Resolve And Praise

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Posted by Priscilla Carr, December 13, 2023

How are you doing this Christmas season? Have you completed all your shopping and fulfilled all the wishes of those who’ll receive your presents? Are you flustered while still looking for the perfect gift?  Are you longing for the end of the season already? The Christmas season can be a time of such joy, but it can also be such a time of struggle.

Some are struggling with wayward loved ones whose whereabouts are unknown. Others are struggling with loved ones who’ve made their way back home but are making home anything but a place of peace. Some are struggling with personal sickness or the lingering illness of loved ones. I’m struggling also—my mother’s dementia is making it more and more difficult to relate to her. I’m losing her day by day.  There are a myriad of things that can cause us to struggle, especially during this time of the year.   

So, what are you doing to cope? How are you dealing with all that makes this a season of struggle and exertion instead of peace? For Advent 2022, I participated in a small group study of Ann Voskamp’s book, The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas. I highly recommend it—you’ll get to know our Savior Jesus anew and get to celebrate that our Father is the perfect planner. Well, this year, some of us who participated in the study got together and recorded 5 Burst of Hope podcasts discussing our favorite passages and how they impacted us (I highly recommend it also).  The chapter entitled “Watching for Him Who is Enough” deals with struggling:

…rejoicing in the Lord happens while we still struggle in the now. Struggling and rejoicing are not two chronological steps, one following the other, but two concurrent movements, one fluid with the other. As the cold can move you deeper toward the fire, struggling can move you deeper toward God, who warms you with joy.  Struggling can deepen joy…The secret of joy is always a matter of focus:  a resolute focusing on the Father, not on the fears.[emphasis mine]. (p. 189)

Struggle and pain can sometimes be results of sin in our lives. But, sometimes they are not. Sometimes the Lord, in His sovereignty and plan, will cause or use circumstances in our lives to get our focus back on Himself. There’s a song by Cody Carnes that I’m really loving right now. It’s entitled “Run to the Father”, and I highly recommend it. My favorite line is, “So I’ll run to the Father again and again and again and again.” Feel free to add many, many more “again”s to that line—I always do. There is no limit to the number of times we can approach our Father.  He longs for us to bring our struggles to Him. He invites us to “… come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb.4:16 KJV). And each time we approach Him, we are focused on Him and have the opportunity to grow closer. But we have to choose to take Him up on His offer.

In Ann’s passage, she states, “The secret of joy is always a matter of focus:  a resolute focusing on the Father…” It’s commanding our focus to remain on our Father even when we’d rather not.  It’s willing ourselves to look to Him when we’d rather look away and at the difficulty that demands resolution right now. It’s resolving way before the struggle arrives to maintain our gaze on our Savior and not what would try to steal our focus. And when we do, our focus, along with our praise, can result in joy. Joy.  Joy, not when our struggles are over. Joy, “concurrent” with our struggles! 

I have learned a lot about the importance of praise since attending Touching Hearts, but I always wondered in the back of my mind why praise was so important.  I attend a church gathering that also emphasizes the importance of praise. When the pastor said, “God inhabits the praises of His people” (see Psalm 22:3) it all clicked for me. What greater testimony of our faith in God than when we praise Him before the struggle ends?  It’s our testament and expectation that Jesus is coming, and we’re relying on Him even in this struggle.  And we can praise Him because we know He will come, and we are resolutely gazing at Him as we await His resolution.  Even if His resolution is not what we expect, we can resolve to praise Him. 

Oh Lord, may I consistently live this way!

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet [resolve] I will rejoice [praise] in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places. [emphasis mine] (Habakkuk 3:17-19).

I pray you have a joy-filled Christmas as you resolve to praise Him. He’s worthy.

Priscilla Carr was born in NYC, but has lived in metro Atlanta since 1979. She is a Navy veteran trained in electronics which God used for a 30-year career at the FAA. She uses her training to provide audio support to Touching Hearts Ministries, and is the Editor and Producer of “A Burst of Hope” podcast. She began her adult new life in Jesus in 1990 right before leaving the Navy, and today she exudes her love for Jesus. She is the proud mama to two rambunctious fur kids, Gracie (Lab) and Faith (Pit-mix). Priscilla was encouraged by elementary teachers to write. She took creative writing courses in High School and college, but in the mid-eighties, she stopped writing. The desire to write has been recently reawakened, and she is thriving in her new writing adventure.

Unexpected Gifts

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Posted by Martha Wilson, December 5, 2023

Have you ever awakened in the overflow of the previous day's events? That is where I

find myself this morning. Yesterday was filled with six hours of preparation and podcast

recording. It was unlike any podcast days we had experienced before because my co-

host Kim Stanley and I were joined by four other “hope seekers.” We were all excited

about the assignment we had been given, but as we circled the table, I caught a

glimpse of the gifts awaiting us.

The table was filled with cups of hot coffee, books, notes, chocolate petit fours, and

home-baked Christmas cookies. Joy and excitement spilled over the edge of the table.

Gift upon gift was stacked high. The gift of friendship was very obvious. Graciously

included was the gift of being seen, heard, and valued. The gift of encouragement was

abundant. The gift of sharing deep heart thoughts of what we had learned through this

book. The gift of grace and love. The gift of laughter and tears.

But, there was an unexpected gift awaiting us.

One year ago, to date, we had been a part of an early morning Zoom Advent group. We

met around Ann Voskamp’s book, “The Greatest Gift.” That journey had so marked our

lives that we wanted to attempt to share it with many more this year. As you read today,

I hope that you will take time to find the podcast and join in the five episodes of six Hope

Seekers discussing this precious Advent journey. (Click here to listen.)

The Latin word “Advent“ means “coming.” It begins in the Old Testament when the

prophecy of the Messiah's first coming was spoken. All awaited the fulfillment of this

promise.  Every Christmas, we celebrate that God wrapped Himself in the flesh and

came as a baby in a manager. This baby Jesus grew to be a man who made His way to

the cross to give us everlasting life. Now, we await His glorious second coming.

Much of the world celebrates Christmas but completely misses the gift of Jesus, The

Greatest Gift.  Ann’s book helps us to slowly unwrap this most wonderful “love story of

Christmas!”

As the six of us leaned into the microphone, our hearts raced with words that brought

life to us and that we hoped would bring life to you also. The record button was pressed,

and we had no idea that God would come so near. He sat with us and breathed life into

us as we journeyed through 25 days of advent in one sitting. Our hearts raced with

hope. Faith increased, and peace settled within.  Right there, on December 1, 2023,

Christmas came to all of our hearts.

Emmanuel, God With Us, came very near.  It was unexpected, but so much was

received. It wasn’t about presents or decorations, goodies prepared, or families

gathered. It was about Jesus and His great love coming to save us.  His presence was

so obvious that we felt as if we could touch Him. And we did with our hearts, words,

laughter, and tears.

“The Present is His presence, and the greatest present you always have to give is His presence.” (Ann Voscamp)

Let’s be careful not to miss the unexpected gifts this Christmas. Don’t get snagged in

the hurry that you miss His glorious presence. He waits to come near to your heart. To

sit at your table and speak life, hope, joy, and peace into your world.  You may find Him

in a song. A smile or a hug. The sharing of a special treat. A card. A word. A podcast, or

a devotion.

He has come! He is here! Waiting to be seen and experienced.

“So now we pause. Still. Ponder. Hush. Wait.

Each day of Advent, He gives you the gift of time,

 so you have time to be still and wait.” Ann Voskamp

“The Giver becomes the Gift.” Ann Voskamp 

A Burst of Hope Podcast

Free Resources from Ann Voskamp

thegreatestchristmas.com

Martha Wilson is a writer, speaker, blogger and co-host of “A Burst of Hope” weekly podcast. She is the founder and director of Touching Hearts Ministries for women. She has led women to pursue an intimate relationship with Jesus for most of her adult life. She is bold, tender, and transparent as she teaches women to embrace powerful Biblical truths. Martha and her husband, Ed, live in Fayetteville, Georgia, and enjoy their blended family of five children, eight grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. You can connect with Martha at: Facebook and Instagram @TouchingHeartsMinistries or listen to the A Burst of Hope Podcast.

Self-Care Is Not Selfish

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Posted by Pat Elsberry, November 27, 2023

As is typical of most women, especially mothers, we are always running around caring for everyone. We have many roles and juggle so many things we could easily work for Barnum & Bailey! Cook. Taxi driver. Social director. Wife. Mother. Lover. Friend. Teacher. Nurse. Cleaning lady. The list goes on and on, and in many cases, this is all on top of holding down a full-time job. Phew! With responsibilities like this, it’s unsurprising that taking care of ourselves falls to the bottom of the list.

It can be overwhelming when we place all of these daily responsibilities on top of an upcoming major holiday. As we begin the countdown to Christmas, the pressure is on, and to add to the mix, holidays can combine joy and sorrow.

If you begin feeling overwhelmed by the weight of everything, permit yourself to take some time for yourself. Self-care is not selfish.

We cannot pour from an empty vessel.

If you’re feeling anxious or the memories of those no longer with you begin to overwhelm you, take a moment to breathe. I’ve always loved Christmas, and I’m grateful that the tough and heavy grief has eased considerably as the years have passed. However, there may still be moments when we need to step back and minister to ourselves. This may sound foreign to you, especially if you’re a caretaker, but making room in our lives for ourselves is crucial. Even Jesus often stepped away to become refreshed as he spent time with the Father.

Over the years, I’m thankful for some “A-Ha” moments the Holy Spirit has shown me. I hope that sharing them will help relieve any burden you may be feeling and allow you the freedom to take a moment for yourself:

My 1st A-Ha moment:

It’s OK if you are not strong, and it’s OK to cry!

It is!! No more swallowing tears and no more Wonder Woman routines! I read a fabulous article based on the Bible’s shortest scripture–Jesus wept. The following is an excerpt taken from “Why It’s So Important that Jesus Wept” by Bethany Verrett:

“Jesus knew the will of God and that Lazarus would be returned to life. He did not weep because

He was uncertain of His ability to do this miracle or because He feared Lazarus would stay

dead. Jesus wept because He experienced and understood the same feelings as the people around

Him.

The Lord Jesus lived a perfect life, overcoming sin, suffering, and even death itself despite being

clothed in flesh and subject to human weaknesses. Despite living a perfect life, standing before a

tomb, He cried. For people, it does show that it is OK to grieve, to process strong emotions and

terrible situations, and to cry.”

Even though Jesus knew Lazarus would rise and live, he cried because he was grieving for his friend. He mourned. He knew what it meant to be heartbroken and crushed in spirit. If crying is good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me! If you see me and I shed a tear, don’t worry–it’s all good.

My 2nd A-Ha moment:

Don’t worry about whether your sadness makes others uncomfortable. Embrace your feelings and allow yourself the time to feel. If others don’t understand, it’s OK. Perhaps they may have never experienced loss. If you think about how fortunate they have not encountered such a loss, that leaves one sorrowful.

My 3rd A-Ha moment:

It’s OK to take time for YOU!

Instead of being the last person on your list, we must intentionally focus on ourselves. This means different things to each of us. For me, starting small is always best. When I’m focused on self-care, these are a few things I commit to do:

· Walking each day for 30 minutes. Being outside in the fresh air, looking up at Heaven, brings me peace. My pace may be slow, but I’m not in a race.

· Drink 64 oz. of water. This may seem silly, but remaining hydrated does so much for the body and the mind.

· Begin your day with Jesus, whether reading the Bible, journaling, listening to a podcast, reading your favorite devotion, or simply sitting with the Lord and pouring your heart out to Him. If we begin our day with Jesus, it changes our entire perspective. With Him, we can handle anything that comes our way!

We need to use self-care. It is not an act of selfishness. My faith continues to sustain me, and the time I spend with my Heavenly Father gives me the strength to face each day. For today, it’s one step and one breath at a time.

Pat Elsberry is an author, speaker, blogger, and a passionate advocate for parents dealing with grief after the loss of a child. Pat created multiple social media groups focused on providing hope to others who are walking the same path, including her blog, Hope During Loss. Pat facilitates an in-person grief share for women who have experienced child loss, and is also a moderator for Team Sharing, a nationwide peer-led support group for parents who have lost children to substance use disorder. Pat is the author of Beautifully Broken: Finding Hope During Loss, and will soon release her first devotional, Comforted by God. Pat and her husband, Fred live outside Atlanta and have a blended family of 7 children and 5 grandchildren. Her favorite things include traveling, cooking, gardening, dark chocolate, and worship music. You can find Pat on her blog, www.hopeduringloss.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @HopeDuringLoss.