Incarnation. Imminent. Illuminating … IMMANUEL God with us. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. Forever. In every season. In every situation. Always present. Always faithful. Never failing. Immanuel. God has so many marvelous characteristics. His nature has so many facets. He is … Father Friend Bridegroom Savior Healer Lord of Lords, King of Kings And so much more … More Alliterating Advent, wk 4: IMMANUEL
Illuminating: 1. Giving or producing light; used for illumination. 2. Providing insight, clarity, or understanding, highly informative. “Let there be light!” These are the first words recorded from the voice of Almighty God. God spoke these words over a dark and formless world. And there was light. He has been speaking light into the darkness … More Alliterating Advent, week 3: ILLUMINATING
T’was the night before Christmas And all through the house Not a creature was stirring Not even a mouse I finally sat down With a cup of steaming hot tea To ponder the beauty Of what this season truly means Christmas hasn’t always been The easiest of times Deep loneliness and pain Often left me … More This Most Holy Night (a “Night Before Christmas” poem)
“May we never lose our wonder May we never lose our wonder Wide eyed and mystified May we be just like a child Staring at the beauty of our King” -Amanda Cook Childlike faith. Wonder. Simplicity. These are concepts we like to discuss, but rarely prioritize in our lives and faith. Spiritual maturity is a … More May We Never Lose Our Wonder (MMM w/video)
Slow down Take a moment Take one brilliant, blissful moment To breathe Quiet the turmoil Of raging emotions Release the strain and stress Churning within your soul Look up Look deeply Look beyond the temporal Look beyond your circumstances And search the eyes Of the One Whose eyes are always on you Behold His beauty … More One Brilliant, Blissful Moment
In the beginning … God. In the beginning, God created. God created man for His own pleasure. God created man for relationship; for intimacy with Himself. But then man separated himself from God. (It was never the other way around—it is still never the other way around.) Man hid. Man has been hiding ever … More The Hope of Christmas
It’s the most wonderful time of year! Right? For some it is, but for others, well, not so much. For some people the holidays are hard–sometimes really hard. The reasons are varied, but many feel especially vulnerable and alone this time of year. Although we have more ways of connecting than ever, a growing number of people … More Getting Through it: Tips for Surviving the “Most Wonderful” Time of the Year
This Christmas I wish you … Wonder. May your heart be captured again by the wonder of it all. By the wonder of the incarnation–the astounding and unimaginable reality that God became a man and dwelt among us.The reality of Emmanuel–God with us. May you be awestruck again by the wonder of a God who … More Christmas Wishes
I’ve been trying too hard lately. It’s kind of funny, really, because the concepts of rest and abiding in Christ are such deeply rooted core values for me. I always want to be led by his presence. I only want to do what I see him doing. But, well, sometimes I miss it. Sometimes I miss … More My Heart to Yours
Do you remember wonder? Do you remember when your heart was awakened to the marvelous mystery of the incarnation; to that wondrous feeling of finally knowing what Christmas was all about? Do you remember when the extraordinary invaded the ordinary, and the ordinary suddenly became extraordinary simply because He was there? Do you remember? Do you remember awe? Do … More Do You Remember Wonder?
It’s the most wonderful time of year! Right? For some it is, but for others … Well, not so much. For some people the holidays are hard–sometimes really hard. The reasons are varied, but people without strong ties to a supportive community (whether family, friends or both) that they actually “do life” with are especially vulnerable. Although we … More Getting Through It: Tips for Surviving the “Most Wonderful” Time of the Year
I wrote this years ago and also posted it last year on my blog. Seems like a good time to post it again. May you have a blessed and wonder-filled Christmas! Dear Father, Thank You for the priceless gift of Your Son. This Christmas I pray that the miracle of the Incarnation—that God became flesh … More A Christmas Prayer
It’s been quiet lately. It’s been quiet in my soul. God has been quiet too. And I’m okay with that. Oh don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of noise “out there.” The world has been anything but quiet. There are a hundred and one distractions–all of them literally screaming for attention. There is a … More Monday Morning Musings: Into the Quiet
Dear Father, Thank You for the priceless gift of Your Son. This Christmas I pray that the miracle of the Incarnation—that God became flesh and dwelt among us—will be birthed anew in my heart. Open my eyes to see with fresh insight. Let me come to You with the faith and trust of a … More A Christmas Prayer
The shepherds followed the glory. The wise men followed the star. Anna and Simeon followed their hearts. They had one thing in common–they were seeking him. And they found him. I imagine he didn’t look the way they thought he would look. He made his appearance as an ordinary looking child. A helpless babe–not a glorious … More Wise Men Still Seek Him
Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare him room … We hear the song every Christmas. Let every heart prepare him room. But do we … really? What does it mean to prepare room for him in my heart? What does it mean … really? How … More Preparing Room
Cindy Powell 