the road ahead of Him was going to be difficult, and that’s putting it mildly. Have you ever watched “The Passion of Christ” movie? I have seen it a few times but it is hard to watch. It’s hard because it’s true, it happened. Jesus was treated with such cruelty and He was ridiculed, beaten, mocked and crucified for things He had never done. He literally felt the full weight and circumstances of our sin and bore it to the point of death. Jesus could have at anytime said, “enough, is enough!” but He never uttered such words. Jesus compelled but His love for us, stepped forward and willingly walked into His sufferings and humbled accepted the punishments that should have been ours.
In both, Matthew and Luke’s gospels they write about the mental and emotional anguish Jesus dealt with. Matthew 26:38 “Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” (ESV)
Luke 22:44 says this, “And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (ESV)
Jesus accepted all this pain and sorrow because He loves His creation. He is it all for LOVE
CHALLENGE
Many people suffering during the Christmas season; disappointments, loss, heartache, regret and pain. The challenge for today is to follow Jesus example and face these things head-on! Remember what Paul wrote, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.“ -Philippians 4:13 (ESV)
Reflect on the fact that Jesus knew fully what awaited Him at the cross but still submitted to the Father’s Will. Spend part of your day worshiping Jesus, who was a “Man of Sorrows” and is now exalted at God’s right hand.
Prayer ~
O Lord Jesus, I have no words that could adequately thank you for willingly taking punishment that should have been mine, and you willingly suffered for me. Help me be more mindful that when I have struggles and sorrow in my life; you experienced them first. Thank you and I praise you, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
DISCOVER 
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