Tuck Treasures in Your Heart

Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. – Luke 2:19

On an ordinary night near Bethlehem, shepherds kept watch over their folks in fields. Suddenly an angel appeared and the glory of the Lord shone bright all around them. 

The angel announced, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-11)

As the shocking news was sinking in, a great company of angels appeared in the sky praising and glorifying God. The shepherds took in the brilliant scene; bright beams of lights, loud and beautiful singing, eyes wide open darting up and down and all around. 

So many questions must have raced through their minds…What was happening? Was this a dream? Were their eyes playing tricks on them? Or would this night go down in history as the night God announced the birth of the long awaited Messiah to lowly shepherds? For real, had they just received the directions to the Savior of the world? Would they find Him there?

Yes! The shepherds heard the great news first; before kings or rulers, before the rich or the wise. God revealed His rescue mission for all mankind to the “least of these.” They were purposely chosen to witness the glory of God and tell Mary and Joseph about it. 

Finding Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus lying in a manager, they shared all the wonderful sights and sounds God had given them. The Bible tells us, Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19).

God gave Mary so many miraculous signs and wonders while she mothered the Messiah. All these treasures were tucked in her heart.

• An angel of the Lord told Mary that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and she would be the mother of God’s one and only son, Jesus. (Luke 1:31)
• Joseph told Mary how an angel came to him in a dream and told him not to divorce her even though he wasn’t the child’s father. He was also told to name the child Jesus. (Matthew 1:20)
• When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, the baby in her womb leaped for joy and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She proclaimed that Mary’s baby was the Lord. (Luke 1:41-44)
• Laying in a manger, Mary gave birth to a baby while she was still a virgin. 
• When she and Joseph took Jesus into the temple on the eighth day to be circumcise, they were stopped by Simeon, a devout man of God, and Anna a prophetess. Both of them recognized Jesus as the Savior of the world. (Luke 2:21-33)
• Later when Jesus was twelve years old, he amazed all the religious teachers in Jerusalem during Passover with his knowledge and understanding of God. (Luke 2:46) They had no idea that he was the “Word made flesh dwelling among them”. (John 1:14) Again we’re told Mary treasured all these things in her heart.

Mary filled her heart with treasures about Jesus. This Christmas and all year ‘round, we can do the same. What truths and treasures about Jesus are tucked in your heart? 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

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Are You Ready

May the LORD make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else. – 1 Timothy 3:12

Are you ready for Christmas: tree up, cards signed, and gifts ready to wrap?  If not, don’t feel bad.  I’m sure you’re way ahead of me.  Just this morning, I picked up the soggy Halloween pumpkin from our front porch and launched it into the compost pile. Upon landing, it collapsed into a flat, gooey heap of orange mess.  I could relate.  This time of year, with holiday pressures squeezing me from all sides, I too feel flattened into a hot mess.  

Why does December seem to move faster than all the other months?  I’m especially far behind this year.  Except for a few cards from my high-functioning friends, my house has no sign of Christmas. My list of things to do, people to connect with, and places to go gets longer every day.  I plopped down on the couch this morning and wondered “where is the love, peace, and joy the season?  Where is God in the midst of our dizzy December days?”

My first thoughts were critical.  As soon as the Laura bashing began, I began to pray.  Immediately, in God’s presence, I felt the love and reassurance I desperately needed.  I reached my hands out, with palms up, and confessed that I had too much to do and asked God what I needed to prioritize.

As I exhaled and waited for the Lord to direct my day, one word came to mind: LOVE.  

Think about that for a minute.  What if we were to focus our distracted hands and minds on love?  

I picked up my long list of Christmas chores and circled what would increase love in my life.  I moved visiting a friend who just had surgery to the top. Next came taking my daughter out for dinner, then finishing my Bible Study.  That means the Christmas decorations won’t come out for another week and our Christmas cards might arrive in 2017.  But that’s ok because by prioritizing love, God brought peace into my heart.  Bonus love and peace!

Then John 3:16 came to mind.  I’ve known this verse since I was a child: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  Just last week I heard David Platt, author of the book, Radical, explain how “radical” is was for Jesus to speak those words. 

Up until then, God’s people had been the Israelites.  God loved, protected, and guided them. They were His children.  The notion that God loved those outside of the Jewish Nation as well was unheard of.  This message of inclusion resonated with God’s people.  His love went viral when He sent Jesus to earth.  

Christmas is when God began His divine rescue mission, a great work on earth that He will be faithful to complete.

In 1 Timothy 3, Paul is praying for Timothy and the people of Thessalonica; for their love to grow and overflow onto one another.  That is my prayer for all of us during this Christmas season.

Heavenly Father,

Awaken our hearts to Your boundless love. 

Fill our hearts with a love that overflows onto others.

This Christmas, may we remember Your love and prioritize love every day.

In Jesus’ Name I Pray, 

Amen 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Step Into Mary's Shoes

“I am the Lord’s servant.” Mary answered the angel, “May it be to me as you have said.” – Luke 1:38

It’s easy to look at someone else’s life and find fault… until you find yourself walking in their shoes.

I remember hearing a mother of three telling a group of us that she and her husband let their kids pick the high school they wanted to attend. Since we have an “open enrollment” policy in our town, it is possible for siblings to go to different schools. But from my perspective as a mother of young kids, I thought, and often said out loud, that there was no way I’d ever let my kids be scattered across town in different schools. 

Wouldn’t you know it, several years later, I found myself transferring my son from the high school where he and his sister attended, to the one across town. And, as God has a sense of humor, the guide for our new school tour was a mother, who just a few years before, I had thought was a complete fool for doing the same thing. When she greeted me with a huge smile, we both knew who the biggest fool was. 

Mary must have felt quite foolish explaining to Joseph that the child she was carrying was placed in her by the Holy Spirit. How would you have responded if you were Joseph? I might have laughed out loud then cried as all my dreams went up in smoke. 

But Mary had been awakened by the angel. She had heard with her own ears that God had chosen her to be the mother of the long awaited Messiah. She saw the bright light. She heard her name clearly spoken with these calming words, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God” (Luke 1:30).

Mary had received a blessing. Joseph’s world had been turned upside down. Mary was caught up in a beautiful mystery. Joseph could only see misery ahead. That is until an angel appeared to him in a dream and comforted his greatest fears. 

The angel confirmed, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)

God used an angel as the messenger and the quietness of night to convey His message. Because of this, both Mary and Joseph could believe that nothing was impossible for God.

God still whispers messages into our souls. He still uses dreams to convey His plans. He even lets us be the fool to teach us lessons. And he’s still looking for people who will believe all things are possible with Him.

This Christmas, step into Mary’s shoes and let your heart dream bigger, let your hope soar higher, and let your faith fly where there are no boundaries. God is searching the whole earth looking for people He can use to bring about His grand plans.  

For the eyes of the Lord move over all the earth so that He may give strength to those whose whole heart is given to Him. – 1 Chronicles 16:9

Will you be found by Him this Christmas?

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Add "Trust" to your to-do list

Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength. – Isaiah 40:31

Do you ever lose your “To Do” list, or maybe send it through the laundry? Do you ever have multiple lists, each with more tasks to complete than hours in the day?

As we move towards Christmas, responsibilities ramp up, more balls get thrown into the juggle, and additional hats need to be worn. It’s exhausting, especially when we stretch and strive in our own strength.

My husband told me yesterday that we aren’t sending Christmas cards this year because we’re all going in a hundred different directions. There’s simply no time to come together for the family photo. I laughed and told him I’d make it happen.

My kids are struggling in all different areas of life. School is hard… I’ll find a tutor. Energy is low… I’ll make protein packed dinners and buy better vitamins. Relationships are challenged… I’ll be a counselor.

No wonder I wake up in the middle of the night making more lists. As the Christmas season spirals faster and faster, I’m trying to cling to the people I love and control their lives and mine. That’s when God whispers into my soul, “Stop Laura. If I spin the earth, I can handle this.”

So if God’s got all our lists and loved ones in the palm of His hands, what are we to do? He makes it clear in Proverbs 3:5-6, our job is to TRUST Him.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

 When the “To Do” lists multiply and your mind fills with worry, WHAT IF YOU…

• Presented your “To Do” lists in prayer to God and asked Him to help you prioritize? Wouldn’t that invite Him into your busy day?
• Admitted you’re exhausted and asked for God’s strength? Wouldn’t that increase your reliance on God?
• Made an additional list of thanks and praise to God that’s longer than your “To Do” list? Wouldn’t that please God immensely and ease your mind?

That’s TRUST! Inviting God into our busy days, asking for His guidance, and relying on His strength. 

Will you trust God to make your path towards Christmas straight? When you do, your heart will awaken to why we’re celebrating in the first place. 

A Different Answer

Be careful how you live.  Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.  Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days…and give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 5:15, 20

How do you usually respond when someone asks you how you’re doing?  I tend to answer with “I’m fine.  How are you?”  The other day when I gave this response to the cashier who had asked, she didn’t answer me in return.  She had just been making small talk and really didn’t care how I was doing.  It was easier for her to ignore my question then answer me honestly.

This interaction, or lack thereof, got me thinking about the small talk we make everyday with people who don’t know us well but see us often.  Who are the people you bump into often; at the grocery, coffee shop, gym, post office, library, school or at church?   

What if the next time one of them asks you how you are, you answered their question by saying, “I’m thankful!”  Wouldn’t that prompt them to ask the next question, “WHY?”

The Bible tells us to always be ready to give the reason for our hope.  (1 Peter 3:15)

Think for a moment about the act of thanksgiving alive and active in your life.  Answer these quick Powerful “W” questions:

• Who are you thankful for?
• What is one gift you’re thankful for?
• When was the last time you said “Thank you!”
• Where have you experienced great gratitude expressed lately?
• Why do you think God desires for us to give thanks for everything?

I’ll share my answers through a story:  

I’m thankful for Tammy, my favorite grocery store employee.  Every time Tammy sees me shopping, she comes over and gives me a big hug.  I guess a long time ago she decided that she could be herself with me because I saw past her disability and genuinely cared about her.  Recently, she was used by God to answer one of my prayers.  

A week earlier, I had been calling around looking for a place to serve on Thanksgiving Day since our family had postponed our celebrations to Saturday.  Every center and church I called said “No thanks.  We have enough help.”  But the day before Thanksgiving, there was Tammy in the produce aisle hugging me and excitedly talking about tomorrow’s “feast.”  A local restaurant was holding its yearly dinner for children with disabilities and their families.

I thanked Tammy for what I call a “God wink,” then drove across town to the restaurant hosting the event.  At the hostess’ station, I asked the manager if I could volunteer the next day.  He almost hugged me like Tammy does, and said “Yes, we need more hands to help!”  

What an incredible experience!  When the families with special needs children asked me, their waitress, how I was doing on Thanksgiving Day, I answered them truthfully by saying “I’m so thankful!”  Those three words seemed to give people permission to respond in kind.  It’s as if one “Thank You” unleashed a multitude, reminding me that that is exactly how God desires for all of us to live every day.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Confident in His Control

My heart is confident in You, O God; my heart is confident.  No wonder I can sing your praises! Wake Up, my heart! – Psalm 57:7-8 (NLT)

OK, so you survived Black Friday… How’d you do with Cyber Monday? How many stores did you visit without ever having to leave the house?  Last year on Cyber Monday, Americans spent over three billion dollars online in 24 hours.  This was an increase from the year before, and it’s predicted that this year will be even bigger.  

I didn’t think Cyber Monday was a big deal until several years ago when I purchased our family’s Spring Break trip at a 60% discount.  Cyber Monday made an otherwise unaffordable trip into one of our favorite family memories.  The kids were old enough to be safe on their own, yet still liked spending time with us.  That wonderful week gave me confidence that we could maneuver the rapidly approaching teen years without much of a problem. 

Boy was I wrong.  As soon as we started hitting the bumps in the road, I lost all my confidence as a mother.  I spent endless hours awake at night worrying that they wouldn’t make it home safely.  I tracked our teens on their phones every time they left the house. 

It had been my job for so many years to keep my kids safe, and now they were driving and making challenging decisions on their own.  Had I taught them well enough?  Would they choose the right path in the face of temptation and peer pressure?  As I paced and worried, fear and anxiety rose to levels I’d never experienced before as a mother.  The enemy had a field day with me, filling my mind with thoughts of destruction and death.  There was one point that I fully expected our son to die.  It wasn’t a matter of “if,” I thought, but “when” would we get that call.  I was trapped in darkness and despair.

Thankfully, my 3 o’clock alarm saved me from fear’s trap.  Every day when my alarm sounded, I started sending God S.O.S (Save Our Son) prayers.  God heard my cries for help and came close.  

His presence gradually displaced the fear with faith.  His powerful Holy Spirit began teaching me to give Him my troubled heart and He’d lead me to trust Him more and more.  God entered our high school story and gave me a renewed confidence.  A little in myself and my parenting, but a lot more in Him.  After all, God loves my teens even more than I do.  He has great plans for them.  My job is to place them in His loving hands so that, day by day, He can guide all of us through the tumultuous times.  

I have learned to give God thanks and praise even when I can’t locate my kids, when it’s past their curfew, or bad news comes our way.  Thanking God for who He is, instead of the circumstance I’m in, eventually developed a comforting level of trust in my heart.  I can now stand confidently in the storms because I know who controls the weather. 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Let Peace Arise

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone. – Hebrews 12:14

When God says “everyone,” He doesn’t mean the complaining kids, angry neighbors, and rude co-workers, does He? 

He does. In fact, He’s not just encouraging us to live in peace with everyone we encounter every day, He’s commanding us to. 

Some people thrive in conflict. Not me. When emotions heat up, I want to flee from the flames. When I suspect an upcoming conflict, I steer clear of mean moms, dodge difficult meetings, and stay as quiet as possible. 

That is not the way God wants us to live in peace, however. As God’s children, instead of fleeing in fear, we’re to walk in peace (Ephesians 6:15). Instead of hiding, we’re to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9). And instead of running away from conflict, we’re to stand firm in our faith (1 Corinthians 16:13). 

We can’t control who or what gets thrown at us each day, but we can control how we respond to grumbling, complaining, anger, or rudeness. The key is to follow the Prince of Peace. 

What if thanking God in the middle of our messy days, could remind us where and who our peace comes from?

Instead of focusing on the conflict, let’s thank the One who’s truly in control. Thanksgiving ushers us right into the presence of God, where we can hand over today’s challenges. 

There, He reminds us that His power through the Holy Spirit is alive and active in us. 

Peace is a “Fruit of the Spirit.” As God gives us greater amounts of it, we are able to face conflicts and challenges more like His son Jesus, the Prince of Peace, would. 

Wow! Facing our fears, standing firm in the fire, produces a peace that surpasses understanding. Let God and others see peace flourishing in your life.

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you. – 2 Thessalonians 3:16

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Black Friday Fighting

Do not have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels… instead be kind to everyone. – 2 Timothy 2:23-24

Ok, be honest, what time did you get up to go shopping today on “Black Friday”?

My daughters have big plans to hit the sales; first Target, then Barnes & Noble, then the Mall… all day long.  Maybe you think this is a great plan of action.  Or maybe, like me, you’d rather stay home and avoid the chaos.

I’m still a little traumatized by my recent visit to Whole Foods, two days before Thanksgiving.  When I pulled into the parking lot, it was filled with police officers, on foot and sitting in their cars.  They were also walking back and forth in front of the store. My first thought was “world’s biggest tofu heist.”  

I didn’t want to disturb the busy officers so once inside the grocery, I asked an employee what was happening.  He shook his head and said, “Nothing yet. The police are here because they don’t want people fighting over parking spots.”

No joke!  I burst out laughing.  You have got to be kidding me.  The Whole Foods had employed a fleet of police officers to manage Thanksgiving anger.  What has this world come to?

At first, I thought it was a bit of overkill, until I went to the back of the store to pick out a turkey.  There, I discovered a long line of unhappy people waiting to get their individualized Thanksgiving orders.  

One woman was arguing with a sales clerk.  She claimed her order was WRONG! Another man, arms crossed over his puffed out chest, was losing his patience by the second. The police probably should have been inside as well because he looked like a ticking time bomb.  I escaped the crowd as quickly as I could.  It wasn’t until I got to the parking lot that I realized I’d fled without my turkey.  

God’s word is timeless.  Thousands of years ago, Paul shared with Timothy a warning about foolish arguing.  Paul is still right today, quarreling and fighting over such things as parking spots and catering orders is stupid.  (Don’t you love that the Bible uses the word stupid, how appropriate?)

Let’s heed Paul’s warning.  When holiday tensions soar, let’s stay grounded in kindness and humility.  In any heated situation, we can take a deep breath and give thanks to God for our simple blessings: breath in our lungs, a family to feed, friends to shop with, and money to purchase presents.  All these are gifts given to you from God. (James 1:17) 

Let thanksgiving reduce tension and faith replace fighting.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Happy Thanksgiving

I will give thanks to the LORD because of His righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High. – Psalm 7:17

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? What favorite dishes will arrive at your table this year? Couldn’t some of these dishes tell a special family story?

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to remember our family history and keep it alive by sharing stories with the next generation. This is also a great time of year to thank God for people in our lives who have loved us deeply and left wonderful, lasting marks upon our lives.

My three kids would be appalled if my Mama’s strawberry pretzel Jell-O salad was not on the Thanksgiving table. Why it’s called a salad is beyond me. It must be a Midwest dish because Mama grew up in Indiana like all my extended family. I’ve been making Mama’s recipe for over twenty-five years now. It’s a tradition that will definitely be passed down through generations.

Without a doubt, eating Pretzel Jell-O has opened the door for me to share so many of my childhood stories with my kids. Road trips to the cabin in North Carolina, swimming pool stunts with Mama, card game tournaments on the card table, and visits to the farm to see Papa’s horse and make homemade ice cream. These fond stories have far outlived my grandparents. 

Sharing these fun stories led me also to share how Papa was the one who introduced me to Jesus. Holding my little hand in his big hand, Papa walked me into a country church where I attended Sunday School. It was in this church that I learned that Jesus loved me and church friends can feel like family. 

I remember it like yesterday, we’d gather all together in the church basement for lunch. I can still see all the casseroles lined up. My favorite was chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes. It was in this fellowship hall, that I fell in love with comfort food and God’s children.

What Thanksgiving recipes on your table this year could tell a family story? Who can be honored and remembered this year by telling their story? How have these people helped shape your faith in Jesus? Be brave and share these precious stories this Thanksgiving. 

Let’s thank God today for family members who have enriched our lives with generous love and great memories. Let’s give God praise for Thanksgiving traditions that keep family love truly alive. Let’s be apart of passing down faith in Jesus to the next generation.  

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Strategy for the Week

You are my God and I will give you thanks; you are my God and I will exalt you. – Psalm 118:28

This Thanksgiving Week, what if we prioritize thankful thoughts? 

I realize your “To Do” list is packed with finishing work, planning, shopping, cleaning and cooking, plus a whole lot more. But what would happen if you did them all while thanking God? 

What if we thanked God all day and night?

Before your feet hit the ground this busy week, thank God right when your eyes pop open. Thank Him for your life, the breath in your lungs. Every day is His gift. He is worthy of our first thoughts. Let them be praises!

Once you’re up, spend your first moments thanking God for His good gifts; warm coffee, delicious food in your refrigerator, family to share breakfast with, work to do. Tell Him in prayer how grateful you are for all the blessings He’s given you. Every good and perfect gift is from your Father in heaven (James 1:17). God is your good Father, worthy of your thanksgiving. 

Next take out a piece of paper and begin a Happy Giving Thanks List. Write down 3-5 reasons why you’re thankful to God today. Keep this list going all week and see how as you read it, happiness grows as your list lengthens. God is pleased with your thankful heart. 

When you receive your 3pm Wake Up Call, let it be a reminder to stop, look up to God, and thank Him for loving you enough to send Jesus to die for your sins. God will never tire from hearing how thankful you are for your salvation. If you’re with other people at 3pm, ask them what they’re thankful for and you can celebrate together.

When your head hits the pillow at night, thank God for walking with you all day. Thank Him for going before you, guiding you, protecting you, and loving you every step of the way. Then rest knowing God’s love surrounds you. You are His precious child whom He delights to sing over (Zeph. 3:18).

Even if you wake up in the middle of the night, return your thoughts to thanking God. Start with the letter A and thank God for someone whose name begins with A, or thank Him for one of His amazing attributes: Advocate, Advisor, All Powerful… Move through the whole alphabet. Before long, you’ll be sleeping again with gratitude growing in your heart. 

From morning to morning, let us give God thanks and praise this Thanksgiving Week. When it’s over, you might just find that every day can be Thanksgiving.

“Your praise will ever be on my lips.” – Bethel Music

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement