The True Joy of Christmas

December 10, 2024 Gracie

The True Joy of Christmas Lasts All Year Long

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for Christmas!

With the hustle and bustle of the season in full swing, it’s important as Christians to remember the real reason for the season – the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

Even if you haven’t received Christ as your Savior, you may have some good feelings at this season. It is a wonderful time of the year. It’s always good to be with family and friends, to enjoy good food, and to exchange gifts. But I’m talking about something different, something deeper. The true joy of Christmas lasts all year long. It is the abiding joy of knowing for certain that things are right between you and God. It is the contentment that comes from knowing that you have a hope that holds constant beyond the uncertainties of this life. That kind of lasting joy comes only to the one who has personally received God’s gift of the Savior. – Precept Austin commentary.¹

The true joy of Christmas lasts all year long.

Amen!

This gift of God’s Son is the greatest gift of all – a reminder of His great love for us that transcends time through the ages and for all eternity.

We can rejoice along with the Psalmist that God is our one and only Holy Father who deserves all our praise for Who He is.

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¹ Pastor Steven Cole’s quotation is from the Luke Sermons Commentary, [2022] Courtesy of Precept Austin, Web. Accessed 22 November, 2024.

Our Exceptional God

A Heart Full Of Thanks

December 3, 2024 Gracie

With A Heart Full of Thanks

A heart full of thanks

Dear Christian – do you want to know how much you are loved?

These Bible verses from Ephesians, which exhibit God’s great mercy, can help to serve as a reminder.

⁴But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. – Ephesians 2:4-7, (NASB).¹

There are so many encouragements like these verses found in God’s Word.

What an impact God’s promises will have on us!

Even though we are undeserving sinners, through Jesus, we have His gift of salvation.

We choose to repent because of His transforming work in us.

That is great news to be grateful for.

With a heart full of thanks, we can come to His throne and know that because of His “great love”, we will live with Him in eternity.

Recently, I came across a beautiful version of a Brandon Lake song that I couldn’t wait to share.

The song is called “Gratitude”.

Please enjoy talented harpist and vocalist, Megan Tibbits, in this uplifting and beautiful cover.

You may want to turn your sound up for this one.

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Our Exceptional God

Celebrating a Happy Thanksgiving 2024

On this Thanksgiving 2024, my husband and I want to sincerely thank you for your tremendous support and kind words.

We’ve had the blessing of talking with a few of you and are extremely grateful for your continued encouragement.

Many years ago when I had to quit my job as a TV reporter, I thought that was the end of everything.

Career, goals, a certain future . . . a life tied up in a neat little bow.

But God had other plans.

He shifted my passion to writing about Him.

Through every experience we’ve been through as a family (many shared here on my blog) our faith has only grown stronger.

God has touched my life in countless ways. I have felt His presence so many times, even during difficult circumstances.

I can’t help but think back to the year 1997, lying in that pitch black dark hospital room.

It was around 2:00 a.m. in the morning, my leg was in an uncomfortable cast, and emotional thoughts about our niece who lost her life at our family reunion haunted me. I was full of questions and grief.

God sent an angel to my hospital room that morning . . . literally. Of course, all glory goes to God, not to His messenger.

Dearest Heavenly Father, I know that You spared my life for a reason.

No matter what challenges head my way, distractions to throw me off or weaken my faith, You have never left my side.

Thank You for blessing me with a heart for writing about You, and for allowing me to share Your message of hope and love with others. May your Holy Spirit always give me the right words to say.

My goal is that each post I write is a testament to Your greatness.

Thank You God, and thank you for sending us Your Son.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, God bless you and may you have an amazing year ahead.

Happy Thanksgiving 2024

Our Exceptional God

The Beauty of God’s Sunsets

November 19, 2024 Gracie

Embracing The Beauty of God’s Sunsets

A glorious Texas sunset

An unnamed poet once wrote, “Sunsets are just little glimpses of the golden streets of heaven.”

I don’t think I could have said it better. 🙂

Have you ever witnessed a sunset that takes your breath away?

Praising God for His beautiful sunsets

To God be the Glory!

As the day comes to a close, the sun’s last ray’s delicately kiss the horizon for one last time, and the sky overhead descends into darkness.

Simple quiet moments reflecting on this and the beauty of God’s sunsets are priceless.

Thank you God for the perfect ending to another day!

Beyond
Poet: Unknown

The sunset’s crown of radiant gold
And robe of amethyst
Had paled to twilight gray and cold
And trembling veils of mist;
Then, up in the heaven the white moon sailed,
And, gleaming in her wake,
Her silvery shimmering garments trailed –
A shining way, in shadows veiled,
Across the dusky lake.

The darkness quenched the sunset hues;
Day, shrouded, sank in night;
Yet through the gloom and through the dews
Still trailed that track of light.
No wind bore upward hymn or prayer,
No step throbbed on the sod,
And yet my soul saw opened there –
Cross lake, o’er mount, through ambient air –
A shining path to God.

O coward soul, that fears to miss
The glow from out thy sky,
That shrinks from sorrow’s touch and kiss
When shades are drawing nigh, –
Beyond the night’s o’ershadowing form
Light gleams on wave and sod,
And thou mayst climb – thy robe and crown
Faded and in the dust laid down –
That shining way to God.