Have you ever been chilled? I mean chilled to the bone. Maybe it was when you ran fever. You know the teeth chattering, bone aching, “I’m so cold I don’t know what to do with myself to get warm”. Maybe it was when you took a bath on a cool morning. All you wanted to do is get wrapped up in a blanket before you put on your clothes. You just needed warmth. You needed to take a minute and wrap up, stand next to a fire, and get warm. 

Let’s shift gears for a minute. Let’s talk spiritually. Have you had a time when you felt cold inside your soul? It may have been something that hurt you deeply…the loss of your spouse…the loss of children…living through violence or abuse…people you thought were close friends turned on you…your family ostracized you? Maybe it was a health diagnosis. You can’t believe the words you just heard from the doctor. You feel alone, vulnerable, empty, lost, incredibly afraid of the future. You are not sure where to turn or what to do next. Just writing this makes me feel cold. I’ve been there. Wondering if God saw what was happening to me. Wondering why I had to endure this pain, this cold. Have you been there? Do you remember? I want to be wrapped in something warm.

 Jude wrote a very short book in the Bible. I love the way the New English Translation starts his book. “¹ From Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, wrapped in the love of God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. ² May mercy, peace, and love be lavished on you!^” Jude 1-2. Stop. Read it again. Wrapped in the love of God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. Wait what? When I am called by God, He wraps me in His love. I am kept for Jesus. God’s love is not an ordinary love. When you are loved by God you need to know that He is generous to you.  He is committed to you. He keeps His promise to you. He cares for you deeply. You. How do you KNOW this? He showed it over and over: Ruth and Naomi, Moses, Abraham, Joseph, David, and the nation of Israel all were wrapped in God’s love.

Look at Exodus 34:6. “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness”. God spoke these words to Moses when Moses was on Mt. Sinai chiseling out the 10 Commandments. He was telling Moses how much He loved His people. You remember, the nation of Israel that continually left God and tried to go out on their own. That group of people. Each time God loved them, brought them back to Him, and was generous with them. God always kept His promise. He always loved them. He was always generous in His forgiveness, compassion, and provisions. He never stopped caring for them. Yes, there were consequences for their sin, but there was always forgiveness. Yes, they endured hardship, but He always provided a way for them to get through it. His heart broke when they left Him, but HE NEVER LEFT THEM. He held out His arms and welcomed them back. His heart broke when they went through hardships, but HE NEVER LEFT THEM. He wrapped them in His love.

Our God is the same today. He wraps us in His love. It doesn’t mean we won’t go through hardship. It means He has provided a way for us to get through it. When Jesus Christ rescued us from the grip of satan, God was compassionate and gracious. When the Holy Spirit came to live in us, God showed His loyal love, His comfort and His faithfulness. This is what it looks like to be WRAPPED IN GOD’S LOVE. He has a plan for our lives. He wants what is best for us.

Psalm 136 says HIS LOYAL LOVE ENDURES. It tells the story of the Israelites and God’s love. Take comfort in God’s love for you as you read how God loved Israel. Remember He loves you this way too.

Psalm 136

¹Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his loyal love endures. 
² Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his loyal love endures.
³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his loyal love endures,
⁴ to the one who performs magnificent, amazing deeds all by himself,
for his loyal love endures,
⁵ to the one who used wisdom to make the heavens,
for his loyal love endures,
⁶ to the one who spread out the earth over the water,
for his loyal love endures,
⁷ to the one who made the great lights,
for his loyal love endures,
⁸ the sun to rule by day,
for his loyal love endures,
⁹ the moon and stars to rule by night,
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁰ to the one who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his loyal love endures,
¹¹ and led Israel out from their midst,
for his loyal love endures,
¹² with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his loyal love endures,
¹³ to the one who divided the Red Sea in two, 
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁴ and led Israel through its midst,
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁵ and tossed Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁶ to the one who led his people through the wilderness,
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁷ to the one who struck down great kings,
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁸ and killed powerful kings,
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁹ Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his loyal love endures,
²⁰ Og, king of Bashan,
for his loyal love endures,
²¹ and gave their land as an inheritance,
for his loyal love endures,
²² as an inheritance to Israel his servant,
for his loyal love endures,
²³ to the one who remembered us when we were down, 
for his loyal love endures,
²⁴ and snatched us away from our enemies,
for his loyal love endures,
²⁵ to the one who gives food to all living things 
for his loyal love endures.
²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his loyal love endures!

Be blessed – Cherie

When I was in high school, my father was the Camp Director for Skyridge Christian Youth Camp in New Mexico. Such fun memories…Big foot came, Bible lessons on the side of the mountain, hikes up “Mt. Sinai”, volleyball games, foosball games, night hikes with devotionals under the stars, skit night, Vera’s cinnamon rolls and fried chicken…the memories flood my mind. Sweet, fun, happy memories. One of my favorite events took place every Friday night, which was the last night at camp. We had finished worship, skits, awards and given hugs to any parents that showed up. We grabbed our jackets and flashlights and went on our last night hike. This night hike was special. It was down the hill, through a gate. The trail was filled with dips & holes. You had to avoid sticks, tree limbs and big rocks along the way. Finally, we would walk into a big open meadow. All the campers and staff would form a big circle and set out under the stars where we worshipped God. It was my favorite time at camp. The light from our flashlight was the key to making the trek to the meadow safely. Without it, many would have been hurt walking and stumbling through the darkness.

 Lately, God has allowed me an opportunity to do some teaching of His word to different ladies. One thing that continues to come up is “What happens when I sin? I know I can’t live a perfect life.” Have you ever been there? I know I have. There is a section of scripture in 1 John 1 that comes to mind each time I hear this question.

 ⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all^[b] sin. ⁸ If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:5-10

                        What does it look like to walk in the light? Go back to the last night hike above. Those of us that were not the first in line or the last in line had the best spots. Why? Because there were flashlights shining on the path in front of us and behind us. We had a better light to see where we were going. Sometimes there would be 3 or 4 of us that were walking beside each other. Occasionally one of us on the outside would stumble. They would catch the edge of a limb or a rock in the darkness and trip. They were still walking in the light, but they were far enough to the edge that they stumbled. The good news is no one ever fell completely off the path or got hurt. Because there were a group of us walking in the light together, we were able to help those that stumbled get back on the lighted path.

When looking at the scripture above there are a couple of takeaways that can help us walk in the light. 

1. Light shines bright in the darkness. With Jesus being the light, His truth shows us where to walk. We don’t have to stay in the dark (sin) unless we chose to. He is the only Way. (Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6)
2. When we are in Jesus, we choose to walk in the light. When we walk in the light, we do not walk alone. We walk with other believers. Believers that help us on our journey with Him through the darkness of this world. (¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:19-20)
3. Just as one of us might stumble on the outside of the light’s edge, God provides a way for us to get back into the center of the light, His light. We confess our sin to Him and He forgives us. (1 John 1:9)The fellowship of believers helps you with your confession because of the prayers that are said on your behalf.  ⁽¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.)

You see, on the night of the night hike if I would have said, “I know a better way to go” and took off on my own with no light, I would have failed to reach the beautiful meadow to worship God. Only through turning my back on Jesus and walking away from Him and fellow believers do I leave His light and not reach His promised “meadow” — heaven.  Jesus gives us EVERY opportunity to walk in His light. He does not want us to stumble and fall in the darkness of sin. Jesus is THE LIGHTed WAY.

            Keep your flashlights on and walk in the light.

Blessings – Cherie

I am so blown away by this song I just discovered by Carrie Underwood. I wanted to share the lyrics with all.

I wonder were You cold that night
Lying there by Mary’s side?
Taking Your first breath
I wonder were You scared to death?Fully human, fully God
Full of wonder and the blood
That one day You would shed to save the world
Tiny feet and tiny hands
With all the earth at their command
It must have felt strange to You

Sweet baby Jesus
Come down to love us
To lie in a manger
So far from home
You could have left us
Helpless and so lost
But You chose to save us
Sweet baby Jesus

The first time Mary held You close
All wrapped up in tattered clothes
Did You see tears fall from her eyes?
Just a mother holding her first child, oohFully human, fully God
Full of wonder and the blood
That one day You would shed to save the world
Tiny feet and tiny hands
With all the earth at their command
Oh, it must have been strange to You

Sweet baby Jesus
Come down to love us
To lie in a manger
So far from home
Oh, You could have left us
Helpless and so lost
But You chose to save us
Sweet baby Jesus

Sweet baby Jesus
Come down to love us
To lie in a manger
To die on a cross
Oh, You could have left us
Helpless and so, so lost
But You chose to save us
Sweet baby Jesus

Sweet baby Jesus

I hoped it blessed you in this Christmas season.

My husband, Terry, and I both grew up around fishing. Most of my family vacations as a kid were built around camping and fishing. Truth be told, I really didn’t fish much. I probably did more to scare the fish away than catch them. (Fish don’t like rocks thrown into the water…who knew!) My Terry on the other hand, finds fishing fun. He enjoys trying to lure the fish in. He enjoys spending time figuring out what type of bait is needed for the fish he is trying to catch. He thinks about which rod works best for the type of fishing he is doing. He knows if he will need waders, vest, flies, or if he will need spinning rods with fishing lures and worms. All his planning is so he can lure the “big one” in. It’s all about getting the fish to bite.

I want to take a minute to flip a Christian concept that we have. We know that Jesus said He would make us fishers of men, but have you ever stopped to think that Jesus is not the only one “fishing” for us. Satan is very careful to pick a fishing lure out for you. Look at James 1:14 “¹⁴ Instead it is each person’s own desires and thoughts that drag them into evil and lurethem away into darkness.”Satan spends a lot of time fishing in the lake of our desires to find something that can lure us into his lies. He does all he can to hook us into his way of life. Let’s take just a minute to look at the story of Lot. This story shows a couple of satan’s best fishing lures.

In Genesis 13, Lot and Abram (Abraham) are having to make a decision. Both have become very wealthy. Both have a lot of possessions and a lot of people that work for them. Their herdsmen started arguing with each other because the land they shared would not support both of them. They needed to go their separate ways. Abram told Lot to take a look at the land and choose where he wanted to go. Whichever Lot chose, Abram would go the opposite direction. Abram would make a new home for his family and dependents away from Lot so they could live in peace. Verse 10 “Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord or the beautiful land of Egypt.”

There it is, the initial lure that satan used on Lot. Satan enticed Lot with the beauty of the Jordan Valley. Remember Abram had chosen to follow God. He left the country of his father, Ur, and followed God to unknown territory. Lot had traveled with Abram up until this moment.  Lot chose to be with someone that walked with God until he chose where he and his family would live. He chose to live near Sodom, a city that’s very name means burning. Isn’t it ironic that satan had an area that was beautiful to look at, rich in resources right up next to a place that was literally “on fire” with sin? (Genesis 13:13) The very first thing that satan enticed Lot with was pleasing to his eyes. (Sound familiar?  Genesis 3:6)

As you continue to read in Genesis 14, the city that Lot lives in goes to war. They are defeated. As the Sodom and Gomorrah armies fled, they fell into the tar pits of the Valley of Sidim. Lot was captured. A man escaped and told Abram of Lot’s fate. Abram took his men to rescue Lot and others in captivity. Abram and his men defeated Sodom’s enemy and rescued Lot. In an act of gratitude, the king offered Abram all the wealth he recovered during the rescue mission…the king just wanted his people back that had been rescued. Abram refused the gifts. He wanted his wealth to be only from God…nothing from man. I paused when I read chapter 14. Lot had another choice to make. He could return and live with Abram or return to Sodom. I have to think that satan lured Lot again. This time wealth was covering up satan’s hook. Wealth was the perfect lure to get Lot to bite. He chose to return to Sodom, the city that burned in sin. You see, satan is an expert fisher of men. Even today, he studies what our desires are and chooses the perfect lure to catch us. 

Now to Genesis 19. This chapter turns my stomach. The description of what goes on is hard to read, but it is crucial for us to understand. Lot had men (angels) visit his home. The men of Sodom demanded that Lot send his guests out so they could have sex with them (verse 6). This next part hurts. He begged the men of Sodom not to take his guests, but to take his two daughters and do whatever they wanted to with them. Really? Lot took satan’s bait…hook, line and sinker. In his mind, offering his daughters was not as bad as sending his guests out. Take a minute and let that soak in. Have you been lured in to satan’s lifestyle… one that your decision-making paradigm is based on which sin is “smaller”? Have you justified your sin because you have become desensitized to what is acceptable as “normal” in your life? This fish story just got real.

The angels told Lot and his family to get out of Sodom and Gomorrah. The wrath of God was about to reign fire from heaven.  Specifically, they told them, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”Once again satan had the perfect lure flashing in front of Lot’s wife. She paused. She longed for her friends, her wealth, her home. She turned around to look back. She paid the price because of the lure of sin. Lot and his daughters escaped. They escaped to a cave and lived there. Study notes in The Passion Translation say that at this point, Lot had gone from being a prominent man to a caveman. This was the price of the perfect lure that satan threw out to catch Lot.

Maybe you have been lured by satan into a harsh, sinful land. Don’t give up and think there is no way out for you. Maybe you have lived in the sinful land for such a long time that the bait satan throws out at you looks really good and you are not able to see the big hook hiding under it. Don’t think God has given up on you. Our God is a God of mercy. He is a God of forgiveness.  Just as we do today, Lot had consequences for being lured into satan’s hook. BUT he was not held captive by satan. Yes, Lot sinned. Yes, his choices caused him heart ache. BUT God rescued Lot. He can rescue you and me. God does not look only at our actions. He looks at our hearts. What a gift! I am a sinner. But just like Lot, I love my God. I get lured by satan into bad situations and into sin. But God sees me through His eyes, not man’s. 

2 Peter 2:7-9 “Yet he rescued a righteous man, Lot, suffering the indignity of the unbridled lusts of the lawless.⁸ For righteous Lot lived among them day after day, distressed in his righteous soul by the rebellious deeds he saw and heard.⁹ If the Lord Yahwehrescued Lot, he knows how to continually rescue the godly from their trials and to reserve the ungodly for punishment on the day of judgment. “

   In 2011, my husband and I were approached about purchasing a family friend’s ranch. It is in the hill country of Texas. It’s a piece of paradise to me. A place for family, friends and fun. It’s a place where we go for long weekends, many holidays, and sometimes work schedules allow us to stay a week or so there. Recently, we spent spring break here with one of our daughters and her two children. That’s where this blog starts, Spring Break 2020. (Of course, like most schools these days, it is still technically winter when “spring break” comes.)

We arrived here March 6. for spring break. Trees were still bare, grass and flowers dormant, winds cool, and lots of rain. None of that stopped our spring break time with the grandkids. We still played and enjoyed our time together. As normal, I started filling bird feeders, hoping that during our one week stay, we could entice birds to come in. We would go and look for the wildlife and get excited every time we saw a baby antelope. COVID 19 was going on in the world, but that seemed to be everywhere else. It didn’t affect us at all.  Then the email came…”school is cancelled one extra week because of the COVID 19 pandemic.” Wahoo! One more week of playing! This is every kid’s dream! We planned to play some more, then go home and get back to normal. COVID 19 had nothing to do with us or our family.

In the middle of our extra week, our daughter received an email. No school until further notice. Your child’s (our grandchild’s) assignments will arrive by email, and by the way parents, you will be the teacher because you will start homeschool on Monday. Then word from the mayor came. Shelter where you are because it’s risky for you or your family to go around others. Wait. What? This pandemic doesn’t affect us. How can this be? A trickle of weariness started making its way toward me. Church services get canceled…now it’s more like a stream of weariness coming.  Grocery store shelves are somewhat empty…the weariness river is rising. News media talking, talking, talking, and more talking about COVID 19…the weariness river is overflowing its banks. Rains come. Skies are cloudy for several days. COVID 19 deaths rise. Stock markets crash, price of oil drops. Family members and other people I know lose their jobs…all of a sudden, my home is flooded with WEARINESS. As you can tell, I’m starting to struggle with my attitude. Can you relate?

One sunny afternoon I went on a walk. I started noticing the change in the foliage around the ranch. Trees were starting to bud. Tiny little yellow and purple flowers started poking their heads out. Mountain Laurels started to bloom. Changes were happening everywhere. Things were looking new and fresh. A whisper in my heart kept saying over and over again, He makes all things new. I walked by a dead, hollowed out tree. It had pretty green moss growing on it. He makes all things new. Pecan trees that were bare the week before started putting out leaves and their “tassels”. He makes all things new. Birds come into feeders. LOTS of birds. Cardinals hung around and built a nest. He makes all things new.

            The whisper became louder. Everywhere I looked I heard the same thing; He makes all things new. This loud “voice” took me to Isaiah 43:19. “I am doing something brand new, something unheard of. Even now it sprouts and grows and matures.” (The Passion Translation).  Then, I turned to Revelation 21:5-7 “And God-Enthroned spoke to me and said, “Consider this! I am making everything to be new and fresh. Write down at once all that I have told you, because each word is trustworthy and dependable. Then he said to me, “It has been accomplished! For I am the Aleph and the Tav^, the beginning and the end. I will give water to all who are thirsty. As my gracious gift, they will continuously drink from the fountain of living water. The conquering ones will inherit these gifts from me. I will continue to be their God and they will continue being children for me.” (The Passion Translation)

God’s creation shows me over and over that He is in control. Not a president, a governor, or a mayor. Not an illness. Not the news media. God. My Father. He makes all things new, and not just through creation. Because of Jesus Christ, my Father now lives in me. He makes me new each day. My hope is in Him. Not in a vaccine. Not in a ventilator. Not in social distancing. He is my hope. He has prepared a special place for me where there will be no weariness. No pain. No weeping. No mourning. He makes all things new.

Blessings – Cherie

After several years of waiting we finally got the news! I was pregnant! We had prayed and prayed, been through the doctor evaluations, we had started different options to help me get pregnant, and FINALLY, we were going to have a baby. We could not contain our excitement. Then our reality hit. We had to make preparations for this new little one….and in a very different time, there were no pictures through sonogram. We only had the quickness of a heartbeat to help us guess if we were to have a girl or boy. Nursery theme chosen, bedding made by my husband’s Nana, and my mother made wall décor. Room painted and shelves put up. Crib and changing table were bought and assembled. Things were taking shape in the nursery, and by the way, so was I.

We started paying close attention to names. We looked at names that scrolled across the tv screen or movie theater screens. We looked at a book with baby names in it, and we considered family names. We looked for the perfect name for our child. Because we did not know the baby’s gender, two names had to be chosen: a name that was pretty for a girl or manly for a boy. A name they could wear proudly. A name that kids at school couldn’t make jokes about. A name that was easy to spell and its’ pronunciation was easy too. A name…The name that they would have their entire life. This was a hard decision. We took our time to choose the perfect name.

Last fall I did a study on the book of Psalm. I was in awe of the way David and other writers were able pour out their hearts to God.  BUT what really stood out to me over and over again was the way they were able to praise God. I don’t know about you, but I can sit down to pray, really wanting to spend time praising my Father, and I get stuck.  I get through Creator, Healer, All Knowing, All Powerful, Savior, and, and, and ….I draw a blank. Can you relate to this?

At the start of the year I ordered a prayer journal. It intrigued me because it said that it would help organize me to be more specific and intentional in my prayer life. What I didn’t know is that it would put me in the middle of learning to pray scripture. As I began working through the new journal, I noticed at the front of the journal there was a list of names of God (which include Jesus and the Holy Spirit), and many of their characteristics. Many on the list were not some I had thought about, but they describe my God, the Trinity, very well.  So, I set out to do two things: (1) find the scriptures that use that name/description of Him, and (2) write a prayer of praise using each of the names listed in the journal.

I personally wrote a prayer of praise using these beautiful names and descriptions of the Trinity. Occasionally, I turn to it and read it again. It helps me realize who is in control and who I belong to. I encourage you to do the same.

So, what’s in a name? In God’s names you find power, strength, comfort, encouragement. You find healing, help, restoration, mercy and a place to anchor in a storm. Many names, but only One True God.

Blessings – Cherie

Being a baby boomer, I grew up hearing about bomb shelters. Although I was not alive during World War 2, I remember being afraid at times because of nuclear war talk. (Keep in mind that history is not my thing, so if I bungle this a bit, please forgive. What you are about to read is my memory and understanding.) Russia was the enemy. They hated the U.S., and we hated them. The nightly news was about how bad they were and all that they were doing to their people as well as the nuclear arsenal they were building to destroy their enemies.

Although it was not common, occasionally my family would visit someone and they would have an underground room, a shelter. Many times, the rooms were cellars, but I have a memory or two of bomb shelters at people’s homes. After the devastation that took place in Hiroshima, people were looking for a place to hide, seek refuge, in case another atomic bomb came.  The pictures I have seen recently show these bomb shelters set up for people to live in until the fall out settled down. Basic essentials were in place to sustain a family. Shelves of canned goods, bedding, and clothes all in a small underground room waiting for people to come and find refuge.

During the last few weeks both the U.S. and the world have been facing the COVID-19 pandemic. From the way the 24-hour news cycle talks, it’s the new atomic bomb. People everywhere are afraid. Mayors, governors, and government officials are using words we have not heard in a long time. TAKE SHELTER. BE PREPARED. WE HOPE WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO DEFEAT THIS INVISIBLE ENEMY. People are panicking.  Many of us have never heard these words before. Stores are closed. People are working from home because they are afraid to go to work and get infected with coronavirus. Schools are canceled. Day cares are closed. The booming economy has come to a halt…instantly, literally overnight. People are losing their jobs. Stock market crashed. Hospitals are canceling elective surgeries.  And if that is not enough, we go to the grocery store and for the first time in my memory, shelves are EMPTY. Many supplies that we “need” are no longer on the shelves at stores. Things we consider essential are missing. People are stocking up on medicines, canned goods, and dried foods…some are stocking up ammunition.  All because they are hoping to be prepared for what danger is before them. The whole world is afraid. Afraid of the what is coming next.

All of this got me thinking during my quiet time with God. My Shelter is God. My Provider is God. My Hope is God.  May the scriptures below encourage you today as we all face this new bomb, COVID-19.

SHELTER

• Psalm 62:5-8  I am standing in absolute stillness, silent before the one I love, waiting as long as it takes for him to rescue me. Only God is my Savior, and he will not fail me.  For he alone is my safe place. His wrap-around presence always protects me
  as my champion defender. There’s no risk of failure with God! So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me?  God’s glory is all around me!
  His wrap-around presence is all I need, for the Lord is my Savior, my hero, and my life-giving strength.  Join me, everyone! Trust only in God every moment!
  Tell him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to him.
  Believe me when I tell you—he will help you!
• Psalm 9:9  All who are oppressed may come to you as a shelter in the time of trouble, a perfect hiding place.
•  Psalm 27:5  In his shelter in the day of trouble, that’s where you’ll find me,
  for he hides me there in his holiness.
  He has smuggled me into his secret place,
  where I’m kept safe and secure
•  Psalm 121:5  Jehovah himself will watch over you; he’s always at your side to shelter you safely in his presence.

 PROVIDER

•  Matthew 6:11  We acknowledge you as our Provider of all we need each day.
• Psalm 84:11  For the Lord God is brighter than the brilliance of a sunrise! Wrapping himself around me like a shield, he is so generous with his gifts of grace and glory. Those who walk along his paths with integrity will never lack one thing they need, for he provides it all!
•  Matthew 6:25-33  “This is why I tell you to never be worried about your life, for all that you need will be provided, such as food, water, clothing—everything your body needs. Isn’t there more to your life than a meal? Isn’t your body more than clothing? “Look at all the birds—do you think they worry about their existence? They don’t plant or reap or store up food, yet your heavenly Father provides them each with food. Aren’t you much more valuable to your Father than they? ²⁷ So, which one of you by worrying could add anything to your life? “And why would you worry about your clothing? Look at all the beautiful flowers of the field. They don’t work or toil, ²⁹ and yet not even Solomon in all his splendor was robed in beauty more than one of these! ³⁰ So if God has clothed the meadow with hay, which is here for such a short time and then dried up and burned, won’t he provide for you the clothes you need—even though you live with such little faith? “So then, forsake your worries! Why would you say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ ³² For that is what the unbelievers chase after. Doesn’t your heavenly Father already know the things your bodies require? “So above all, constantly chase after the realm of God’s kingdom^[aa] and the righteousness that proceeds from him. Then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly.^[ab] 34 Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time.^[ac] Tomorrow will take care of itself.”
• Philippians 4:19 I am convinced that my God will fully satisfy every need you have, for I have seen the abundant riches of glory revealed to me through the Anointed One, Jesus Christ!

 HOPE

• Psalm 25:21 Your perfection and faithfulness are my bodyguards, for you are my hope and I trust in you as my only protection.
•  Psalm 27:14 Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting—for he will never disappoint you!
•  Psalm 91:1-2 When you sit enthroned^[a] under the shadow of Shaddai,^[b]
  you are hidden^[c] in the strength of God Most High.
  ² He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me,
  the only God for me, and my great confidence.

Blessings – Cherie

We started celebrating Christmas with our family last night because part of them are heading to California to be with my son-in-law’s family. Our daughter that lives in a different city pushed hard to come and join us. Although it was not officially Christmas Eve, I made our traditional Christmas Eve meal, the crew that was leaving and the rest of us exchanged gifts, we watched the grandkids squeal for the new toys they got, and enjoyed watching as they played with “the gift” that occupied them the rest of the night. As fun and wonderful as all of that family time was, it was not the highlight of the night.  No, the highlight was THE GIFT that our 6-year-old granddaughter brought to me when she walked in the door. (Cliffhanger…you have to read on to see what it was.)

In Acts 20:17-38, Paul is pouring into Christian leaders from Ephesus. He is telling them things that he sees to be important.  Verse 36-38, “After Paul finished speaking, he knelt down and prayed with them. ³⁷ Then they all cried with great weeping as one after another hugged Paul and kissed him. ³⁸ What broke their hearts the most were his words “You will not see my face again.” Then they tearfully accompanied Paul back to the ship. With that background, take a moment and think what you do and say when you are thinking you will not see a person(s) again in this lifetime. Do you tell them what you think is really important? I believe that Paul did. Now, look at verse 35. I’ve left you an example of how you should serve and take care of those who are weak.  For we must always cherish the words of our Lord Jesus, who taught, ‘Giving brings a far greater blessing than receiving.”

Back to my story…my granddaughter runs into the house…literally.  “ShoSho! ShoSho! I have something for you! I have this money for the children in Kenya. It’s enough to feed a child for one month and enough to feed another one for half a month.” She handed me $15. $15…to many of us reading this, that is not a lot of money, but to her, my 6-year-old granddaughter it was a lot.  In fact, it was her money that she recently received for her birthday. I can’t do this next part justice, so I asked my daughter if I could use the text she just typed out. Here you go –

“We’ve been talking about the importance of loving like Jesus and helping those who don’t have as much as we do. We have also discussed how incredibly blessed we are compared to so many not just in our city but around the world.

Yesterday she earned some chore money (she gets a quarter per chore she does on her chart and occasionally more for a “special chore” that’s not on her chart) After earning the money, she went to her piggy bank and grabbed $15 dollars cash she had been saving. She came to me and asked to give it to the poor. She said she had everything she needed, and others didn’t. We discussed different things and she ended up deciding to give it to Kenya Widows and Orphans (KWO Ministries) because that amount of money will feed one child for an entire month and a half. She is so excited about this. The joy and pureness of blessing others is evident when she realized how much that amount of money can do.

So last night, right when we got to my parents for dinner, she ran to my mom first thing with her money (Mom is on the board for this organization) and asked her to give it to a child so that they could eat for a month. She also wanted another child to be able to eat for a half of month.

I explained the value of the amount of the $15 and what it could buy her if she spent it. She told me another kid eating was more important than spending it herself 

We are so proud of her!! She’s wanting to love like Jesus and help the poor. Had to brag on her! 💖💖💖”

Is this what Jesus meant in Matthew 19:14-15? ¹⁴ Jesus overheard them and said, “I want little children to come to me, so never interfere with them when they want to come, for heaven’s kingdom realm is composed of beloved ones like these! Listen to this truth: No one will enter the kingdom realm of heaven unless he becomes like one of these!” ¹⁵ Then he laid his hands on each of them and went on his way.

As we go through this last-minute frenzy of getting ready for Christmas, I want us to take a minute and really think of the reason we are in this season. My granddaughter understands it. It is not about the presents. It is about HIS PRESENCE. His presence in our daily walk, not just this time of year, but throughout the year.

Blessings – Cherie

For more information on KWO Ministries check out this link: Kenya Widows and Orphans Ministries

I was a freshman in high school. I was naïve. My world revolved around friends, basketball, band, and grades…oh yes, and boys…don’t forget them! My friends were very much the same way. I had a friend that I had known since fourth grade. At one time, we were neighbors. She had landed a boyfriend…a cute boyfriend…a boy from a good family…a boy that I had secretly wanted to date, but she beat me to him. (Oh wait, I couldn’t date yet!) She was so lucky. She had freedom. Her parents weren’t old fashioned like mine. They really understood her. SHE HAD IT ALL. Then she didn’t. Just like that her world was turned upside down. This fifteen-year-old friend was soon to be a mother. She had so many decisions she had to make now. Should she marry the boy? Should the baby be placed for adoption? Should she have an abortion and act like it never happened? This baby changed everything! EVERYTHING!!! My friend could no longer hang out. She could no longer go to school (you didn’t do that back in the 70’s where I came from). She was now responsible for a baby. A baby that she would have to be sure was fed, clothed, educated, and loved. She no longer could focus on her and her wants. It was about the baby now. This baby changed everything.

Luke 1:26-35 Passion Translation

During the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent from God’s presence to an unmarried girl named Mary, living in Nazareth, a village in Galilee. She was engaged to a man named Joseph, a true descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Grace to you, young woman, for the Lord is with you and so you are anointed with great favor.”

 Mary was deeply troubled over the words of the angel and bewildered over what this may mean for her. But the angel reassured her, saying, “Do not yield to your fear, Mary, for the Lord has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise you with a wonderful gift. You will become pregnant with a baby boy, and you are to name him Jesus.  He will be supreme and will be known as the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will enthrone him as King on his ancestor David’s throne. He will reign as King of Israel forever, and his reign will have no limit.”

 Mary said, “But how could this happen? I am still a virgin!”

 Gabriel answered, “The Spirit of Holiness will fall upon you and almighty God will spread his shadow of power over you in a cloud of glory! This is why the child born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 

Let’s walk through these scriptures for just a minute. Here is a teenager, a teenager that was engaged to be married to Joseph. One night the angel of the Lord visited her. This angel told her that she was going to have a baby. This child would be the Son of God. I don’t know how you would react, but I think it would be all I could do not to look up and say, “Are you kidding me????? How am I going to tell my parents?  What will I tell Joseph?  Do you realize all the shame and taunting I’m going to receive because I will be looked at as unfaithful to the man I’m to marry?” Can you relate to my personal struggle with this news the angel brought Mary? Stop and think a minute, Mary knew all of this and accepted that fact, no welcomed the fact, that she would become pregnant with the Son of God.  A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING.

Luke 2:1-7 Passion Translation

During those days, the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, ordered that the first census be taken throughout his empire. (Quirinius was the governor of Syria at that time.)  Everyone had to travel to his or her hometown to complete the mandatory census. So Joseph and his fiancé, Mary, left Nazareth, a village in Galilee, and journeyed to their hometown in Judea, to the village of Bethlehem, King David’s ancient home. They were required to register there, since they were both direct descendants of David. Mary was pregnant and nearly ready to give birth.

 When they arrived in Bethlehem, Mary went into labor, and there she gave birth to her firstborn son. After wrapping the newborn baby in strips of cloth, they laid him in a feeding trough since there was no available space in any upper room in the village.

So, let me get this straight. Joseph accepted Mary’s pregnancy and agreed to take her as his wife. Whew! That could have had a much different outcome. Now, the government is requiring them to travel to a far place to register for a census. They are not only traveling a long distance, but she is PREGNANT…BIG PREGNANT…BABY DUE ANY TIME PREGNANT. They get to Bethlehem and Mary looks at Joseph and says “It’s time. Hope the suitcase for the hospital is ready because this baby is coming now” Wait. What? (This is how it really went…. she screamed “Oh No! My water broke and this baby is coming! Help me Joseph! Where can I have this baby? Help me! I need help and I need it now!!! What do you mean there is not a midwife anywhere that you can find?) Joseph just looks at her with love (and probably a bit of concern) and says, “I’ll be right back, let me go find us a room.” BUT there is no place for her to go and have the baby. No clean towels and bedding? No. Not a midwife to help? No. There is only a barn. A barn with a bunch of smelly, noisy animals. That’s where she will go. Mary thinks, “if it was just Joseph and I, a barn wouldn’t be a big deal. We could just sleep in the hay…after all, we’ve slept under the stars before.”  But there is a baby coming. A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING.

Luke 2:8-20 Passion Translation

That night, in a field near Bethlehem, there were shepherds watching over their flocks. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God, and the shepherds were terrified!  But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid. For I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. You will recognize him by this miracle sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough!”

Then all at once, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing:

“Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven! For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.”

 When the choir of angels disappeared back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word that is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord has revealed to us.”  So they ran into the village and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in a feeding trough.

Upon seeing this miraculous sign, the shepherds recounted what had just happened.  Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was astonished by what they were told.

But Mary treasured all these things in her heart and often pondered what they meant.

The shepherds returned to their flock, ecstatic over what had happened. They praised God and glorified him for all they had heard and seen for themselves, just like the angel had said.

Time to switch focus. Now look at the shepherds. They are out in the fields doing their “shepherding things”. (Can you tell I had to look up what their responsibilities were?) They were out watching their flocks in the fields. Their job was to make sure their sheep were healthy, which includes the protection and nutrition of the animals.  In my mind they had been driving them to this field where the grass was green and lush. These men were taking shifts watching and making sure no predators came in to separate and destroy their flock. All of a sudden, a burst of light and angels fill the sky shouting and singing GLORY TO GOD! Imagine. Imagine the shepherds in awe of God Almighty, not sure what was going on, but knew they needed to stop what they were doing and seek out what God was doing. They went into the city of Bethlehem and found Joseph, Mary and a baby. A baby that was a miraculous sign. A baby that was wrapped in strips of cloth. A baby that was Immanuel, “God with us”. A BABY CHANGED EVERYTHING.

Luke 19:1-10, Passion Translation

In the city of Jericho there lived a very wealthy man named Zacchaeus who was the supervisor over all the tax collectors. As Jesus made his way through the city, Zacchaeus was eager to see Jesus. He kept trying to get a look at him, but the crowd around Jesus was massive. Zacchaeus was a very short man and couldn’t see over the heads of the people. So he ran on ahead of everyone and climbed up a blossoming fig tree so he could get a glimpse of Jesus as he passed by.

When Jesus got to that place, he looked up into the tree and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry on down, for I am appointed to stay at your house today!”

So he scurried down the tree and came face-to-face with Jesus.

 As Jesus left to go with Zacchaeus, many in the crowd complained, “Look at this! Of all the people to have dinner with, he’s going to eat in the house of a crook.”

Zacchaeus joyously welcomed Jesus and was amazed over his gracious visit to his home. Zacchaeus stood in front of the Lord and said, “Half of all that I own I will give to the poor. And Lord, if I have cheated anyone, I promise to pay back four times as much as I stole.”

Jesus said to him, “This shows that today life has come to you and your household, for you are a true son of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to seek out and to give life to those who are lost.”

Yes, A BABY CHANGED EVERYTHING. The baby that was a surprise to a virgin teenage girl, her fiancé, and a miraculous sign to a group of shepherds, was now the adult, Jesus Christ that gave life to Zacchaeus.  This baby grew and became a life altering catalyst for Zacchaeus. Because of his encounter, his face to face with Jesus, Zacchaeus gave half of all he owned to the poor and payed back those he cheated…with interest.

Just as with Zacchaeus, this baby came to alter our lives when we come face to face with Him. It is His express purpose to save all that are lost. It was and is today His mission. This baby came to this earth because of the love of our Father. This baby came to give us a glimpse of who our Father is and to help us have a relationship with Him. A relationship that pulls us out of the depths of the darkness of the world, into His glorious light.

THE BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING.

Be blessed – Cherie

This blog was inspired by a song by Faith Hill, A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING. I highly recommend you take the time to read the lyrics below and if you can, download it.  It will truly bless your walk.

A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING By Faith Hill

Teenage girl, much too young
Unprepared for what’s to come
A baby changes everything

Not a ring on her hand
All her dreams and all her plans
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

The man she loves she’s never touched
How will she keep his trust?
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

And she cries!
Ooh, she cries
Ooh, oh

She has to leave, go far away
Heaven knows she can’t stay
A baby changes everything

She can feel He’s coming soon
There’s no place, there’s no room
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

And she cries!
And she cries!
Oh, she cries

gather ’round
(Up above the star shines down) star shines down
(A baby changes everything)

Choir of angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything
Everything, everything, everything

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

My whole life has turned around
I was lost but now I’m found
A baby changes everything, yeah
A baby changes everything

First Grade. It was time for me to start first grade. I was so excited to be grown up. My parents were excited for me to go too. Now before we go too far down the education road, I want you to know one of the things I was REALLY excited about…a new dress…a dress that was not home made…a dress that would come from a store. I didn’t have to stand still so my mother or grandmother took my measurements. I didn’t have to try to imagine how the material would look as my sleeve or skirt to the dress. No, my parents were going to take me to the neighboring town, go into a store, and purchase a dress…just for me. I remember going in to the dressing room very excited. My mother brought me a few dresses to try on. I chose one. It was beautiful!  I’m not 100% sure, but I seem, to remember it had a round neck, empire waist, puffy sleeves, and the top of the dress was a deep forest green and the bottom of the dress was tan. There was a tie in the back so a bow could be made. Life was good! I was on the top of the world.  I couldn’t wait for my grandparents to see my new dress. I knew my friends would be very happy for me. A new dress…I got a new dress…a new, store bought dress.

Not much has changed since I was a child. I still like new clothes when I can get them. In fact, every woman I have ever met loves to get new clothes. It could be a new dress, a pair of shoes, or a new shirt. I mean really, who does not love something new in their wardrobe? It may not happen very often, but when you get something new, it is special.You want to enjoy it. You want others to see what you have. Not to be boastful, but to share the excitement. The way I dress is part of my identity. Sporty, casual and relaxed is my style. If you shopped with me, you would know I’m drawn to orange…um, really bright colors…most bright colors. Do you find that you do things like that? Maybe it’s the style of clothes that you are drawn to on the store rack. Maybe it’s the color. The clothes that I purchase reflect my personality. If I “talk myself into” buying a dress while I’m out shopping, it will probably not get worn. It will hang in my closet. Sometimes it doesn’t take long until I decide the dress “was just not me”. Sometimes it takes a while for me to decide that. Sometimes I’ll try it on several times thinking I’m going to wear it, but then I go back to something that I think looks like me. I eventually will come to the decision that it is just not me…it never will be, and then I find someone to give it to so that they will enjoy it.  Call me crazy, but there is something about the clothes that I wear that show people who I am.

I’m not the only one that thinks clothing is important. The apostle Paul thought so too. In the book of Galatians, he states that being baptized into Christ, is like putting on new clothes. Galatians 3:26-27 ²⁶ For you are all children^[a] of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.^[b]  A few years ago, I was privileged to go to Ephesus. We walked through the beautiful ruins. To walk where Paul and other apostles walked was incredible! While we were there, our guide told us of a first century church tradition. When someone was baptized, they immediately gave them a new set of clothes.  They wanted people to see a real physical difference in the person. It was important for there to be a substantial, noticiable change immediately.  When I think about that, I realize that this is what Christ wants from us. He wants people to see a real difference in our lives…not just outward, but inward. The spiritual clothes that we wear are more important to the world than anything I purchase with a dollar bill.

If you can, mark Colossians 3:12 in your bible. ¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyonewho offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ¹⁴ Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.This time Paul was writing to the Colossian Church. This was a church made up of people like us, gentiles, non-Jews.  The Colossian church had been strong, but because Nero was a cruel emperor, the church was starting to become vulnerable. Remember Nero was the emperor that blamed Christians for the great fire of Rome. He retaliated by persecuting them. Crucifixion and burning Christians to light the streets were Nero’s “calling card” for his persecution. Paul wanted the church to look different.

Imagine: You go into a store to purchase something new to wear. You see two racks of clothing. One rack has clothes that show the world your mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and love. The other rack has clothing that is colored with evil desires, jealousy, quarreling, and immoral living (Romans 13:12-14). Make no mistake, each day we choose what the world around us will see by the clothes that we wear. Paul knew it. He wanted the early church to show the world who they were. He knew choosing the “right look” would show others Jesus Christ. Just as you wear clothing that is visible, he wanted the traits of a Christian to be visible to all those they came in contact with. Paul wanted Christians to be merciful, kind, humble, gentle and patient. He told them to be forgiving and loving. He wanted them to be unified. He knew that if the community they lived in saw them…I mean really saw them; they would see a contrast to the evil in Nero’s world. Choosing the right clothes was imperative to show the life in Christ compared to the evil world that surrounded them. It would be a way for their community to see a better life.

It is no different today. When we follow Christ, we look different. Just like you can change your clothes and have a different look, living for Christ makes you look different from the world.  When we go into our closet each morning, we need to stop and think. Will my spouse see my clothes that show forgiveness? Will my children recognize mercy in my dress? What about my co-workers? Will they see humility in my attire? Will the waiter at the restaurant that messed up my order see patience, kindness? As important as that new dress was to me in the first grade, it does not compare to the clothes that I wear in my daily walk.  I need to stop each day in my “spiritual closet” and choose what I wear wisely. I need to choose the clothes that reflect who I am…a reflection of the Christ, my Lord.