You Only Want Christ at Christmas?

“Jesus is the reason for the season”

”Keep Christ in Christmas”

There’s so much hype about this within Christian circles during the Christmas season-bumper stickers, magnets, signs, cards, ornaments. It’s EVERYWERHE during Christmas. But why do we only want Jesus to be the reason for the Christmas season? Why do we only want to keep Him in Christmas? It’s like we put Him in this little box and make sure to focus on Him when we’re “supposed to”. And then when the season is over, we take down our signs, magnets, ornaments and put Him away till next year. Then the cycle starts all over again.

Maybe if we remembered this more than just during Christmas, we wouldn’t have such a hard time getting through the rest of the year.

Maybe if we kept Jesus out all year long, we wouldn’t forget that He is “Emmanuel-God with us”. Emmanuel doesn’t mean that He’s only with us during the Christmas season. Emmanuel is the name given to Him-who was, who is, and who is to come.

So if Jesus is Emmanuel, that means He’s more than just Christmas. He’s more than just a season.

Maybe we could take it further and remember that He is the reason for EVERY season-spring, summer, winter, fall-and our LIFE seasons. What if we put as much energy into making Jesus the focus of the Christmas season into Him being the focus in whatever season we are in, in life! It’s all about Him anyway-“For in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

Jesus is IN EVERY SEASON. He is EMMANUEL. And the reason Emmanuel is in every season is so that we can know Him more in everything we face. Philippians 3:8 says, 

                    “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing

                    greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost 

                    all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ…” 

In every season, whether joyful or full of sorrow, we always learn more about who Jesus is, His character and His sovereignty. In every season, something is lost in order to gain something new. What we gain when we keep Jesus IN every season and the REASON for the season, is knowing Him in a greater, more personal way than we ever have before. Every time we know Jesus in a greater way, we become more like Him and we lose what we knew before-who we were before. But the beauty is, is that it is replaced with something so much more beautiful.

He shows Himself to us in ways we may have otherwise missed if we kept Him packed away, only bringing Him out “at the right time”. NOW is the right time to bring Him out-KEEP Him out. HE is the reason for every season…IN every season.

To know Christ is the greatest thing. Nothing compares to it. So, why would we only want Him during Christmas?

A Tribute: What Will My Legacy Be?

I went to a funeral today, of a man who was my principal when I was in 2nd and 3rd grade. His name was Pastor Parker. I remember walking down the halls and seeing him and he was always whistling and always took time to give me a hug, smile, or say hello. He carried himself with grace and integrity and radiated God's love to everyone like I have never seen before. He was soft-spoken, but always spoke the truth in love. He laughed a lot, but took his job very seriously. He was so sincere in his conversations and made everyone feel like the most important person in the world. He took time for people...made them a priority. Pastor Parker was Jesus with skin on. Going to his memorial service today and hearing even more of who he was as a man, friend, father, and husband confirmed even more in my heart what I remember of him all those years ago. As I sat there and listened to all the memories people had of him, how he lived his life and what his priorities were, it really made me think about my life...and the legacy I will/want to leave. Everything Pastor Parker did pointed back to Jesus. Jesus is the reason he did everything he did and was the One he did everything for. He had a childlike faith that God could do what He said He could do...and he lived it. Every single day. He fulfilled the purpose God had for him, without reserve...without excuses. Pastor Parker knew why he was here and lived everyday to the fullest. He was a man you could count on to follow through on his word. He was a humble servant who always went the extra mile...even more...just because he loved Jesus and loved the people he was with. Pastor Parker ran his race...and ran it with purpose...and ran it well. He never gave up. Always trusted. Always persevered. Pastor Parker was a man of integrity...a man after God's own heart.

So, as I've pondered his life and what he has left behind, I ask myself and you:

~What/Who are we living for?
~What are our priorities and are they in the right order?
~What will people say/remember about us?
~Are we living out to the fullest God's calling on our lives?
~What will our legacy be?

Thank you, Pastor Parker for showing me what it means to be a servant...what it means to be a follower after God's own heart. Can't wait to see you in heaven and give you another hug <3 p="">

Stop Running...I love you.

so...the past couple days have been downers for me. things have just felt off. i lost my drivers license. my heart was hurting. i cried. i didn't write in my journal much. and just felt...disconnected. there were lots of things going through my head/heart...knowing i just needed to SIT and be with Jesus for a while. to slow down and let it all out...pour out my heart to Him and acknowledge what He was speaking to me...and be honest about what was going through my heart. but the thing was, i never did that. i kept trying to do it on my own. i kept running...and getting no where. i kept pushing down what was really there and deeming it unimportant. that i would deal with it later, but for now i need to just keep moving on...and do it myself. dude. i was SO MISERABLE! i was seriously falling apart on the inside! those who know me well probably could tell something was up...but for all the others, i put up the front that i was completely fine. no help needed here. i got it all under control. well...yesterday one of my devos was talking about how we need to slow down and just sit with Jesus. people on the outside might not know that you need it or notice a difference when you don't spend time with Jesus...but YOU do...and God does. that got me...but i didn't DO anything about it. this morning as i was reading my Bible, verses started popping out and being so relevant to my heart, i felt like i needed to write them down. i pushed that aside. finally God was like "Hey...write those verses down." so...i did. and in the course of my time with Him, He not only spoke through His word...He spoke with His mouth, straight to my heart. honesty. real. raw. gentle. love. TRUTH. this is what He said:

"This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel says: 'In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, "No, we will fell on horses." Therefore you will flee! You said, "We will ride off on swift horses." Therefore your pursuers will be swift'...Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him. O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. how gracious He will be when you cry for help! As soon as He hears, He will answer you. Although the LORD gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction...Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.' Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered in gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, 'Away with you!'...when the LORD binds up the bruises of His people and heals the wounds He inflicted." ~Isaiah 30:15-16,18-22,26)

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." ~Galatians 5:1

"Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. My soul will be satisfied...Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me." ~Psalm 63:3,5,7-8

Stop running from Me. Stop hiding. My desire is to help you...to give you rest. But you are rejecting me, putting your trust in yourself, your plans and understanding, and others to help you and save you. 

I am the only One who can rescue. I am the only One who can redeem. I am the only One who can truly heal the broken pieces of your heart. 

Why are you running from Me? Why do you reject My help-My loving hand? Do you think I have not heard your cries for help? Are you discouraged because I have been silent and you think I have forgotten you? Are you angry with Me for not answering the way you had hoped? 

Oh, Child-stop trusting in human understanding. Stop putting your hope in mere idols. Do you not know they can do nothing for you? They are created by human hands-human thoughts. They cannot and will not help you. 

Put your hope in Me.

I see you. I REALLY see you, My Beloved. You do not believe this because you are so busy desiring to be seen by others. I SEE YOU.

I delight in you. But you do not see or believe this because you are too busy delighting in and trying to be delighted in by others. I DELIGHT IN YOU.

I sing songs over you. But you do not hear these songs because you are too busy singing for others...and having them sing over you. I SING SONGS OVER YOU.

I desire to quiet you with My love-I LOVE YOU. But you do not see or feel or believe this love because you are so busy desiring to be loved by others. do you not see that there is no quieting your spirit/heart when you seek to be loved? Do you not feel restless dying to please others? Does your love not become based on fear-of rejection, abandonment, not being good enough, being too much, not being enough? 

Beloved, I long to quiet those fears with My love. My perfect love that casts out all fear. Do you not know that My love is better than life itself? Do you not know that you can rest in Me-in My love feast? That we can abide together in who I AM-and you will always be satisfied?

Dear One, this is My desire-that you would know Me in ALL My fullness. That you would cease striving-REST-and know that I am God. That you would know in the deepest depths of your being:

I SEE YOU.
I DELIGHT IN YOU.
I SING SONGS OVER YOU.
I LOVE YOU.

Love,
Your Lover and King
Your Daddy

my declaration of DEpendence

to the One who holds my hand through every season-
i will continue to cling to You.

to the One who collects all my tears in a bottle-
i will continue to cry, in joy or sadness.

to the One who sees and knows-
i will continue to believe that You care about every detail of my life.

to the One who created the heavens and the earth-
i will always stand in awe.

to the One who is holy-
i will continue to believe that i am covered in Your righteousness.

to the One who makes all things new-
i will continue to believe in Your promises.

to the One who is just-
i will always thank You for Your grace.

to the One who is wisdom-
i will continue to believe that Your ways are the best.

to the One who is in control-
i will continue to trust in You.

to the One who gives more grace-
i will continue to get back up when i fall.

to the One who inhabits the praises of His people-
i will continue to sing.

to the One who always provides-
i will continue to be a cheerful giver.

to the One who is a refuge and shelter-
i will continue to run to You and hide in You.

to the One who has given me life-
i will give each breath back to You as a thank offering.

to the One who is my example-
i will continue to follow in Your steps.

to the One who calls-
i will answer.

to the One who beckons me-
i will seek You with all my heart.

to the One who loves me with an everlasting love-
i will love You.


to the One who holds all things together-
i will continue to lay my life down at Your feet.



"To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy-to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forever more! Amen." -Jude 24-25

Let That Be ENOUGH

Do you ever have those days where you're just...blah? And you're where you need to be but you're not all there? And when you're talking with someone, but you're not engaged and your mind feels a million miles away? And as you walk through your day it almost seems like you have a birds eye view and you're not really there but you see yourself walking and you wonder where you're really going?

Does any of this make sense?

Do any of you get where I'm at?

Because I am so there. And I so want to get out. I want to get to a place where I walk with my head up, fully engaged, and just...loving my life because I have a God who loves life and loves people and that's the reason why I'm here. To be love. Show love. LIVE love to those around me.

TO BE JESUS.

And it all comes down to a choice: me or God?

Am I going to choose to fix my eyes on me and my problems and concerns and what I want and hope for?

Or am I going to choose to fix my eyes-GAZE-on the One who knows my problems and concerns and is in control and already has a plan for me...and who IS MY HOPE?

In this world that is full of questions, I want to be unquestioning.

I don't want to question my God.
I don't want to question my Jesus.
I don't want to question God's promises.
I don't want to question who I am in Christ.
I don't want to question my future.
I don't want to question love...giving OR receiving it.
I don't want to question my purpose.
I don't want to question my identity.
I don't want to question.

I just want to TRUST.

I want to TRUST God...with my whole heart and lean not on my own understanding.
I want to TRUST Jesus...that through what He accomplished on the cross, I am free and forgiven.
I want to TRUST that what God says is truth...that He is good and what He does is good...and that He is who He says He is.
I want to TRUST that I am royalty, that I am seen as whole, that shame does not cover my face, that I have hope, that I am covered in robes of righteousness...that I am who the I AM says I am.
I want to TRUST that God's plans for my future are good and full of hope...and that He is already there...that I don't need to be afraid.
I want to TRUST that being radical with Jesus-love inside of me, no matter how ridiculous it seems to others and no matter the circumstance, is worth it because the One who IS love is worth it.
I want to TRUST that I am here FOR CHRIST, BECAUSE OF CHRIST and for a reason...a specific purpose that God has planned out, long before the world even began...and that even though I can not see it now, I can hold on to the hand who holds ALL things together.
I want to TRUST that my life is hidden with Christ in God and that my identity and security is not based on others and what they say or think or do, but that my life is found in CHRIST and He is my security.

Questioning these things is selfish because I am saying that my way is better and that I don't believe that Jesus is enough for me. It's saying that I am fine where I am, even though I'm not, but underneath, I'm longing for more. Questioning Jesus and the TRUTH of what He says is saying that I know better than He does.

Oh, Jesus...I DO NOT!!

My ways are not better than Your ways.
Apart from You, I am nothing and I can do nothing.
Without You, I am not fine where I am-

But with You I can climb the heights.
With You I climb a mountain.
With You I can scale a wall.
With You ALL things are possible!

With YOU, I have more than enough.

Jesus...let that be enough.