Thoughts on Christmas

As Christmas is approaching, it is the time of year that we read the Christmas Story. You know the one I mean, Luke chapter 2. I was wondering where to read next in the Bible and my husband suggested I read Luke. I dove into chapter one and as I read about Mary, I was just amazed at her reponse to the angel's message to her. We have this Godly, Jewish, young teenage girl who is engaged to be married to a Godly Jewish man and God tells her she will become pregnant. Think of the shame that she will experience in her culture at that time. What will her fiance think when she tells him she is still a virgin, but she is pregnant. 'Don't worry Joseph, it is the son of God.' As the angel is telling her that the Spirit of God will come upon her and she will be carrying God in the flesh, as a baby, what is going through her head? I can only imagine she is thinking about how crazy it sounds to her and how she knows people will respond to finding out her 'condition'. But what is her response to the angel? Have you ever seen such humility and willingness in a young woman? She said, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." God knew her well, obviously, her response is challenging to my own heart. I know I am not that humble. Could I really be that willing to do whatever God would ask of me? I hope that I would respond to anything God would ask me to do in the same, humble and willing way that Mary did.

In God's eyes.

As I was reading through Hebrews 11 a while back, it hit me, God is praising his children for their obedience to him. He is praising them because they believed God would do what he said. But what about all their mistakes? Why doesn't he remind us that they were not perfect people either? I mean, what about David, we all know he messed up royally. And Noah? Wasn't he a drunk? Samson? Rahab? They all made plenty of mistakes, just like me. But what is God seeing? He is seeing their obedience and faith in Him. This is so encouraging to me. At the end of my life it isn't my mistakes that will matter, but it is my obedience and faith that God will see. He sees me clothed in Christ's righteousness. WOW! WOW! WOW! We serve a good God :)
I love this verse toward the end of the chapter concerning believers who suffered for Christ, what if God said this about you?
Hebrews 11.38a "the world was not worthy of them"

changes...

Now, it really has been a long time since I have blogged. Life has been pretty busy with getting married and having a baby. Greg and I were married on the 4th of June 2011 and Jensen Atticus was born on the 5th of May 2012. Last year we were in Ontario where Greg taught his last year at the missionary training center. Now we are on the road as we prepare to go to Asia-Pacific as church planters! We are so grateful that God is allowing us to play a part in His work!!

I have been reading Hebrews lately and this morning I read through Hebrews 10. We are warned about the consequences of sinning deliberately once we know the truth. What a strong reminder for believers to walk in step with the Holy Spirit and not to ignore his urging and conviction.  

Lately I have found it is difficult to be patient. I never thought of myself as an impatient person in the past, but now that I am married and have a baby, I find I am very impatient. It doesn't take much fussing on the part of Jensen before I am ready to be done with it all! I have been praying that God would help me to be more patient with my son and I suppose He is teaching me patience through these fussy times of Jensen's. But there are some days where I get glimmer of hope and Jensen is just the sweetest little guy (like today for example :))! Thank you God for helping me to learn patience and please help me to be a quick learner!!

If you are praying for us, please be praying for our adjustment as we are in a new place now and getting as settled as we can be :)