On the first Sunday of Advent we light the candle of Hope “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7, NIV) Today’s Thought: Regardless of my circumstances, and regardless of the intentions of those around me, God offers a hope that is unavailable anywhere …
Pray your way through Advent – Hope Day 1
On the first Sunday of Advent we light the candle of Hope “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” (Psalm 31:24, NIV) Today’s Thought: Though the world around us is full of turmoil, our hope in God strengthens us and enables us to face each day without fear. Today’s Prayer: Merciful God, the world was …
Pray your way through Advent – What is Advent?
Each year, many thousands of Christians celebrate the season of Advent. The weeks leading up to Christmas are a time of expectation and preparation for a celebration of the birth of the Christ Child. Advent calendars are hung in homes to help children count down the days to that holy holiday. Some contain pockets with candy or small treasures hidden …
Pray your Way Through Advent – Introduction
Earlier this week my husband and I attended a fun church event where we made our own advent wreath. I was reminded of a devotional booklet I started writing a few years ago, so when I got home I pulled it out and read it. Not too bad. So I’ve decided to post the daily readings here on my blog. …
If anyone has ears to hear…
No, I’m not about to tell you a parable. Instead I’m going to tell you about my latest non-writing-related project – audiobooks! For the past year or more I’ve worked with several extremely talented narrators to produce many of my books on audio. What a fun project! I’ve been able to listen to auditions by many awesome narrators, and then …
What I Love Most Of All About Christmas
It’s here! It’s here! It’s Christmas!!!Do you know what I love most of all about Christmas? It’s the reason we celebrate. Jesus is what I love most about Christmas! That holy infant born thousands of years ago is reborn anew in my heart every Christmas day. As I ponder that very special birth, I’m overcome with awe. The world was no …
What I Love About Christmas #1
Christmas Eve has always been a magical time for me. Here’s another thing I love about Christmas. I love family traditions. My family gathers on Christmas Eve and have a huge feast. Most of us don’t exchange gifts anymore, but we all play the gift stealing game, and that can get heated at times. Then we go caroling at the …
What I Love About Christmas #2
Christmas is almost here! Is your shopping finished? I love giving gifts that mean something. Sometimes Christmas shopping can drain the joy right out of the season. I don’t like giving OR receiving a gift just for the sake of having something to open. Instead, I put thought into the gifts I give. One year, for instance, I bought a …
What I Love About Christmas #3
Christmas is almost here! And today I’ll tell you how my sister and I celebrate. I love giving Ugly Ornaments to my sister. The tradition began many years ago as a joke. She had a “designer” tree, one that looked like it ought to be in a magazine. I found a really hideous fur-covered brown ball and hung it on …
What I Love About Christmas #4
Are you ready for Christmas? You only have a few days left! Here’s something else I love about Christmas: I love Christmas games. My family is big on games anyway, but at Christmas we all look for new ones to play. We’ve stuffed balloons into panty hose to make reindeer antlers (particularly funny when worn by my husband), and played …