This Christmas

"He became like us so that we could become like Him."

This quote was so profound to me because it speaks to exactly what God did for us when He sent His Son to save the world (John 3:16)...

By the way, did you know that "Jesus" is the Greek form of Joshua, which means "God saves"?
Just something to remember as we celebrate His birth this Christmas.

The Slaughtered Lamb

This audio clip was sent to me by one of my cousins. It's really touching and helps to remind us what the real meaning of Christmas is. It sounds cliche, but it really isn't about Santa Claus, or maxing out our credit cards to buy gifts for everybody on our lists. It's about Jesus!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zCdZwitrNoY


Peace,
J

Where You At?

“When we dwell on the past, we tend to want to live there. When we dream of the future, we want to go there.”

I ran across this phrase in reading an article on the importance of faith in the time of grief. It is attributed to author Erwin Raphael McManus, a Pastor and leader of Mosaic Church in Los Angeles. While the author of the article originally used this quote to emphasize the importance of moving forward in times of grief, the second part of the quote is what struck me in particular – “when we dream of the future, we want to go there.”

Over the course of the last few years since I’ve gained a personal relationship with Christ, my mom and I have often compared and contrasted the advantages and disadvantages of the ways in which God deals with us differently. My mom is very much an implementer (that’s why I hired her as VP of Business Operations for J’Nointed). Once she is given an objective, she’s very good at implementing a strategy step-by-step until the job is done; but without the objective, she is rendered ineffective and unsure of exactly what direction to go in. So God tests her by simply leading her step-by-step to the end goal without telling her the objective in the beginning. Often times, she won’t know the objective until the very end of the mission.

I, on the other hand, am very much a visionary; so I am told the goal up front, before the mission even begins. And so, like the quote says, I dream of the future and want to go there. Most of the times, what I forget, though, is that God is showing me the future, not the present, and thus, what I see will only be accomplished in the future, not the present. So God, in turn, tests my faith by showing me the end goal, but hiding the step-by-step process to get to that goal from me. My test than comes in having to trust that somehow, someway, God will eventually bring that which He’s shown me to fruition.

Of the two, I’m not really sure which scenario is easier to handle. But I do know that God wants us to trust Him and has a way of bringing us to a place where we totally surrender will to His will. So, whether you’re like my mom and wondering where God is taking you, or like me, and wondering when God is going to do what He said he would, know that everything you go through is simply preparation for where you are headed.

God bless,
J.W.

Giving Thanks

My aunt Michelle (yes, another Michelle Woodson) put me on to this daily e-mail called “The Daily Encourager.” Here’s a sample for Thanksgiving Day:

A Thanksgiving Story
Andrea Nannette Mejia
Nov 21, 2007

It was the day before Thanksgiving - the first one my three children and I would be spending without their father, who had left several months before. Now the two older children were very sick with the flu, and the eldest had just been prescribed bed rest for a week.

It was a cool, gray day outside, and a light rain was falling. I grew wearier as I scurried around, trying to care for each child: thermometers, juice, diapers. And I was fast running out of liquids for the children. But when I checked my purse, all I found was about $2.50 - and this was supposed to last me until the end of the month. That's when I heard the phone ring.

It was the secretary from our former church, and she told me that they had been thinking about us and had something to give us from the congregation. I told her that I was going out to pick up some more juice and soup for the children, and I would drop by the church on my way to the market.

I arrived at the church just before lunch. The church secretary met me at the door and handed me a special gift envelope. "We think of you and the kids often," she said, "and you are in our hearts and prayers. We love you." When I opened the envelope, I found two grocery certificates inside. Each was worth $20. I was so touched and moved, I broke down and cried.

"Thank you very much," I said, as we hugged each other. "Please give our love and thanks to the church." Then I drove to a store near our home and purchased some much-needed items for the children.

At the check-out counter I had a little over $14.00 worth of groceries, and I handed the cashier one of the gift certificates. She took it, then turned her back for what seemed like a very long time. I thought something might be wrong. Finally I said, "This gift certificate is a real blessing. Our former church gave it to our family, knowing I'm a single patent trying to make ends meet."
The cashier then turned around, with tears in her loving eyes, and replied, "Honey, that's wonderful! Do you have a turkey?"

"No. It's okay because my children are sick anyway."

She then asked, "Do you have anything else for Thanksgiving dinner?"

Again I replied, "No."

After handing me the change from the certificate, she looked at my face and said, "Honey, I can't tell you exactly why right now, but I want you to go back into the store and buy a turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie or anything else you need for a Thanksgiving dinner."

I was shocked, and humbled to tears. "Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes! Get whatever you want. And get some Gatorade for the kids."

I felt awkward as I went back to do more shopping, but I selected a fresh turkey, a few yams and potatoes, and some juices for the children. Then I wheeled the shopping cart up to the same cashier as before. As I placed my groceries on the counter, she looked at me once more with giant tears in her kind eyes and began to speak.

"Now I can tell you. This morning I prayed that I could help someone today, and you walked through my line." She reached under the counter for her purse and took out a $20 bill. She paid for my groceries and then handed me the change. Once more I was moved to tears.

The sweet cashier then said, "I am a Christian. Here is my phone number if you ever need anything." She then took my head in her hands, kissed my cheek and said, "God bless you, honey."

As I walked to my car, I was overwhelmed by this stranger's love and by the realization that God loves my family too, and shows us his love through this stranger's and my church's kind deeds. The children were supposed to have spent Thanksgiving with their father that year, but because of the flu they were home with me, for a very special Thanksgiving Day.

They were feeling better, and we all ate the goodness of the Lord's bounty - and our community's love. Our hearts were truly filled with thanks.

By Andrea Nannette Mejia (c) 1995
From Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Aubery and Nancy Mitchell.

Helping Hand

I'm enjoyed this so much, I had to share it. This Thanksgiving Day, be thankful for the little things in life...

The Hand
by David Langerfeld
November 20, 2007

Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class a fun assignment -- to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful.

Most of the class might be considered economically disadvantaged, but still many would celebrate the holiday with turkey and other traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the subjects of most of her student's art. And they were.

But Douglas made a different kind of picture. Douglas was a different kind of boy. He was the teacher's true child of misery, frail and unhappy. As other children played at recess, Douglas was likely to stand close by her side. One could only guess at the pain Douglas felt behind those sad eyes.

Yes, his picture was different. When asked to draw a picture of something for which he was thankful, he drew a hand. Nothing else. Just an empty hand.

His abstract image captured the imagination of his peers. Whose hand could it be? One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer, because farmers raise turkeys. Another suggested a police officer, because the police protect and care for people. Still others guessed it was the hand of God, for God feeds us. And so the discussion went -- until the teacher almost forgot the young artist himself.

When the children had gone on to other assignments, she paused at Douglas' desk, bent down, and asked him whose hand it was.

The little boy looked away and murmured, "It's yours, teacher."

She recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked with him here or there, as she had the other students. How often had she said, "Take my hand, Douglas, we'll go outside." Or, "Let me show you how to hold your pencil." Or, "Let's do this together." Douglas was most thankful for his teacher's hand.

Brushing aside a tear, she went on with her work.

The story speaks of more than thankfulness. It says something about teachers teaching and parents parenting and friends showing friendship, and how much it means to the Douglases of the world. They might not always say thanks, but they'll remember the hand that reaches out.

"Though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. Psalm 37:24

"My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:8

This Thanksgiving, thank God for all of the "hands" that have "touched" your life. Then, allow the Hand of God to reach out through your hands and touch the lives of others.

Smile

Have You Ever...?

Have you ever been just sitting there and all of a sudden you feel like doing something nice for someone you care for?

THAT'S GOD talking to you through the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever been down and out and nobody seems to be around for you to talk to?

THAT'S GOD wanting you to talk to Him.

Have you ever received something wonderful that you didn't even ask for, like money in the mail, a debt that had mysteriously been cleared, or a coupon to a department store where you had just seen something you needed, but couldn't afford?

THAT'S GOD knowing the desires of your heart.

Have you ever been in a situation and you had no clue how it was going to get better, how the hurting would stop, how the pain would ease, but now you look back on it.

THAT'S GOD passing us through tribulation to see a brighter day.