One of the things that I really love about Christmas is gifts. I love to give and I love to receive.  I honestly think that I enjoy the giving part as much, if not more than the receiving part.  A beautiful gift that comes through the gift of Jesus is God’s grace and it is amazing!  God wants to bless us with His “unmerited favor”.  We can’t earn it and we don’t deserve it, but He offers it to us!

Grace to be best understood, has to be experienced. I agree with John Newton, I am a wretch!  “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!  I once was lost, but now I am found.  Was blind, but now I see!”

Blown Away! The fact that God would love me enough to give His Son as a sacrifice for my sins.  The reality that God forgives me for all of my sin and holds nothing against me.  The opportunity to serve Him in ministry with gifts that He has provided to represent and bless.  It is all possible, only by the grace of God!

2 Corinthians 12:9 says: “God’s grace is sufficient.  God’s power is perfected in weakness, therefore I will boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

God’s grace is sufficient! He sees our arrogance and loves us anyway.  He is aware of our faults and short-comings, but makes the choice to see us as holy.  He is hurt by our sinfulness, yet is always ready, willing and able to love us without condition!

God Love Is Bigger Than Our Sin! God does not allow sin to chase Him away, instead it causes Him to chase after us!  God has made the choice to pursue us.  This is what Christmas is all about.  God’s gift of an intentional pursuit of a real, personal, meaningful relationship with each of us.

God loves you!  Enjoy the gift of His love!

It’s great to be back from a little blog break!  I figured that since everyone else was going to be taking breaks that I might as well take one and I enjoyed it, but missed getting to talk to you guys or ya’ll for those of us in the south.

We just finished up our month of Thanksgiving and now we are headed full steam ahead into Christmas.  How many of you already have the decoration thing going?  I love Christmas!  I love the lights – I even “redneck” up my truck with lights.  I love the music – one of my favorites is “Mele Kalikimaka!” by Bing Crosby And The Andrew Sisters.  Here are the words:  “Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day.  That’s the island greeting that we send to you – From the land where palm trees sway.  Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright.  The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night.   Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii’s way To say “Merry Christmas to you.”  And I love presents!  I love to give them and receive them!

As we head into this season of hustle and bustle, let’s all make sure to remember and remind each other of what really makes Christmas special and that is the gift of God only Son to you and me!

To remind you of all of God’s goodness – enjoy the song and video from Youtube!

Do You Struggle? This should be a great week for most folks, but I am getting a sense that many of us are struggling, even with a short week.  This morning in my devotions, I read this Scripture and thought that it might encourage and grow some of us!  I hope you find it as motivating as I did.  “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”  2 Timothy 1:7

Two Things To Consider! Look at what God has given us and look at what He has not given us.

What God Has Not Given Us! Let’s first take a look at what He has not given us:  He has not given us a “spirit of timidity”  The Bible teaches that we were created in God’s image.  God did not create us to be weak, afraid or powerless.  God created us to be powerful, loving and disciplined!  God did not give you weakness, He gave you strength.  Whatever you have to face today – God has given you the power to overcome it!  Live in and thrive through that power!

What God Has Given Us! God has given us power, love and discipline.  You were created in the image of God.  Who or what can you think of that is more powerful than God?  We have the power of God flowing to and through our lives.  Don’t take His power for granted and don’t dare waste it!  God has given us love.  He loved us before we could ever love Him.  God is love and His love should flow to and through our lives.  Open your life to God’s love and share and show that love everywhere you go.  God has given us discipline.  Discipline is what allows us to grow and develop all that God has given us.  Don’t run away from discipline, run into it and you will discover a strength that you only dreamed existed!

You Are Special! You are special and God proves just how special you are with what He has and has not given you.  Live in the power of that reality today and enjoy the victory that God has provided!