Day 25

Day 25 of the 25 Gifts of Christmas:

The Gift of Love

There have been many songs written about it, several movies that display it and poems that have been made famous from it. Love is something very special that evokes other feelings that bring joy to the depressed, hope to the oppressed and peace to the stressed.

God loved us so that He gave us Jesus. Love that surpasses our wrongs and sins, that resonates in our souls and hearts and is so easy to share with others. I am so blessed to be surrounded in love. Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus!!

Day 23

Day 23 of The 25 Gifts of Christmas:

The Gift of Boldness

Boldness is acting, by the power of the Holy Spirit, on an urgent conviction in the face of some threat.

As a child, I was never one to back down from fighting for what was right. I boldly spoke up when others were being teased or mistreated, I was vocal and opinionated. For many years, I thought that was what true boldness was. For years, I misinterpreted the act of boldness for just ... well ... being plain loud!

Years ago, my daughter showed me what true boldness was in a way I had never imagined could really fit the definition of boldness.

Boldness isn't loud, it isn't prideful, it isn't arrogant or selfish. If you know my daughter, I'm sure you could easily say she is bold when it comes to speaking up in many areas, but it is in her quiet boldness that I see such supernatural strength. Her courage to be ever so quiet under threatening circumstances, soaking it in and then responding. We can learn so much from our children, I have humbled myself to seek that wisdom that can only come from the Holy Spirit. Oh how we rush our boldness and it is wasted. Lord, how I want such boldness that I only act on what pleases you. Claire you have continuously made me proud to be your mom and have taught this old dog new tricks!

Happy 14th birthday my sweet, bold and courageous girl!! I love you!!

Day 15

Day 15 of The 25 Gifts of Christmas

The Gift of Children

Some could say that bearing children and raising children have similar pains.

In labor, you try to find a focal point to take your mind off the pain and remain focused on the task at hand - giving birth. You bear down and for me try with no meds to stay focused and know that in the end there will be the joyous reward of your child.

In Raising them, you try to find that focal point once again to take your mind off of the daily frustrations of parenthood and remember why you are doing this. You bear down and again for me no meds (LOL) you stay focused, because in the end you will have the joyous reward of having raised beautiful, independent grown productive citizens of this nation.

Your child is a reward and blessing given to you by the Lord. They are a gift from Him, one that should never be taken for granted.

Whether they bring pride and joy or whether they are teaching us how to be more patient and forgiving, children are a gift.

So thank you Lord for rewarding me with not only their births, but the reward of being able to raise them, and for breaking me when I needed to be broken, bringing me to the brink of losing my Christianity when my kids are testing the Jesus in me, because it is there where my Christian character will grow and so will my relationship with you.

Day 13

Day 13 of The 25 Gifts of Christmas

The Gift of Beauty

I know you might think that sounds so superficial and that we shouldn't be so vain. But beauty is beyond just a dress, the shoes and jewelry, beyond the hair being done with the latest pin trending on pinterest, it goes beyond the nails and makeup and lies deep in the heart. Claire and I butt heads quite often, we lock horns like Bighorn sheep on a mountain. We plant our hooves digging in to our stance and stand our ground firmly. We battle it out, but we also would take a stand for one another. Recently, my not so baby girl took a stand for me in a situation. Did I want her to cause a commotion and bring unnecessary attention to her, absolutely not, but standing up for me did just that. Instead of crumbling though she just dug those heels in and stood her ground. Sometimes what we might see on the outside doesn't match up with the insides, yet in Claire's case I believe her beauty is through and through. I see her heart and so does God and it is beautiful. Thank you Lord for blessing me with a daughter who isn't afraid, who is bold and who understands when to stand firmly. I pray she continues to use wisdom, that she sees other's beauty as well as her own and I pray that she use that boldness for you Lord!

Day 10

Day 10 of The 25 Gifts of Christmas

The Gift of Joy

I am not gonna lie - I am exhausted, tired and overwhelmed. I have been directing a nativity production, planning a club christmas party, decorating for our church banquet, making gingerbread houses and still volunteering at LKMS. I am behind on these gifts and I have something written, but didn't finish because I would fall asleep writing it. I began my day even walking into Walmart and seeing the 15 days til Christmas sign and thought ugh - really!!

But y'all, the gift of Joy comes in so many different packages and when you least expect it and when God knows you need it most. Joy is healing, it is encouraging, it can boost you, so who needs coffee (well, maybe I went too far, I mean did you not read above, but joy does get that blood pumping). I needed a boost, some healing from a bad infection and some encouragement to get through the week and what does God do, send me Seth Gautreaux. He said, I got dat, winked and already knew Seth was coming. Lord, I thank you for being faithful and giving me Joy this season.

Day 6

Day 6 of The 25 Gifts of Christmas

The Gift of Prophecy

The gift of prophecy can be received two ways, either you have been gifted to speak over the lives of others or you were given a prophetic word over your own life and for me that has been a treasure of a gift.

A few years ago, it was spoken on my life that I would share the gospel on a grand scale using talents God had given me over the course of many years. Honestly, I put that prophetic word away and wasn't really sure what it meant. Why would God give me the chance to share the gospel in that way, why would He trust me - who am I to be chosen in that way. Recently, I was asked to I guess you can say direct the Live Nativity for Victory Life. I had already been working on a new script for quite some time with visions God had given me, but never did I really think it would come to fruition. Was this the grand scale? So I went for it with presenting the new script. It was accepted! It's funny sometimes how God works, He tears off what is meaningless and builds upon what is important in ways we could never fathom. I have been so disappointed with the loss of the center and where I fit in in the community. Silently lost in the mumble jumble of thoughts swirling through my mind, not fully grasping where I should be.

The prophetic word given to me was one I could not fathom, because I was not confident in my gifts yet. Though I do struggle from time to time with my gifts, I see now where God was continually building me one gift at a time to be placed in the prophetic word spoken over me. I believe truly why I hesitated was because I didn't want to be boastful in what I did or have the spotlight on me. I didn't believe He had truly chosen me to share. Even as I write this I hesitate to even say He chose me. I was reluctant to even write it here, yet all I could think about was how I can't wait for everyone to see the gospel come to life in not only the story of the birth of Jesus, but how it lives on in our lives today. I pray hearts are changed and gifts are magnified. I pray that healing and miracles will just explode. And I pray you come to see the what the gift of prophecy looks like, and all the other gifts our Savior has blessed us with.

God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. Trust the prophetic word spoken over your life. In due time, in God's time it will come to fruition and He will be glorified.

Lord I thank you for always choosing the humble and those who might not deserve your grace - me. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share your gospel on a grand scale.

Day 5

Day 5 of The 25 Gifts of Christmas

The Gift of Peace:

There's something about looking at Christmas lights that bring such a peace over me. It might be the tender way it casts out such a pretty glow that makes me consciously breathe slower. It brings a warm feeling inside that relaxs me.

We yearn for peace, we say we need it daily, yet most of the time we don't have it. It is within our reach, but so far from where we are in our lives. I honestly have been 90 miles an hour lately exceeding my time on my feet normally. Quadrupling time on my feet is not the only thing though, my sleep has been off and my mind has been racing, yet since starting these reflections on the gifts from the Lord every night I feel warmth inside, I am relaxed, I kick back and prop up my feet, my mind slows down - I am at peace and finally drift off to sleep.

Lord, I thank you for convicting my heart to spend time with you reflecting on the gifts you have blessed me with, because it has given me a gift within it - a very peaceful gift.

Day 4

Day 4 of The 25 Gifts of Christmas

The Gift of Purpose:

This tree stand's purpose is to keep our tree standing, yet today it failed in its purpose and when we arrived home it was a mess. Water flooding our living room, ornaments astray, branches broken and needles everywhere. I was upset that the tree stand had failed. That the tree it was supposed to keep upright was instead flat on my floor. It caused more chaos and work for me that overwhelmed me. I was so disappointed.

Understanding our purpose fully can sometimes be difficult and confusing. We think we know our purpose then when we fail at it, we begin to doubt our purpose and ourselves. Things become a mess, we are flooded with emotions, hearts are broken and our thoughts are everywhere.

One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 1:6

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

He is not done with you yet, fulfill that purpose, mend that heart, dry up those tears, and focus on your purpose. It is a gift to you from the Lord, now go out fulfill your purpose!

Day 3

Day 3 of the 25 Gifts of Christmas:

The Gift of Healing

When we had to trim the tree, I looked at all the branches we were cutting and felt bad about taking off so much and cutting away at this beautiful tree. I then began to gather the branches and put them in a vase of water. I thought surely they will at least stay alive. But they began to grow. The Lord will cut you away from what you think is beautiful and bring you life from what you may have become dependent on to bring you healing.

Healing isn't just being restored from an illness or a wound. Healing is correcting or making right the wrongs in your life, it is alleviating you from distress or anguish you might have never known you were experiencing.

Thank you Lord for healing me, thank you for restoring me, for correcting my path, and thank you for alleviating those times when I feel cut off, when I feel alone, when I don't feel any growth or feel unsure.

Day 2

 

Day 2 of The Gifts of Christmas:

The Gift of Home

Home: a place where one resides permanently.

They say home is where your heart is. It isn't defined by an address, it isn't defined by bricks or wood, it isn't defined by the square footage or the curb appeal. It is defined by the love inside, the moments and memories you choose to make happen.

My heart resides in many things, my heart as a servant lands me in many places. Yet, it has taken up residence in the Lord's house and there it will stay. No change of address will return void, no structural change will block it, no amount of space will distance it and no matter how it looks from the road, I am safe in my Lord's house!

Thank you Lord for the gift of home.

Day 1

Day 1 of the 25 Gifts of Christmas:

The Gift of Life

To breathe air into your lungs is something taken for granted. Our daily physical activities are a mere passing moment. Even our growth can be overlooked.

We recently chopped down our own tree for Christmas. I have never had a real tree, so I had a lot to learn. I had to handle it with care, shape it and water it daily. It has been quite a job. Yet, looking at my tree, I see life, I see light, I see something I shaped, I watered and filled with love. I believe the Lord feels and does the same thing when we let him.

Our existence on Earth is a fleeting thing. So, how seriously should it be viewed then? How desperately should our lives be treasured? How appreciative should we be for the life God has given us?

Lord, only you can fill me with love, water me with your Holy Spirit, shape me as a Christian and bring light into my life. Without you life is not living and I am not growing. Thank you Lord for the Gift of Life!!