Advent - Love and Christmas Eve

Lamentations 3:24

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

Christmas this year is unlike any that most of us have faced in our lifetime. We go forward with our celebration knowing that many in our country face this holiday with the still fresh loss of a loved one. Presents and celebrations are great but they will not bring back what we have lost this year. So on this day – Christmas Eve. . . I'd like to focus on what we do have. I love this verse in Lamentations and use it often. Today I'd like to substitute a word. The LORD is my present. The most important gift that any of us can receive is the gift of Jesus Christ. As He came into the world over 2000 years ago, He still comes into hearts and lives today. Make this Christmas special by letting Him into your heart and your family celebrations this year. You'll never regret it. I love you all.

Merry Christmas.

LOVE - Advent Day 25 - Week 4

Lamentations 3:31-33

For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.

Tonight, is really just a prayer. Because my heart is heavy for so many. Coming into the holidays surrounded by so much grief... God be near.

Great is Your faithfulness, God my Father. 

It is new each morning, refreshing me, filling me. Father you see the pain and hurt of your children. But you are not an unfeeling witness. You are the Father who sobs when we sob. Your heart aches with us. You love us. Great, Oh great is Your faithfulness. When we cannot see, you guide us. And when we cannot find the strength to carry on one more day. . . You carry us. Father under your wings we find protection and peace. When we cannot even find the words to request what we need... You see that need and meet it. Great, Oh great is Your faithfulness. And I love You Father. No matter what
-Amen

LOVE - Advent Day 23 - Week 4

Psalm 6:2-4

Be merciful to me, LORD , for I am faint; O LORD , heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD , how long? Turn, O LORD , and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.

Once again I feel like I am playing a little bit on the expected subject matter. But it seems to fit really well with what I needed to hear going into 2021. If I do, I'm guessing maybe at least one other does as well.

Alrighty. We're going full speed towards a new year here folks. I see a lot of people ready to let their hair down like the calendar changing is a magic solution. Guess what friends? The problems of Dec. 31, 2020 are riding shotgun with you into 2021.
I guess there is no expiration date that we can see on our troubles, but there is an end. The Psalmist hits something here that I tend to keep coming back to with God. How long, O Lord, How long? When God? When does this finish? Sometimes I feel ungrateful, even hateful just asking the question.

So why am I all bubble-busting tonight? Because of another lesson I'm re-learning. God can handle my questions. Why else would he have put all these instances in the Bible of Godly Christians questioning his timing and methods? They are there to take us from question to answers. Like Job and David there will be an end to our trouble. Like Job and David only God knows what it is and when it will be here. So like them feel free to question. But know that God is still working. God is still in control. God has not forgotten you. He will not forget you. He will someday deliver you because of His unfailing love.

And that was exactly what I needed as we wrap all this mess up.  <3

Father,
Because of your love, we are not consumed. But as we learned last week, sometimes your deliverance and ours don't quite look the same. Help us to take comfort that whatever happens as we roll over to 2021, You are there before us. Please take away the crippling fear cloud that so many are living under right now. Every day we have is numbered by You. We live not one without your grace and mercy.
Help my friend reading this to be comforted by that same thought.
- Amen

-Gina

LOVE - Advent - Day 22 - Week 4

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love seems like such a simple thing.  After all, we talk about falling in love on such a whim. It seem weightless and ethereal.  It seems so easy... and yet so difficult to really grasp on to at times.
The only way love makes sense to me these days is as a conscious choice.  Why?  Because the world around us, even here in the week before Christmas, seems to be drowning in hate instead.

Things I do know:
    I cannot change the world.
    I have zero platform to speak from as I sit here and write.
    I am a flawed human being... prone to do some really unloving things at times.    
    If I live my life and only accomplish really, deeply helping someone to see love, it is a life well lived.

Hate is easy. But hate is a heavy burden to carry. Spite is handy.  But spite will fester in your soul like acid. Arguing is simple and not hard to find someone to participate with you. But an argumentative spirit leads to bitterness in deep places of your being.

If I have not love...I am nothing. If I give everything I have, but miss out on love, this life was wasted.

For my single friends, I'm not talking about married love at ALL in this moment. I am talking about the type of love that this world is gasping for today.  Friendship... Compassion... Caring.
Right at this moment people in your city are preparing themselves to not wake up again.  Right at this moment someone is so desperate for love that they aren't sure they can go on another second.

Maybe that's you... If it is my friend, please please reach out to someone. You are valuable. You are loved. Please give us a chance to show you that.

If it's not you, I'll bet that someone's face popped into your head a few minutes ago. Reach out to them. Do it this very second.

Love.  It is the choice that can help to start turning this tide. Find the things that bind us.  Focus there.

Love.  This week... may we love boldly.

Father,
Help us to see the hurting people around us tomorrow. Help us to seek out the lonely. Help us to reach out if we are hurting. Please help us to remember, that we should love our neighbor as ourselves 
(which also means we need to love ourselves).  God make us your hands and feet in this world of chaos and pain.
-Amen

Gina