Christmas is quickly approaching! Our holiday decor is almost complete! Our last bit of decorating will be on our Christmas tree, which will be purchased this next week.
I mentioned to James that I thought I would purchase matching pj's for the family to wear on Christmas Eve, then maybe have an ornament decorating activity for everyone. I wanted to know what he thought of my idea. He listened, then paused and said, "Yes, then maybe we can jump into the time-machine and go back to 1991?" We laughed together and I have since nixed the pj idea. (George will also be relieved!)
While I am a tad overly enthusiastic about the upcoming Christmas season, I do realize there are some, for which this holiday will be painful. I have several friends who have experienced loss this year and the thought of the upcoming holidays can be overwhelming.
The word of God says, "Weeping may endure for the night - but joy comes in the morning" Psalm 30:5. There are seasons where I've wept and others where I have rejoiced! Having wept through holidays myself, my heart becomes more aware of those who may be experiencing sadness / grief this year. I am encouraged with what the Bible says about those who are broken-hearted.
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make
straight your paths.
Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Revelation 21:4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no
more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore,
for the former things have passed away.”
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I
will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my
righteous right hand.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives
do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be
afraid.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is
made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly
of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Psalm 55:22
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never
permit the righteous to be moved.
As we are all preparing for celebrating Jesus' birth, let us be sensitive to those who may need a word of encouragement, a hug, a special gift or simply a kind word. I am so thankful for the "joy" that comes in the morning.
May the Lord richly bless you all!
Much love,
Steph
--
*Stephanie Henderson
www.stephaniehendersonministries.com*
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Students, Hope, Encouragement and Promises!
Romans 15:4
"Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled."
What a powerful scripture! There are several truths captured within this one verse.
1) We are students
The older I become, the more I realize how little I actually know! The scriptures given long ago were given to teach us. They teach us who God is, what His character contains, and how to become more like Him - and so much more!
A few years ago, I was introduced to inductive Bible study by very dear friends, Vic and Carolyn Talbert. Vic and Carolyn are veterans in studying the word of God and I respect them so much. Vic invited me to attend a training of inductive study at Precept Ministries in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Kay Arthur has led this ministry for years and given her life to teach others how to study the Word of God. I was excited to have this opportunity.
After about 30 minutes of my first class at Precept, I was elated and touched by the depth in the Word of God that I was taught. I have been reading the Bible since elementary school - but had never heard it taught so simply and yet so richly before. There were texts that I have read literally hundreds of times that suddenly came to life when studying this way. Learning to study inductively has single-handedly transformed not on the way I study but the way I teach in my conferences.
2) The scriptures give us hope and encouragement
We need hope and encouragement! It is so refreshing to know that no matter what I may face, God's Word has already spoken and provided hope / encouragement for my life. Not only that, knowing His Word provides opportunity to speak hope / encouragement into the lives of others.
3) We wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled.
I'm not the best at waiting patiently, I must confess. I would like the result now rather than later, please! However, when we exercise patience we are building our character and building trust in the promises of God. It's normal to have an ebb and flow of trust while waiting on God. Some moments I wonder, "will God come through?" and then other moments I have resounding, "Yes! God you are able!" resonating in my heart. The trust factor that is built while waiting teaches me to depend on the Word of God and not circumstances which in turn, brings spiritual maturity that I need.
I love that this scripture says, "God promises TO BE fulfilled" and not, "God's promises MAY BE fulfilled". We can take God at His word and have confidence that He is a man of integrity and will come through with what He's promised. I am so thankful for this.
Are you waiting on a promise to be fulfilled? Do you need the hope and encouragement that comes from the scriptures? Do you need to be a more diligent student in the Word of God?
You have all been so faithful to pray for our family. How can we pray for you??
We love you and are thankful for your prayers, love and concern. We are waiting on the promises of God to be fulfilled in healing our sweet son. Thank you for standing with us.
Steph
"Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled."
What a powerful scripture! There are several truths captured within this one verse.
1) We are students
The older I become, the more I realize how little I actually know! The scriptures given long ago were given to teach us. They teach us who God is, what His character contains, and how to become more like Him - and so much more!
A few years ago, I was introduced to inductive Bible study by very dear friends, Vic and Carolyn Talbert. Vic and Carolyn are veterans in studying the word of God and I respect them so much. Vic invited me to attend a training of inductive study at Precept Ministries in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Kay Arthur has led this ministry for years and given her life to teach others how to study the Word of God. I was excited to have this opportunity.
After about 30 minutes of my first class at Precept, I was elated and touched by the depth in the Word of God that I was taught. I have been reading the Bible since elementary school - but had never heard it taught so simply and yet so richly before. There were texts that I have read literally hundreds of times that suddenly came to life when studying this way. Learning to study inductively has single-handedly transformed not on the way I study but the way I teach in my conferences.
2) The scriptures give us hope and encouragement
We need hope and encouragement! It is so refreshing to know that no matter what I may face, God's Word has already spoken and provided hope / encouragement for my life. Not only that, knowing His Word provides opportunity to speak hope / encouragement into the lives of others.
3) We wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled.
I'm not the best at waiting patiently, I must confess. I would like the result now rather than later, please! However, when we exercise patience we are building our character and building trust in the promises of God. It's normal to have an ebb and flow of trust while waiting on God. Some moments I wonder, "will God come through?" and then other moments I have resounding, "Yes! God you are able!" resonating in my heart. The trust factor that is built while waiting teaches me to depend on the Word of God and not circumstances which in turn, brings spiritual maturity that I need.
I love that this scripture says, "God promises TO BE fulfilled" and not, "God's promises MAY BE fulfilled". We can take God at His word and have confidence that He is a man of integrity and will come through with what He's promised. I am so thankful for this.
Are you waiting on a promise to be fulfilled? Do you need the hope and encouragement that comes from the scriptures? Do you need to be a more diligent student in the Word of God?
You have all been so faithful to pray for our family. How can we pray for you??
We love you and are thankful for your prayers, love and concern. We are waiting on the promises of God to be fulfilled in healing our sweet son. Thank you for standing with us.
Steph
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Christmas Decorations and the Ultimate Preparation
Winter time in Colorado is my favorite season! This typically susprises people considering I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, where the seasons included cool weather (Winter - 50 degrees), warm weather (Spring - 60-70 degrees), hot weather (Summer 80+ degrees) and hot, hot, hot weather (90 - 100 degrees). It would "snow" in New Orleans every 10 years or so and would complete close the city due to the cold weather.
The past few days have been rather cold here due to our friends in Canada sharing the air! The weather channels begin giving the updates on the the timing of the weather change, the amount of snow to expect, etc., etc. On Thursday, our temperatures dropped 40 degrees from a lovely 60 degree day to lowering temperatures in the 20's! You could feel the air change and watch as the snow clouds began forming. It was time to make a pot of coffee, light the fireplace and enjoy the season!
While the weather change has begun I have started my Christmas decoration process! Being a decorator, this is not a normal process! It's an involved, detailed methodical plan where perfect color combination's are selected, carefully placed and executed. I love it! I love bringing the Christmas ambiance into our home.
While beginning my decoration planning, I began thinking about Mary (the mother of Jesus) and how she was preparing four weeks prior to the birth of her child. ( I realize that we do not have the exact date of Jesus' birth recorded and many believe Jesus was actually born in the spring, not winter. However, four weeks prior to having a new baby brings much preparation and anticipation in meeting your new baby.) Her situation was unique to any other birth as she was given the responsibility and honor to birthing Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Through scripture we understand that Mary was a very young woman (probably a teenager) and it's difficult to imagine what an extraordinary woman she must have been to have this responsibility trusted to her. She was trusted by God. God knew, in His infinite wisdom, that this young lady was equipped to handle the task.
When we stop and think about the hard things that come into our lives, do we consider that God is trusting us to walk through hardship and bring encouragement to others while accomplishing the task? Often times, we can get stuck in thinking "God, why me?" or "What have I done to deserve this?". I truly believe that we experience difficulty to accomplish many purposes for our lives BUT also because those in our lives are watching how we handle it and seeing a glimpse of God while we walk through.
Mary carried out a very difficult task, not only in the birth of Jesus but mothering him all the way to the cross. Her heart in obeying and honoring God is found in her first encounter when the angel revealed God's plan for her life:
Luke 1:26-38 (NIV)
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”34″How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God.”38″I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
"May it be to me as you have said" was Mary's response to what the Lord was asking her to accomplish. I love the scripture that says, "She was highly favored". In other words, she was trusted. As we know from the Bible stories of Mary, she carried out God's plan beautifully.
Let our answer to the Lord continue to be, "May it be to me as you have said". Yes, Lord, we will do whatever you ask us to do for you. You can trust us - no matter how difficult the task! In verse 37 it says, "For nothing is impossible with God". He is faithful.
Stephanie
The past few days have been rather cold here due to our friends in Canada sharing the air! The weather channels begin giving the updates on the the timing of the weather change, the amount of snow to expect, etc., etc. On Thursday, our temperatures dropped 40 degrees from a lovely 60 degree day to lowering temperatures in the 20's! You could feel the air change and watch as the snow clouds began forming. It was time to make a pot of coffee, light the fireplace and enjoy the season!
While the weather change has begun I have started my Christmas decoration process! Being a decorator, this is not a normal process! It's an involved, detailed methodical plan where perfect color combination's are selected, carefully placed and executed. I love it! I love bringing the Christmas ambiance into our home.
While beginning my decoration planning, I began thinking about Mary (the mother of Jesus) and how she was preparing four weeks prior to the birth of her child. ( I realize that we do not have the exact date of Jesus' birth recorded and many believe Jesus was actually born in the spring, not winter. However, four weeks prior to having a new baby brings much preparation and anticipation in meeting your new baby.) Her situation was unique to any other birth as she was given the responsibility and honor to birthing Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Through scripture we understand that Mary was a very young woman (probably a teenager) and it's difficult to imagine what an extraordinary woman she must have been to have this responsibility trusted to her. She was trusted by God. God knew, in His infinite wisdom, that this young lady was equipped to handle the task.
When we stop and think about the hard things that come into our lives, do we consider that God is trusting us to walk through hardship and bring encouragement to others while accomplishing the task? Often times, we can get stuck in thinking "God, why me?" or "What have I done to deserve this?". I truly believe that we experience difficulty to accomplish many purposes for our lives BUT also because those in our lives are watching how we handle it and seeing a glimpse of God while we walk through.
Mary carried out a very difficult task, not only in the birth of Jesus but mothering him all the way to the cross. Her heart in obeying and honoring God is found in her first encounter when the angel revealed God's plan for her life:
Luke 1:26-38 (NIV)
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”34″How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God.”38″I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
"May it be to me as you have said" was Mary's response to what the Lord was asking her to accomplish. I love the scripture that says, "She was highly favored". In other words, she was trusted. As we know from the Bible stories of Mary, she carried out God's plan beautifully.
Let our answer to the Lord continue to be, "May it be to me as you have said". Yes, Lord, we will do whatever you ask us to do for you. You can trust us - no matter how difficult the task! In verse 37 it says, "For nothing is impossible with God". He is faithful.
Stephanie
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