Category: A Faith in Process

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he…

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. Luke 1:38 NLT ********** “Mary knew God loved her. From the moment Gabriel appeared to her, Mary has a distinct sense that God’s presence was with her and His hand upon her. She…

Then Mary said,My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,because he has looked with favor on the humble state of his servant.Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed,because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Luke 1:46-49 EHV

A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above…

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).Isaiah 7:14 NLT The Lord himself will give you the “sign,” something to see, touch, hear. A baby like us, but…

So Mary said, “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38 New English Translation ********** Mary first conceived Jesus in faith and then in the flesh, when she said “yes” to the message God gave her through the angel. What does this mean? It means that God…

What I hear, and what speaks volumes to me every time is at the end. After the gently contemplative Silent Night, Jingle Bells come in and begin working up to a frantic pace; like I tend to do. But then, the strong brass cuts in with the steady pace of O Come All Ye Faithful….

Before we all get heartily sick of Christmas carols, I want to share what I consider to be the Best Carol Medley Ever: Leroy Anderson’s A Christmas Festival. Every year I make sure I listen to this music several times. It speaks to me in a particular way. I wonder if you will hear what…

For me, December has been a season of wonder. I wonder whether I will get the decorating done. I wonder if I will miss someone on the Christmas Card list. I wonder if I will have time to bake cookies. I wonder if I will find the perfect gifts. I wonder, I wonder … And…

It’s that time again. When the outdoor temperature drops below 20 degrees, I trickle water from the faucets in my bathroom. It is on the outside walls and susceptible to freezing. The cats love this. Freezing cold “wild” water? What’s not to like. Or lick! As soon as I open my bedroom door in the…