A Chocolate Life

Rejoice with me in the brand-new release of my devotion book, "A Chocolate Life" ~ Savoring God's Sweet Grace ~ published by CPH. http://www.cph.org/p-19550-a-chocolate-life-womens-devotional.aspx 

A Chocolate Life brings sweet morsels of joy and bitter nuggets of pain. Some days are light and smooth; others are dark and lumpy. No matter what, God sustains us with grace in Christ. Wrapped in forgiveness, the Holy Spirit fills us with sweet faith in our Savior! 

Please pray with me, that God would use every word ~ every morsel and nugget ~ to powerfully impact women's lives for Christ! Take a sample and savor: 

Sweet Surrender

"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."  ~Philippians 2:13

My little white flag just went up. Do you see it? I'm waving it weakly back and forth in front of you. I held out long enough and finally, I surrender. I give up. You win. All my resistance is gone. I am no match for you, you irresistible Chocolate-Brownie-Fudge Pie! I surrender all my resistance, all my will power, all my diet plans, and I run toward you with a fork in my hand. Ah, but it is a sweet surrender! Mmmm, delicious!

While I may joke about surrendering to chocolate, I wonder about the kinds of things we usually yield to helplessly. We all have weaknesses, areas of strongest temptation and febblest resistance against which we cannot stand on our own. Maybe we surrender to gossip or gluttony. Perhaps we give in to peer pressure, envy, or greed. Possibly, we struggle with an addiction to something that hurts us and those we love.

In His sweet mercy and grace, our heavenly Father saw us drowning in our sins, weaknesses, and temptations. He lifted us out, saving us from our faults and failures and forgiving us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit working through God's Word breathed new life into us and filled us with faith.

God traded our weakness for His strength and enabled us to surrender to the Lord! We give up. We give up all our feeble attempts to be strong enough on our own, all our futile efforts to do good things by our own strength. You win, God! You won salvation for us when You defeated sin, death, and the devil. In Your victory, You give us eternal life in Christ! All our resistance disappears. Through the power of the Spirit, we no longer resist Your lead, but gladly follow.

In our sin, we cannot match God's holiness, but He took away our sin and made us holy in Christ! We surrender all our foolish plans, selfish ambitions, and evil thoughts and ways to God's perfect ones. Jesus runs toward us with outstretched arms. Filled with His Spirit, we yield to His loving touch. Truly, this is sweet, sweet surrender!

Surrendered, we can only imagine the amazing work ahead as the Spirit works in us, fulfilling His plans and purposes according to His perfect will.

Lord, do with me what You will today. I surrender my ways to You. Work in and through me to do Your will, for Your purposes, and for Your good pleasure. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Chocolate Brownie Fudge Pie

1 c. butter

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. flour

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and chocolate together. Combine sugar and flour. Add chocolate. Beat in eggs. Add vanilla and pecans. Pour into greased pie plate. Bake 25-30 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Ah! Sweet surrender!

From A Chocolate Life by Deb Burma © 2012 CPH. Reprinted with permission

The Bless(ing) in the Mess ~ A Choice to Rejoice!

In my previous devotion, “I’ve Got the JOY…Down in My Heart,” I spoke of this powerful fruit of the Spirit, produced in us, chosen and redeemed children of God. And I posed a question: What can we do daily with the JOY that we’ve been given (because of the Hope of Christ living in us)?  We make a choice every day (even minute by minute) whether to smile or frown, whether to bubble over with the joy inside or lock it up for no one to see.  We have been empowered by His Holy Spirit, so how can we bear His fruit & share His joy? To start, we can - by the power of the Holy Spirit - have An Attitude of Gratitude! (Read more about this in my previous devo.) And there is more! We can…

See the Bless(ing) in the Mess!  With God's help, you can choose to see the humor (and yes, even the blessing) in the midst of the messes in life - in difficult, stressful, or frustrating situations.  Not because they're funny, but because you’re shifting your outlook. So…What are your messes? 

ü  Your teen is talking back to you…again. = This gives you the chance you’ve been looking for to practice your patience and “long-suffering” skills! 

ü  You are stuck in a long line at the store = What an opportunity to show Christian love to the frazzled young mom behind you, letting her go ahead of you with her 152 items in the 12-items-or-less lane (and helping her while you’re at it). 

ü  You are late for an appointment and stuck behind a driver going 15 m.p.h. = Envision this motorist with a full fish tank in his back seat and consider the fate of little Goldie goldfish! 

(Okay, so I have chosen some silly examples to make you smile. Perhaps your messes are beyond compare with these.) A woman once spoke of her elderly father’s failing health, and how he taught her to rest in God's strength for the ability to rise above physical circumstances [to be able to shift her outlook!] to savor each moment and count her blessings, even in the midst of struggle. 

Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll once said, “Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I choose to deal with it.”  Pray for the Lord’s strength to enable you to shift your outlook. To see the bless in the mess.  And remember this truth: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”   Romans 8:28

How might God use your “mess” for your good or the good of others? How might He turn a present mess into a future blessing?

Finally, to bear His fruit and share His joy, we can…

Make a Choice to Rejoice!  With the joy of the Lord rooted deeply in your heart, by God's grace and in His strength, you can delight in each day:  “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it”.  Psalm 118:24 

·         Don’t wait for the weekend or vacation to enjoy life - to let loose and laugh - to live life joyously! 

·         Don’t save the China for good company only. 

·         Don’t wait for an act of Congress to go out for a dialog date…or lunch…or coffee… 

·         Don’t delay renting that great movie with wholesome humor! 

·         Don’t wait for Sunday to dig into God’s Word where you will be blessed by His powerful messages to you. Delight in His Truth today.

DO take time to smell the roses (you’ve heard this before, no doubt!), for each day contains a beauty and aroma of its own, if we stop long enough and draw close enough to notice! (Without worry for the thorns…)  “Be still, and know that I am God…” Psalm 46:10

DO live like children, concerning your attitude; they live IN the moment, enjoying it for what it is and not fretting about tomorrow.  “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow…” Matthew 6:34

DO live each day as though it were your last (Yep, you’ve heard this one before, too!) and you want to make the most of it. How can you impact the world for Christ today, even if it’s just one heart that you have the opportunity to touch?  “…make the most of every opportunity.” Colossians 4:5

DO sing in the shower, shout praises to the Lord, and offer Him your heart-felt worship. A heart of worship is a JOY-filled heart!  “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!” Psalm 98:4 ESV 

Bear His fruit & share His joy! By the power of the Holy Spirit, how can you make a choice to rejoice TODAY?

I've Got the Joy...Down in My Heart

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”  Ephesians 1:3

Can you hear these precious little girls:  “Oh, Martha, you look divine!”  “Why, thank you, Dear!  When your curlers come out, you’re going to have simply marvelous hair!”  “Betsy, those Blue Polka-Dots are ALL the rage!”  “Oh, do tell!”  From the time we’re little girls, we know we’ve been wired for fun!  Just watch young ladies make believe, squeal, and laugh with unrestrained joy - holding nothing back! 

Ladies…WE ARE those little girls…all grown up! What happened to us? Let me ask you: when did you last laugh? (Just now, I hope?!) Before that...? Are you feelin’ full of JOY these days? Or not...

Now that we’re all grown up, our days - our lives - are filled with responsibilities, worries, struggles…and sometimes strife and suffering.  We live in a sinful, fallen world; days are often heavy or at least hum-drum.  A smile - a little laughter - can lighten and brighten our days. The ability to laugh - to find joy and delight in the midst of what otherwise could be a drab existence or a painful place - is a gift from God! 

We are daughters of our heavenly Father, chosen in Christ, and we have been empowered with JOY and LAUGHTER! That's right. We are plugged-in to the life-giving power source of Christ! (Wow! Do you realize what that means?!)

Let me ask you another question: have you Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in Your Heart?  The answer is YES! You’ve got it, ‘cause He put it there! And He put it there to stay! (Are you humming the tune to this classic Sunday School song yet?!) Know that you have been chosen by God in Christ, and you possess this JOY! (Whether you're currently feelin' full of joy or not!) Christ has gifted you with salvation through faith by grace, purchased for you by His death and resurrection.  The Holy Spirit has taken up residence in your heart; you are filled with the Spirit's POWER, and He is at work in you! You bear His fruit... “The fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace…”  (Galatians 5:22) 

“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”  Job 8:21 Laughter and joy are found together in scripture multiple times!  Both are gifts from God.  While laughter is not required of someone who has "the joy down in [her] heart,” it often flows from joy as a response. “A glad heart makes a cheerful face…”  Proverbs 15:13a 

God also gives each of us our unique, ultra-special personalities, and included in those customized packages is, to varying degrees, a sense of humor.  In the next few weeks, I would like to explore a bit more about joy AND laughter. For now I’ll begin where good, clean, wholesome laughter starts: JOY!

Please don’t confuse “joy” with “happiness”. Happiness depends upon circumstances; joy is ours despite our circumstances. We cannot invent or fake this joy; it is ours in Christ, a POWERFUL fruit that flows out of faith. Make no mistake, we are justified (saved) by faith alone. But here comes our part: what do we do daily with the JOY we’ve been given?  We make a choice every day (even minute by minute) whether to smile or frown, whether to bubble over with the joy inside or lock it up for no one to see.  We are empowered by His Holy Spirit, so how are we going to bear His fruit & share His joy? To start, we can...

Have an Attitude of Gratitude! 

Though I do not know what realities – what circumstances – you face today, I can tell you this: you are blessed. (Check out Ephesians 1:3 at the top!) And by the strength of the Spirit, you can possess an attitude of gratitude in any and every situation. “Be joyful always…give thanks in all circumstances…” I Thess. 5:16,18  Whether you realize it or not, your cup DOES overflow.  Begin to see the blessings in the big things AND in the little things: 

Breathe in; then slowly exhale. (Go ahead…) See, God just gave you another breath...another moment of life! Look back upon the past several days. Remember the kind clerk at the store, the fellowship of loved ones in your life, the delicious foods you love to savor? Reflect on the changing of the seasons, God’s continual provision of your needs, and above all, the faith He has instilled in you to know that Jesus is Lord and He is Risen! He is bigger than any painful or difficult circumstance you face today. And He has chosen YOU…and appointed you to go and bear fruit (see John 15:16) that the world may see Christ living in You as you bubble over with His JOY!  

And this is just a start…stay tuned for more ways in which we bear His fruit and share His joy…and maybe even laugh a little.

Take a moment to write down FIVE blessings for which you are thankful and in which you respond with JOY, by the power of the Spirit! Share them, please...

Baby - Alive!

On this, the 12th day of Christmas, I am already forgetting what my true love gave to me! (I couldn’t resist borrowing that famous refrain…) The carefully-wrapped gifts were ripped open way back on December 25th and have since been put to use or set in place...or quickly forgotten.

One gift of many years ago has not been so quickly forgotten. A favorite childhood Christmas gift. I wanted this gift in the worst way, and it began with the ad in the Sears catalog, followed by a TV commercial. A little girl sporting 70’s fashions sang the television jingle while cradling her baby doll: “I love the way you make me feel – you’re so real.” Baby Alive. She was the must-have toy craze that Christmas. (You know, the kind of toy craze that makes the news today. The brand new toy that turns mild-mannered shoppers into toy-crazed monsters as they fight over the last one on the shelf.) That was Baby Alive in 1970-something. I don’t know if any parents fought over her, but I do know she was in high demand. As the advertising claim continued, “She’s Baby Alive and you can really feed her, give her a bottle, and change her diaper.”  Fascinating! What went in was sure to come out, and a child could thrill in both the feeding AND the diapering aspects of parenting.

I pleaded and begged. And on Christmas morning, my treasured Baby Alive was under the tree. My cousin arrived, carrying HER brand-new doll that looked just like mine. We could hardly wait to finish Christmas Dinner, and we were off to feed our babies. Mixing the enclosed powder with water, we began to spoon-feed their moving mouths. (Picture 1970’s technology: mouths moved robotically to the slow hum of the battery-operated mechanisms inside.) Our babies were HUNGRY that day (it was Christmas, after all!) and we kind of…umm…”overstuffed” them. We accidentally proved the fascinating advertising claim to be false, learning the sad truth that what goes in does not always come back out. (And we used plenty of perfectly good D-batteries trying.) Before long, the mechanical operations died and my Baby Alive began to smell funny. My must-have Christmas treasure was soon in the trash.

What gift have you wanted in the worst way? Did your treasure turn to trash like mine? Perhaps not. Maybe your favorite childhood gift graces your home today, a present reminder of Christmas past. Baby Alive didn’t stick around very long, but she provided a beautiful study in contrast that has stuck with me:

• Another Baby came to us some 2,000 years ago, creating Christmas. And He continues to come to us today.
• Jesus doesn’t need to entice us with TV jingles or fancy advertisements to turn our hearts to Him, but He comes to us in His powerful Word.
• He is not the latest craze that is here-today and gone-tomorrow, but He does make the news: He IS the Good News of great joy for all the people (Luke 2:10) and His love endures forever (Psalm 100).  
• We don’t have to plead and beg, hoping to receive this treasured Gift – under the tree or anywhere else. It is ours by faith.
• We love the way He makes us feel – because He IS real. He gives us real hope, real joy, real peace. (Now THAT’S fascinating!)

Whether it’s the 12th day of Christmas or the first day of summer, your True Love gives to you LIFE in His name, each and every day.

Because this Baby who came to us on Christmas…

   this Baby who is God’s perfect Son…

        this Baby who grew up to endure the agony of death on the cross...

             this Baby who provided for us victory over the grave...

This Baby is Alive, and He lives in you today, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

He gives you the greatest gift of all: eternal life – salvation – a Home in heaven.

Baby – ALIVE!

Nothing to Give

"...the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."      ~Romans 6:23

A few years ago, I was leading a family ministry on Saturday nights in our previous church. “Family Time Bible Study” engaged everyone from the rambunctious preschoolers to the more mature adults, because we all worked together to spontaneously act out dramatic Bible events. One such preschooler, Sam, was always eager to be “in on the action” and as Christmas approached, he was especially excitable. Not only would we act out the story of the Savior’s birth, but there would be a Christmas party to follow, and he knew that all the families were chipping in together to surprise me with a special gift. Knowing young Sam would struggle to keep a secret, his mother told him to pretend they had nothing to give me. A few days before our Christmas event, I ran into Sam, who looked up at me and loudly proclaimed, “Mrs. Burma, we have NOTHING for you!” His mom just shook her head and smiled.

The big night came, and we proclaimed the Christ child’s birth, “Family Time” style, our fragrant offering to the Lord that night. No one shouted the message or sang the songs louder than Sam. The families then produced a large gift for me, and Sam stood directly at my feet as I opened it, squinting his eyes and cocking his head from side to side curiously as he looked up at me. I squealed with delight as I unveiled a Kitchen Aid mixer! WOW! I was speechless, touched by the love and generosity of these brothers and sisters in Christ. But Sam just continued to stare up at me. With a look of disappointment on his face, finally he whispered, “My mom told me this gift would make you so happy that you would cry.” Sam hugged me and continued, “Why aren’t you crying?”

The tears fall now as I recount this special moment when one little guy had much more than “nothing” to give me. Sam gave me a far greater gift than my mixer. The same boy whose childlike faith enabled him to shout, “Joy to the World!” also allowed him to whisper those words of love to me. Wanting to give me something that would make me happy – so happy I would cry – was his greatest desire that night. Sam’s gift of love was also a fragrant offering before the Lord, as Sam “walked in love” toward me. ("Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." ~Ephesians 5:1-2)

Sam - ready to celebrate Christmas!

While we may pretend that we have nothing to give others, we have, in fact, the greatest gift of all to share. The Child whose birth we celebrated that night - whose birth we prepare to celebrate once again this Holy Season - would grow up to be our Lord and our Savior. The very gift of God, given to us in Christ Jesus! As we give others the Good News of eternal life in Christ - as we “walk in love” - the sweet aroma of Christ is spread. A fragrant offering, indeed!

Prayers for Kyle

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." ~Hebrews 4:16

"Kyle needs your help. Please keep him in Your hands, Lord." This simple prayer, written by a class of 3rd graders, was the first to catch in my throat after I arrived at the prayer vigil. Prayers were written and posted on the walls of the school gym by every class at Immanuel Lutheran in our little city of Columbus, Nebraska. Kids and their parents, relatives and loved ones, friends and neighbors came out to pray at this 24-hour Youth-sponsored vigil on a snowy December weekend.

While the world busily decks the halls preparing for Christmas, Kyle Anderson and his family hold fast to the hope they have in the One whose birth we prepare to celebrate this Holy Season. Kyle was diagnosed in November with Osteosarcoma found in his femur (his thigh bone). As this amazing 12-year-old boy battles bone cancer, he does so with courage and a rock-solid trust in the Lord. Kyle's strong faith in Christ and the witness he shares in the midst of this ordeal, are already touching more lives than we will ever know. He shares with confidence that he knows one day he will go to heaven, no matter the outcome.

Kyle and his dad, Kip, with the catch of the summer!

Kyle’s attitude is nothing short of amazing! His parents admit that as they do everything they can for Kyle and attempt to remain strong for him, it is often he who keeps them going. Kyle reported positively, “They [doctors] let me push the start button on my IV pump, so I officially started my own chemo.” As he faced his first bout of treatment, Kyle was thinking of others, thanking those who were able to be there for his little sister, Katie, while he and his parents were in the hospital.

As prayers were lifted to the Lord throughout the vigil, Kyle rested at home, recovering from his first round of chemotherapy and a low-white-count infection that had followed. While people read and prayed, they also wrote Bible verses, prayers, and words of encouragement on paper-bag luminaries that lined all the bleachers by the time the vigil ended.

Kyle is a huge Nebraska Huskers fan and quite a humorist. Following his first treatment, as nausea hit, he admitted on his CaringBridge site that it could have been due to the chemo, but could also have been a reaction to the Huskers game performance (or lack thereof) that day! He loves to say that his Huskers "Can't be beat!" Since Kyle's battle began, his classmates and friends have proclaimed, "Kyle, YOU can't be beat!" The prayer vigil’s glowing luminaries revealed this message and so many others, like “Kyle 4 the Cure!” “We love you, Kyle!” “We’re praying for you.”

As I read the wall of prayers, I, too, lifted these words and others to our Savior:

"Give Kyle and his family the strength to overcome this ordeal." ~ 8th graders

"Lord, when he is nervous and scared, let him remember to turn to You. Even through his illness, You are allowing him to share his faith with others." ~5th graders

"Be with him to stay happy and positive. Help him to stay true to himself and keep cracking humorous jokes. Help him to keep believing and to stay strong in his faith and body." ~Fellow 7th graders

When God's people pray, amazing things happen: He strengthens our faith; He grows His kingdom; and yes, He hears and answers every prayer lifted up. As Hebrews 4 reminds us (see above), we can come to our Savior’s throne of grace with confidence that we will receive help in time of need. This is Kyle's time of need, and we pray boldly, trusting in God's perfect will, in His timing and wisdom.

I couldn't help but giggle through tears as I read another simple prayer, written and shared in faith, by a class of precious preschoolers:

"God, we thought of things he may need to get better like hugs and kisses, medicine, jelly beans, a soft bed, books, prune juice, a pillow pet, the Wii, dollies, music, a good doctor, a cold rag, and milk with cookies. We know You will give him all he needs because You love him so much." ~ Mrs. Nelson's Preschool Class

God, I know you love Kyle SO MUCH. And I pray that You will give him all he needs: continued faith, strength, and courage; peace, patience, and a positive outlook; and healing, according to Your will. “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:19  ~Amen

Prayers continue for Kyle. Churches are adding him to their prayer lists; families are spreading the word; classmates have shaved their heads as a sign of support and as a constant reminder to pray, too. Messages continue to pour in to Kyle’s CaringBridge site as people lift up Kyle to the Lord in faith.

Will you please join us in our Prayers for Kyle?

Distracted by All the Preparations

“Jesus and his disciples...came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to [Jesus] and asked, 'Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!' 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'" Luke 10:38-42

Tis the Season of Preparation... And we relate with Martha, don’t we? (I know I do.) She was busy making preparations. (Would you like to hear my list of Holiday Preparations? I'm guessing you have one that is somewhat similar.) She wanted only the best for her guests. And so do we! We want to make this coming Christmas, the celebration of The Birth of Christ, the best-one-ever for our loved ones. So, in these weeks of preparation - like Martha - we hurry about, allowing our hearts to become distracted by all the busyness.

I tell myself that my intentions are only the best. I attend the Advent services, the Christmas programs, the recitals. I decorate my home with reminders of the Savior's birth, cleaning and preparing for my guests. Even the gifts I give and the sentiment in the cards I send, share with each recipient the message that Jesus is the Reason for the Season. Yes, I definitely want Christ at the center of my preparations...there is just so much to do! And I let all these good things distract me! I get so busy and stressed by it all, that I find myself grumbling, as Martha did: “Lord, don’t You care that I have all these preparations to make for Your Birthday?!  Won’t anyone help me?  Why do others seem to have peace and calm as they prepare for You to come, while I am busy doing all the work?”  I become worried and upset - distracted, as Martha was, by all the preparations to be made.

Jesus did not scold Martha for what she was doing. After all, her preparations, too, were for the Lord. Instead, Jesus gently reminded her what was better. Jesus tenderly redirects us as He did Martha. The world around us is shouting, “Prepare!  Prepare to buy presents & shop-till-you-drop!  Prepare the cards, the candies, and the creche; prepare for the parties and the programs!  And you MUSN’T forget ANYTHING!” 

Meanwhile, the Lord whispers, “Prepare!” And we cry, “But, Lord, I HAVE been making all these preparations!”  “I know, my child... but have you forgotten to prepare your heart for me this Holy Season? You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Place me first in your days, and all else will fall into place.” (Hmmm…do you think, perhaps, if I put Him first, that some of those all-important, must-do preparations won’t seem so urgent anymore?) 

The Christ Child will come…whether the guests who come to my house see it cleaned and decorated or not. The Babe in the manger will arrive, whether my Christmas cards arrive on time or not. The Greatest Gift of all will be delivered to me and to my family on Christmas eve, whether the presents are delivered or not. Will I miss it? Will I miss savoring the celebration of His birth for all of my well-intentioned preparations that have become my distractions?

We long, like Mary, to sit quietly at our Savior’s feet, hanging on to His every word. Mary’s heart was not distracted that day, but fully devoted to Christ. We are told Advent is the season of preparation. What is TRUE Advent Preparation? It is a time to prepare our hearts for the coming Christ! We hear the call of John The Baptist to repent:  “Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight paths for Him!” (Matthew 3:3) 

As we prepare our hearts for the coming of the the long-awaited Messiah - Immanuel (God with us) - the Babe in the manger, we are also preparing for His triumphant return when He takes all believers HOME to be with Him in glory in the final resurrection!

How can we prepare? Much the way we would prepare our homes for an important guest. We would spare no effort to get everything in order for the occasion! For this most-important Guest, we reach into the furthest corners and bring out every bit of the dirt and filth - our sins. We cannot clean them on our own; by the Holy Spirit's leading, we lay them before our most-important Guest. We repent of our sins to the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ Himself, whose death and resurrection saved us from these sins; who lovingly chose us as His very own. He washes us clean. He then gently leads us to sit at His feet, to do the "one thing needed" during this busy season: spend time in His Word and in prayer. And as we do, He takes all of our worries, cares, and distractions, and replaces them with trust, peace, and devotion. 

I pray for each of you, during this Holy Season of Preparation, that your hearts would not be distracted, but devoted to our Lord and Savior. By His strength at work in you, may you keep Christ at the center of your heart and the center of your activities as you prepare for Christmas. Place Him first; sit at His feet.