Jesus came to deliver us from our shame

Jesus came to deliver us from our shame!! My amazing little take away to cherish and ponder this week from Pastor Craig and Carol's message this Sunday. Jesus came to deliver us from our shame, it seems simple right??!! A no brainer. However, how many people do you know have that one thing from their past that is too ugly to talk about, or too scaring to try and work through? So instead of receiving healing and freedom from Jesus, we stuff it down under our freshly pressed church clothes and pray no one sees it underneath. We drag the shame of who we once were or what we once had done praying no one ever opens that dark closet from our past. Or for some of us the shame we carry was so massive it did not go silently unnoticed. For some, shame plagues them like a scarlet letter "A." They carry it with them every where they go, feeling as though everyone can see it and is talking about it endlessly. I wonder if this is how the righteous man Joseph felt when he had a dream from God and was told not to divorce Mary, but rather to bare the shame man would chastise him with, for all of the days to follow. I wonder if Joseph and Mary learned an important lesson, many of us have yet to grasp... That the things man says about who you are, your character, your value, your worth, or your purpose pales in comparison to what our God and Savior thinks and says about who you really are. That God thought so highly of YOU ( the guilty covered in shame) that He sent His only son to die for you and save you from that guilt and free you from the shame. Now as a mother of 4 I can tell you I'd have to think an awful lot of someone if I was going to be willing to let my child lay down their life for them, knowing they would have to have their blood shed and be disfigured beyond recognition to save the lives of men and women, many of whom despised and rejected Him. My friends let that soak in for a moment, this Christmas season... Ponder in your hearts how valuable you truly are to the one who created you. You are more precious than gold or silver to Him. He has a plan to use your biggest failures for his ultimate glory... If you will allow him to enter into your heart, he will change your life forever. I pray you will learn this lesson too, that the shame people try to heap on you is powerless in the forgiving presence of our Savior Jesus Christ. My final take away was this. Once you grasp the freedom and forgiveness Christ offers to you, Pastor Craig encouraged us to extend that grace to others who are heavy laden with guilt and shame. Ponder these thoughts this Christmas season and be a blessing to others my friends. 

Getting Back to the Heart of Christmas

I feel lately like I've been fighting this losing battle between time and my to do list, but that's okay, I've had more important things to deal with. The Christmas cookies will have to wait to be made until after Christmas this year, and the homemade gifts will wait until next year to be made. Christmas looks a bit different this year it is true, but our hearts are working toward serving Christ and others and isn't that what Christmas is really all about? About being selfless and self-sacrificing? Shouldn't it be more than the presents and more about serving others? Tonight as I take a breather and reflect on the true Christmas meaning I'm reminded of the simplicity of Mary holding her precious newborn and pondering in her heart the peace he brings. I'm thinking of all I have to be thankful for and believe it or not, not one of the things I'm thankful for was found wrapped under the tree. I'm thankful that in the busyness of the season I can still hear God's still small voice whispering I came just for you to save you from this life and offer you something far greater this world could ever offer you. Will you except my gift of love? Will you receive the forgiveness I came to give? Will you share that gift with others? Will you tell them of the greatest gift you ever received, there are people who are in desperate need of love and acceptance... Tell them about me. Friends his name is Jesus and once you cry out to him you will never again be the same, His love is so deep and so pure, you will forever be changed