Author: Kristi Wilson

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Coming to An End

This year I have been following a regimented plan of reading through the Bible in one year. I’ve read the Bible through many, many times but this is the first time that I have been on a designed reading plan. Each morning the unread pages decrease and my excitement increases.

There are particular themes of continuity that run from Genesis to Revelation. These are just a few that come to mind; forgiveness, restoration, relationship (salvation), God’s goodness and love, provision, protection, joy and peace.

Amazing – God’s word is amazing! It has stood the test of time and though many have tried to destroy it, no one has

“God is not a man; he will not lie. God is not a human being; his decisions will not change. If he says he will do something, then he will do it. If he makes a promise,
then he will do what he promised.” Numbers 23:19 ERV

The verse above is my favorite in the Bible. If that one verse isn’t true how can I possibly have confidence that any of the others are true. And since it is true, I can believe all the rest of the Bible. I can know, really know, that God’s word will sustain me all my days and that it will also be a source of truth and light for my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! 18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!” Psalm 139:17-18 NLT

It’s so encouraging to know that God spends His time thinking about me. Planning what’s best and protecting me through the storms.

“Don’t be discouraged or grow weak from fear! 17 The Lord your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love.” Zephaniah 3:16-17 CEV

As the year comes to “The End” and I read the last chapters of the Old Testament I have great anticipation for 2020. I will begin to read the familiar stories again. I will learn more and find that God continues to be just who He said He is.

“This will happen when the special child is born. God will give us a son who will be responsible for leading the people. His name will be “Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.” 7 His power will continue to grow, and there will be peace without end. This will establish him as the king sitting on David’s throne and ruling his kingdom. He will rule with goodness and justice forever and ever. The strong love that the Lord All-Powerful has for his people will make this happen!” Isaiah 9:6-7 ERV

He is all I need – The End!

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A Trip To Remember

A good portion of the country is having really bad weather – the snow, sub zero temperatures – yuk! I remember those days. A friend posted their first day of winter temperature, -40.

When we lived in Montana we always had to look at the weather report, consider any possible storms and plan accordingly. Most anywhere we went we would have three mountain passes to go over and winter travelling could be treacherous. Several times we had drives of the “white knuckle” variety. I have been so thankful for Dave’s excellent driving skills and the Lord’s hand of protection.

But what must the weather have been like travelling to Bethlehem all those years ago?

I know it wouldn’t have been sub zero but it can get cold in the desert regions. Was there rain? Ladies, imagine this, you’re nine months pregnant, riding a donkey, and sleeping under the stars. Regardless of the weather, it may have been perfect, that’s not the time you want to try out the new tent and sleeping bags you just got from BassPro, right?

What was Mary thinking, this was certainly a “memory maker”? Did the trip effect her disposition? What questions did this young woman have, afterall it was her first pregnancy? Was there an older, more experienced Mom travelling with them?

“So they went running and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the feeding box. 17 When they saw the baby, they told what the angels said about this child. 18 Everyone was surprised when they heard what the shepherds told them. 19 Mary continued to think about these things, trying to understand them.” Luke 2:16-19 ERV

As a mother, I sit here this morning remembering different Christmas mornings with my children and grandchildren. I pray that the significance of that first Christmas morning stays as the focal point in their lives long after I am gone.

There aren’t enough words of gratitude to express my heart’s joy over the events of that first Christmas morning and how it changed my life.

Thank you Father for loving me enough to give me the gift of Your Son and a relationship of eternal life that first Christmas day.

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Worth Bragging About

All of us who are parents like to do special things for our kids. We want life to be the best for them. I take time to make their favorite cookies, prepare that special meal, and find little treasures that I know will show them just how special they are. Dave is always in his shop making things out of wood or leather for them. It’s what we do to show our love.

In that way, we are like our Father. He is the most loving, caring, compassionate being in the universe. No one can compare to Him. From eternity past to eternity future He has planned to lavish us with the gifts of His love.

“You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. 9 It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.” Ephesians 2:8-9 CEV

“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” John 3:16 CEV

I remember one year when I was little my parents gave me a rocking horse for Christmas. Everyone that came to our home got to see the rocking horse, it was special. As I got older I realized that buying that present was a real sacrifice. I didn’t brag on what a good kid I was and how much I deserved it, instead on bragged on how great my folks were for giving me such a great present.

For all eternity, Jesus and the Father have been talking about us in heaven. Talking about how much they love us and how much they desire a relationship with us. They want to talk with us daily, to share their thoughts and their love with us the way a Father does with His children. So they came up with a plan…

“But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us. 9 We have been made right with God by the blood sacrifice of Christ. So through Christ we will surely be saved from God’s anger. 10 I mean that while we were God’s enemies, he made friends with us through his Son’s death. And the fact that we are now God’s friends makes it even more certain that he will save us through his Son’s life. 11 And not only will we be saved, but we also rejoice right now in what God has done for us through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is because of Jesus that we are now God’s friends.” Romans 5:8-11 CEV

We are God’s friends and we have been adopted by the Father. He calls us His children. He gave us a wonderful gift, an incomparable gift. A gift worth bragging on – the gift of Jesus and eternal life. Tell someone about it!

Merry Christmas Father!! Merry Christmas Jesus!! Merry Christmas Holy Spirit!! Thank you for this wonderful gift.

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Following Good Advice

I don’t know about you but sometimes I have difficulty following good advice, even my own advice. In my book, The Best Gifts of Christmas, I wrote about marking our calendars and taking a day of rest. This does so much to lower our stress levels and keep us focused on what’s truly important during the Christmas season.

I wrote R-E-S-T on December 19th, yesterday. I had fully intended to do just that. The only thing I had scheduled was a long lunch with a dear friend. My intention was to do nothing. I got my coffee, my Bible and went to my rocking chair to start a quiet morning. That’s when it happened, I opened my email and there were “things” demanding my attention.

No, not today. But I felt I had too…

Anyone else like me? I’m a fixer and I can’t just leave things lay if they call for a response and action. I hate to admit it, I got sucked in and my resting lasted all of an hour. What’s worse, once I had fixed the problem that faced me I decided my resting was already gone and so I decided I could get a batch of cookies made before I went to my lunch. I was deviating further from my promise to myself, and yes, even to the Lord, to rest. I went to the kitchen and discovered I was missing one crucial ingredient. No cookies would be made until I went to the store.

Refocus.

I had time to reset my day’s priority. I stopped, showered, poured another cup of coffee and rested. I visited with Dave for a bit and then I was out the door to my luncheon date. It was so nice; time to catch up with a friend. Work could wait; I was resting.

As I’m writing this I’m laughing at myself. How quickly I get absorbed into thinking that I have to get things done. Who else will do them? That’s a lot of pressure, carrying the world on your shoulders. The success of the Christmas traditions depends on me and my getting things done. That’s not God!

Following God’s word is like following a recipe. If we want a good result we have to follow the measurements and the instructions.

“Come to Me, all of you who work and have heavy loads. I will give you rest. 29 Follow My teachings and learn from Me. I am gentle and do not have pride. You will have rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 NLV

This morning I hear the Lord calling me again to rest. He doesn’t want us burned out, used up and at wit’s end. He wants us to be refreshed, restored and renewed. I plan to be obedient to God’s calling and listen to my own advice. It’s a recipe for success.

Today I will rest. I hope you will too.

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Do You Ponder?

Interesting word, ponder. I wonder if I should ponder over it’s meaning.

In the last few days my heart has filled with memories of Christmases past when the kids were little. There were some very lean times but even in that they were good because our focus was on it being Jesus birthday, being with the ones we loved and not on the gifts under the tree.

I remember one year I insisted that we all write letters to each other on what we loved and appreciated about one another. I still have those letters today – they are tucked safely away in the cedar chest. I guess you could say, I pondered them in my heart.

We need to take a lesson from Mary for that’s what she did that very first Christmas morning.

“and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.” Luke 2:18-20 ERV

As the shepherds arrived telling all the angels had said, she pondered – treasured, meditated – those things in her heart. I’m sure it wasn’t just the words of the angels that she pondered. She probably relived her visit with Gabriel and then her cousin Elizabeth. Her conversations with Joseph, the trip to Bethlehem and the miracle of being alone in a stable and giving birth must have filled her heart as well. Each detail indelibly etched in her memory.

God’s miracle – God’s provision – God’s love – wrapped in a tiny bundle, cradled in her arms, nursing at her breast! Yes, these would be the things she pondered; these would be the memories she would hold for the rest of her life. As the angel told her: “For nothing will be impossible with God”.

We need take time to ponder – to treasure and meditate – on what God has done in our lives and for those we love. Maybe you don’t feel God has really done anything spectacular for you, well then, go back to that first Christmas, He sent His Son to save us from our sins. That’s a pretty good place to start.

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“With” Is Better

Where are you going today? Doing anything special? I always find that even the mundane is more fun when I have someone along to share it with. Yesterday, Dave and I had lots of errands to run and we enjoyed it more because we were “with” each other.

We are never alone even in the dullest or most difficult moments. We have a promise that God is with us. That’s what His name means:

“Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, the young woman who is unmarried and a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [God with us].” Isaiah 7:14 AMP

Immanuel, God with us!

God came to walk with Adam in the cool of the day; then He came and walked and talked with Abraham and Moses, David and Daniel, Enoch and Elijah, you and me. God loves being with His people. It’s only fitting that one of His names should mean God with us. That was His goal – to have relationship with us, to walk and talk with us, friend to friend, Father to child.

Do you recall the first time your child didn’t want you around? I remember hearing our toddlers say “I do this”. It was cute but then when they were in their teens, they got too big to need my presence or it wasn’t cool to have their folks hanging out with them. It hurt. I can only imagine how much it must hurt the Father when we exclude Him from our activities, not wanting Him around, taking the attitude “I’ve got this”.

He’ll let us try to handle things, sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail but He’s always there. He never leaves us alone – that’s who He is, that’s what He does.

“God has said, “I will never leave you; I will never run away from you.” Hebrews 13:5b ERV

Friends may come and go; relationships change. Death may separate us from the ones we love. But the Lord will be with us forever and when we have Him, He takes care of the rest.

What’s on your list of things to do today?

Take Him along. Lunch with a friend, bring the extra guest. Need some down time, the two of you can sit quietly together, after all He IS Immanuel! He’ll be excited you’ve included Him in your plans.

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God Overlooks Our Reputation

How do you see yourself today? Are you someone who has struggled most of your life with relationships and careers? Do others look down on you because of your education or lack thereof? Maybe you’ve done some stupid stuff and it has caused people not to trust you or you’ve wounded and broken relationships.

Many years ago, there were some shepherds out on a hillside watching their sheep. Shepherds had a poor reputation in their society. They were considered the lowest of the blue collar workers, rogues, and liars, but God… God saw them as men who would be faithful to spread the message that His Son had been born!

“In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. 12 This will be the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors! 15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. 17 After seeing [them], they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.” Luke 2:8-20

God was willing to use the shepherds and He’s willing to use us too. He sees the best in each of us and gives us opportunities to use what He’s placed in us to touch others. God, the Father, has a message and a plan for each life. Let’s follow the example of the shepherds and go tell somebody what God has done. It’s a wonderful message about a wonderful life.

Thank you Father for your love!

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Loving Parents Are a Gift

This morning I was thinking about Mary and Joseph’s parents. Nothing is written in Scripture about them except that Joseph’s father was named Jacob (Matthew 1). But there are some things that we can assume about them and their character because of what we see in their children.

Mary’s parents must have been godly people; teaching their children the Scriptures and the prophesies of the coming of the Messiah. They also must have given their children good moral guidelines for their lives. Mary knew of the stories of a Messiah that would come because she wasn’t completely confused when the angel appeared to her. She also knew Jewish law said that a woman who had sexual relations outside of marriage should be stoned and so when she found herself with child she went to see her cousin Elizabeth for three months.

When Mary returned home she was “found” with child. What would her parents do? Her “condition” brought the entire family under criticism. Would they turn their daughter over to the proper authorities for judgment or would they love and protect her in spite of her circumstances?

Let’s look at Joseph’s family for a minute. Mary is engaged to Joseph when she is “found” to be with child. I can imagine Joseph’s father coming to him and saying “Son, you’ve disgraced the entire family. You’ve ruined the family business – no one will come to us for carpentry any longer. How could you have done such a thing?”

Joseph knows he isn’t the father of Mary’s baby. Who is? God tells Joseph it will be ok. She, Mary, is pregnant by divine means and the child she is carrying is the Messiah! WOW!!! He, too, has to have knowledge of the Scriptures for this to be a concept that he can embrace.

Both Mary and Joseph’s parents had to be a support for them because the rest of the community surely was criticizing and ridiculing at every turn. As parents, they knew they had raised their children correctly, raised them in the Scriptures and to love God! They must have prayed with them and for them since they were tiny and now it was time to show the unconditional love and support that their children needed.

What an example to us as parents today! We’ve raised our kids to know right from wrong; to know what honors and dishonors God. We, as parents, must learn from our heavenly Father. He loves us when we are unlovely; He forgives us and restores us when we fail; He is always seeking to have relationship with us even when we don’t want His advice or to be influenced by His knowledge. And He never loses faith in us, He never writes us off. Father God instructs us, He corrects us but most importantly He always loves us!

“God our Father loves us. He is kind and has given us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope. We pray that our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father 17 will encourage you and help you always to do and say the right thing.” II Thessalonians 2:16-17 CEV

May we be parents who always encourage and help and love as the Father has loved us!

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Open House – Open Heart

Growing up our Mom always had an Open House at Christmas. We didn’t live around family so she would bake and then invite our friends to just drop in for a while and spend part of their Christmas with us. I have some wonderful memories of playing with childhood friends, the smell of baking cookies coming from the kitchen and the laughter that filled the air.

When I grew up and had a home of my own, I continued the Christmas Open House tradition because I love entertaining and filling our home with the love and laughter of friends. Someone told me once that my love language is baking. It makes me happy to package up the freshly baked cinnamon rolls and give them to friends and neighbors.

Christmas can be a lonely and depressing time for some. Missing a loved one, being far from home…so many reasons. Think of that first Christmas night when God’s Son came to earth; it was separation for both Father and Son.

Now here’s the good news!

“Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, the young woman who is unmarried and a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [God with us].” Isaiah 7:14 AMP.

Immanuel, God with us, even when we are by ourselves, we’re not alone! God with us, He has promised to never leave us or forsake us…God with us! When we open our heart, He makes it His home.

So this year if your home is filled with family and friends or quiet and only you, remember God came to join us. His presence will certainly fill both heart and home. Invite Him in.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” Revelation 3:20 NLT

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Do You Believe?

What do you believe? Is your belief based on self-exploration, science, hearsay, and/or personal experience? Or is your belief based on faith?

Long before Edison and Franklin, electricity existed. Before Marconi, radio ways filled the air. Before Newton, there was gravity. There was something that each of these men saw which caused them to dream, to explore and to invent.

The same holds true in our relationship with God.

Religion tells us that we must work to earn God’s favor or his kindness and love but God’s word tells us something different. The Apostle Paul tells us that it’s the goodness of God that draws us to Him. We can see in ourselves and those around us that there is failure, selfishness, greed, misguided ambition, deceit – sin and that we fall short on our own. Through the pages of God’s word we see many examples of God’s unconditional love and our search leads us to Him.

“Jesus said, “Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!” 30 Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life.” John 20:29-31 ERV

The signs, the miracles, the daily works of Jesus are so extensive that they couldn’t all be written down. The purpose of His works were to bring us to a place where we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God and that we can have life through Him.

It’s not like believing in Santa or the tooth fairy or the Easter bunny. Our belief in a personal Savior is life changing; it is empowering; it is transforming!

“Our Lord and our God, you are like the sun and also like a shield. You treat us with kindness and with honor, never denying any good thing to those who live right. 12 Lord God All-Powerful, you bless everyone who trusts you.” Psalm 84:11-12 CEV

It’s ok to question – God’s big enough to handle it. If we’re honest enough to ask, He’s honest enough to answer. God is patiently waiting to show us His character; He won’t force us to believe in His love and goodness or even that He exists.

Just like those inventors who searched for the answers about electricity and radio waves we will find Him when we search for Him.

“Ask, and what you are asking for will be given to you. Look, and what you are looking for you will find. Knock, and the door you are knocking on will be opened to you. 8 Everyone who asks receives what he asks for. Everyone who looks finds what he is looking for. Everyone who knocks has the door opened to him. 9 What man among you would give his son a stone if he should ask for bread?…How much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?” Matthew 7:7-11 NLV

It’s not a matter of whether or not God can handle our questions, it’s can we deal honestly with His answers.

I ask again, what do you believe? Believe in God’s goodness; it will transform your life!

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