Christians Read

Revelation Instead of Resolution by Tara Randel

Posted on January 5, 2017 by tararandel

Happy New Year to all our Christian Reads friends!

So now it is 2017. Yet we’ve all seen it, year after year.

It’s a new year! Lose weight! Organize your clutter! Exercise! Make time for quality endeavors!

Bombarded by all the hype, we jump on the resolution bandwagon, disappointed if we fail or can’t keep up with the promises we made to ourselves.

Resolutions can let us down, but God’s Word never will. In His Word we find that health, relationships, spiritual growth, and much more, are all important to God. If it wasn’t, he wouldn’t have blessed us with the living word.

So instead of making a list of things we want to change, how about listening to God’s revelation for us in this new year instead of thinking we can do it all by our own counsel? Isn’t it better to know that God is guiding us, rather than hoping we might figure life out?

Last year, I made a pointed decision to spend more quiet time with God so I could hear His voice. I went back to basics. Reread scriptures that had always given me hope and peace. Scriptures that spoke to my life. I studied the Word in a deeper way than I had done in a while. Meditating on God’s Word has a way of leading one into a conversation with God. And as I’ve always known, when I needed Him, He never let me down.

Psalm 29:3-9

³The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
⁴The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
⁵The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
⁶He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.
⁷The voice of the Lord strikes
with flashes of lightning.
⁸The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
⁹The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

What an awesome picture of our mighty God!

I encourage you to make 2017 a year of revelation. Listen to the voice of God. Seek Him out. Strive to make this year an even better walk with the Lord.

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA TODAY bestselling author of fourteen novels. She is currently working on new stories for Harlequin Heartwarming, The Business of Weddings series, as well as books in a new series, Amish Inn Mysteries. Look for A Wedding March, her March 2017 Harlequin Heartwarming release. Visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at Tara Randel Books

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One More Week by Hannah Alexander

Posted on January 3, 2017 by alexanderhodde

I’m sorry I didn’t announce this earlier, but throughout the month of December, we had our Healing Touch series on sale on Kindle for .99 per title. I was going to take down the sale today, but because I didn’t let you know about this sale I’m going to keep it up another week.

Set in the fictitious town of Dogwood Springs, Missouri, The Healing Touch series follows the romances, relationships, and medical lives of a cast of characters, from doctors and nurses to Branson singers, lively teenagers out for justice, and one tormented man with too many secrets.

Follow Lauren McCaffrey as she seeks new relationships in a new town with a fresh start. Read about the struggle of widower Grant Sheldon and twins as they try to build a fresh life for themselves after the loss of their wife and mother.

Watch Archer Pierce as he tries to find a way to combine romance with his life as a pastor–and find out what happens to him when he disappears into a flooded river.

This rewritten edition of The Healing Touch Series weaves all these stories and more into a whole that I hope will keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning. The price is right for another week on Kindle!

Posted in Hannah Alexander, Uncategorized | Tagged .99 reads, medical romantic suspense | 2 Comments

A Spiritual New Year by Vicki Hinze

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Vicki Hinze

Vicki Hinze, Spiritual New Year

A Spiritual New Year

Vicki Hinze

A new year is upon us. Twenty sixteen is a memory and much of 2017 remains a mystery. Odds are that we’ve looked back at the previous year and decided what worked well for us and what didn’t, and we’ve made adjustments, hoping we’ll have a better year this year.

We all look at a new year with different eyes. Some see expectation; some, anticipation. Others don’t see or want to see any opportunity because to see it is to recognize that if changes are going to occur, then we have to make them happen. We’re tired. Weary. We’ve just gotten through a busy if blessed season and we really want to coast a little.

Oh, we’ll look at what we must because that’s what responsible adults do. We’ll review our progress on our career, decide what we need to do to accelerate it, if that’s our goal. We’ll look at our home life and assess it. See what changes need to be made for things to work more smoothly. Or at least, less frenetically. And that’s all important. Truly. But it is not the most important thing we can do for ourselves and/or our families.

So what is most important?

Bluntly put, we need to assess our spiritual lives. Are our priorities straight? Are we focusing our attention on that which impacts us eternally? Do we make time for our prayer life, time for worship, and time to teach our children by example how to walk in faith in daily life?

Of all we do, where do those things rank on our priority lists? Have we paused lately and taken stock? If we have let spiritual things slide, have we noted the difference in our quality of life between times when we’re on our path and times when we’ve strayed from it?

Twenty Seventeen is here. And with it has come an opportunity we’re blessed to have. An opportunity to look back for the life-enrichment lessons we can take with us into our futures. Ones that offer wisdom and insight when looking ahead, so that we walk into those futures in faith with deliberate steps and divine guidance, assured that we have what we need to recognize our path and reveal our purpose.

That is the difference in living “just another year” and welcoming a spiritual new year.

* * * * * * *

Posted in Uncategorized, Vicki Hinze | Tagged New Year, Spiritual New Year, Vicki Hinze | 1 Comment

2017 Word of the Year: Transformation by Julie Arduini

Posted on December 28, 2016 by juliearduini

Some do resolutions, I do word of the year.

Around September I start praying and watching for confirmation. Sometimes the words come later in the year, and I’ve had them as early as October. That was the case for this year.

The words have been abundance, revive, chosen, preposterous, perspective and fierce. All good.

This year?

2017 word of the year: transformation

Transformation.

And in my innocence, I try to define what the word will mean for me. It’s always so much more than I can imagine. Perspective taught me all 2016 to look beyond what I was feeling. It would have been tempting to go with my gut reaction to the many changes the year brought and make that the period at the end of my sentence. Perspective forced me to have a panoramic view of each change. Fierce I believe was the mindset God had for me, and I had to choose for myself.

So for transformation, I’m already running ahead trying to figure it out.

There’s the superficial.

-Growing my hair out (and the curls, the red curls!)

-Hoping to ditch the glasses and go back to contacts

-Believing my hormones will behave, I’ll find a groove with fitness, and see additional weight loss.

There’s the monumental.

-There’s a lot of roles and titles in my life. This year I’m not just step-mom, we will be grandparents. I always separate explaining who is who not because I see a difference between our children and his, but because a lot of people aren’t aware we are actually a family with 4 kids, and they tend to think our 18 year old is the one with the changes. Our 13 year old will be an aunt, and our college boy, and uncle. And my husband is one beaming grandpa-to-be.

That’s off the top of my head. I know even this month we’ll learn more that could change things. I have a full, solid, crazy year planned with writing and speaking. Only God knows the changes to come.

Transformation.

That’s my word for the year.

What’s yours?

Posted in Julie Arduini, Uncategorized | Tagged 2017, 2017 Word of the Year: Transformation, author, change, family, fitness, grandchildren, grandparents, Julie Arduini, transformation, word of the year, writing | 2 Comments

Better Than New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on December 26, 2016 by Jennifer Slattery

Maybe it’s always this way, or perhaps I’m just more alert this year, but everywhere I look this Christmas, I see stress. Anxiety. Depression. Grieving. Hard stuff. People bustling about with Christmas carols playing, speaking cheerful holiday greetings, while inside they’re hurting or feeling squeezed, maybe even ready to blow.

There’s a lot of pressure over the holidays, isn’t there? Not just on Christmas day, but the entire month of December and bleeding into January. Actually, the pressure increases exponentially in the new year, when, after coming to terms with all our faults, all our failed efforts to do better or love more or spend less or whatever–we determine to try again. To make a plan this time, and maybe even to write that on a slip of paper, turning our goals into New Year’s resolutions.

Because then we’re sure to keep them, right? ha!

Am I the only one that finds this cycle exhausting and self-defeating?

What if we did away with resolutions all together and instead, determined to walk just a little closer to Jesus each day. What if, instead of drawing this line in the sand, stating that, starting January 2nd, everything will be different, we focused on moving forward? Taking small but steady steps?

Because, honestly, that first step is the hardest. In fact, it’s hard enough, without adding a bunch of expectation to it.

But once we take that first step, every step after becomes easier.

So what’s the first step? For me, meditating on and praying Scripture, because I’m convinced, the more I think like Jesus, the more I act like Jesus. Perhaps you’ve heard it this way: Right thinking equals right actions.

Meditating on Scripture is more than reading a passage in the morning then going about one’s day. It means pausing to really take God’s Words in, praying that He’ll help us live it, and repeating these steps throughout the day.

Eventually, God’s Words will become a part of us–internalized, and He’ll use them to speak to us, to guide and correct us, and before we know it, our behaviors have changed and we’ve become a bit more like our Savior.

This year, this is my plan, and I’m not waiting until January first to begin. Starting today, I’m determined to lean in a bit closer to Christ, to carve out consistent time throughout the day to connect with Him, and to allow His Words to penetrate deep, changing me from the inside out. (Romans 12:1-2) I invite you to join me.

Now on a different note, can I share some happy news? It’s release day! Yay!

Restoring Love, a contemporary romance/women’s fiction with a strong romantic thread (book two in my Midwestern Romance series):

Mitch, a contractor and house-flipper, is restoring a beautiful old house in an idyllic Midwestern neighborhood. Angela, a woman filled with regrets and recently transplanted to his area, is anything but idyllic. She’s almost his worst nightmare, and she s also working on restoring something herself.

As he struggles to keep his business afloat and she works to overcome mistakes of her past, these two unlikely friends soon discover they have something unexpected in common, a young mom who is fighting to give her children a better life after her husband’s incarceration. While both Mitch and Angela are drawn to help this young mother survive, they also find themselves drawn to each other. Will a lifetime of regrets hold them back or unite them and bring redemption along with true love?

Now you’re turn! Do you typically make New Year’s Resolutions? Perhaps the better question is: Do you make and keep New Year’s Resolutions, and if so, any tips to share? If you don’t, do you have other ways to self-analyze and encourage personal growth, and if so, care to share? Join the conversation in the comments below because we can all learn from and encourage one another!

Posted in Honored Alumni, Jennifer Slattery, Uncategorized | Tagged Christmas, first steps, New Year's Resolution, stress | 3 Comments

Christmas Greetings

Posted on December 22, 2016 by tararandel

Here’s wishing you a joyful Christmas. Let us celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ the King, God’s perfect gift. I pray you have a wonderful holiday season with your family and enjoy special time with loved ones. Take time to reflect on 2016 and get ready for God to do amazing things in 2017!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Christmas, family, gift, love | 2 Comments

Christmas Memories

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Maureen Lang

With only days left until the most celebrated holiday of the year, my guess is your house is just about as busy as mine. Last minute buying and baking, cleaning and cooking! I’ve been trying to watch some of my favorite Christmas moves, like It’s A Wonderful Life and White Christmas but to avoid feeling guilty watching movies I can fairly quote line by line I’ve had them on in the background while I bake cookies or wrap presents. Double duty!

I hope you’re able to pause long enough to mark some memories before they all become a blur. For me, one of the best memories of this season was a trip to the Chicago Loop to see a theatrical rendition of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. It’s not A Christmas Carol or a more traditional Christmas play, but this was absolutely fantastic. If you haven’t read this book by Mark Haddon, you’re missing a treat. It’s a remarkable novel written from the point of view of an autistic teenager who discovers a neighbor’s dog has been killed. With single-minded focus only someone with such a capacity for this kind of focus, he sets out to investigate. The case leads him in very unexpected directions, and for the reader (or in this case the audience) it’s a path that’s both funny and piquant, but also a peek into what it must feel like to live within and with a brain that sees absolutely everything. It’s a sort of Extra Sensory Perception, but not in the classic sense of the phrase. Rather it’s a sensory experience that goes beyond what the rest of of see or feel or hear.

It was an amazing book and an amazing production, so if you get the chance to read the book or see the play, don’t miss it!

The entire day was special to me, since I spent it with loved ones out to enjoy the season. We had lunch at an Irish pub (if you can’t find one in Chicago, you can’t find one anywhere!) then visited the Kris Kringle Mart where we saw pigeons warming themselves by the eternal flame, saw the big tree in Marshall Field’s (okay, so technically it’s been Macy’s for years, but I still can’t call the State Street store anything else, especially this time of the year) and had dessert at the Magnolia Bakery. I refuse to count calories this time of the year, though I’m sure I’ll be paying for it in January.

May this Christmas memory inspire you to create a special day of your own this season! Merry Christmas!

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The Grace of Joseph by Hannah Alexander

Posted on December 20, 2016 by alexanderhodde

Our Clash verse today was about Joseph dealing with Mary’s unexpected pregnancy. Being a law-abiding Jew, he knew that legally he would need to divorce Mary–until he was told differently, of course. But because he was a man of mercy and sensitivity, he was not going to humiliate her–or worse, have her punished severely. He sought to divorce her privately to spare her. God chose a man of kindness and compassion to be the earthly father of Jesus.

We know God does everything with good reason. I wish I knew more about Joseph, the legal guardian of the Savior. Obviously, he sought to do the right thing, but he had a heart of grace. We can get into all kinds of discussions about how much Jesus knew of His Godhood when he was growing up, but for as long as Joseph was alive, I believe he served as a guide where truth and grace grew alongside one another.

Jesus knew how to combine grace and truth because He was God, but God the Father does nothing without reason. He placed His Son in the right family.

I need to remember that next time I get all caught up in the rules and forget to have grace for the fallen woman, the wayward child, the drug addict, or even those who go out of their way to hurt me or my loved ones. Ouch. That’s a hard one. But don’t you think Joseph was deeply hurt when he heard of Mary’s pregnancy? He suffered humiliation alongside her when the tongues wagged. How I wish I was more like Joseph.

Posted in Hannah Alexander, Uncategorized | Tagged Mercy and the law, the earthly father of Jesus, The grace of Joseph | Leave a comment

The Birth Of The Savior Through A Mother’s Eyes

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Author Mary Alford

It’s the time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior. An amazing time where God’s love can been seen in the birth of His Son. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

When I think about that first Christmas and how everything had to work together just perfectly for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem, I’m in awe of God’s love for His creation.

mary-mother-of-jesus-christ

But can you imagine how Mary must have felt when she learned that she would be the mother of the Savior? Most scholars agree that Mary was probably still a teenage girl when the angel delivered the news that she would give birth to the Messiah. Being betrothed but not yet married, she had to realize what everyone would think about her, yet Mary’s faith was strong.

journey

Now, let’s fast forward nine months. A very pregnant Mary must travel with Joseph to Bethlehem. The journey itself had to be grueling, but for a pregnant woman ready to give birth at any moment…I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for her. As she and Joseph made the trip, they must have noticed the star shining so bright. Would Mary have wondered about its significance? Did she know it would guide others to her Son?

stable

Then after the exhausting journey, Mary and Joseph finally arrive in Bethlehem only to find that there is no room for them anywhere in town. The only place for rest is in a dirty stable. The Savior of the world would be born under lowly circumstances.
shephards

When the shepherds came to see the Child, telling the young couple about the good news shared to them by the angels, what was Mary’s reaction? For such a young woman, it must have been hard to grasp everything that was happening. The miracle of Jesus’ birth, just as God had announced in Micah and she was the one to give birth to Him.

wisemen

Once the wise men arrived with gifts for the newborn King, Mary’s thoughts had to be spinning. The intelligent, wealthy men were there to honor her Son?

And as the young Messiah grew, I wonder if she understood what His future held? Did she know He would die for her and for an entire world separated from God by sin? Did she understand the heartache and pain that awaited her when she watched her Son die on the cross?

maryholdingjesus

All those horrible things would come in the future, but on that first Christmas Day, I think Mary, like all mothers of the world, held her baby Boy in her arms and wondered what the future would hold for Him.

And what an amazing future it was. Merry Christmas!

All the best…

Mary Alford

http://www.maryalford.net

Posted in Mary Alford, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

New Christmas Traditions

Posted on December 15, 2016 by bethrachg

by Elizabeth Goddard

Every Christmas of my life I have spent at home with my parents. But that’s changing this year. Mom passed on to be with the Lord in April, and whether I want the change or not, it has happened. Christmas won’t be the same without her. Now seems like the right time to change everything about how we’ve celebrated Christmas as a family for decades.

My mother loved Christmas. I think she must have decorated every inch of the house. She always made sure, too, that her kiddoes had plenty of gifts from Santa, and the tradition carried on with the grandchildren. I found myself stressing over wanting to please my mother, hoping that the appropriate display of toys from Santa for my children met with her approval. She was the glue that kept us all together over Christmas. No matter where we lived we traveled hundreds ( or thousands) of miles through ice and snow to be home for that special holiday.

How I loved that moment when I walked into my parents’ home (my childhood home) and breathed in those good and warm smells that come with the season, and saw all the decorations. Saw the loving smile on her face (and Dad’s).

With her passing it seems that everyone has spread their wings to fly off in new directions and start new traditions. I have to think of my kids still at home with me. How can I make my home the kind of place they want to bring their spouses for Christmas?

I’m going to miss Mom terribly. But the good news is I will see her again one day because she is with the Lord now, whose birth we celebrate on this most special of all holidays.

Will this Christmas be a first Christmas without a loved-one for you? If so, I pray for God’s grace and peace in your life as you remember them, and also celebrate Christ’s birth. How wonderful that God sent his only son!

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14 (NIV)

May you have a blessed and Merry Christmas!

Elizabeth Goddard

—

P.S. If you love romantic suspense never miss a book. Follow me on Bookbub!

Meet the Wilde brothers in Wilderness, Inc. TARGETED FOR MURDER available now. UNDERCOVER PROTECTOR coming in January!

Posted in Elizabeth Goddard, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Wrapped Christmas Movies by Julie Arduini

Posted on December 14, 2016 by juliearduini

I glanced at the post most likely on Facebook or Pinterest and kept scrolling. Our eighteen year old, loyal in keeping and creating traditions, showed me the same post and announced he was going to do it.

What’s our new tradition?

The wrapped Christmas movies.

We’ve had a lot of fun with this and added our own spin to it. I thought I’d share our process in case you want to prepare for next year.

First, our son created a Christmas movie master list. We don’t own everything on DVD, so he researched what was available on Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube.

Here’s his list:

ELF[DVD]
Miracle on 34th Street [DVD/Netflix]
Christmas with the Kranks [Netflix]
Ernest Saves Christmas [Netflix]
Polar Express [DVD]
Saving Santa [Netflix]
White Christmas [Netflix]
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Animated or not?)
Charlie Brown Christmas [DVD]
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town [DVD]
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer [DVD]
Year Without A Santa Claus (DVD)
Little Drummer Boy (DVD)
The Nativity Story (YouTube)
A Christmas Story [DVD]
A Madea Christmas [YouTube)
Prep and Landing [DVD]
Mickey’s Christmas Carol [DVD]
Prep and Landing 2 [DVD]
Nightmare Before Christmas [YouTube]
Arthur Christmas [Sling]
How I Met Your Mother – How Lily Stole Christmas (S. 2 Ep. 11 – Netflix)
1. Friends – The One With The Routine (S. 6 Ep. 10 – Netflix)
Parks and Recreation – Citizen Knope (S. 4 Ep. 10 – Netflix)
1. Seinfeld – The Strike (S. 9 Ep. 10 – Hulu)
Friends – The One With The Holiday Armadillo (S. 7Ep. 10 – Netflix)
1. The Office – Christmas Party (S. 2 Ep. 10 – Netflix)
Arthur’s Perfect Christmas (Dailymotion)

Drake and Josh Christmas?

Our basket of wrapped Christmas movies, the bag with numbers, and the stack of movies we’ve already unwrapped.

Once he found his movies, he found my wrapping paper and all the DVD cases we had in the house. If there was a movie we didn’t own, he wrote the title out on a scrap piece of paper and taped it to a random DVD cover. Then, he wrapped every DVD.

Our thirteen year old created a twist. She cut slips of paper and numbered them 1-25, and then repeated the process. One stack of those numbers she put in a plastic bag. The second set of numbers she placed on each DVD. Once we started our new tradition on December 1, she’d reach in the bag and pick out a number. If she picked #6, she’d look through the basket of wrapped DVD’s until the found the wrapped DVD marked #6.

Fun, right?

For our daughter, she loved the unwrapping part. I think we’ve all enjoyed sitting down together and seeing what new movies/shows we could experience. With the classic movies, we’d look up behind-the-scenes tidbits. There were some shows I haven’t seen since I was a little girl. It was fun to talk about these things.

I also had fun on Facebook. I’d post clues on what movie we watched and entertained guesses.

I’m so glad we did this. We agreed not to get legalistic and force a movie if we were busy, and enough were shows that weren’t long that on a day we weren’t busy, we played catch up.

If you’re looking for a new Christmas season tradition, consider the wrapped Christmas movies. Are there any not on our list that you would add?

Posted in Julie Arduini, Uncategorized | Tagged Christmas, Classic movies, DVD, family, Hulu, Julie Arduini, Netflix, The Wrapped Christmas Movies by Julie Arduini, tradition, YouTube | 4 Comments

TSTL Syndrome by Kristen Heitzmann

Posted on December 13, 2016 by kristenheitzmann

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We’ve all experienced it, that TSTL moment in a story when everything has been going along just right. The character’s traits have been demonstrated: strength, courage, intelligence, maybe a little pluck, arrogance, or sarcasm to keep it fun, some grief, trial, or fear to engage the reader’s emotions. The plight has grown increasingly complicated because it’s a decent plot, good tension, nice character dynamics, a developing relationship of one kind or another.

We’re really into it, developing rapport and more—we feel like we’re in the story with leads we care about. And then it happens, that moment when the character does something Too Stupid To Live. What? Wait a minute, character. You’re not really—oh … yes you are. You’re going to do something inexcusable, because the author needs to raise the stakes, increase the suspense, put tension in the relationship, whatever.

But because we all know it’s the WRONG thing, the character needs to justify it. So her thoughts go: This is like one of those moments in a horror movie when the heroine goes into the dark basement and everyone screams don’t do it! But what choice do I have? I have to prove (fill in the blank) or save (fill in the blank) or just be stubborn because, doggonit, I won’t be told what to do or not do.

Even though there are other options, better choices, the character rationalizes against these. That’s where I stop caring. If it’s awful enough or continues, as it usually does, I might even wish bad things for this character. I skip pages. I start telling the other party, “Move on. Find someone with a brain, a heart, a conscience. This character is not worth it.”

As I was experiencing this in several books recently, I got to thinking that TSTL isn’t just in literature or movies. It’s real life. It’s human nature. I choose to do, say, or think something wrong and justify it, rejecting the better choice because, well, I’m TSTL. The Apostle Paul said he does what he doesn’t want and doesn’t do what he should. This is me, raising my hand.

In fiction, authors have the chance to overcome the tendency, to save the character from TSTL moments by making trouble come even though the character is doing her utmost to choose and behave wisely. Fiction or imagination can be a training ground for wiser, better living. But what happens when it doesn’t work?

Does God move on and decide we’re not worth it? Does he wish bad things for us? Does he skip pages in our lives? I’m so glad he doesn’t. Even when I’m TSTL, God loves me. He loves all of us when we justify our wrong choices, words, or actions. His disappointment is worse than mine about a story that falls short, but I know he’s rooting for me to do better next time. He is not only going to read to the end, he’s authored it.

I’m hoping this advent season can be a time of introspection, of preparation, of character development. A chance to stop making excuses and justifying the wrong things and prepare a manger, no matter how humble, in our hearts for the infant Jesus to come and dwell. His incarnation is my hope and joy, because he walked among us, the frail, faulty characters in the book of life. O Come, Emanuel. Rejoice, rejoice!

Posted in Honored Alumni, Kristen Heitzmann, Uncategorized | Tagged Advent, character development, Christians Read, God's love, kristen heitzmann, TSTL | 9 Comments

The Christmas Spirit by Vicki Hinze

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Vicki Hinze

Vicki Hinze, The Christmas Spirit

The Christmas Spirit

I’m hearing from many of you that you’re having trouble finding the Christmas Spirit this year. I understand your notes far better than I wish I did. Yet the Christmas Spirit lives; I know it. You do, too, under the surface clutter that’s keeping you otherwise occupied. And the bottom line is that it’s up to us to dig through that clutter and make room in ourselves for the Christmas Spirit to rise.

Four weeks ago, Hubby broke his foot and had to have surgery. Needless to say that has been a challenge for him. He’s been preparing for hunting season for months, and when it opens, he’s sidelined. And physically restricted. That has been a bitter pill for him to swallow that’s impacted us all. We’ve been sidelined from attending the tree lighting ceremony, Christmas programs, choral concerts and all the festivities. It’s also made it impossible for us to get down from the attic the tree and decorations. So we’re not aided in finding the Christmas Spirit by the visuals and traditions we typically enjoy.

Yet we’re spending a lot of time with Christmas music, and online Christmas memes and articles and graphics. Christmas recipes and so much more. As I write this, I’m recalling the quote of “When a door closes, a window opens.” And that is a blessing. Oh, we could moan and groan about the circumstance, but that does nothing to change the circumstance only to drag your heart through the dirt during it. So we choose instead to look for the windows and to enjoy them.

Last night, I intended to read a Christmas book. It looks intriguing and has mystery, suspense and romance—my favorite elements in entertaining reads—but I found myself thinking instead. I don’t know if that is just the writer in me or all of the upset going on everywhere, but my thoughts took over.

I thought about the election and all the turmoil in it and after it. Can’t be helped. Part of the price of freedom and must be endured by all. Yet what stuck in my mind is all the fear people are feeling and how much of it has been and is being inflicted by those who are supposed to be leaders. Those who seemingly have forgotten that public service is indeed about serving the public and its best interests.

I found myself praying for my country. My people. For healing. For compassion and, frankly, for strength. We had an election. We have a winner. It’s over. Let it go, and stop deliberately trying to sow seeds of doubt into the outcome. Enough is enough. Lies, hypocrisy, fake crises—the public you serve, leaders, collectively has had more than enough.

After the prayer (which included asking for patience for me; I am in short supply and admit it), I thought back to prior times of fear and uncertainty. To instances where I or my family were in jeopardy. Then I looked to other countries and how much jeopardy they are in right now. And that brought to mind the real dangers Christ faced in His life. Dangers God knew He would face and watched play out, knowing how things would go and end for His Son. How heartbreaking that must have been, to be fully aware and not fearing the dubious or nebulous but with full knowledge. As a parent, the impact is staggering. Yet, God did it. They both did. For the love of us.

And then I felt it. That spark of hope and renewal. That spark of faith in the future. Christ was born. Not in a palace surrounded by guards willing to lay down their lives to protect Him. But to simple means and in a time of turmoil. He didn’t just exist, he flourished. Not without incidents or risks, not because His path was always smooth and His way clear. He flourished because He believed. His faith, though sorely tempted, remained steadfast.

Again, I paused from the travels inside my mind, and prayed for that for us. For steadfast faith. For the wisdom He seemed to innately know that we flawed people must seek. I prayed for it for all, particularly for those I know have been struggling, and that’s when it occurred to me. It seemed so simple then.

When the Christmas Spirit seems elusive, it isn’t it that isn’t at home in us. We are focusing inward on ourselves too intently, shutting the door inside us to it. But when we turn our thoughts and deeds to others, the window opens wide. And the spirit of Christmas floods in.

Christ didn’t have to do what He did for us. God didn’t have to do what He did and does for us. They chose to, not for themselves but for us. I’m sure as certain a perfect parent would spare His child. I’m sure as certain that child would skip the trials and tribulations, too. So why didn’t they? They couldn’t skip the bad stuff and get to the good stuff for us, so they endured, and because they did, we too can flourish.

And, for me, knowledge of that opens all the doors and windows into the Christmas Spirit.

Wishing you and yours many blessings and a very Merry Christmas!

Vicki

Posted in Uncategorized, Vicki Hinze | Tagged Christians Read, The Christmas Spirit, Vicki Hinze | 1 Comment

CELEBRATING THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

Posted on December 9, 2016 by yvon63

CHRISTMAS – What makes Christmas special? Decorations, carols, food, gifts, and time spent with those we love can certainly create a memorable legacy. But for Christians, Christmas is about more than personal tradition.

RECOGNIZE – It’s the day set aside to recognize the event that changed everything. It’s the celebration of the birth of Christ.

SEARCH – When the Magi recognized a star – a sign hidden in plain sight – as evidence of the birth of the Messiah, they went in search of him.

ENCOURAGE – In this third installment of Christmas Moments, 55 authors hope their stories will encourage others to recognize the evidence of Christ often hidden in plain sight in their own lives, and seek him not only at Christmas, but throughout the entire year.

BLESS – I am blessed and thrilled to share with readers and writers another Moments book that inspires, delights, changes lives, and gives opportunity for contributors to share their innermost feelings and personal stories.

CELEBRATE – In this seventh book in the Moments series, ADDITIONAL CHRISTMAS MOMENTS has 67 stories celebrating the True Spirit of Christmas.

SHARE – These stories in the series of Divine Moments books are written by multi-published and first-time-published authors who generously share their experiences without compensation, but with the joy of knowing all the royalties go to Samaritan’s Purse. Since 1970, that organization has helped victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through his son, Jesus Christ.

CONTRIBUTE – Contributors are: Cathy Ancewicz, Carolyn Barnum, Robin Bayne, Debby Bellingham, Charlotte Burkholder, Janet Campbell, LeAnn Campbell, Rebecca Carpenter, Autumn Conley Maresa DePuy, Sharon Dobbs, Susan Dollyhigh, Kristin Dossett, Terri Elders, Susan Engebrecht, Bonnie Mae Evans, Dorothy Floyd, Gayle Fraser, Janice Garey, Tommy Gilmore III, Jean Hall, Kristen Harmon, Kay Harper, Lydia Harris, Lori Hatcher, Karen Hessen, Helen Hoover, Terri Kelly, Nancy Kopp, Luke Lehman, David Lehman, Yvonne Lehman, Diana Leagh Matthews, Beverly McKinney, Mary McQueen, Norma Mezoe, Julie Miller, Lynn Mosher, Vicki Moss, Marilyn Nutter, Diana Owens, Colleen Reece, Alisha Ritchie, Robert Robeson, David Russell, Toni Sample, Beverly Sce, June Schmidt, Annmarie Tait, Donn Taylor, Denise Valuk, Jen Waldron, Barbara Wells, Kathy Whirity, Debra DuPree Williams.

Other books in this series are Divine Moments, Christmas Moments, Spoken Moments, Precious Precocious Moments, More Christmas Moments. Loving Moments is scheduled for early 2017. I am now receiving submissions for:

Coola-nary Moments – stories of culinary mishaps, extraordinary cooking stories, and recipes
Romantic Moments – love stories, dating, falling in love, marriage, weddings, bridesmaids, lost love, etc. etc.
Questionable Moments – based on authors’ response to questions asked by God/Jesus in the Bible, or implied, such as: “Where are you?” “Where are you going?” “Do you love me?” “Do you believe?” etc.
Merry Christmas Moments (Book #4) – for 2017

If you would like to share an experience, contact me at Yvonnelehman3@gmail.com

Posted in Uncategorized, Yvonne Lehman | Leave a comment

Traditions by Tara Randel

Posted on December 8, 2016 by tararandel

The holidays are a special time of the year, a time we spend with family and friends enjoying each other’s company and counting our blessings.

There are certain Christmas traditions I keep repeating each year. When I was growing up, my mother decorated every inch of our house with festive decor. My father strung lights on the house every year, no matter if there was snow on the ground or not. I have ornaments from when we were kids that I still put on my tree today. There were even the years my brother managed to knock over the fully decorated tree, but thankfully my mother put a stop to that tradition before it caught on.

I got married and started a family, continuing the merry tradition of getting carried away with the decorations. My daughters looked forward to watching me unpack my snowman collection, which grew and grew every year until it got out of control. But it was something they will always remember. They always helped their father with the outdoor lights. Now, I go shopping with my grown daughter and watch her buy decorations she will one day pass on to her family.

When the girls were young, my mother sewed Christmas dresses for them every year. I love looking back at those pictures, to the smiles on their faces while they modeled the newest outfit. We always went to church together, even sang a special song together as a family in front of the entire congregation from time to time.

My oldest daughter passed away a few years ago. When I was finally able to put up a Christmas tree again, I used the tree she bought when she moved into her first apartment. While seeing it decorated is bittersweet, it is a tradition I will probably keep every year because she will always be in my heart.

I don’t have any grandchildren yet, but I can’t wait to see which traditions carry over to them, as well as new traditions the family will embrace. This is what makes the holidays so special, in my humble opinion.

Reading is always an important part of the holidays. I love to curl up by the fire, with a warm mug of cocoa or tea, and get lost in a good book. This year, I have a story in A Heartwarming Holiday, 15 new connected holiday stories set in Christmas Town, Maine. Experience a sweet and romantic Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year all for 99 cents!

In Cooking Up Christmas, Gabi Fortier, general manager of the Blue Spruce Mountain Resort, can’t wait to reopen the lodge just in time for Christmas. A traditional girl, she loves living in Christmas Town and can’t wait to fill every room with heirloom decorations from the original lodge owners. Until new head chef, Simon Tucker, who doesn’t have much Christmas spirit, asks her to keep the decorating down to a minimum. For a woman who loves Christmas, is that even possible?

“I like it here,” Simon said, looking out the window as they cruised down Main Street. The city workers were attaching light-up star decorations to the lampposts. Holly had already been hung on the white-picket fences surrounding the town square. “Even if everything revolves around Christmas.”

“What? You don’t like the holidays?”

He shrugged. “As much as anyone, I suppose.”

“Well, I love Christmas. Trust me, when the lodge opens, it’s going to be Christmas Central.”

As she motored past the square her heart soared. A tall evergreen stood in the center. Soon it would be time for the lighting celebration, one of Gabi’s favorite nights of the year. She loved the look of wonder on the children’s faces when the bright lights illuminated the night sky. Loved the spirit of hope permeating the entire town. Christmas was the one time of year she let her hair down, so to speak. She loved tree trimming, baking cookies and shopping for gifts. Most of all, she loved the true giving spirit of the season.

“Do me a favor,” came Simon’s deep voice. “Keep the dining room clear of decorations.”

No Christmas decor? The comment startled her. “Not possible. This is the first Christmas under new management. We’re going to do it big.”

I hope you enjoy Cooking Up Christmas. Make reading this collection your own holiday tradition!

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Amazon: http://amzn.to/29UzXDe

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Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA TODAY bestselling author of thirteen novels. Family values, a bit of mystery and, of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. She is currently working on new stories for Harlequin Heartwarming, The Business of Weddings series, as well as books in a new series, Amish Inn Mysteries. Visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at Tara Randel Books