25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 25

Are you wondering what you will receive for Christmas this year?

God has already given us the ultimate gift ~ ETERNAL LIFE.

This life comes through God’s Son who came to us as a baby…Jesus.

Let’s celebrate His birth!

“And this is the testimony:

God has given us eternal life,

and this life is in His Son.”

I John 5:11

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners

- of whom I am the worst.

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His immense patience as an example for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life.

Now to the King eternal,

immortal,

invisible,

the only God,

be honor and glory forever and ever.

Amen.”

I Timothy 1:15-17

Let’s worship Him in all His glory today!

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 24

“Bless Us All”
Another favorite song from The Muppet Christmas Carol movie

Life is full of sweet surprises, everyday's a gift
The sun comes up and I can feel it lift my spirit
It fills me up with laughter, it fills me up with song
I look into the eyes of love and know that I belong

Bless us all, who gather here
The loving family I hold dear
No place on earth, compares with home
And every path will bring me back from where I roam

Bless us all, that as we live
We always comfort and forgive
We have so much that we can share
With those in need we see around us everywhere

Let us always love each other
Lead us toward the light
Let us hear the voice of reason
Singing in the night

Let us run from anger
And catch us when we fall
Teach us in our dreams and please, yes, please
Bless us one and all

Bless us all with playful years
With noisy games and joyful tears
We reach for you, and we stand tall
And in our prayers and dreams we ask you bless us all

We reach for you, Lord, and we stand tall
And in our prayers and dreams we ask you
BLESS US ALL

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 23

Christmas is nearly here…just 2 more days! My how the year has flown by for us. We are home for Christmas this year and quite excited to share the holiday with family. I have missed a total of 3 Christmases because of my time spent in Georgia. I am truly grateful for the experiences I have had in Georgia and value those times, but there can never be a place quite like home…quite like being with family…quite like enjoying all the memories and traditions of past Christmases. It’s a special place to be.

We did not send a Christmas card this year, so a Christmas wish on the blog will have to suffice.

We are so grateful for the time we have spent in Georgia for all of 2011. It’s been a year of challenges, growth, and learning to trust God more fully. Looking back at life in January 2011 to now, we can definitely say that God has been with us every day and in every way. We are also thankful for all those who have given so generously to make it possible for us to be in Georgia. You are part of a work that we will see in all its fullness one day in heaven.

We are abundantly blessed to know our Savior and share in the Christmas joy He has given us. It is our prayer that you would know Him and His joy too. We pray also that each of you would know how much Jesus loves you. It’s because of His love for you that He came to earth as a baby and later died for your sins (and for us too).

May you be blessed this Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all from the Housh House!

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 22

Many of you may be familiar with the organization Samaritan’s Purse. For over 18 years, they have been running a program called Operation Christmas Child. I remember first learning about this in elementary school. I loved participating in it from the first year I did it. The idea is that individuals fill a shoe box with items that a kid would enjoy. You get to choose if the box is for a boy or girl and the age range. The boxes are then sent to a warehouse in North Carolina and organized for distribution in countries around the world. The boxes go to kids that otherwise would not get a gift for Christmas. Giving the boxes also provides a prime opportunity to share Jesus with them.

One of the things I love about it is that kids can really participate in this act of giving. When I was younger, I loved picking out the stuff that I thought a little kid would love. This year a friend posted photos of her kids and their cousins buying everything to fill the boxes, packaging them up, and then holding hands in a circle around the boxes as they prayed for the kids who would receive them. Pretty awesome!

My excitement about this program grew last year when I got to see what happened on the receiving end. We were able to get 50 boxes to distribute to the kids at the street kids ministry we help with each week. The kids were overjoyed! It wasn’t the first year they had received them. They look forward to these boxes each year (as long as someone is able to obtain them for the kids). Hopefully, boxes will be available to them again this year.

It’s a bit late for doing this in 2011, but there’s plenty of time to prepare for 2012. Actually, they officially collect boxes in November but will accept them year-round. Here is a link to the Operation Christmas Child website for more information.

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 21

Luke 2:41-52

“Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When He was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while His parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking He was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him. After three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and His answers.

When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. His mother said to Him, ‘Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.’

‘Why were you searching for me?’ He asked. ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what He was saying to them.

Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 20

Matthew 2:19-23

“After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.’

So he got up, took the child and His mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.

Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.”

Luke 2:39-40

“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.”

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 19

Matthew 2:16-18

“When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

‘A voice is heard in Ramah,

weeping and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children

and refusing to be comforted,

because they are no more.’”

What about all those boys who were killed because of Herod’s rage? What about all those broken-hearted mothers, fathers, siblings, and relatives who lost their sons so tragically? Why did so many have to die so young? I wish I knew.

I know this isn’t something that fills you up with Christmas joy when you read it. I share it because it is part of Jesus’ life on earth. He is a perfect being that came to an imperfect place. Earth is filled with the sin of man. Even Jesus was affected by it before He was old enough to know what was happening.

I have many unanswered questions, especially when it comes to knowing why this or why that. One thing I do know is that Jesus came to earth as this baby in order that He could redeem all humans from sin. It was the only way. The families in Bethlehem lost their sons, but they gained a Savior. The death of their own sons protected their own Savior. The death of their sons contributed to the fulfillment of God’s plan to save the world.

I only hope they realized what was gained despite their loss. Only Jesus could fill the void left from such a loss. It’s true today too. We can’t change the fact that we live in a fallen world. There is sin. There is pain. There is loss. But that’s where Jesus can step in and fill the void, if we will let Him. Will you let Him fill those voids so that you can experience His Christmas joy this year?

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 18

Matthew 2:13-15

“When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and His mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill Him.’

So he got up, took the child and His mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’”

The story of Christ’s first years on earth quickly turns a different course. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus flee in the night to go to a land that is not their own. It seems as though Joseph has the dream, wakes up from it, and then they take off for Egypt. That’s a quick turnaround. How did Mary respond? The Bible doesn’t say, but she did go with him so I assume she left willingly and trusting her husband. How long did she have to prepare? Maybe 10 minutes…1 hour…who knows? Certainly, though, it was a quick departure.

I can’t even imagine! Even with all the long distance traveling I have done, I have to admit that being awakened in the night to suddenly leave my home and country would NOT go over well. I struggle a lot with the planned departures, even when they are just for trips and I know that I’ll return soon. They didn’t know if or when they would return.

It’s kind of like following Christ. I have often not known where He was leading me. I just knew I needed to go. I needed to be ready to say, “Yes, Lord!” when He spoke to me. I needed to be free of the stuff in my life so that it would not hold me back. I can tend to have an attachment to things sometimes. If I hold on too tight, these things could prevent me from experiencing something greater that He has for me.

Don’t be held back this Christmas. Follow Christ where He is leading you. Prepare yourself to go when He says, “Go!”

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 17

“It Feels Like Christmas”
My favorite song from The Muppet Christmas Carol movie

It's in the singing of a street corner choir
It's going home and getting warm by the fire
It's true, wherever you find love it feels like Christmas

A cup of kindness that we share with another
A sweet reunion with a friend or a brother
In all the places you find love it feels like Christmas

It is the season of the heart
A special time of caring
The ways of love made clear
It is the season of the spirit
The message if we hear it
Is make it last all year

It's in the giving of a gift to another
A pair of mittens that were made by your mother
It's all the ways that we show love that feel like Christmas

A part of childhood we'll always remember
It is the summer of the soul in December
Yes, when you do your best for love it feels like Christmas

It is the season of the heart
A special time of caring
The ways of love made clear
It is the season of the spirit
The message if we hear it
Is make it last all year

It's in the singing of a street corner choir
It's going home and getting warm by the fire
It's true, wherever you find love it feels like Christmas
It's true, wherever you find love it feels like Christmas
It feels like Christmas
It feels like Christmas
It feels like Christmas

LOVE ~ MAKE IT LAST ALL YEAR!

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 16

Matthew 2:1-12

“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 when it rose and have come to worship Him.’

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied.’

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed!

The waiting was over!  They had finally found the King!

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, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 15

Luke 2:36-38

“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.”

We just traveled from Georgia to America for the holidays (hence the delay in this post). After months of anticipation building up, then traveling for over 24 hours, it felt like the waiting would never end. No matter how much I wanted to see my family, there was no possible way of speeding up the time…to end the waiting.

This experience was really only a short time of waiting, but I’ve also experienced longer periods of waiting. Many times in the waiting, I know I experienced doubt that what I was anticipating would ever really happen. I waited 17 years to go to a place like Georgia and do what we are doing now. The last 4 years of waiting were the most intense (this was pre-Wade in my life). I had reached a point in my life where it just made sense for me to go. It seemed like great timing to me. It wasn’t God’s timing. He said, “Not yet.” My response was often, “If not yet, then when, God? How long must I wait?” Then He would reassure me that He had it all under control. There were other things He had for me in that moment. And He was still preparing me and the place I would be for the right timing in His plan. When the time came for me to go, I could see that it was truly all in His hands and His timing.

Seems pretty simple, huh? Honestly, not really. It’s difficult.

I also think of the waiting for a husband. I was just 3 months shy of turning 29 when Wade and I got married. I know that’s still probably in the range of average ages for marriage these days, but to me it seemed so late compared to others I knew. I had always imagined getting married about age 22 or 23…right after college. Why? I don’t know…it just made sense at the time. Wrong again. I don’t regret at all that marriage came later in my life than I had expected. I look at those years leading up to it and know without a doubt that it was in God’s timing. I experienced a life in those years that many people never get to experience. I truly value those years and experiences. They’ve shaped me in more ways than I can count.

Anna, like Simon, waited a lifetime to see God’s salvation come to earth. What did she do while waiting? She stayed in the temple and worshiped God night and day, fasting and praying. She didn’t have a husband for most of that time. The Scripture doesn’t mention any children. It appears she was alone and waiting. Yet it seems as though she gave it all over to God. She stayed close to God. She spent time with Him…focused time, not just investing a little time to “get it done.” And when the time came, she thanked God and shared the good news with many.

I pray my current and future seasons of waiting will be consumed with closeness to God rather than focusing my attention on the waiting. When I focus on the waiting, it often leads to trying to force something to happen which never turns out to be a good thing. Be still, and wait on the Lord.

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 14

Luke 2:22-35

“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.’"

I’ve waited a long time for many things, but I can’t say I’ve waited a lifetime for anything. Even though Simon waited a lifetime to see God’s salvation come to earth, everything was just as God had promised…without fail...never early, never late…right on time.

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 13

Luke 2:8-21

“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:

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.”

How would you respond to this message?

Those shepherds hurried to see Him.

They spread the word.

They praised God.

Everything was just as they had been told.

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 12

Luke 2:1-7

“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.”

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 11

No matter how you look at it, giving is often more of a blessing for yourself than actually receiving something. But why is the act of giving such a blessing? Much of it can be tied to the joy you see in the receiver. I guess that means there is great blessing in the receiving end too. They work together. But we don’t always get to see what happens on the receiving end. Giving adds the component of sacrificing so that someone else can receive. That sacrifice can bring joy when we realize all that has been sacrificed for us, and we have the opportunity to pay it forward to others. A true blessing on the receiving end is the realization that someone sacrificed so that you could receive…someone gave up something for you to have something. Again…they work together.

For the past few years, the Salvation Army in Georgia has been running the Angel Tree program at Christmas. They gather lists of children who would not otherwise receive a gift at Christmas. Then they find people to buy the gift each kid has requested. The people give the gift to the Salvation Army workers who then throw a Christmas party for the groups of kids and give them each their gift.

Last year one of the kids we had been given wanted a toy gun, and we bought it for him. When Wade and I went along for one of the parties, this boy happened to be at the party we attended. I’ve never seen a kid with such excitement over a gift! I was blessed to know that he was thrilled about his new toy! And even though it was just a toy that is possibly broken, lost, or forgotten by now, that toy told him, “Someone thought of me. Someone gave me what I really wanted most. Someone cared.” I pray those thoughts go with him long after the toy is just a faint memory. Soon, he may be receiving a new toy for Christmas, and again be reminded that, “Someone cares.” Hopefully, as he grows, he will learn that the one who cares the most for him, every day of the year, is Jesus.

Here’s our little friend proudly holding his new toy:

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 10

Luke 1:57-66

“When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said,

‘No! He is to be called John.’

They said to her, ‘There is no one among your relatives who has that name.’

Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote,

‘His name is John.’

Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, ‘What then is this child going to be?’ For the Lord’s hand was with him.”

From Zechariah’s song (Luke 1:67-79):

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord

to prepare the way for Him,

to give His people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,

to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

This time, both Zechariah and Elizabeth believed. They believed the miracle of this baby’s birth in their old age had come from God. They accepted the calling on his life, to prepare the way for Jesus. And they obeyed the Lord by naming him John.

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 9

Mary’s Song ~ Luke 1:46-55

“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for He has been mindful
of the humble state of His servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
holy is His name.

His mercy extends to those who fear Him,
from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and His descendants forever,
just as He promised our ancestors.”

My soul will magnify the Lord today!

"My Soul Magnifies the Lord" by Chris Tomlin

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 8

Today’s post just took a whole new direction. Yesterday, two friends shared a link to Ann Voskamp’s blog via Facebook. I just came across the links and was instantly moved. This blog post puts into words and action the thoughts that I have often had for many years. 

Beautiful comes to my mind. It captures the gift of giving in a beautiful way.

I love that Ann’s 5-year old son was disturbed by the question, “What does Jesus get for His birthday?”

He needed an answer.

“But Mom…. if we get wrapped presents for our birthdays, real sacrifices from people who love us — they gave up other things to give something to us — then why don’t we do that for Jesus’ birthday?”

His question changed Christmas for this family.

For me, this act of giving would need to include local needs as well. It really has great impact when one sees and touches the needs next door or across town. And time…oh, how time is such a huge sacrifice! Is there a local church or mission serving a Christmas meal? I am sure they need help. Adopt-a-family for Christmas…great idea! Go all out for them. Show them love. Is your neighbor all alone? Invite them over for Christmas dinner.

I have no doubt that some may look at the local poor and recognize that they put themselves in that situation and choose to stay there. I know I can say that about many in America. There is laziness. There are addictions. There is money wasted on cigarettes and alcohol, leaving no money for a joyous Christmas. I don’t feel so motivated to help someone like this. But maybe all they need is some love to light a fire under them towards change. It’s food for thought.

It’s a challenge…huge challenge. I don’t know if I can do it to my full potential. It may continue to take years of learning and stretching myself to give more. We should challenge the culture to make it better…even if it’s our own culture rather than a “foreign” culture.

Proverbs 21:13

“Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor

will also cry out and not be answered.”

I don’t want to ignore the cries for help. Do you? What can you do to help? Try one thing this year. Add another thing next year. See how it grows. The possibilities are endless.

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 7

Refer to the post on day 6 for Mary’s story. Here is Joseph’s story (Matthew 1:18-25):

Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

Ever wonder when Mary told Joseph what the angel revealed to her? Was it immediately? Did she wait awhile? How did she tell him? Was she excited…scared…nervous?

Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

He must have been petrified! What would people think?

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son,

and they will call him Immanuel,

which means “God with us”

(see post on day 5).”

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Joseph was an honorable man. He sought to protect Mary from the moment he found out she was pregnant. The Lord reassured Him that everything was in His hands, and

Joseph believed and obeyed what the angel told him.

Both Mary and Joseph had every reason

to run,

to hide,

to live in fear of both God and man,

but instead they chose to

believe,

accept,

and obey.

Do you believe and accept and obey what the Lord is telling you?

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 6

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy with John (see post on day 4), God again sent the angel Gabriel to deliver an important message to a woman named Mary. Mary lived in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. She was pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendent of David, yet she was still a virgin.

The angel said to her,

“Greetings, you who are highly favored!

The Lord is with you.”

Mary was startled and afraid at the sight of an angel, but he said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call Him 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 Jacob’s descendants 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 on 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 unable to conceive is in her sixth month.

For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,”

Mary answered.

“May your word to me be fulfilled.”

Then the angel left her.

This was Mary’s story of how God revealed the birth of Jesus to her (Luke 1:26-38).

She believed and willingly accepted what the angel told her.

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 5

The Christmas story begins long before the birth of Jesus. There are many prophesies about the Savior, who was to come, prior to His actual birth. These prophesies painted a picture of the facts surrounding His birth and life, as well as who He was and is. One such verse is Isaiah 7:14:

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son,

and will call Him Immanuel.”

Immanuel means

“God with us.”

One of my favorite verses from the Bible is Deuteronomy 31:6 (see also Hebrews 13:5):

“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.”

What a beautiful reminder that my God’s name means He is with me…always! I have great peace in knowing that He is always with me near or far, wherever I go…always!

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 4

A special piece of Jesus’ life on earth includes the birth of another man named John (also known as John the Baptist). His birth is foretold in Luke 1:5-25. John’s parents were Zechariah and Elizabeth. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

Zechariah was a priest and was chosen to burn incense at the temple of the Lord. While burning incense at the altar, Gabriel, an angel of the Lord, appeared to him and said, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Gabriel made it clear that God had answered their cries to God for a child. Yet Zechariah’s response was, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” I probably would have responded in the same way. It didn’t make sense for an old couple to have a baby. Doubt…the question of how?...this sounds crazy…these are my first thoughts. Since Zechariah was a priest, he definitely should have known quite well the story of Abraham and Sarah. They had their son, Isaac, when they were well into “retirement” age. They also were filled with doubt, but God did everything exactly as He said He would do it. With an example like this, one would think Zechariah would have responded with, “YES, Lord, I believe this will happen as You said it would. Thank You for answering my prayers!” Because Zechariah did not believe, God closed his mouth, making him unable to speak until the day of John’s birth.

After Zechariah returned home from the temple, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, just as God had said. Her response was, “The Lord has done this for me. In these days, He has shown His favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

Zechariah doubted, but Elizabeth believed. God heard the prayers of both Zechariah and Elizabeth. God spoke to Zechariah through an angel and to Elizabeth by allowing her to become pregnant at an old age. Zechariah questioned God on how He would be able to do such a thing as make an old couple pregnant. Elizabeth expressed her belief that God had done this. Zechariah did not understand why this was happening and why now at such an old age. Elizabeth did not ask why now. She just recognized that God had shown His favor and answered her cries for a child of her own.

What do I take from this story?

God hears my prayers.

God speaks to me through the Bible, quietly in my own prayer times, through other people, through visions, dreams, and angels, through whatever means it takes for me to hear Him.

I can believe what He tells me is true.

God is always looking out for me and my best interests…in the perfect time.

What’s in it for you?

Do you know God is listening to you?

Are you listening for His answer?

Do you trust His answer?

Do you know how much He cares about you and your desires…and when it’s best for such desires to be fulfilled?

Don’t doubt…just believe!

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 3

A former employer introduced us to a Christmas tradition worth keeping and passing on to others. For many years, this employer has given $50 to each employee to give away as he/she sees fit at Christmas. They encouraged each employee to add whatever they could to the $50 gift to bless someone else. A few years ago they changed the tradition a bit. Instead of giving out $50 bills, they gave out jars with $50 in coins, a copy of the “Christmas Jar” book, and a second jar to start filling for the next year’s Christmas. We immediately were on board with the idea of blessing others with a Christmas jar. One of the exciting aspects of the Christmas jar is that it is visible all year long…a reminder that giving should happen every day of the year.

Check out the book “Christmas Jars” by Jason F. Wright on this website. The book is a quick, easy, and inspiring read for the holidays. You might need a box of tissues handy while you read this book!

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 2

Posted by Megan

Isaiah 9:6-7

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace

there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne

and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”

This month we celebrate that God sent His son to earth…for us! Jesus is our wonderful counselor…He listens, advises, and cares for us. He is our mighty God…our warrior and champion. He is our everlasting father…our father for all time…and our prince of peace…the captain of our peace. I am so thankful that He came to this earth as a baby and lived a blameless life that led to Him being THE sacrifice for my sins and yours.

25 Days of Christmas Joy ~ Day 1

Posted by Megan

Throughout the month of November, many friends on Facebook were sharing something they are thankful for each day. I did not participate publicly…not because I am not thankful…just thinking and pondering the things others shared and my own thanksgivings privately. I really liked the idea and found it helpful to focus on all that we can be thankful for in life over an extended period of time (like one month) rather than all at once (like only on Thanksgiving day). When my mind was focused on giving thanks, it helped me keep everything in better perspective.

I want to piggyback on the idea and continue the focus on the reason for the December season…the birth of Christ, my King. I find it easier to keep this in perspective living outside of the USA. One reason is that I am not bombarded by all the commercialism in America. In a couple weeks, we will be in America for the holidays. We will be suddenly surrounded by it, but I want to keep my focus on Christ. So the posts over the next 25 days are more about me keeping my focus on Christ and the meaning of Christmas, but I am going to share them with you too.

I found this FREE devotional based on Christmas carols. Wade and I will be reading this every day as another way to help us keep the focus where it belongs.

Download the Carols 25 Day Devotional here, then click on “View Resource” to download a PDF file with the daily devotionals.

Download FREE Christmas carols here. The songs can be downloaded from the church website as a zip file or through itunes as a podcast.

Read this devotional this month and/or come back to our blog and find more Christmas inspiration.

First Lady of Georgia

Posted by Megan

One of my most memorable days in Georgia was a month ago on October 18th when I got to meet the first lady of Georgia, and then I taught my first kids’ Bible lesson in Georgian. Pretty exciting day although full of great extremes to be with the first lady in the morning and then with kids that are considered some of the lowest of Georgia’s society in the afternoon. I already shared a bit about teaching in Georgian in our latest newsletter but have not had a chance to share about meeting the first lady, Sandra Roelofs. Sandra is actually Dutch, and has been the first lady since her Georgian husband, Mikheil Saakashvili, became president in 2004. Sandra wrote a book about her life a few years ago in Dutch which was translated into English last year. I am a member of an international women’s group that organized the gathering for her to share about her book, The Story of an Idealist. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her thoughts and impressions of life in Georgia. Even more so, I enjoyed hearing her speak about these topics and then expanding on them more. She was very open to share many of her thoughts, as well as to take the time to answer all the questions that were asked. Then she signed everyone’s books. Sandra is a very fascinating and talented lady. For many years, she was the breadwinner of the family while her husband pursued a career in politics. She speaks 7 languages, has her own charity, and became a nurse a few years ago. Amazing! She is quite the down to earth kind of person that has not let her position get in the way of who she truly is and what is of most value to her…her family and caring for others. Here are a few photos from the day. Unfortunately, I was unable to actually get my photo taken with her, but trust me, I was there.

One of the security guys holding her purse...looks nice with his suit!

A Prayer

October of last year was full of much activity…some exciting some not so much.

• October 4th ~ We left the states to come to Georgia.

• October 6th ~ We arrived in Tbilisi in the early, early morning hours. Later in the day, our “boss” came to take us to lunch. He informed us that he had to go back to the states because his father was critically ill. He departed about 24 hours later, leaving us alone in the country. We are thankful that Megan had already been in Georgia, so suddenly being left alone like that did not really cause us any problems. He was able to return by Thanksgiving, and his father is still doing well, despite what the doctors thought a year ago.

• October 23rd ~ Wade started experiencing extreme pain in his abdomen area. By the 25th, we were in an emergency room at a Georgian hospital, and by the 27th, he was going into surgery to have his gallbladder removed. It was gangrene and the infection was on the verge of spreading to other organs. It was an intense surgery, requiring a full incision. Wade spent 10 full days in the hospital before he finally got to leave, and those 10 days were under not so pleasant conditions. You can check out our posts from October and November 2010, in case you missed this event in our lives.

We started the month off so well, so excited for the time ahead in Georgia. It turned into a rough start for us. While hanging out in the ER (before we even got to the surgery part), we were wondering what went wrong. Why was this happening? Now? Here? Should we have even come to Georgia? Some of the questions can be answered to some extent…others not so much. Maybe someday it will be more clear…maybe not. One thing it did do was “disturb us” and draw us closer to the Lord. Those initial storms revealed His mastery…His healing power. We recently came across this prayer below.

Prayer of Sir Francis Drake

Disturb us, Lord, when We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

It is one of many reminders to set our eyes on Christ alone. To seek Him first and foremost above all other things. To abide in Him and draw strength, courage, hope, and love from Him.

The events of one year ago have passed. Our first year in Georgia (together) has passed. It’s had some extreme ups and downs. But we face our second year in Georgia with greater strength, courage, hope, and love.  This is our prayer.

Eye On Georgia

Back in June, CNN did some special video reports on the country of Georgia. Just now getting around to posting about it. If you have the time, they made some interesting videos about various aspects of life in Georgia. Click here to watch. The current reports are on Poland, but if you scroll down under the section “Watch Eye On Video” and click on Georgia, you will be able to choose from 14 different videos (you have to hit the arrow on the right twice to see all the video options).

Starry Night

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. ~ Isaiah 40:26

One of our favorite photos from Svaneti...the Big Dipper over Mount Ushba.  But we can't take photo credit since our camera isn't quite cool enough to capture such breathtaking scenes.  We had a picture-sharing party with our friends who went to Svaneti so we got all the good stuff from everyone (including some of the photos in our previous post).  This photo credit belongs to our friend Juan. 

Isn't God amazingly creative!

Svaneti

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. ~ Proverbs 18:10

We recently returned from a week-long trip to the northern region of Svaneti. Svaneti is west and north of Tbilisi, and the Greater Caucasus Mountains form the northern border with Russia. It is a special place unlike any others in Georgia. It is unique for its culture, people, high mountain peaks, breathtaking beauty, remoteness, and ancient watch towers.

Until this year, the road to Svaneti could be described as “in shambles.” The capital of the region and main city of Mestia is approximately 500 kilometers from Tbilisi. That’s just 310 miles, but it takes 10 hours or more depending on your mode of transportation. With the road being partially redone, it took us 10.5 hours to get there because of all our photo, restroom, and food stops. We cut it down to 8.5 hours coming back to Tbilisi. One can only imagine how “quick” the trip will be when the new mountain road is complete. We have a friend who has made multiple trips to Svaneti over several years, mostly on mini-buses and on bad roads all the way. This kind of transportation takes more like 14 hours…that’s one long and rough ride! God bless this man (and now his wife) who are so committed to ministering among these people! Besides the new road, there is also the option of flying to Mestia to the new airport that opened earlier this year. It has one little terminal.

We traveled in 2 cars…4 Americans in one and 4 Georgians in the other. We stayed at a guest house in Mestia, except for one night when we camped out in Ushguli. We hiked to a glacier, hiked up to see 3 lakes on top of a mountain, and captured fantastic photos of Mount Ushba (4,700 meters; 15,400 feet) and Mount Tetnuldi (4,858 meters; 15,900 feet). When we traveled to Ushguli, we also took in Mount Shkhara (5,068 meters; 16,600 feet) as we camped near its base. This is the highest peak in Georgia. Ushguli is cut off from the world almost half the year due to snow and terrible roads. They don’t appear to be upgrading this road any time soon. It was 44 kilometers from Mestia and took us 3 hours to drive there on narrow roads with many drop offs along the way. We did not even see one guard rail! Interesting fact about Ushguli is that it is one of the highest settlements in all of Europe.

And just to make our trip even more interesting, the first lady Sandra Roelofs came to visit us in Svaneti. Ok…not really, but she really was there while we were and she and her entourage passed us on the way from Mestia to Ushguli. A police vehicle and multiple black Toyota Land Cruisers whizzed by telling us to “Stop machina! Stop machina!” And no…that was not a typo for machine…they said machina.

The entire region is filled with watch towers…in every village, at every house, and on random high places. It is like an identity trademark for the region today, but historically, they really were for protection. A vacation such as this certainly lent itself to much reflection and thought on the greatness of our God…our strong tower! A few of those towers date back to the 7th century and many to the 12th century. They have stood the test of time and war and all elements that could come against them, but even these towers of refuge will crumble one day. Our Lord will not crumble in battle! He is the shelter that we can run to and be saved. The chorus from “Strong Tower” by Kutless seems appropriate as you gaze on these towers:

You are my strong tower
Shelter over me
Beautiful and mighty
Everlasting King
You are my strong tower
Fortress when I’m weak
Your name is true and holy
And your face is all I seek

For as mighty as the towers seemed, and even mightier and impressive the mountains, our God is bigger and greater! It’s more than our human minds can comprehend! Guess that’s all the words we can try to use to describe and talk about this amazing place. We’ll let the pictures speak for themselves, even though the pictures are but a glimpse into the beauty found in Svaneti.

Full Hearts and Full Bags

We often make mention of the hospitality of Georgians, but it never fails to make us step back and just reflect in wonder and joy at another such occurrence. This week we headed northeast from Tbilisi to a small village at the base of the northern Caucasus mountains in eastern Georgian. A pastor here has big visions, such that we have rarely seen among other pastors and leaders. He has a vision to reach 30 villages in his area. He even has sheets of paper up on a wall with the name of every village and the names of the believers in each village. Fifteen of the villages have no believers and the other 15 have between 1 and 10 believers in each. He and his family, along with other believers, regularly pray for God to reach these villages. The main purpose for our visit was to take pictures of an old house that they want to purchase to serve as a church and place for prayer because they currently do not have a place in their village. The trip, of course, was about more than some pictures. We spent time with the pastor, his wife, his sister, and 4 of his 6 children. They prepared a delicious Georgian table for us. Their teenage daughters sang worship songs for us before heading off to lead a small youth group they started with their village friends. We prayed together. We were also able to give them a few Georgian Bibles and a few in Azeri (several people from Azerbaijan live in this area of the country). We also gave them some reading glasses…a huge need for many who want to read the Bible but are not able to because they cannot see the small print. They will give these out to those in need.

Naturally, they also wanted us to stay the night but other plans prevented us from being able to do that this time. So reluctantly, they sent us off but not without gifts from their garden…bags full of green peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers, and watermelons. Here are photos of what we brought home, but 2 watermelons and a large bag of the vegetables had already gone home with the other couple that went with us to the village. We shared our part of the blessing with 2 other families and still have an abundance left over.

This is the region and season for melons and many other fruits. We passed by dozens and dozens of people along the road selling melons…watermelons and other types of melons. There were so many in some places that you could smell the melons as you drove by on the highway. Many were also selling peaches so we loaded up on those since they are cheaper than in Tbilisi (also in the photo above).

Our hearts are filled with joy from spending time with this amazing family. They blessed us with their hospitality, smiles of joy, worship, prayers, dreams for their neighbors to know Christ, and bags full of food. Our stomachs were filled to the brim and there is more to enjoy back here in Tbilisi. We pray that God will fulfill the dreams this pastor and his family have for those around them to know Christ and the power of His resurrection.

Tour of Georgia

In 13 days, we crammed in all we could of the sights, sounds, and tastes of Georgia. Megan’s parents came to visit us. It was their first trip to Georgia and it’s been about 13 years since they traveled away from US soil. It was a monumental trip so we wanted nothing less than the best for them. We took them every direction from Tbilisi to give them a picture of the landscapes and sights all around the country. We skipped the summer hotspot along the sea, but otherwise they got to see a large majority of Georgia. They also were involved in some of our normal activities around Tbilisi, like attending services at both of our churches (Georgian and international churches), helping out at street kids ministry and a local orphanage, spending time with many of our friends and colleagues, driving and getting around on transportation in the city, and normal shopping at our multiple locations (it takes multiple shops to find all the stuff we need). We felt they had a good balance of tourism and normal life in Georgia.


Their favorite part of the visit (besides being with us!) was experiencing Georgian hospitality and life inside a Georgian home. We took them to meet Sveta, our hostess while we lived in Bolnisi. She treated them well with a delicious table of Georgian cuisine. She was disappointed she couldn’t prepare more food since her arm is still in a cast from her fall in May, but she’s Georgian and she still managed to prepare more than enough food. Before taking off, we also enjoyed playing Nardi with her. Sveta was such a good teacher that Wade was able to beat her this time. We left to go do a bit of sight-seeing in the area, but we passed by the house of our friends Shalva and Natia. We saw Shalva just coming home for his lunch break so we stopped to say hello. He immediately invited us in and before we knew it, we were sitting down for another meal…just a couple hours after the first one! It was almost as if we had arranged to stop by their house the way it all fell together. That is Georgian hospitality…always ready to wine and dine any guest whether planned or not.


One of their favorite sight-seeing days was also our longest and most adventurous. We took them to visit one of three cave cities in Georgia. Vardzia is located south and west of Tbilisi. There is an old road that was redone a couple years ago that goes all the way to it. It is shorter than the route that most people usually took before this one was redone. However, we hardly knew it was shorter because we took many stops along the way to see lakes and wildflowers. It was a beautiful drive on a beautiful day! Then we came to a decision point…continue on the way most people would go or try an alternate road. We opted for the alternate road. Turns out it added at least an hour to our drive, possibly more. The road was fine for a little while…still some of the renovated road. Then we turned off and the last sign we saw was still an old one with Georgian and Russian (not one of the new road signs with Georgian and English). It was an old, rough dirt road, but along it were the most beautiful fields of wildflowers we’d seen all day! Then the road curved and we decided to be sure it was the right way. A guy indicated that we needed to go down (we asked in Georgian and he answered in Russian, but we managed to communicate). By down, he meant drive down a winding, single-lane, mountain dirt road. It took 45 minutes to get down that mountain! But again, from the top and all the way down, we could see the cave city from a viewpoint that few people ever get to see it. Congratulations to Wade for successfully driving down that mountain and even making it through the cow herd blocking the single-lane road! Getting there was only half the fun because then we got to explore the caves at Vardzia.


We truly had a memorable time with Megan’s parents! We are so grateful that they had the opportunity to come see and experience our life in Georgia. They definitely have a better picture of what we are experiencing here. We love you, Rudy and Linda! Thanks for coming to visit us!


These are just some of the pictures from their visit. It was hard to narrow it down from over 1,400 picture and video files to just a few! It's difficult to capture everything in pictures anyway, but at least it's a little sample of their tour of Georgia!

Bolnisi

Still here…still alive…survived the village, but blogging about it all hasn’t been too high on the priority list lately for what free time we have had. We’ll tell more about our village experience in our upcoming newsletter, but we will also share some of our experiences here.

During the month of May, we lived in the village of Bolnisi where we studied the language and practiced with our hostess Sveta. We learned many things about the Georgian culture and about how tough life can be with very little income, but we also learned how peaceful life can be far away from the hectic atmosphere of a big city like Tbilisi. Life was much more simple with no internet and no street noise from all the cars, trucks, and honking. We found ourselves looking forward to simple things going on in the village such as soccer games or a small concert, playing games or visiting friends. Overall, it was difficult not checking e-mail and being away from our normal life, but it was a great experience and language learning atmosphere.

The Georgian culture, much of which is based on relationships, was very evident in Bolnisi. With a population of about 4,000, it was larger than most villages but still had a village feel to it. Most of Sveta’s neighbors came by multiple times to visit, some came about every other day. This was great for us because we were able to talk to different people about different things to practice the language. They just stopped to talk and usually ended up having tea or coffee and cake. Sveta and her friends often played Nardi (Backgammon) and taught us to play too. One afternoon, Sveta’s relative stopped by and they ended up toasting each other and us many times with some very strong homemade vodka. We just smiled and thanked them for their toasts to peace, our family, and our many (future) children.

Sveta receives a pension of about $50 per month to live on. Therefore, her yard is her livelihood. Chickens, grape vines, fruit trees, and a full garden of vegetables filled her yard. Every day, Sveta was working in the garden and taking care of the chickens. While we were there, 14 new chicks hatched which almost tripled her flock! It was very interesting to see how she used almost everything for something, therefore producing very little trash.

The old iron, wood-burning stove outside that was used for making bread, khachapuri (cheese bread), and kartopiliani (potato bread) was a treat. We had a great time learning how to make these delicious staples with Sveta. Yes, we also enjoyed eating the finished products! She made enough to feed an army!

We were fortunate that Sveta had a washing machine and then we used a clothes’ line for drying our clothes. Our shower was an old tub in a building connected to the house. Again, we were fortunate to have hot water for showers even though the water was only on for a few hours in the morning and at night. For the first time in our lives, we used an outhouse every day for several weeks. Wade missed having a toilet to sit on more than he missed having internet access…just being honest here folks!

Our main reason for going was to improve our language skills. Thankfully, we both felt that they improved a lot during our time in Bolnisi. We’ve even received some compliments on our improvement (but still so far to go!). We enjoyed our time so much there that leaving turned out to be a difficult experience. Sveta now calls us her kids and leaving her to live alone again was hard. Plus, she fell down the stairs at the neighbor’s house and then we had to leave a bit earlier than expected so she could rest. But thankfully, she is recovering well! She is a strong, independent and spunky lady! We appreciate that she welcomed us into her home and her life.

Perhaps we will have a chance to share some of our other experiences soon. But currently, we are entertaining Megan’s parents who came to visit us in Georgia. It’s their first experience here and what a joy to share it with them! We’ll have to post some more about their visit too.