Happy New Year! Explore this year’s theme and the joyful account of where it began.

As the hustle and bustle grows quiet, there’s this sweet spot of time between Christmas and New Year’s where you can take a deep breath and rest. Sure, there may be gatherings to attend, but overall, there’s a general sense of calm that comes with the holidays; a transition between the end of one year and the beginning of another. Before the expectations and wishes of the new year begin, come before the Lord with thanksgiving. Lay all the unknowns of the future and the memories of the past at His feet, and embrace the present with Him. The lyrics to the song, Bigger than I Thought by Worship Initiative are powerful:..

Each received a message informing them that their lives were about to drastically change. The long awaited Messiah was about to arrive. Simple, fully human people prepared the way for the King of Kings to come. Were they prepared for His arrival in the reality of His little infant birth, and the responsibility that followed?

Have you deeply studied the Christmas story? There are so many profound details to enjoy! Through a fictional description, today’s post offers a window into what Elizabeth’s story might have been like to get your mind and heart prepared for the upcoming birth of the Messiah.

A young woman was faced with an incredibly phenomenal, beautiful, and yet gut-wrenchingly hard assignment – to mother the Son of God. Unless inspired by the Holy Spirit Himself, no one would believe this woman was impregnated by Him. This story oozed perceived scandal, one that should have led to her death. How did this woman survive such a weighty commitment?

Upon asking the Lord for refreshed eyes and heart to understand the deeper truths of His divine conception, I am marveling at the Lord’s work in humble people. His direction this year in studying the Christmas story has highlighted the sacrifice and reward of being a follower of Jesus, no matter the cost. This first takes you and me to the incredible story of Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, in Matthew 1

Matthew 1 is a common list read around Christmastime as it significantly marks the end of one covenant and the beginning of the other. It’s like a pause of breath takes place, the blackened silence in a scene change, before reaching the climax of the show.

Majority of us who have gardened or farmed most likely have not wept while planting seeds. In fact, it’s usually an exciting time and one filled with great anticipation for the harvest to come. We’re finishing up harvest season here in Ontario and awaiting the snow covered fields to lie dormant until spring. Maybe you haven’t wept while farming, but I’d guess you might have spiritually. It can be tough work, especially when the harvest seems so far away. and uncertain in some things. Hold on! There’s reason to rejoice even in the waiting.

Mainstream messaging has been talking about the importance of self-care for years now. We’ve realized that running full throttle trying to “chase the American dream,” is exhausting. We can’t have it all. So, we need to take care of ourselves or we’ll fall apart. Maybe if we put ourselves first, we’ll be more successful? But there’s another side where others talk about the importance for self-abandonment. We’re told as Christians that we have died to the old way of life and embraced the new way in Christ. Do you embrace one way over the other? Which way is best?

Have you been in this kind of situation before? You’re working hard at something. You’re excited to see it develop, but each time you make headway, something happens to seemingly set you back? Discouragement sets in and you try whatever you can to keep going? How do you overcome the discouragement in order to persevere toward the victory?