Why did God tell shepherd's first?

Welcome!   Thank you for stopping by my blog today.  I especially appreciate it given that it's two days before Christmas.  If you are visiting for the first time after reading my Encouragement for Today devotion titled, "Why God Told Shepherd First," I hope you'll spend some time with me today.  Or, if you have to finish last-minute shopping, then check back next week.

My devotion was about being awed by God - specifically how the shepherds in the Christmas story were awed. The shepherds were first afraid, then curious, then awed, and couldn't keep it to themselves.   I want to be awed like that.

Seems like Christmas, the time of year when I should be awed, is often the time when I'm worn out - physically and emotionally.  This year I had a book deadline ... last week.  Although I didn't pull any over-nighters, it consumed my thoughts until I hit "send."  Then I had Christmas-catch-up to do. 

So last week, I started praying for God to help me be amazed and awed at Him.  Partly because I knew this devotion was running and I promised to tell you how to cultivate amazement in your heart.  But also because I don't want to miss the majesty of Christ with my eyes focused on the mundane. 

God did just that.  He amazed me.  In the most surprising of ways.  I didn't see a heavenly host, nor hear an angel speak. But I did experience the power and majesty of God in three ways, and like the shepherds I want to tell you about it.

1.  First, God gave me the most unbelievable peace as I finished my book.  With my past books, as I approached the deadline, I woke up each morning with a sick feeling.  It's a heavy burden knowing a publisher has invested a lot in your writing.  I carry it willingly, but it's always there.  This time, I asked for prayer from my friends at Proverbs 31, and it was truly, overwhelmingly, beyond expectation amazing.  God gave me peace and inspiration. 

2.  On the day my book was due (12/15), my son was planning on driving all night from Phoenix to Texas to deliver a vehicle for his boss.  Josh is only 19, and my husband had actually planned to go with him for safety.  But at noon that day, Josh told me he was going alone.  My husband was coming back from Tucson, but Josh wanted to get on the road.  To say I wasn't happy was an understatement.  I immediately put out a prayer request on Facebook for Josh's safety. 

Then, I called my husband to let him know what was brewing.  My husband was actually heading home, and I called Josh back to say "Wait, Dad will be here in an hour and a half."  By the time I reached Josh, the office manager had already arranged for someone else to go with Josh. 

Within 30 minutes God had spoken through a woman I don't know, and sent an older, very honorable and trustworthy man to go with Josh.  They made the drive and arrived home safely.

3.  Sunday morning I woke up to an email from a woman named Monica Hawkins, an author I met through She Speaks.  Monica had written the email in the middle of the night from a hospital in Alabama.  Less than 48 hours earlier, her son had been diagnosed with a brain tumor and was facing surgery that morning to relieve the pressure on his brain - not remove the tumor.  Monica was calling everyone to worship God and watch as God fought the battle.  I immediately turned on praise music and started worshipping. 

The surgery was successful, the tumor was not malignant, and Monica's son is doing very well.  Earlier this week, Monica outlined all the little ways the God stepped in, starting with a doctor ordering an MRI for a headache, and an immediate opening for the MRI.  It truly is an amazing story.  Visit Monica's blog and read for yourself.  That was a link to an overview of the story.  Click on "Home" to read more recent updates. 


In less than a week, God amazed me with divine intervention and what I see as miracles.  Some may say my peace came from experience, Josh's driving buddy was a coincidences, and Matthew's brain tumor is still there.  But, like the shepherds, I choose to be believe and be amazed. 

God hears prayers and orchestrates everyday events on behalf of His children.  So, how to cultivate amazement?  Pray about every need.  Ask others to pray too.  Then watch for answers.

When our eyes are watching for God's involvement in our world, we see it.  The more we see it, the more amazing it is because God cares about details.  Even when God says "No," it's amazing to see how we benefited from that no.  (Usually it takes awhile to see it though).

If you are feeling a little worn out, take some time to review your prayers from the past year.  Consider how God answered them:  the "yeses" and the "nos".    I'm confident you'll start to cultivate some amazement at how He has worked in your life.

I pray you have a wonderful next few days. 

Merry Christmas!

In His Love,
Glynnis

The original gift of the magi

When we think about giving gifts at Christmas, we most often trace the tradition back to the Magi, or Wise Men.

Matthew 2 tells us it was the Magi who brought gifts to Jesus:

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him. ...  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. (Matt. 2:1-2 & 2:10-11)

It’s an interesting phenomenon that when we’ve heard a story so many times, and especially one that’s been immortalized in song, that sometimes the details can get fuzzy. Nowhere in this passage does it say there were three wise men, it just says they brought three types of gifts.

The Scripture called them Magi. The term Magi is a broad term, but they were definitely learned men, and likely studied things such as astrology and magic (we get this word from magi).  Although they did not know the one true God, their hearts were open to hear from Him.  These learned men were willing to travel very far to worship the one who was born king of the Jews. They believed that Jesus (they didn’t know His name at the time) was BORN a king. It was His nature.

This is one of the gifts they gave Jesus. Although they had no proof of Jesus deity, they believed! They were willing to sacrifice much, including the dangers of travel, dealing with a crazy king like Herod to follow the star and worship Jesus.

The passage also says that they followed the star to a house. This means they probably didn’t make it to the stable. I’m sorry about that. By the time the Magi got to Jesus, Mary and Joseph were already settled in somewhere in Bethlehem.

When they did find the house, Scripture says the Magi bowed down and worshipped Jesus. They were looking at a child!

Here’s the second thing about the Magi, Matthew 2:11 says, “Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”

I wonder if the Magi intentionally carried those three items to present to Jesus. Scripture doesn’t say they presented him with gifts they had brought, although it's likely since they were looking for a king. But it says out of their treasure they presented him with gifts. Not just any gifts, but wonderful highly valuable gifts.

I’d like to suggest that when the Magi saw Jesus and worshipped Him, they were led to open their treasures and give Him the very best thing they had to give.  Maybe they had brought a variety of gifts.  But when they saw the baby, they gave Him the very best they had.  I think it was a result of their overflow of worship and adoration for this little child that God had revealed to them supernaturally was a king.

The question arises:  Do I worship and adore Jesus so much that from the overflow I offer my best?

This thought challenges me when I want to just get something done.  Is it my best?  And is my heart overflowing with worship?   This week, I'm trying to cultivate a heart of worship and adoration.  I'm mentally worn out from finishing my book, and I'm realizing my heart isn't where it needs to be.  So, I'm intentionally focusing on the worth and majesty of Christ through worship. 

Crosswalk.com offers free music stations.  They have one that's praise music.  Check out this link and listen to praise music with me. 

I hope your Christmas countdown is going well.  I'm headed to the mall this morning.  I'm hoping to enjoy some of the decorations and enjoy choosing gifts for my loved ones. 

In His Love,
Glynnis

A heart that says "yes" before being asked

Monday I wrote about Joseph's part in the Christmas story, and how he was willing to sacrifice his reputation for Christ.  Today, I want to share my insights regarding Mary, the mother of Jesus. 

Mary was a wonderful woman. Among all the wonderful characteristics of Mary, the one that stands out to me the most when I think about giving a gift to God, is that Mary had a heart that was ready to say “yes” to anything God asked. And God knew that.

God sent an angel to give Mary the good news that she was highly favored. We read the account in Luke 1:30-38:

But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."

Mary doesn’t argue or complain. She does have a technical question, but what woman wouldn’t?

Mary’s answer reflects a heart that was already submitted and in agreement to whatever God would ask of her. God knew the trials His beloved Son would face, and God had to choose a woman who wasn’t going to flake out on Him! God had to choose a woman strong enough to endure what Mary was going to endure as a mother. I believe He chose the best mother on the planet at that time. Wouldn’t you?

I imagine God had a list of requirements for the mother of Jesus. She had to be a woman of great character,

• a woman committed to personal righteousness,

• a woman humble enough to put God’s wishes first,

• a woman who would faithfully raise her son and teach Him about God,

• a woman who wouldn’t fall apart at the first sign of trouble,

• a woman who would stand by Jesus when He was falsely accused of heresy,

• a woman who wouldn’t shrink away when her son was beaten and forced to carry a cross through the streets with people spitting at Him,

• and, the woman who would raise God’s Son must be willing to let Him die so that the world would be saved.

God knew that Mary had the character and fortitude to say “yes” to all He would ask.

When I think about God choosing Mary among all the women in the world, I wonder if He does the same today.  When He has a great assignment does He look among all His daughters to see which one has the resoluteness to carry it out?  Which one will say "yes" then do what she says?

Mary's story prompts me to be more like that:  trustworthy, determined, unflappably devoted. 

I hope it does the same for you.

In His Love,
Glynnis

What would you risk your reputation for?

I spent this past weekend in Cottonwood Arizona, with some wonderful brothers and sisters in the Lord.  A friend invited me to speak at her Christmas luncheon, and then the pastor invited me to stay over and give the Sunday morning message.  It was an honor, and I had a wonderful time.

On Sunday I gave a message about gifts.  I looked at each of the main participants in the Christmas story and looked deeper than the familiar words memorialized in song and story.  I looked at their part with new eyes, and tried to see what gift they gave Jesus.  What did God value about their offering?   For the next week, I'll share some of my insights as we lead up to Christmas.  And I'll start with Joseph.

We don’t really hear too much about him. His part in the Christmas story is  important.  He was the earthly father of Jesus. Let's look a bit closer at what this act of obedience cost him. 
Mary and Joseph were engaged to be married, but while Mary was still a virgin she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph’s initial intent was to break the engagement quietly. Imagine how hard this must have been for Joseph. He was fully committed to Mary and he expected Mary to be faithful to him. To discover that she was not would have been crushing personally, and very embarrassing publicly.

After Joseph decided to quietly divorce Mary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him to go ahead with the marriage, and that the baby would be the Savior of God’s people.

Joseph obeyed and took Mary home to be his wife. Read in the context of today’s cultural morality, we don’t fully understand the risk and sacrifice it took for Joseph to continue his engagement with Mary. We may think, “How nice. Joseph did what he should have done.”

However, in Joseph’s day, Mary was considered an adulteress, and according to the Law of Moses, should have been stoned to death. This created a big problem for Joseph, because he loved the law. He had carefully lived his life to obey God’s commands and thereby earn the respect of the religious leaders and other men in his community. But, he also loved God, and Mary.

Faced with the fact of Mary being pregnant with someone else’s child, Joseph‘s first reaction to break the engagement blended Joseph’s obedience to the law, with mercy and kindness to Mary. That would have been more than anyone expected of Joseph, but then God asked him to take the next step of love. God asked Joseph to sacrifice his hard-earned reputation for Mary and her unborn child – God’s son.

Verse 24 shows us Joseph’s true character, “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.” No delay, no questions, no arguing. God asked Joseph to prove his love for his wife, his son and his God even though it meant losing what mattered deeply to him – his reputation.

There’s no mention of Joseph after the birth of Jesus. In fact, there’s a passage in Mark that hints at Joseph’s loss of reputation:

Mark 6:3: Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon?

It was customary among Jews to describe a man as the son of his father – not mother. It is very likely that there were accusations about Jesus’ parentage being circulated even 30 years after his birth, especially in Nazareth where Jesus was raised. Maybe people for years thought Joseph was weak, and had been taken advantage of by a lying woman.

Joseph sacrificed much in the eyes of the world for God. The truth is, while others may overlook our sacrifices, they never go unnoticed or unappreciated by God. Joseph lived his life in the shadows of the scandal surrounding the birth of Jesus. He apparently never regained his reputation, and quietly lived a life of righteousness.

And yet, we know today that Joseph received the honor of being the earthly father of Jesus, of kissing Jesus’ sweet face, holding His hand as they walked to the Temple and sitting around a dinner table with Him. God honored Joseph in life, and for eternity. What unbelievable joy.

At Christmas, we read quickly over Joseph’s role in the story, but there is a deeper message here for us. Looking behind the scenes at Joseph, we see that one of Joseph’s gifts to God was sacrificial love. Although Joseph gave up his reputation, he gained the greater distinction of serving God, honoring his wife and loving his and God’s Son.

My prayer this morning is that I would be like Joseph and obey and love with reckless abandon, and leave my reputation in God's capable hands.

In His Love,
Glynnis

Five ... no six ... things I love about Christmas

It's going to be a busy week for me.  I'm finishing my book (thank you to everyone who has prayed for me.  It's been truly miraculous how God has answered those prayers.  I'm almost done.  Praise God!)

My two youngest sons wrestle Wednesday night, Thursday night and all day Friday.  Then on Saturday I travel north to Cottonwood to speak at a women's Christmas lunch, and stay over night to speak to their church on Sunday.   And God again miraculously showed up as I finished my second talk this past weekend.  

In the midst of the busyness, I wanted to remind myself of things I love about Christmas.  I want to treasure those moments that could slip past me in my focus to get everything done.  You see, I've realized there really aren't that many really BIG moments ... but there are hundreds of small moments. 

It's when I pause, even for a minute ... to notice ... to breathe in the beauty ... to wonder .... to hope ... that's when the magnificence appears.  There are divine moments all around.  I just need to stop long enough to see.

So, here are  five, plus one, things I love about Christmas.

1. Watching my children make Christmas lists.

2. Seeing a Christmas stamp on a card-sized envelope and knowing someone thought about me.

3. Christmas lights on houses. 

4. The smell of pine.

5. Hearing "A Strange Way to Save the World" ... and crying over the beauty of the gift we received.

The last thing I love about Christmas is the thoughts that enter my mind more at this month than any other. It's not a small thing at all, so it didn't really fit in with the other small things.  But a thought always starts small.  This one I let grow until it consumes me.

The ultimate humility and sacrifice

of Christ

to come to earth as a baby

only to die

at our hands  ...

... so we could live.

In His love,

Glynnis

Planning for Christmas

The tree is decorated, re-usable Advent calendar filled with treats, and a cinnamon bayberry candle is scenting the air with the smells of Christmas.

I'm actually amazed at myself, because this hasn't been my M.O. for the past few years. Normally by the 1st of December I'm just starting to think about those types of things. But this year, I wanted my family's Christmas experience to be filled with more than Mom's frustration at not being able to get things done.

So I set some priorities in November for what I wanted to see happen in December. One of them was creating a cozy home for my husband and children. Truth is, I'm more at peace when things are in order. So that's a priority for me because it removes a frustration trigger.

I also wanted to enter into the season of Christmas being able to focus more on relationships and less on the getting ready part of it.

I tend to look at December in the rear view mirror with more regrets than I want. And my regrets center around three things:

1) Not focusing on Jesus enough.

2) Not spending time with my family enjoying the season.

3) Not showing His love to others.

My goal this month is to eliminate those regrets by planning ahead. To help me do that, I put together a calendar, which you can see here. With God's help, here is how I plan on prioritizing the most important things:

1) Focus more on Jesus

I found Advent Devotions online for free. My goal is to read these as a family every day. Our Advent calendar holds two candies for each day. These will be given out to those who show a spirit of Christmas . http://www.adventdevotions.net/ & http://www.d365.org/

2) Spend time with family enjoying the season

I've added a few events which we will do as a family. Only one has a charge.

3) Reach out to others

I've always wanted to invite a few friends over who are without family - so that's on a Saturday night. I've also wanted to bless my neighbors and pastors with some homemade treats. I grew up next to a family that made cookies and candies every year and then delivered a plate to us. Finally, I've got a cookie decorating afternoon scheduled for children. There are some kids in the neighborhood I want to invite, plus some family friends.

If you'd like to receive a copy of my calendar, just post a comment sharing one goal you have for this Christmas season, and how you want to accomplish it. If you leave me your contact information, I'll send you my calendar in a PDF or in Publisher 2007 (or an earlier version) - whichever you prefer. If you get it in Publisher, you can just delete my events and add your own.

My prayer for you is that God leads you to set some priorities that are right for you and your family.

In His Love,

Glynnis

Getting Ready for Christmas

It's the day before Thanksgiving, and I have to admit, I'm thinking ahead. Oh yes, I'm going to fully enjoy the day tomorrow. I've been intentionally cultivating a heart of thankfulness this week. But I'm really ready for Christmas this year.

Just this past weekend I walked into my local Starbucks and felt a surge of joy. Not just because a gingerbread latte was waiting for me on the other side of the counter. But because I LOVE the promise it holds for the spirit of Christmas.

I've learned the season of Christmas is what I make it to be. I can choose to put Jesus first place in my life each and every day - or I can put Him somewhere down on my to-do list. The difference is huge.

The past several years have been very hectic for me. Two years ago I never got the Christmas tree decorated. It had lights ONLY because it was a pre-lit tree - but no decorations. There was lots I didn't get done that year, but the most painful admission to make is what else I missed. I missed the joy of Jesus' birthday. I missed the sweet presence of my Savior.

Never again!

This Christmas I've already made a list of priorities - and it isn't long. But it highlights the most important things to me this year. It's manageable and it's Christ-focused. I'm not one of those people who schedules every moment - but I've realized there is more peace and joy when I plan for the important things.

This weekend is a perfect time for you to do some prayerful prioritizing for the upcoming month. Consider what is most important to you and your family, and make a list. Then take your list and put it on a calendar. Make "appointments" that you don't want to miss!

If you are looking for some ways to bring more Jesus-focus to your Christmas, I'd love to recommend a resource my friend Marybeth Whalen wrote, called "A Recipe for Christmas Joy."

It is wonderful! She has filled it with the perfect balance of spiritual and practical components. For instance, she's included a week-by-week countdown, recipes and gift ideas. But she also has devotions on how to make Jesus the centerpiece of your holiday, how to be intentional and how to reach out to others.

I'm going to try one of her recipes tomorrow for Monkey Bread. It's oh so easy, and I know my family will love it. Then for Christmas morning, I'll be trying her breakfast casserole with grits, sausage and cheese. I'm also going to put together some of the food gifts she recommends. I'm particularly interested in one involving pretzels, Hershey's kisses and M&Ms. The kids will love helping me make those.

What I love about Marybeth's guide is that it's not all about formal lists and forms. It's about inviting the Maker of Joy into your heart and home at Christmas, and then sharing that Joy with others.

If you want to read more about it, visit Proverbs 31 Ministries.

Happy Thanksgiving ... and an early Merry Christmas!!

In His Love,

Glynnis

Tips for Hospitality at the Holidays (and a giveaway)

The contest to win Karen Ehman's book is now closed. Congratulations to "shutterhappyhope" for winning!

I'd like to introduce you to one of the most organized, hospitable women I know: Karen Ehman. Karen is on the speakers team at Proverbs 31 Ministries, has written four books, and is in demand across the country to speak at women's groups. In addition to all that she is a loving wife and the busy mom of three.

Today, Karen has agreed to share some of her tips for taking hospitality on the road, and showing God's love to those around you. And she's giving away her book,

Heartfelt Holidays

by Karen Ehman

Well…can you believe it? Only seven weeks left until the kick-off of the holiday season. There will be presents to purchase, cookies to bake, a house to decorate and plenty of company to host.

While this festive time of year provides lots of opportunities for offering welcome in your home, why not look for ways to be hospitable on the road as you go about your daily days of life? The holidays are often a stressful, even lonely time for many. What can you do to sprinkle some cheer (and a extra dose of Christ’s love) to those you will see while you are out and about running your holiday errands?

Plenty! If you are intentional, you can seek to practice seemingly random but purposefully planned acts of kindness.

Here are some ideas for blessing others during the upcoming celebratory season. Please leave a comment telling us any of your ideas too. One sweet bloggy friend will be chosen to receive a signed copy of my book A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart and Home to Others.

Hospitality on the Road Ideas

• Bake cookies for the break room at the local department store on the day after Thanksgiving when the store is swamped. Leave a thank-you note praising the employees’ hard work around the holidays. What a sharp contrast to the 50 customers they encountered earlier in the day screaming because they ran out of the latest electronic gadget that was advertised!

• Take hot cocoa to the charity bell-ringers who stand on the street corners and in front of the malls in town.

• Scrape windshields in the grocery store parking lot on a very snowy day. Or clean them if you live where it doesn't snow. Busy moms with their groceries in tow will be thrilled to have a clean and safe view of the road as they head for home. Leave a little note that reads, “Random acts of kindness. Pass it on.”

• Hang a thermos of hot cider on the mailbox for the mail carrier.

• My kids’ favorite—leave a plate of freshly baked brownies out in a covered container for the garbage men!

• Think of those who have recently lost a loved one and are facing their first Christmas alone. Include them in your family’s activities like attending your kids’ Christmas program at school or church. Or take a crock-pot of homemade soup and some fresh baked muffins to their house one night and help them decorate their home or address their Christmas cards. Offer to take them holiday shopping and out to lunch. It will touch their hearts to be included in your busy family’s activities at this often isolating time of year.

• Remember those who must work on the holidays in the hospital or at the police or fire station. Take them a platter of fresh vegetables and dip or assorted cheeses and crackers. Don’t forget a few cookies or some holiday fudge! Include some artwork crafted by your children depicting them in their various roles. Thank them for their service to the community, even on a day when most people are home with their loved ones.

• Adopt a Christmas family. Contact a local agency to get the name and address of a needy family. If possible, choose one that has children near the same age as yours. Shop for clothing, food, and toys for them. Deliver your items as a family. Try to keep in touch with them throughout the year with an occasional note or card.

The holidays are a perfect time of year to model for our children how to love others, even strangers! So get your creative caps on and venture out as a family to bless and be blessed! You’ll be so delighted you did!

Okay - now that you've read Karen's tips, let's hear it from you. Please post an idea for your favorite way to show hospitality during the holidays. On Thursday, we'll pick a random winner. Please make sure we have a way to contact you.

To read more from Karen, please visit her blog at: http://karenehman.com/home/

To purchase any of her books, please click here.

Reading these great tips for loving others during the holidays almost makes me shiver ... not from the cold (as it's 104 degrees here in Phoenix) but from anticipation of Thanksgiving and Christmas!

In His Love,

Glynnis