In the early 1950s, Vacation Bible School (VBS) ladies welcomed my two brothers and me for three summers even though we were dirty, smelly, and uncivilized.

 Vacation Bible School teachers are impackful people. They touch lives long after a week of cookies, Kool-Aid, and felt-board gospel stories. Their kindness was something to behold. The snacks were real foods that we didn’t have to steal to fill our empty bellies for the day. But the Bible stories they told filled our souls for eternity.

These ladies never knew the life-long effect they had on me. Their willingness to teach in VBS introduced me to our Beloved, Jesus Christ. Their example of acceptance has been at the core of my being ever since. I continue to try and pass loving acceptance on to this day; some days with success and other days not.

Even though I didn’t know how to hold a fork or speak properly when I was seven years old, these women of faith showed me hospitality with a welcome hug and kind words. They were Christ’s servants setting me on a journey from a beggar to a teacher. Today, I teach fine dining etiquette and communication skills. Only God’s plan and fulfillment can make such extreme changes in a life.

This year when the role call for VBS volunteers is called, my hope and prayer is that many will be willing to serve. The ones answering the call will be today’s impackful people. They will be touching our future generations with food, acceptance, and the gospel story.

I may not have said “thank you” to the ladies at VBS who lifted my brothers and me up, but the Lord will not forget to say “well done good and faithful servant” to each one of them.

Carolyn K. Knefely is an inspirational speaker, a certified etiquette consultant, and professional development trainer. As a people polisher and co-director of Christian Communicators, she educates, validates, and launches women in their speaking ministries through conferences, retreats, and workshops. Her passions and experiences include equipping students in how to successfully transition from high school to college with ease; taking college students from backpack to briefcase with polish, poise and professional leadership skills; and showing women and teens how to use a teacup as an outreach tool through simple hospitality. Her speaking engagements are entertaining, interactive, and loaded with fun. Carolyn and her husband live in South Carolina to be near their daughter and her family.
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“Stay behind me. Grab on to my belt loop and follow my footsteps,” said Gary. I considered the pitch-black night sky and thick wooded forest and willingly walked behind him, seeing only his light shining on the trail ahead. Occasionally he stopped to cut branches, step over logs, or calculate surroundings. Finally we sat. “Now we wait for daylight,” he said.

Within moments there was sudden movement in the quiet; a wild turkey’s wings beat the air above me and with a powerful whoosh, swooped down from a tree close behind me with a jarring thud. My heart pounded, I jumped, and the bird quietly sauntered away. I was on full alert then, when the supposed sound of a man walking revealed a large turkey crossing on a distant ridge, a stunning silhouette against the backdrop of dawn. He walked toward me. I was mesmerized as he broke into thunderous full-throttle gobbles and a massive fan strut-dance. What a show.

I was perplexed by our dangerous return out of the woods. We traveled a rugged trail past masses of rusty barbed wire, downed trees, and snake dens; edged a high ridge between deep ravines, and skirted a narrow path around a black hole of water. Finally I asked, “Why are we taking a different route out?”

“This is the way we came in,” Gary said.

I was incredulous. I had followed him through dark rugged dangers, unaware; then within moments was given a glimpse of God’s splendor. His leading and my trust had kept me safe, and then amazed me.

I thought of that day many times after diagnosis. Life is dark in the unknown rugged terrain of cancer. When I could not see ahead, fearful and weary of the disease, Jesus said, “Follow me.” I focused more on my Bible and prayer. He has shown many wonders.

Our ultimate Guide knows the way through cancer and willingly leads His followers with His word to keep us safe, sane, and reveal the light that leads to life. Won’t you grab deeper into His word and allow Him to lead you through your journey?

Venita McCart, founder of Faith Force Cancer Support Ministries has, with her group, ministered to hundreds of patients since 2005 through group meetings, personal contacts, writing, and speaking. A cancer survivor herself, Venita is currently working on materials to comfort and encourage cancer patients, their loved ones and to help others create support ministries for the same. She and her husband live in central Illinois. Venita may be reached at venitamccart@yahoo.com.
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The words stung like a whip striking out of nowhere, biting and tearing at my heartstrings. What had I said to deserve this? A seemingly innocuous comment had provoked a harsh and unexpected response and my first response was to strike back.

Just as I began to formulate my answer, the phone rang. On the other end I heard the voice of my sister—my “loyal yoke-fellow.” She listened to the angry words I had planned and said, “Remember what Dad would have said. No matter what anyone else does, it is your responsibility to do the right thing.”

I was reminded of these two women in the Philippian church with the unpronounceable names, Euodia and Syntyche. These Christian women worked hard alongside Paul for the sake of the gospel but they must have had an ongoing dispute that affected other people enough for him to address it publicly. Agreeing with one another in the Lord means to set aside our own feelings in order to do what pleases Him — to make God and His kingdom the priority.

With my sister’s help, I formulated an answer that addressed the circumstances and the angry response. I offered to pray for the person who’d hurt me, and thanked them for a recent kindness I’d planned to ignore in light of their hurtful words.

It wasn’t easy—doing the right thing seldom is. But when we do, there’s satisfaction in knowing God works through us to ease a hurt we don’t even understand. Try it. I guarantee it will change your heart attitude and allow you to grow. It helped me. Look at your differences with others and do the right thing.

Norma Thurston Holtman is a former RN and homeschool/soccer mom. She is the mother of two adult children. She and her husband make their home in the mountains east of Albuquerque, New Mexico. A long-time Bible study leader, she writes a weekly devotional for her church’s website. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an aspiring novelist. She desires to use her writing to bring glory to God and encourage fellow believers. Her devotionals can be found at http://2MefromHim.blogspot.com.
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Sweet gum balls littered the lawn. It was spring and the flowers bloomed in my garden.

Each year I spend hours raking the sweet gum balls off the lawn and tossing them in the trash. On this particular day I raked them into piles, scooped them into the dustpan, and threw them away. When I re-examined the area, I found one I’d missed. I picked it up and tossed it.

The further I walked, the more I found. I was surprised at how many I’d overlooked. How could I not have seen them? I’d already gone over the area thoroughly.

I realized this mirrored my spiritual life. It’s easy for me to go about my days and overlook my sin. I fail to recognize them even as I evaluate my life. I need to pray continually and pay attention to the Holy Spirit as He reveals my sin. The joy comes in abandoning these things and replacing them with what glorifies God.

Just as clearing my yard of sweet gum balls is a process that takes time and continual upkeep, ridding my life of sin is an ongoing practice that I need to make time for. Both require paying attention to detail and getting rid of what doesn’t belong. Only by looking to Him and listening for His voice, can I hear Him convict me of my sin.

Do you go through your days simply moving from one task to the next and checking them off your list, or do you stop to listen to the Spirit? Learn what He wants you to do and follow through with what He reveals.

Ellen Andersen, a native of California, moved to Greenville, SC nine years ago. She is a member of the Upstate Fellowship of Christian Writers and An Author World in Greenville, SC. She serves as a Stephen Minister at her church and is involved in a women’s Bible study. She is working on a memoir detailing how God used unforeseen circumstances in her life to change her focus so she could minister to others to whom she could not otherwise relate.
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He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust. Psalm 91:1-2

“We’re moving,” I told my friend on the phone.

Jane laughed at my news. “I’m glad I started writing your addresses in pencil in my address book.”

She was right. We had moved a lot in our forty years of marriage. Some were for jobs, others because our family was expanding. Now, it was due to retirement. Each move brought with it adjustments—some more so than others. When we moved to a new community, there was much to learn—finding new doctors and dentists, a church, and a school for our children. We were strangers in a neighborhood. No one knew our names or our history. There were times when I was lonely, but eventually we met new people and made some lasting friends.

The Psalmist tells us that the dwelling place for security is in the shelter of the Most High God. It’s a place that offers rest in the midst of changing circumstances and a place of safety when we’re faced with the unknown.  When we don’t know what to do next, He offers security and refuge. He says, “Come and rest here,” when we’re exhausted from going in too many directions.

Yes, the shelter of the Most High offers me a permanent zip code. We can reside and we remain there, because it is a secure and trustworthy place. Are you facing a challenge today? Do you have choices to make? Check your zip code. God promises shelter and a refuge. His residence is a place of safety and rest. He is faithful. You can write the address in ink.

Marilyn Nutter is the author of three devotional books: Dressed up Moms’ Devotions to Go, Tea Lovers’ Devotions to Go, and Diva Delights Devotions to Go. She and her husband are new residents of the Charlotte, NC area. Marilyn enjoys speaking to women’s groups about discovering extraordinary treasures in ordinary days. Her blog, http://grandmothersviews.blogspot.com/ is designed to encourage boomer women to put puzzle pieces together in their new life season. Visit her website at www.marilynnutter.com.

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The little girl looked up at me with a puzzled expression. “Who?” she asked again.

“Jesus,” I repeated. “You know, we celebrate Christmas because it’s his birthday. Haven’t you heard about Jesus?”

My daughter’s playmate shook her head. I don’t know who was more mystified: six-year-old Sara, who thought Christmas really was about Santa Claus, or me, who couldn’t believe Sara had never heard the name of Jesus. Only later when I learned her parents were atheists would I understand.

My heart goes out to those who’ve never heard the name of the Savior. How do they live without Him? I wonder. Lately, though, the Lord has been turning that question back on me.

Life’s worries had been piling up. There was never enough money to pay the bills. My extended family was dealing with health and relationship issues. On top of that, I was the parent of a teenager! I was tired and discouraged and in some ways brokenhearted. The days were becoming a joyless exercise in endurance.

And then, unmistakably, Jesus nudged my spirit, asking, “Who do you say that I am?”

“What, Lord?” I asked.

“Who do you say that I am?”

“Well, you’re the Christ, of course. The son of the living God. My savior, my redeemer, my purpose, and my only hope.”

“They why aren’t you living like it? You’re just as burdened as the people who’ve never heard my name.”

He was right, of course. I frequently wonder how people can live without Jesus, and yet my worries too often keep me from living with him. I know he’s my savior, but is he my ever-present help in time of need? Do I trust him enough to turn my problems over to him, saying, “I can’t handle them, but I know you can?”

On the day of my confession, my worries lifted like a fever breaking and an inexplicable peace came over me. That’s not to say that I don’t still have my worries and doubts, but slowly I’m learning God is who he says he is, and I can rest in knowing that all he does is for our good and for his glory.

By the way, some years later Sara’s parents became believers. Isn’t that just like God?

Prayer: Jesus, you say you are the way, the truth and the life, Savior, Redeemer, Lord of all. Today I affirm that you are who you say you are. Amen.

Ann Tatlock is the author of the Christy Award-winning novel All the Way Home. She has also won the Midwest Independent Publishers Association “Book of the Year” in fiction for both All the Way Home and I’ll Watch the Moon. Her novel Things We Once Held Dear received a starred review from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly calls her “one of Christian fiction’s better wordsmiths, and her lovely prose reminds readers why it is a joy to savor her stories.” Ann lives with her husband and daughter in Asheville, North Carolina. Visit www.anntatlock.com.

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“Push!” The doctor stood like a quarterback over center. “Dad, remember your coaching classes and encourage your wife. She’s really close and needs to push when the contractions come.”

Confused, I glanced at the doctor then back at my wife whose eyes shot daggers. I knew if I shouted one command, it would be the last thing I shouted.

“Push,” I whispered with a sheepish grin.

“Good God man,” the doctor stated. “Take charge and encourage your wife.”

Have you ever wondered what ran through poor Joseph’s mind? First he finds out his betrothed wife is pregnant and makes plans to let her off the hook easy through a quiet divorce. Then an angel visits him in a dream so real he changes his own plan to follow God’s. No big deal right? Well if that ain’t enough, Joseph has to load up the mule with everything except… well, he loads up everything to travel the 80 miles with his very pregnant wife. Yeah, I’m sure she was a peach on that smooth donkey ride. I don’t have to remind you, this was no ordinary pregnant wife, nor was this the typical jealousy-filled man. Jesus Christ in Mary’s womb and God’s plans are never denied.

I held Renee’s hand, looked deep into her struggling eyes, and whispered again, “I love you.” A peace was shared between us that had been absent in the past twenty-six hours of labor. The doctor’s thundering declaration that our second son must be delivered via cesarean never worried us. Christ was in control.

God is, was, and ever shall be present. He encouraged his son Joseph to follow his plan. He gave him hope in a culture that said it was okay to divorce for something like this. He assured Joseph that a long trip with Mary would be safe, even in her last stage of pregnancy. And He delivered on a promise that began with his son Abraham as Jesus appeared to the fallen world.

Did Joseph have to yell push? Why don’t you ask him yourself. For those who seek will find. Knock and the door will be opened. For the next promise we are given is eternity through the same Jesus born in a manger.

Invite Christ into your heart this Christmas season.

Scott McCausey lives smack dab in the middle of the Michigan mitten. He has been married to Renee for eighteen years where they home educate their five children. He has worked as a laboratory manager for over twenty years and enjoys his new role as host of the famous blog talk radio show Christian Devotions Speak UP! Read Scott’s devotions.
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Most likely, Joseph’s name brought a smile of anticipation to Mary’s lips as she sewed her wedding dress with delicate decorative stitches.

Perhaps Joseph daydreamed about Mary as he smoothed a surprise tabletop he had hidden in his shop.

Young optimism colored their future, thrusting even the harsh Roman occupation back into the black and white of their minds. Their marriage, carefully arranged, would be carried out in a matter of months.

But even the noblest of plans took an unexpected course when the Divine Hand pressed them in another direction.

An angel interrupted Mary’s predictable expectations. “Behold you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call his name Jesus . . . the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

A most unusual dream arrested Joseph’s attention. “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” This reassuring appearance from an angel of the Lord sopped up his spilled emotions, the perplexed disappointment running down the sides of his soul.

“Let it be to me according to your word,” Mary whispered in worship.

“Then Joseph . . . did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.”

They exchanged a wedding celebration for a quieter beginning. Their reputation for the first glimpse of Redemption. Did Mary use her wedding dress to make swaddling clothes? Did Joseph fashion a cradle from an unfinished table?

Sometimes God’s divine hand steers our earthbound plans in another direction. His unmistakable nudge presses us to alter or even abandon them. He may ask us to exchange our dreams and preparations for something of eternal significance. For a higher purpose, one that fits His kingdom agenda.

Joseph and Mary followed God’s directives. We can too.

Immanuel has come. “God with us.”

Sarah Lynn Phillips and her husband Barry, live in northeastern Pennsylvania and have been married for thirty years. They have three daughters. Sarah is a freelance writer and the editor of The Women’s LINK, a seasonal newsletter for the women in her church and community. She enjoys homemaking, reading, and quilting.

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Their dreams for a simple life and love, interrupted. She heard the whispers and saw the averted glances. He saw downcast faces, backs turned in disapproval, his integrity questioned. The couple pursued the words given from Heavenly beings, taking them to heart, stepping out against the wisdom of their world.

Their plans for shelter were disrupted. No room in the inn; a crowded stable would suffice. The lesser of God’s creatures, the four-legged workforce, watched and listened. In the stillness of the night the mother panted and labored and prayed. The father prayed, waited, and held her hand. His steady hands made strong and rough from building, cutting, and shaping wood. Those hands trembled and held the crying, squirming package of new life; the Savior of all mankind.

Sheep, set apart for temple sacrifice, cuddled beneath a celestial blanket. The night reigned tranquil, hushed, and mundane. Fires crackled and provided a circle of warmth. Quiet ushered in with soothing shepherd songs, accompanied by flute and lyre. Then, upset by harmonies of heaven, angels’ bright glory swept away the darkness. Glory and brilliance radiated on shepherds, sheep, and field. A message heralded for thousands of years, now fulfilled. God’s Word made flesh. “Fear not! He is here!” Cloaked herders whispered amongst themselves the story told them. The Shepherds left their prized flocks and searched the dark streets of Bethlehem for the sole Lamb of God.

We sometimes question God’s disruption in our lives. But, in the hindsight of days, weeks, or years, we may ponder and see His glory. Should Joseph, Mary, and the shepherds have ignored the whisperings of God? Should they have closed their ears to declarations and fulfillment of prophecy to proceed with their own plans? The choice was theirs, as it is ours.

Our lives, no matter how well planned or established by custom and routine, will be altered when God is permitted to have His way. Has He nudged you to step forward or step back, to do or not do something? Has He prodded you to look in directions off your well-worn path of familiarity? His plan and purpose begins with that first step of obedience. Blessings for ourselves and others result when we give way to Divine interruptions.

Are you willing to be interrupted?

Sandra D. Scott, an RN, Bible teacher, and freelance writer, lives in Tucson, Arizona. She has taught Bible studies at a private Christian school and at a men’s prison facility for numerous years. She finds the writing process intriguing and says, “It’s amazing to have a plot or character develop before your eyes, like a photo in the darkroom.” She is currently “developing” several children’s short stories, a pro life novel, and a young adult novel.
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For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“Daddy, can we open the gifts now?” My sister and I knew there would be gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. We jumped out of bed in our matching red and white pajamas and ran to the tree to see if we would get our requested bicycles, Barbie dolls, and sewing kits. Knowing our father loved us, we were confident we would receive good things. He gave us what we asked for plus even more than we expected.

My sister and I thanked Daddy for the presents.

Our Heavenly Father also blesses us with His gifts – some we ask for and some are surprises; gifts such as love, hope, joy, grace, and salvation. On Christmas Day we celebrate the most treasured gift from God, the birth of His Son, Jesus, and His sacrifice that was given freely. If Jesus had never lived, died, and risen, our sins would not be forgiven and washed away. Our soul’s salvation would not exist.

Like discovering presents under the tree, the Bible reveals to us the gift of life. 1 Corinthians states that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, he was buried, and was raised on the third day…” God’s Word says after Jesus’ resurrection, He appeared to Mary Magdalene, Peter, James, His disciples, the apostles, and Paul.

If you have not asked the Lord Jesus to come into your life to forgive you, invite Him to be a part of your daily life. God loves you and wants you to surrender your life to Him. He will erase your sins and guide you. For both new and long-time believers, rejoice and thank Him for the glorious gift of eternal life with our Savior.

Nancy Dutton is a freelance writer who has published a book of poetry. She has written articles that have appeared in a variety of publications. Nancy writes customized poems and haikus and teaches children how to write haikus. She is experienced in writing poetry, haikus, stories about animals and children, inspirational stories, plus press releases, brochures, and promotional materials.
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