Goodness Comes from Nazareth. The good news out of Nazareth was calculated to be fourteen generations. The Israelites longed for the promise from God that a Savior was coming. Their hope was shaky in times of crisis, as is our country and world today. People are divided, disappointed, angry, hurting, suffering, afraid, and corruption and […]

The Vessel – If I knew nothing of the Bible and was put on a task force to help God come up with a plan for the arrangements for his Son becoming human, I know just what I would recommend. A well-established family with some influence. Proven parents who showed evidence of doing the job […]

When is the last time you rejoiced? Not just be happy or pleased, but really rejoiced? And what was the circumstance? For me, I only rejoice when a dream or passionate desire is fulfilled. Always after the event has happened. But Mary is told to rejoice before Jesus is even conceived. How can a young […]

I can only imagine how overwhelming this moment must have been for Mary. One minute, she is living her quiet, ordinary life, and the next she is standing before an angel who brings a message that will change the world. Yet the angel’s first words are not instructions or demands, but they are comfort. “Do […]

While I haven’t given birth to a son, I have given birth to two daughters — one of whom chose both her and her sister’s names all on her own. Right after Genevieve was born, the doctors laid her on my chest. Mike and I ooooh’ed and ahhh’ed, as new parents do, and then I […]

I try to put myself in Mary’s place and imagine my reaction to Gabriel’s message.  A young, virgin, unwed girl is told by a stranger that she will give birth to a son who will be Son of the Most High and a king on the throne of David.  I believe that my reaction would […]

As we draw closer to Christmas, this verse reminds us that everything about the birth of Jesus began with the Holy Spirit. The angel’s words to Mary reveal that it was not through human strength or effort, but by the divine presence of God’s Spirit that this holy miracle would take place. Mary’s response was […]

Then Mary said: ​“I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said.” ​Mary’s life took a dramatic turn when God sent His messenger, Gabriel, to announce that she had been chosen to bear Jesus, the Son of the Most High.  Mary is a virgin pledged in marriage to Joseph.  She […]

Poor Joseph. Advent arrives each year with angel choirs and candlelight, but Joseph’s story begins with awkward silence and confusion. He’s an honest, law-abiding man who just learned his fiancée is pregnant—and he knows he’s not the father. This is not the “Joy to the World” moment he had imagined. Yet even in heartbreak, Joseph […]

In this verse from Matthew’s Christmas story, Joseph is struggling with a difficult decision: how to handle the unexpected and inexplicable pregnancy of his fiancée.  His initial inclination was to solve the problem on his own, as quickly as possible, based on his own assessment of what he thought best for Mary (as is the tendency […]

When someone begins a conversation with “don’t be mad…”, what is your initial response? Does your heart race a little faster, and does the pace of your breathing change? Maybe you can remember a friend or a family member starting a conversation in such a way that led to a dynamic conversation. I remember anytime […]

When Becca was pregnant with our son, she and I had several discussions about what his name should be. They started out with options for a boy and options for a girl, and then once we knew we were expecting a son, we pretty quickly narrowed it down to the name, “Samuel.” We decided on […]

Fulfilling the Prophecy – My Bible has a footnote for this verse in Matthew that refers to Isaiah 7:14 – “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.  Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel.” I am struck by the word “Look”, which I […]

We know little about Joseph’s life from the Bible, yet his quiet example has been a source of faith and inspiration in my own journey. When I reflect on him, two qualities stand out: the silent strength of his faith and the gentle beauty of a hidden life. Joseph teaches us the power of silence […]

It seems strange at first that the story of Christ’s birth takes place in the midst of such a worldly activity – enrolling in the tax lists, or as some versions put it, participating in a census. This introduction anchors the story of Christ’s birth to a specific time in our history, and it provided […]

When you read this passage, what stood out to you? Perhaps it was the lineage of Joseph. Joseph belonged to the house of David and his family line. Joseph was part of the family tree of King David. That was a big deal to say that you were part of the line of David. If […]

As a mom of two energetic boys—ages 7 and 4—I often find myself thinking about Mary at Christmastime. Luke tells us simply, “the time came.” Such gentle words… but any mother knows the depth behind them. The waiting. The wondering. The discomfort. The anticipation feels like it might just stretch on forever. I remember waiting […]

As I read today’s verse, I can’t help but imagine what Mary must have felt in that moment. As a mother, I know the mixture of emotions and exhaustion that follows birth. Mary faced it without the comforts I took for granted. No quiet hospital room, no soft blankets and ice chips, no place prepared […]

Growing up I was used to hearing the King James version of the Christmas story with the shepherds “keeping watch over their flocks by night.”  My mind’s eye would see something very pastoral, very sanitized, very safe – like Charlie, Linus, and the Peanuts Christmas play transported to a starry, cheery night in ancient Jerusalem. […]

How many times have you, an ordinary church member sat in a church committee meeting or a Sunday School class or even a planning session for a Mission Team and witnessed a “Brilliant”proposal or idea to “Enlighten” our dark world with the love, grace and mercy of Jesus presented and the first response from the […]

The first words spoken to the shepherds that night were “Don’t be afraid”. Those words mattered. The shepherds were ordinary people. They were overworked and living under the weight of political tension and economic uncertainty. Fear was part of their everyday lives. The same as it is for us today. Our world, right now, is […]

Luke 2:11 (NKJV)- 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. The shepherds were living in the fields near the manger in Bethlehem. The shepherds kept watch over the sheep at night because there were predatory animals and thieves to worry about. The […]

Imagine—these shepherds have just been told by an Angel that the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord of the world, has just been born not far from where they were tending their sheep. While no accurate worldwide population records were kept at the time of the birth of Jesus, it is estimated that the world population […]

The shepherds didn’t just go back to their fields after the angels returned to heaven. They didn’t question their humble status in the community or decide among themselves who would go so the others could watch the flocks. No! They knew that it was the Lord who sent the angels to deliver the good news […]

My name is Jimmy, and the verse today is Luke 2:20.  Of course, all of this is centered around the Christmas story in Luke’s gospel. It is a story we all know by heart; most of you can say it word for word since you have heard it repeated from childhood. It is a great […]