Hope for Humanity

Pam Farrel is writing and speaking much about hope these days, and in this Christmas UPLIFT article, she reminds us about the truth of scripture regarding the hope God offered to humanity in Christ.

Pam asks, "Is this Covid-chaos causing internal despair, discouragement or depression? Is the persistent pandemic producing anxiety, angst or anger?"

Yes, I (Dawn) have seen so many crazy emotions spring up during Covid-19. But we don't have to let our emotions rule. God has an answer for us!

Pam continues . . .

Ever felt like this?  

• You drag yourself in the door. Your arms are loaded with more work than you feel you can possibly ever get done, so you drop the burden of books, papers, briefcase, files, and bags in the middle of the floor.
• You don’t even bother to turn on the light because you don’t want to look at the state the house is in.
• You’re not sure if you want to take a long, hot bath or just skip it all together and collapse on your bed fully dressed.
• You are hungry, but making anything to eat seems like such a bother.
• Your head is pounding, your heart is racing, and your body aches.
• You are sick of coffee, sick of people, sick of demands, and sick of life.
• Everyone seems to need a piece of you: family, friends, neighbors—people you dearly love, but at this moment, it seems overwhelming to move to help them.
• You want to lock all the doors and unplug from all the phones, social media and e-mail; but even that seems like work. You simply lean against the wall and slide down, collapsing in a heap on the floor.
• Your head buries itself in your knees and you wrap your arms around yourself because you could really use a hug. You want to cry, but you’re even too tired to feel.
• You are sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Something needs to CHANGE!

Change is the good news of the Christmas story.

Each Christmas, I speak at holiday events (now virtual) on “The Christmas Light.” Using an Advent wreath and candles, I weave a message of inspiration based on Isaiah 9:6:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

This verse has been popularized by Handle’s Messiah concerts where, during the Halleluiah chorus, the audience stands.

Are you looking to the Messiah for hope today?

In the time of Isaiah—just as now—people carried desperately heavy burdens. They needed a Savior.

When life seems impossible, heaven sends help:

And the angel came to her [Mary] and said, “Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”  …:

Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God….You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.

Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not been intimate with a man?”

The angel replied to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore, the holy One to be born will be called the Son of God… For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1: 29-37 HCSB emphasis added).

Jesus, the Messiah, truly is HOPE for humanity!

What do you want the Christ to accomplish in YOUR life?

Ponder Christ’s names below:

Wonderful Counselor:  An astonishing advisor

Mighty God: The Almighty God: a strong, heroic, warrior Champion

Everlasting Father: The First and Forever Father of All

Prince of Peace: Ruler, Captain, Chief, Commander of perfect peace and prosperity.

Which name of the Messiah will you hang your heart on to move forward? CREATE a piece of art or buy an item symbolizing the name you select.

When your heart feels heavy, thank God for Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23).

Pam Farrel is the Co-Director of Love-Wise and author of 52 books, including the newest 10 Best Decisions a Single Mom Can Make. She co-authored a book about hope, Discovering Hope in the Psalms: A Creative Bible Study Experience that can build your hope in God in 2021.

BONUS—Download these gifts from Pam to enrich your holiday: 

• Winter Wonderland Traditions to Bless Your Relationships;
• A devotion inspired by Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament: Creative Bible Study Experience on How “the Zeal of the Lord” Breaks the Burden (Isaiah 9:7) you may be feeling; and
• The Farrel family’s Christmas Dinner and Dialogue devotional, based on Isaiah 9:6.

I Love Christmas!

Kathi Macias gets us in the Christmas spirit today with this special UPLIFT story—encouragement that God still works miracles today!

"Before I launch into an elaborate explanation and lengthy list of why I absolutely adore Christmas," Kathi says, "let me preface it by saying—before someone else calls me on it—that I am fully aware of the fact that Jesus was most likely not born on December 25."

I (Dawn) think the important truth is that Jesus was born! The Bible and historical records testify to that fact.

Kathi continues . . .

Many of the trappings of our modern-day Christmas celebrations are rooted in pagan worship, just plain materialism and even greed.

But I still love Christmas. And something tells me I’m not alone.

Though I wasn’t raised in a Christian home, I was blessed to grow up in a time when most Americans—Christian or not—somehow included the celebration of the birth of Christ during that special season.

Many people who never set in foot in church the rest of the year found themselves drawn to the reverent hush of a candlelight service or a midnight mass. And nearly all Christmas trees and house/yard decorations included an acknowledgment to that aspect of the holiday.

We even put on Christmas plays at school, complete with the reading of the Christmas story from Luke 2.

When I was chosen in third grade to play the part of Mary, I was not only excited but somewhat awestruck. Each day during practice, I heard the “angel” reading the verses from Luke that told of the events of that magnificent night—whatever night on the calendar it may have been.

In fact, that was the first passage of scripture I memorized as a child, simply by hearing it over and over again.

Of course, we also celebrated the secular side of Christmas in our home.

When my brothers and I were very young, our German grandparents lived in the little one-bedroom house just behind ours. Because my dad worked rotating shifts, my parents and grandparents came up with a story to work around his schedule.

It seemed that Santa was quite accommodating and knew ahead of time what hours my dad would be working and when he would be home.

As a result, he would come to bring our gifts whenever it worked out for Dad to be there when we opened them.

If it was during the day of Christmas Eve (rather than during the night as it was for most families) we would go back to our grandparents’ home that day and wait—quietly and anxiously—until my mom came to tell us Santa had indeed arrived and made his delivery. Then, grandparents in tow, we would all hurry back to our place and gather around the tree.

Now my dad and his parents were German, born and raised there, so needless to say they were disciplined and expected us to be the same.

No mass tearing into packages, ripping off paper, squealing with delight, and then moving on to the next gift.

Nope, we did it all “decently and in order.”

Dad would choose one gift and hand it to the person whose name was on the tag. Then we would all wait and watch as that person opened the gift (saving the paper, of course) and showed it to everyone.

Not until we had all oohed and aahed sufficiently could we move on to the next one.

When it was all over, regardless of what time of day (or night) it might be, Dad and Omi (our German grandmother) would sing “O Tanenbaum” (“Oh, Christmas Tree”) and “Stille Nacht” (“Silent Night”).

I still can’t hear those songs without tearing up over the bittersweet memories.

I love Christmas too because of what it does to hearts everywhere.

We’ve all seen those Word War II movies where the American soldiers and the Nazis are firing at each other, and then someone begins to sing “Silent Night” and the shooting stops. For just a few hallowed moments, hostilities cease as the Prince of Peace is acknowledged and honored.

Sadly the truce is short-lived, but at least it happens long enough to acknowledge the true meaning of Christmas.

I must say, though, that one of the things I love most about Christmas is Christmas stories, whether books, TV shows, or movies. And there are so many good ones!

It scarcely seems like Christmas if we don’t gather in front of the fireplace and watch “A Christmas Story” (who doesn’t love Ralphie?) or “Miracle on 34^th Street,” does it?

In the past few years I’ve also seen a wonderful increase in publishers putting out Christmas stories—short stories, novellas, full-length novels—in almost any and all genres. We have so many to choose from, and I have yet to find one I didn’t like, have you?

A Heartwarming Christmas Miracle

I had an especially heartwarming experience when the publishing of my annual Christmas novel, Unexpected Christmas Hero*, resulted in what I consider a true Christmas miracle.

The story is about a little homeless family that is befriended by a homeless Vietnam vet, who happens to be quite ill. The publisher wanted to put a face on the book cover that would depict this vet, so they sent their photographer out to find someone who resembled him and would allow himself to be photographed for the cover.

He found someone who looked as if he’d been dropped out of heaven for just such a purpose—a dead-ringer for the Vietnam vet in the story.

When the photographer told the man what he was doing and asked if he would be willing to pose for the cover photo, he got tears in his eyes and said he actually was homeless and hadn’t seen his family in years. He hoped that by being on the cover he might somehow be reunited with his family.

When the photographer alerted me to this, I began an Internet campaign to find the man’s family. It took less than two weeks.

Then we launched a fundraiser and, thanks to generous readers, raised $3000 to enable this man to get together with his grown daughter and her children—the first time he’d met his grandchildren.

Definitely a Christmas miracle, wouldn’t you say?

And I strongly suspect it’s only one of many.

Regardless of what day Christ was actually born, we do know that the Prince of Peace did indeed come to earth in human form to make a once-for-all sacrifice so that we could all experience THE GREATEST MIRACLE EVER n our own lives—restoration to relationship with the Father.

And that, dear friends, is why I love Christmas so very much.

May yours be the most blessed ever!

Kathi Macias is an award-winning author of more than 50 books, including The Doctor’s Christmas Quilt. She lives in Southern California with her husband, Al, where they’re already loading up on firewood so they can sit in front of the fireplace and enjoy some of those wonderful Christmas stories that never grow old. Discover more about Kathi at www.kathimacias.com.

* Kathi has a number of Christmas-themed books:  Return to Christmas: A Novel, The Doctor's Christmas Quilt, Unexpected Christmas Hero, A Husband's Christmas Prayer, A Christmas Gift: A Novel, and A Christmas Journey Home: Miracle in the Manger.

Graphic Adapted, courtesy of Jonathan Borba at Unsplash.

Christmas on the Corner

In this Christmas UPGRADE, Life Coach and retreat guide, Letitia Suk, writes about a time when God had a plan for her when she visited her local CVS.

Letitia says, “Most of my God shows-up moments do not happen in church!

I (Dawn) know what Letitia means! Sometimes, I almost missed ministry opportunities because they didn't exactly look like "ministry."

Letitia continues . . .

The season of Christmas is filled with the FAMILIAR. Takes so much decision fatigue out of a usually overbooked season to know what’s coming next.

Take Christmas Carols for example. Whether we hear the tunes as the soundtrack of the mall or blasting on our car radios, we can usually sing right along—familiar.

Hard to like a new Christmas Carol, right?

This story doesn’t change either.

Everyone knows the parts, the characters, the set, what happens next, who says what, the beginning and the end. Go to a Nativity play in any part of the world and you’ll recognize the plot.

Want a fresh perspective? Get inside the story.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night (Luke 2:8).

These guys weren’t going angel hunting or trying out for a part in the Greatest Story Ever Told. They were just going to work that night. 

They kissed their wives goodbye, grabbed their midnight snack and walked to work. Probably a lot like you did today, different line of work,

• Zechariah was doing “his priestly duty.”  Why? Because he was a priest! Just like you do duties associated with your jobs.
• Joseph was sleeping.  Doesn’t get much more mundane than that!
• Mary was likely doing chores of some sort.
• The Magi were doing their astronomy because that’s what Magi did.

What are YOU doing each day? Count on it that God will bust in on your world at any time and place.

God intersects with our world exactly where we are.

Like the time I stopped into the pharmacy after work. Don’t you do that too?

On my way into the store, my eye caught a $20 bill on the ground. At first. I thought it was fake, but it was a very real $20 bill.

Right away I heard something like, “Don’t get too attached to this—it is not for you.” My interest was piqued!

The sound of crying was more obvious that the carols. A very distraught international college student who was informed the clinic closed a little early. Too late for her to be seen despite her desperate pleas. She broke down. I headed towards her and heard the story.

She was a vocalist with a performance the next day and a very sore throat. She was hoping to get to the clinic, get treatment and sing the next day. (Aren’t we all hoping for something?)

She had borrowed $20 from her roommate for the cab to get there and now, the clinic had turned her away.

She had no treatment, no $20, no ride home, and no apparent options.

I thought she had a valid point and pounded on the clinic door to plead for her. They wouldn’t reopen for me either.

I got the manager involved and he was kind and offered me 20% off any purchases. I wasn’t the one who needed help.

With no other plan, I invited her into my car and drove her home. On the way, I told her about the $20 and gave it to her.

She seemed a bit incredulous. Me too.

Feeling bold, I offered to pray for her. Maybe because she was trapped in my car, she agreed and mentioned no one had ever prayed for her before.

I have no idea what happened after that as I never saw her again, but somehow, I think she got her treatment after all.

God knows where you are at all times. Expect that He will use you in mostly familiar settings.

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places that they should live (Acts 17:26).

In those places, he will tap you on the shoulder and invite you into something bigger.

Especially this time of year, look around and listen.

You are about to step into the story.

How has God used you in a familiar place?

Letitia (Tish) Suk invites women to create an intentional life centered in Jesus. She is a blogger and author of 100 Need to Know Tips for Moms of Tweens and Teens, Getaway with God: The Everywoman’s Guide to Personal Retreat, and Rhythms of Renewal. She is a speaker, personal retreat guide and life coach in the Chicago area. Visit Letitia at her website.

Graphic adapted,

A 'Recipe' for Christmas

In this Christmastime "UPLIFT," Sally Ferguson shares how to let go of a "perfect" Christmas and create something far better.

"Family traditions are at the top of my list," Sally says, "including handmade ornaments, my mom’s famous egg nog, Christmas cookies, and pies made from scratch.

"But, the list has snowballed, leaving me in a frenzy!"

Frenzy. Yes, I (Dawn) know that word. It's not something compatible with the "peace" that's supposed to be a part of the Christmas season, is it?

Sally continues…

When did life get so complicated?

Browsing through my parents’ wedding mementoes, I found the gift list in Mom’s handwriting. In 1956, an appropriate gift was a set of doilies. Today, we would supplement that gift.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love gifts and gift wrapping and the giving of them.

The first Christmas over 2,000 years ago, the only gift given was a baby.

Two years later, visitors brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. But the gift of a baby represented something very personal. God gave the gift of Himself.

When someone hands you a gift and waits expectantly, do you decline to open it? No, you rip off the paper and squeal with delight over the thought for you.

God wants us to enjoy the gift of relationship. The Bible tells us to taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8), and when we reevaluate our high expectations of the perfect Christmas, we are able to decelerate and focus on His goodness.

Maybe the best recipe for Christmas is to keep it simple and personal.

Give of yourself to others. Spend time looking into people’s eyes instead of talking at them. Take time for reflection and worship. Ann Voskamp calls it, “keeping the sane and sacred of Christmas.”

Worship leader, Anna Hodge, says, “Sometimes I think we need a little help to slow down, open our hearts, and clear out the debris that keeps us from drawing near to God in an authentic and life-changing way.”

Do you need to halt, ponder, and seek God? Reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, to gain perspective.

Eliminate unrealistic expectations, and seek things that make Christmas special.

Now, my recipe may look different than yours, but a common ingredient we can all add, is to have fun!

Isn’t fun highly overrated? While Christmas is portrayed as a romantic holiday, our reality often portrays loss of loved ones, job loss, loss of a home, or another loss. Life doesn’t always go the way we expect. So how can we trust that God will sustain us?

When our recipe is faithful obedience to Christ, we can count on His sustaining power in uncertain times. 

• Look for ways to serve.
• Make time for people.
• Create special memories for others.

When your attention is given to people, the trappings of Christmas become less important.

Author Patricia Raybon says there is a secret to generosity; to get more, one must give. We find our own joy by giving to others!

Author Myquillyn Smith says life doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.

“I realized that although immaculate looking homes are pretty in pictures, when I’m actually in one… I’m wondering if it’s okay for me to move the pillow out of the way to sit down. I… miss the real purpose of being there: connection.

"There is beauty in the imperfection… Imperfections put people at ease. Once we learn to accept and find beauty in the imperfections, we are free to take a risk in our home and create the home we’ve always wanted.”

What can you do to let go of a perfect Christmas and instead create a home known for the warmth cultivated there?

As a newly married, I learned from a friend that Gingerbread Cookies were the perfect tradition. So I proudly carried that recipe into life as a young mom.

It was not quite the fun I had imagined, when my toddler decided to decorate the ceiling, floors and counters with powdered sugar and flour.

• Find what works for you and make it your own.
• When things happen that are out of your control, turn that into a celebration, too.

We can’t predict the weather changing our plans, but we can build a fire in the fireplace and roast hot dogs. Create special memories with what you have been given.

When dealing with the FRENZY of Christmas, FOCUS on the true meaning and create Christmas FUN.

Whether sledding as a family, delivering fruit baskets to shut-ins, or watching The Grinch three times in a row, whatever secret ingredient you add to your holidays, keep it simple and personal. And may the gift be returned to you, with love.

How do you replenish yourself during the December rush?

Sally Ferguson lives in western NY with her husband, her dad, and a partridge in a pear tree. Actually, it’s a bluebird in the backyard, but this is a Christmas post. Together, they are looking for a recipe for Christmas that will include all the grands! (Sally laughs with her grandchildren, right.)

Sally’s coloring book, What Will I Be When I Grow Up?, is a look at sharing God’s love with others through the platform He’s given you. If you’re a baker, then tell people Jesus is the Bread of Life! Visit Sally at www.sallyferguson.net.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Susanne Jutzeler at Pixabay.

Mother Was Right—What My Mother Taught Me and Why It Matters Now

Janice Thompson is my sister-in-love. We share a love for her mom, Adele Wilson. In this Mother's Day UPLIFT, Jan shares some of the powerful lessons she learned from her mother—lessons all of us in the "Wilson clan" have come to love and appreciate—and I hope they encourage you as well.

"I vividly remember the day when as a young adult I said to myself, 'Wow, Mom was right!'" Janice says. "Perhaps you look forward to the day your child "gets it" too!"

Yes, I (Dawn) remember a moment of awareness. I'd thought my own Mom didn't understand the complexities of today's culture, but as it turned out, the principles that guided her life were timeless—much like those that guided Adele Wilson.

Janice continues . . .

Mom and Dad grew up together in a children’s home, each having lost a parent at a very tender age. Raised with 180 other children they called family, they both speak with gratitude of the care they received and the friends they made.

They also, however, determined when they married to try to create what they had missed—a welcoming home and intimate family life.

Mom is the first to admit they were clueless where to start, but God had His hand on them. They became Christ-followers shortly after marriage and immediately began to seek His wisdom. Between their study of Scripture and surrounding themselves with Christian families they wanted to emulate, they look back on their 72 years of marriage and trace God’s hand throughout their journey.

They are now enjoying the fruit of that dogged determination as they changed the course of their family’s trajectory and created a living legacy that has left a blessed imprint on three successive generations.

Mom gave me many gifts—including ones I didn’t always appreciate at the moment! I still marvel at how, without a mother’s role model, God gifted her with extraordinary wisdom.

She was undeterred during my adolescent years—that unpaved section of life—when I burst out in a tearful, “You don’t understand me!” She was on a mission, however, and nothing stopped her from standing firm on every value she held dear.

Here is my short list of what she taught me then and why it matters to me now.

1. Pursuit of God’s best. “If you’re going to do a job, do it right—the first time.”

If I were ever tempted to skim the surface, I’d best think again. I dreaded her white glove inspection of my half-hearted dusting chore. Good enough simply wasn’t. God deserved the best I could give, and I was never to short-change Him or her!

Gratefully, she was relentless, and that value served me well in my academic pursuit, career path, and raising my own children.  

2. Pursuit of Family Harmony. Conflict resolution was a non-negotiable. Frustration, even anger, were acceptable expressions as long as it wasn’t accompanied by disrespect, yelling, or fighting.

In Mom’s words, “There is enough fighting in this world; when you entered the doors of our home, it will be a place of peace, joy, and support.”

Mom had mastered conflict resolution skills that somehow allowed me to feel valued and heard even as I stewed in my anger. This led to a joy-filled home where my friends longed to be. Laughter was the norm, and my friends were always welcomed.

I found myself applying those same conflict resolution skills as we raised our children and in turn, enjoyed the blessing of being “mom” to many of our children’s friends as well.

3. Pursuit of Wise Stewardship. This one still amazes me as I see how much she taught me about God’s values concerning the use of time, talent and treasure. Let me start with...

TIME: Mom loved and served sacrificially. She worked long and hard, yet would always greet me with a cup of tea when I’d come home from a date no matter the lateness of the hour. She enjoyed sharing every detail of my experiences and used those late night chats to help shape my values.

I realized shortly after marriage how much she shaped my wishlist for my life’s partner and kept me from settling for less than God’s best. My husband is still my best friend, and I have Mom to thank for helping me understand that priority.

TALENT: Giving more than you take was another top priority. Mom taught me to always look for ways to contribute. If you are faithful with what God has put in your hand, He will, in turn, bless you with more to give.

I can’t begin to describe all the ways that value has played out in my life.

TREASURE: Wise financial stewardship was another non-negotiable.

Mom (and Dad) always put God first, spent less than they earned, avoided the use of debt, worked toward long-term goals, and were generous toward others. Those habits prepared them to live comfortably now.

That example also prepared me for a career helping others wisely steward their resources and their families.  

4. Pursuit of a Proverbs 31 Woman.  Mom was—and still is—a very beautiful and strong, independent woman. She modeled pushing through obstacles to achieve goals.

While always supportive, it was not her job to make life easy for me. She taught me to own my mistakes, minimize excuses, and figure out how to resourcefully get back on track.

She believed in me when I felt vulnerable and encouraged me to step into my calling even if it didn’t look “normal” or “traditional.” My subsequent career path landed me in what years ago used to be considered a man’s world. I ignored gender, however, and never allowed inferiority to keep me from starting my own company. Mom taught me to push through the hard stuff and count my blessings with every opportunity to make an impact.

Like my Mom, you have little control over the legacy you inherited, but a great deal of influence over what you leave behind.

Since a legacy is inevitable, I encourage you to make it intentional because wisdom is challenging to transfer without it. Experiences and how you leverage them can turn brokenness into a blessing even when it doesn’t look like it at first glance. You don’t have to be perfect; just authentic and tenacious.

We have the powerful ability ever day to leave a lasting imprint on those we touch.

Prov 31:30-31 says,

She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed….

Charm is deceitful and beautiy is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised....let her own works praise her in the gates.

Mom, you were right on every point and I rise up today and call you blessed.

What makes you unique because of the legacy you’ve received? What value or wisdom point can you change or build upon to make the biggest difference in future generations you influence?  

Janice Thompson is the co-Founder and CEO of One Degree Advisors, Inc., a comprehensive wealth management firm focused on biblically-based financial solutions. Janice is a Certified Financial Planner®, a Life Stewardship Advisor, and serves on the Board of Directors of Kingdom Advisors. She has two married children with three grandsons and one granddaughter. She and her husband Tom live in San Diego.