what a wonderful time i had with my family over Christmas. it is always such a blessing whenever i visit old family and friends and see their smiling faces and catch up on the time since i last saw them all. celebrating Christ’s birth with the people i love is beautiful.

“the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has annointed me to preach good news to the poor..” isaiah 61:1

isaiah 61 has been on my heart the last couple of days. as i read it, my heart yearns to live my life for the Lord’s sake and His glory. i long to tell others of His love, i long to bring them light and hope that is in Christ. i do not want to live a life of mediocrecy…i want to live a courageous life for the One i love. i heard something today that really caught my attention: “do the hard thing.” so many do what is easy, even in the Christian life. may i would do whatever it takes to live a life that is pleasing in His eyes. i want to do His will and bring people to Him. is that not what we are here for in the first place? to worship our Creator…

“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year od the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God. to comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve.” isaiah 61:1-3

you look around and see people who are dying for their faith. you look around and see people who are desperate for nothing more than what we as Christians are so show them…Christ. to find the peace and the beautiful joy that is found in Jesus. praise God that ‘He draws all men to Himself.’

“you must do it. you cannot hold back. you have enjoyed yourself in religion long enough. you have sung, you have had pleasant feelings, pleasant songs, pleasant meetings, and pleasant prospects. there has been much human hapiness, much clapping of the hands, very much of Heaven on earth.

now, then, go to God and tell Him you are prepared to turn your back upon it all, and that you are willing to spend the rest of your days grappling with [these] perishing multitudes.

you must do it. you must go down amongst the perishing crowds. your happiness now consits in sharing in their misery. your ease in sharing their pain, your crown in bearing their cross, and your Heaven in going to the very jaws of hell to rescue them. will you answer His call? will you go?”  { william booth }

dear Jesus,

    teach me. use me.

         mold my heart to Yours. and be glorified.

have a merry little Christmas…

“…and the angel said unto them, fear not: for, behold, i bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people. for unto you is born this day in the city of david
a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ” { luke 2:9-11 }

He came to die for my sake…the least i can do is live for Him and His glory.

many blessings to you this season and through-out the new year!

there once was a young girl who loved Jesus…
she had little money, no fancy clothes, not too much of anything of great value.
she lived an ordinary life in a poor village in the country side.

each day she taught children in a little community school house about the Bible.
she taught in a place where no one had heard of Jesus, and His name was unknown and illegal. hours and hours she spent planting the Word of God into these children’s hearts.
the children sat on the dirt floor of the little school, always listening intently to every word that the girl spoke about Jesus. immense joy filled her heart as she went along helping her students grasp the love of Christ.

as time went on, other children in the village began to wonder what was going on in the school house that made these students so full of hope and joy. this little Bible class of hers began to grow and grow until the locals began filing reports to the authorities of such doings. it was not long before the communist government began knocking on this girl’s door, questioning her about her teachings. they warned her time and time again to stop her teaching of Christianity but she refused. she simply could not go on without the children knowing Christ their Redeemer.

her family warned her, the students even began to take caution…but she would not give in.
she continued teaching God’s Holy Word.

the day came when the government stepped inside her little house to take her away. she did not protest, but knew that this was what she was to do.

she would not give in.

she would not give up.

she loved Jesus and would serve Him with her very own life.

time went on and no longer was there a Bible class in the little school. the young girl never returned to teach after the government had taken her away. she had not given in.

this girl had little money, lived an ordinary life in a poor village, but she loved Jesus.

little did she know that her faith was of great value in her Father’s eyes. for she had given up her life for the sake of the gospel…for Jesus.
nothing could have ever amounted to such a beautiful faith she had.

“..that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
may the peoples praise You, oh God, may all the peoples praise You.
 may the nations be glad and sing for joy…”

{psalm 67:2-4a}