“Independence is the root of human sin, and it develops into conformity to the world.  It is the broad, self-asserting and dominant “me” that would be a god.  The first step, then, in the new life is surrender. Everything must be yielded to God, even the things that in themselves may be harmless.  Why?  For no other reason than to prove our will is wholly laid down and that God is all in all.”by ~ A.B. SimpsonThis quote stood out to me this week. For years I thought independence was a strength. I was proud of this characteristic; thankful for the courage and opportunities it brought to my life and even fostered this trait in my children. Perhaps I needed to rely on this crutch for that season of my life.But now I see independence as an obstacle between God and me and a difficult attachment to surrender.How do you view independence?  … [Read more...]

"One winter morning I awoke to see magnificent lines of frost stretching across my window panes. They seemed to rise with the sunshine and the bitter cold outside. They looked like little miracles that had been formed in the dark of night. I watched them in sheer amazement and marveled that such beautiful forms could be born during such a winter-cold night. Yet, as I pondered them I thought of how life is so like that. We live our long, worn days in the shadows, in what often feels like barren, cold winter, so unaware of the miracles that are being created in our spirits. It takes the sudden daylight, some unexpected surprise of life, to cause our gaze to look upon a simple, stunning growth that has happened quietly inside us. Like frost designs on a winter window, they bring us beyond life's fragmentation and remind us that we are not nearly as lost as we thought we were, that all the time we thought we were dead inside, beautiful things were being born in us."Joyce RuppPraying our … [Read more...]

When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.
~Henri Nouwen … [Read more...]

Nine requisites for contented living: - Health enough to make work a pleasure.  - Wealth enough to support your needs.  - Strength to battle with difficulties and overcome them.  - Grace enough to confess your sins and forsake them.  - Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished. - Charity enough to see some good in your neighbor.- Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others. - Faith enough to make real the things of God.  - Hope enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future.- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe … [Read more...]

People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas.  ~Author Unknown … [Read more...]

First Coming - Quote of the Weekby Madeleine L’EngleHe did not wait till the world was ready,till men and nations were at peace.He came when the Heavens were unsteady,and prisoners cried out for release.He did not wait for the perfect time.He came when the need was deep and great.He dined with sinners in all their grime,turned water into wine. He did not waittill hearts were pure. In joy he cameto a tarnished world of sin and doubt.To a world like ours, of anguished shamehe came, and his Light would not go out.He came to a world which did not mesh,to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.In the mystery of the Word made Fleshthe Maker of the stars was born.We cannot wait till the world is saneto raise our songs with joyful voice,for to share our grief, to touch our pain,He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!  … [Read more...]

If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: “God with us.” We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ. The greater truth of the holiday is His deity. More astonishing than a baby in the manger is the truth that this promised baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth!John F. MacArthur, Jr. … [Read more...]