Farewell 2025, Welcome 2026!

Who else is ready for the New Year?

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to welcome 2026.

New year = new calendar.

Have you bought yours yet?

Those blank pages are just waiting for new opportunities to tell a fallen world about Jesus.

A fallen world – yes, but it’s not hopeless.

That’s where we as believers come in.

God gave us the Holy Spirit to indwell us and embolden us to tell others the good news.

For the grace and forgiveness that God provides for our sins and for His great love that He sent us His Son Jesus, we can say “Hallelujah!” (Praise the Lord!)

This is an older song (one of my favorites) by Paul Baloche, but I think it is timeless.

Here is the Christmas version of “What Can I Do.”

Happy New Year everyone from Delight-in-God.com!

Our Exceptional God

From Our Hearts To Yours: Merry Christmas 2025

Just in time for Christmas 2025, I wanted to share this sweet play by some very creative Compassion Kids.

My thanks to Compassion International for sharing this video with the world . . .

Well done, children. 😊

It’s a treat to witness the spreading of the Good News out of the mouths of our younger generation!

Can you imagine the scene when the lowly shepherds first heard of the birth of Jesus?

¹⁰And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying, ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.” – Luke 2:10-14, (NASB).

The shepherds didn’t wait, they immediately headed to Bethlehem to see for themselves.

May the joy of that first Christmas be on our minds as we remember The Real Reason for the Season.

From delight-in-God.com, we wish you a joyous Christmas filled with happiness, peace, and love.

Christmas 2025

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Our Exceptional God

Not Just Any Star, “The” Star

How bright was the Star of Bethlehem?

Have you ever thought about that?

Sometimes I wonder what could come close to it in our modern times.

The first thing that came to mind was a supermoon.

In fact, my husband and I were driving home recently and a supermoon was rising above the horizon.

We couldn’t help but notice.

It was beautiful and full.

It was so big it looked like you could stand out in that field and touch it.

Photo from Pixabay, loggawiggler

. . . which brings me back to the Star of Bethlehem.

On that blessed night, a multitude of angels praising God announced to the lowly shepherds that the Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born. The shepherds immediately headed to the City of David to see God’s miracle for themselves.

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” – Luke 2:15, (ESV).¹

In another account, the Book of Matthew describes the magi from the east planning their own long journey to Bethlehem, hundreds of miles away.

The appearance of the Christmas Star rising up in the sky was unlike anything they had ever seen before. This was not just any star, but “the” star.

They spoke with King Herod.

²saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” – Matthew 2:2, (ESV).²

We know from the biblical account that God warned them that the jealous and evil King Herod intended to kill the Christ Child.

They decided to make the trip but reject the king’s request for an exact location of the child upon their return.

After hearing the king, they went on their way; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on ahead of them until it came to a stop over the place where the Child was to be found. – Matthew 2:9, (NASB).³

Did you catch that?

“. . . and behold, the star. . . . ”

Not just any star, but “The” Star.

This star from God led them to the exact location where they could find the Christ Child.

Not Just Any Star: God’s Star

The Star of Bethlehem was set into place by God Our Creator to lead the magi to Jesus.

Once they arrived, they celebrated.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. – Matthew 2:10, (NASB)⁴

Just as the Star of Bethlehem – God’s star – led the magi to the Christ Child, Jesus leads believers in our fallen world to eternity with Him.

Like the magi in ancient Biblical times, we too have reason to rejoice with great joy.

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Our Exceptional God

Meet Our New Neighbor

September 2, 2025 Gracie

Our New Neighbor

Every day, a little visitor shows up on the walking trail right behind our house.

I never thought I’d see the day, but we now have a “pet” roadrunner.

Meet our new neighbor

And, he’s not alone. There’s also a mama and a baby.

No question, the three of them are darn cute.

Sometimes this little guy comes running into our backyard when he spots an earthworm or another insect. By the way, word has it that they can run up to 26 mph.¹

We nicknamed him Elvis for the stylish little plumage on top of his head.

Our new neighbor is fascinating to watch and he’s a busy little guy.

At morning and then again at dusk, we see him running up and down the trail looking for more food to feed his family.

As funny as it is to watch for us, it’s serious business for Elvis.

He caught an earthworm the other day and, let’s just say, the earthworm didn’t have a chance.

Elvis had the worm in his beak and proceeded to bang the earthworm up and down on the ground.

It was a TKO.

Elvis is hungry – don’t keep him waiting.

Anyway, my husband and I had a contest going as to whom could get the best close-up photo of Elvis.

Here is my husband’s winning picture.

Elvis the Roadrunner

There’s a little tree right outside my office and Elvis came all the way up to our house and jumped up into our tree.

I couldn’t believe it – so close!

This is one of the reasons I delight in God.

There’s so many more important and eternal reasons to delight in God for, but it’s the little things in His creation that also make me smile.

If you look for them, there are new opportunities each day to offer Him our worship and praise.

¹ Roadrunner citation [n.d.] Courtesy of learnbirdwatching.com “35 Fun Facts About Roadrunners That Will Blow Your Mind!” Web. Accessed 19 August, 2025.

Our Exceptional God

More Precious Than Gold

April 29, 2025 Gracie

Faith More Precious Than Gold

Quite a long time ago (it’s getting longer and longer as I grow older!), my mom and dad gave me a beautiful gold ring for one of my birthdays.

This cherished piece of jewelry holds a special place in my heart, and I think of them whenever I wear it.

The unique design resembles a flower, featuring a small pearl surrounded by tiny sapphires.

Cherished ring

You can’t put a price on a memory like this.

To borrow an expression, for me this ring is “worth more than gold.”

Gold is a precious metal with too many uses to even count.

From shining gold jewelry creations to a valuable alloy used for fillings at your local dentist, gold has great value for many reasons.

Check out this striking “replica” of a gold nugget on display at the Harvard Museum of Natural History in Cambridge, MA. (The original was eventually melted down.)

Large gold nugget on display at the Harvard Museum of Natural History

The “Welcome Nugget” – a replica¹

I don’t know if you can read the sign, but the original gold nugget weighed 152 pounds and was later sold for $21,000.

That just gives you an idea of the value.

Do you know what is even more valuable than gold?

The Bible tells us.

The following passage from 1 Peter 1:6-9 describes the importance of having unwavering faith during our trials.

⁶In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, ⁷so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ⁸and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, ⁸obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. – 1 Peter 1:6-9, (NASB).²

More Precious Than Gold: The Purpose of Suffering

The melting point of gold is well over 1900 degrees Fahrenheit.³

Remarkably, fire doesn’t destroy the gold during the refining process, in fact, it makes it even more pure and valuable.

Have you heard of the refiners fire?

Just as with purifying gold, our steadfast faith – when tested by “fiery” trials – refines and purifies us.

We can rejoice, not because of the suffering we go through, but because our future is secure through Jesus.

Gold does not fear the fire, and neither should we.

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¹Source Credit, [2023] Courtesy of Anatoli Lvov, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. “The Welcome Nugget. ” Web. Accessed 18 April, 2025.

³ Source Credit, Article by Dr. Andrew A. Snelling (PhD, Geology, Research Director at Answers in Genesis – USA). “Gold – A Little Bit Of Heaven On Earth.” Courtesy of Answersingenesis.org. para.29. Web. Accessed 20th, April, 2025. Retrieved from: Melting Point of Gold

Our Exceptional God

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