Christian Counseling & Educational Services

In preparation for the arrival of the new year, last December 31, I encouraged each of you to prayerfully find and claim a specific promise from God’s Word for 2007. I suggested that you write that verse on cards and place them where you would easily see them and read the verse daily, and even memorize it, if possible. Some of you told me that you did that at the beginning of the year. So how did you do in the months that followed?

My year held more surprises than I could ever have imagined. Some of them were good, and some of them were heartbreaking, but the thing that kept me going was the promise God gave to me at the beginning of the year. It’s the promise of His continual presence written in Exodus 33:14.

On many occasions, my husband’s missionary travels took him away from home on his birthday. The first time that it happened, our children were quite small and we were all sad, so we decided to honor him on his special day and celebrate without him. We baked a birthday cake, bought the ice cream, decorated the house, and invited three very special friends to come to our party. Admittedly it was a bit unusual to celebrate without the guest of honor present, especially when we sang “Happy Birthday!� We’ve laughed many times over the years about celebrating Dad’s birthday when he wasn’t even there; but even though we couldn’t actually see him, he was there in our hearts. We remembered him, we honored him, and when he returned we celebrated again!

My Christmas Prayer

Lord, like the shepherds let me be,
Who kept their watch so faithfully,
With diligence and constant care
Performed the task before them there.

Lord, like the shepherds let me hear
A word from Thee fall on my ear,
And may Thy glory ‘round me shine
To know Thy presence all divine.

With my Christmas shopping list in hand I meandered through the stores looking for just the right gifts for friends and family. What fun to be able to give to others a token of friendship and appreciation as we celebrate the birth of Christ! With so many beautiful things in the store, I had to stay focused. It would have been too easy to buy gifts that I liked and wanted rather than get something that my loved ones need, would like, or enjoy.

Isn’t it interesting and exciting that when God sent that very first Christmas gift, He gave us exactly what we need and long for? He gave us Himself in the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed He is what we need to gain eternal salvation, and He is all that we need to fill our every longing in this life as well.

As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have a wonderful story to tell! This time of year is a perfect time to share with others the good news of His birth, life, death and resurrection. There are many ways to share that story with others.

1. As it comes up in conversation, tell how Christ has changed your life. What difference does He make in your life? How does being a Christian affect the way you live?