What a week....leading up to Christmas.

My week began at my favorite place to be - Chicago HUB on Sunday evening. The worship at HUB was wonderful - led by one of my favorite worship leaders, Steve Mitchell.  It was a free flowing time of worship, truly led by the Holy Spirit.  The interesting thing for me was,  I felt as if the particular songs and the direction of the worship were just for me.  I imagine that I am not the only person who felt that way, but there was a very personal message as one song flowed into the next.  I had walked in the doors that night feeling distant from Jesus, distracted by all the stuff of the season and alone.   I left that night feeling a close, intimate hug from Jesus, focused on the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and knowing that I was connected to a very large "family".  What an amazing Christmas blessing.

On Wednesday there was another Christmas treat!  I got to watch Anna perform in her first ever Christmas Program.. 

There is nothing better than seeing these preschoolers up on the stage, singing and sharing about the baby Jesus.  Anna is only 3 years old, but her personality showed through in her performance. Anna was the line leader for her class and she knew just where to go on the stage.   She was singing and dancing and knew all of the words and motions to the songs.  She was not one bit afraid - even though the church was packed with family members.  I stopped and picked up Lia, Ellie and Zeke so they could see the program.  Because Gwen is a teacher at this preschool, she was already there - directing the program!  

Most of the kids in Anna's class did more standing and staring rather than singing and motioning.  Anna told me that she was especially excited because she got to be on the "stage". She is a determined little girl who makes very clear decisions.   I am sure we will be seeing much more of her, front and center, and leading the way for her peers.   I have no doubt that she will be a "mover and shaker" later in life.  I truly believe that everyone would have a much calmer and sweeter Christmas if they attended a children's Christmas program.  You can't help but feel wonderful after watching these sweet little faces share the Christmas message.  

So, here on this Friday, December 22, our family is anticipating our Christmas gathering tomorrow.  

Our time together is never about the gifts that we exchange.  It is about the fun and the laughing.  We always share memories and stories from past years.  There is always food and time for silly games.  As I was talking with Lia, Ellie and Zeke in the car on the way to Anna's program, I was shocked to realize that Zeke never knew my mom.  Lia and Ellie always talk about her, but Great Grandma Nona died a month before Zeke was born.  It was one of those times when I really was missing my mom! Somehow the time just gets away from you and suddenly, years have passed without your loved ones.  Our Lucas would be three years old now and he is missed every day.    I loved that Zeke's final thought about Great Grandma Nona and Lucas was simply, "I know I'll get to meet her in heaven!  And baby Lucas also!"  

Yes, heaven is possible for us all because of that little baby, wrapped in strips of cloth and sleeping in a feeding box.  Jesus started life among us as a child and the message of his coming is simple enough to be shared by children.  The Father knew that the message of love and joy and peace on earth would be best carried to the world by the voices of sweet, innocent children.  

Anna's program ended with the children singing "Joy to the World".  Which is a fitting end to this blog.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King!

Let every heart prepare Him room.

And heaven and nature sing!

And heaven and nature sing!

And heaven and heaven and nature sing!

Jesus, thank you so much for the voices and the smiles of little children.  Holy Spirit, help us all to slow down, relax and remember the best gift that was ever given - Jesus.  Holy Spirit, show us how to prepare our hearts to be open to the joy and peace that Jesus brings.  Give us ears to hear the voices of the angels saying "Peace to the people of earth".  Thank you for this amazing season.  Amen

Coming full circle..... back to Joy!

I've blogged many times about this last year.  It's been very different than any other year of my life.  It was unexpected and truly a challenging time.  It all began here....From Joy to Sorrow to Hope.  This was my blog post on November 16, 2014.  This was my first post after the death of my grandson Lucas.  I never expected to put those words on a page.  But it has been one of the most read posts that I have blogged.  Somehow people around the world are still finding that post and reading it.  Just this week a reader in Russia sent me a message that this post had touched her deeply.  I know that the Holy Spirit is using my ramblings to spread the hope of Jesus to hurting people.

Last Christmas was a bit of a blur for our family.  But for me, I was just clinging to HOPE.  Hope has been that ever present thing that has helped me to keep walking on.  As our family started planning this Christmas, there was still that strong feeling of hope.  But more than that, there was joy beginning to break through.  At my small group Christmas gathering yesterday, one of my dear friends brought gift bags for each of us.  Inside was a sweet treat, as well as an ornament.  Each was different, and it was not just chance that brought this ornament into my hands. It was Jesus.

Last year a different friend from that small group had given me this ornament and it was so perfect for last Christmas.  It was hung on my tree with many tears.  When I saw it this year, it was like a wonderful beacon....a reminder of that angel of hope that has been with me for the last year.  

When I saw that Dove....with the words "Joy to the World", I knew that the joy I have been sensing and feeling is very real.    Here are the words to that wonderful Christmas Hymn....

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Not only has Jesus, the Savior, come, but He reigns!  No more will sorrows grow.  Jesus will make His blessings flow.  He is truth and grace and His love is wonderful.  Yes, this is just a reminder of who Jesus is and all that he does for us.  It has been quite the ride, this past year.  I did a lot of clinging to the Word (reading Scripture) and was so thankful to be surrounded by supportive friends who helped me hang on to hope.  So now it is wonderful to be singing JOY TO THE WORLD THE LORD HAS COME!  No matter how dark or deep the sorrow, there is hope in Jesus.  And that hope will reveal the joy that all the world repeats......The Lord is come!  

Jesus, thank you for wonderful friends that deliver words of great encouragement.  What a wonderful reminder of who you are, in the words of a song.  Thank you for your truth and grace that reveal your love.  Jesus, most of all, thank you for being with me during this last year.  Bless all who take the time to read these words.  Help them to know the wonders of your great love.  Amen

Amazing, incredible, awesome night!

What an amazing night I had last night.  I am writing this post in the morning, rather than at night since I didn't arrive home until after 11:00pm last night.  It was the opening night of this conference.  I am so blessed to be able to attend this event, even if I had to leave "early"- before the end of the session last night, since I have a 40 minute drive home. 

 

Here's the absolutely amazing part of the night.  HUB Ministries found out that there were 12 other major events like this happening around the United States on the same weekend.  As Nancy Magiera said, this is highly unusual.  She found some evidence that throughout history, these dates have included some of the largest revivals ever seen.  She got in contact with the leaders from these other conferences and together they decided to "prefer someone else, rather than themselves".  So last night the conference opened with all of us praying and interceeding for the OTHER events!  And more than that, IRIS Ministries (Rolland and Heidi Baker) - the ministry that is supported by HUB, has a large International event this weekend.  They have invited 7,000 leaders from the top 50 countries that persecute Christians to a large conference.  So, it was possible to imagine being united with people (as Nancy put it) "from sea to shining sea" as well as reaching the nations. 

 

The evening worship included these words............

 

Every eye is on the bridegroom, every eye is on the king

Behold His glory.  We will see his glory.

Lift up our eyes, come let us adore him.

 

Isn't He holy,  Isn't He worthy,  Isn't He beautiful.

 

Yes, I am expectant and hopeful for the rest of this amazing event this weekend.  It is so wonderful to see UNITY among ministries!  It really feels heavenly.

 

Yesterday I came upon this utube video The Christmas Scale.  What an awesome video.  And an amazing reminder ...... Joy to the World, The Lord has come!  So, Come Let Us Adore Him!  Yes, a Christmas message in October!

 

Jesus, thank you for this opportunity to worship and pray in unity with so many of your people around the world. Bless these events, and other events that are unknown to me, happening this weekend.  Thank you for this video and the story that it contains.  Help us all, Holy Spirit, to live and walk in the knowledge that we have JOY, because the Lord has come.  And help us to come together and adore Him!  Amen