Watch the Inauguration!

The Awaited One

The Awaited One
by Max Lucado

We were a wreath of Light around the stable, a necklace of diamonds around the structure. Every angel had been called from his post for the coming, even Michael. None doubted God would, but none knew how He could, fulfill his promise.

I've heated the water!"

"No need to yell, Joseph I hear you fine."

Mary would have heard had Joseph whispered. The stable was even smaller than Joseph had imagined but the innkeeper was right- it was clean. I started to clear out the sheep and cow, but Michael stopped me. "The Father wants all of creation to witness the moment."

Mary cried out and gripped Joseph's arm with one hand and a feed trough with the other. The thrust in her abdomen lifted her back, and she leaned forward.

"Is it time?" Joseph asked.

She shot back a glance, and he had his answer.

Within moments the Awaited One was born. I was privileged to have a position close to the couple, only a step behind Michael. We both gazed into the wrinkled face of the infant. Joseph had placed hay in a feed trough, giving Jesus his first bed.

All of God was in the infant. Light encircled His face and radiated from His tiny hands. The very glory I had witnessed in His throne room now burst through His skin.

I felt we should sing but did not know what. We had no song. We had no verse. We had never seen the sight of God in a baby. When God had made a star, our words had roared. When He had delivered His servants, our tongues had flown with praise. Before His throne, our songs never ended. But what do you sing to God in a feed trough?

In that moment a wonderful thing happened. As we looked at the baby Jesus, the darkness lifted. Not the darkness of the night, but the darkness of the mystery. Heaven's enlightenment engulfed the legions.

Our minds were filled with the Truth we had never before known. We became aware for the first time of the Father's plan to rescue those who bear His name.

From An Angel's Story
(originally published as Cosmic Christmas)
Copyright (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2002, 2004) Max Lucado

The Media is not the end-all source of information

It's what U.S. troops are like through a Frenchman's eyes.
Some things should not be condensed. Herewith, the whole piece, at times a bit awkwardly translated, but highly recommended:


"We have shared our daily life with two US units for quite a while - they are the first and fourth companies of a prestigious infantry battalion whose name I will withhold for the sake of military secrecy. To the common man it is a unit just like any other. But we live with them and got to know them, and we henceforth know that we have the honor to live with one of the most renowned units of the US Army - one that the movies brought to the public as series showing "ordinary soldiers thrust into extraordinary events". Who are they, those soldiers from abroad, how is their daily life, and what support do they bring to the men of our OMLT every day? Few of them belong to the Easy Company, the one the TV series focuses on. This one nowadays is named Echo Company, and it has become the support company.

They have a terribly strong American accent - from our point of view the language they speak is not even English. How many times did I have to write down what I wanted to say rather than waste precious minutes trying various pronunciations of a seemingly common word? Whatever state they are from, no two accents are alike and they even admit that in some crisis situations they have difficulties understanding each other.

Heavily built, fed at the earliest age with Gatorade, proteins and creatine - they are all heads and shoulders taller than us and their muscles remind us of Rambo. Our frames are amusingly skinny to them - we are wimps, even the strongest of us - and because of that they often mistake us for Afghans.

Here we discover America as it is often depicted: their values are taken to their paroxysm, often amplified by promiscuity lack of privacy and the loneliness of this outpost in the middle of that Afghan valley. Honor, motherland - everything here reminds of that : the American flag floating in the wind above the outpost, just like the one on the post parcels. Even if recruits often originate from the hearth of American cities and gang territory, no one here has any goal other than to hold high and proud the star spangled banner. Each man knows he can count on the support of a whole people who provides them through the mail all that an American could miss in such a remote front-line location : books, chewing gums, razorblades, Gatorade, toothpaste etc. in such way that every man is aware of how much the American people backs him in his difficult mission. And that is a first shock to our preconceptions : the American soldier is no individualist. The team, the group, the combat team are the focus of all his attention.

And they are impressive warriors! We have not come across bad ones, as strange at it may seem to you when you know how critical French people can be. Even if some of them are a bit on the heavy side, all of them provide us everyday with lessons in infantry know-how. Beyond the wearing of a combat kit that never seem to discomfort them (helmet strap, helmet, combat goggles, rifles etc.) the long hours of watch at the outpost never seem to annoy them in the slightest. On the one square meter wooden tower above the perimeter wall they stand the five consecutive hours in full battle rattle and night vision goggles on top, their sight unmoving in the directions of likely danger. No distractions, no pauses, they are like statues nights and days. At night, all movements are performed in the dark - only a handful of subdued red lights indicate the occasional presence of a soldier on the move. Same with the vehicles whose lights are covered - everything happens in pitch dark even filling the fuel tanks with the Japy pump.

And combat ? If you have seen Rambo you have seen it all - always coming to the rescue when one of our teams gets in trouble, and always in the shortest delay. That is one of their tricks : they switch from T-shirt and sandals to combat ready in three minutes. Arriving in contact with the enemy, the way they fight is simple and disconcerting : they just charge! They disembark and assault in stride, they bomb first and ask questions later - which cuts any pussyfooting short.

We seldom hear any harsh word, and from 5 AM onwards the camp chores are performed in beautiful order and always with excellent spirit. A passing American helicopter stops near a stranded vehicle just to check that everything is alright; an American combat team will rush to support ours before even knowing how dangerous the mission is - from what we have been given to witness, the American soldier is a beautiful and worthy heir to those who liberated France and Europe.

To those who bestow us with the honor of sharing their combat outposts and who everyday give proof of their military excellence, to those who pay the daily tribute of America's army's deployment on Afghan soil, to those we owe this article, ourselves hoping that we will always remain worthy of them and to always continue hearing them say that we are all the same band of brothers."

Hold the Ocean in a Cup

One morning St. Augustine was walking along the road and he came to the seashore just as the sun was emerging on the horizon. He had been seeking God day and night and his eyes had become heavy and tired. His head, too, was bowed down as if he were carrying a great weight, and in fact, he was. He was weighed down by the different scriptures he had read, by the logical systems he had studied, by the words he had spoken for so many years.

That morning as he walked he encountered a boy anxiously holding a cup in his hand.

St. Augustine was intrigued and said, “My son what is wrong? Why do you seem so worried, and why are you holding that cup in your hand?” The boy answered: “Sir, you seem no less anxious and burdened. Maybe you could tell me what is weighing on your heart, what has produced such heaviness in you and where is your cup?"

St. Augustine was amused and said “What cup are you talking about? All that matters to me is seeking God. I long to know him.” The boy said “Sir, I am trying to find a way to hold the ocean in this cup, but I’m not having any luck. That’s why I am anxious and worried."

When Augustine heard these words his eyes were opened and understanding dawned . He realized that he had been trying to hold the ocean of the Infinite in the tiny cup of his ego and that he could never succeed. Only if he threw the cup into the sea could the sea fill it, inside and out.

Thus he became aware of the cup of his intellect, the cup of his ego, and the infinite ocean of the love of God surging in his heart. He had only to surrender the cup to the ocean and he would attain fulfillment.

St. Augustine flung his cup into the sea and the cup became one with the sea.


For Augustine, God is at the center of our being and so he invites us to return to ourselves - to come back from our wandering “out there”. He tells God in The Confessions, “I looked for you everywhere, and you were within me all the time.” In Augustine’s terms we return to the heart by being still, in the body; in the mind; and in the spirit. “God speaks to us in the great silence of the heart” he says. So Contemplation is finding the meaning of silence within ourselves and we do this by sinking down away from the chatter of our minds, the turmoil of our emotions, to a place that is equally valid where we can unfold in the mystery of this divine companionship.

Getting Good at Being You

Getting Good at Being You
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you." (NCV)

Friend to Friend
Beginnings are very important! In fact, the place of origin has much to do with the quality of the journey as well as the final destination! My journey - like yours - began in the heart and mind of God. Before I took even one breath, God wanted, loved and planned me. That same truth applies to you, my friend. You are no accident! You and I were created in response to the love of God and according to His plans. God did not "accidentally" create us and then step back in alarm and say, "Oops! I created her. Now what am I going to do with her?" The plan came first.

There have been many times in my life when I doubted my worth and value. I filled every waking moment with activity -- good things -- thinking that if I did enough good things, I would be good enough. It didn't work. I can never be good enough to earn the love and favor of God. The good news is that I don't have to be! My worth and value rest in the fact that I am chosen by God to be His very own child. I am loved, wanted and planned by God Himself. Wow! God Himself supervised our formation. We were created -- not to be a puppet -- but for an intimate relationship with God.

Psalm 139:14-16 "I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well. You saw my bones being formed as I took shape in my mother's body. When I was put together there, you saw my body as it was formed. All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old." (NCV)

When our son, Jered, was four-years-old, we enrolled him in a daycare for two mornings each week. Jered loved to play with other children and always seemed to get along with all of the other children. I was surprised and upset when his teacher asked me to come in for a conference. My husband said, "Honey, how bad can it be? Jered is only four!" Jered's teacher met with a smile and a good report. "Jered is a wonderful little boy," she began, "but there is one problem. How long has Jered known he was adopted?" I was still clueless about that being a problem, but answered, "Since he began talking. We have told him repeatedly how special he is and that he is a chosen baby." She smiled and went on to explain that Jered told the other children that he was special because he was adopted. In fact, Jered informed each child that his mom and dad had chosen him -- while their parents "got stuck" with them.

Listen, my friend, when you begin to understand and live out the eternal truth that you are loved, planned, wanted and chosen by God, His perfect plan and highest purpose will naturally unfold before you each day. Remember, in His eyes, you are special and His plan for your life is simply for you to get good at being you.

Let's Pray
Father, I want to know You and find Your plan for my life. I choose to see myself through Your eyes of love, forgiveness and grace. I want to be the woman You created me to be. Thank You for loving me. Help me to walk each day in the knowledge that I am Your child.

In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

• Do you really believe God loves you unconditionally?
• What proof of that belief is evident in your life?
• Do you consider yourself worthy? Why or why not?
• Read Psalm 139 each day for one month. Record the new truths that you learn, the changes in your perspective and any fresh insights in your journal.
• At the end of the month, write Psalm 139 in your own words and share it with a friend.

Crying help

One spring afternoon, a man came home to find two girls on the steps of his building. Both were crying hard, shedding big tears. Thinking they might be hurt, the man dropped his briefcase and quickly went over to the two young girls. "Are you all right?" He asked. Still sobbing, one held up her doll. "My baby's arm came off" she said. The man took the doll and it's disjointed arm. After a little effort and luck, the doll was whole again. "Thank you" came the whisper. Next, looking into the tearful eyes of her friends, he asked "And what's wrong with you, young lady?" She wiped her cheeks. "Nothing, I was helping her cry" she said.

Sometimes, we women just need someone to help us cry, to cry with us, to hold our hand and feel our pain. Whether it be something as simple as a broken toy or something as serious as the death of a loved one, sometimes, we all just need someone to help us cry.

But what if there's no one around? What if there's no one of physically hold our hand, to wipe our tearful cheeks, or two sit next to us on the steps. Once you find that person who can just cry with you and hand you tissues, hold on to them, they are rare in this world!

Swollen Imaginations

by Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"(We are) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV)

Friend To Friend
Ada had an uneventful dental visit at my husband's office -- just a routine filling. He was surprised when she called him at home later that evening, complaining of a swollen cheek and excruciating pain.

"Dr. Jaynes," she groaned. "I can barely hold my head up. My face is swollen, I can't open my mouth, and the pain is severe."

"Ada, I'm so sorry you're having trouble," Steve replied. "I can't imagine what the problem could be. I'll call you in some pain medicine and you come in first thing in the morning."

The following day, I was working as Steve's assistant, and was amazed at Ada's appearance when she arrived at the office. Her eyes were half closed, she could barely walk, and her right cheek did appear quite swollen. Ada sat down in the chair as if every movement took great effort. She could barely open her mouth to let Steve see what the problem might be. Finally, she did manage to open slightly. Steve gently lifted her lip and a huge grim spread across his face. He reached in with an instrument and removed a cotton roll from the area between her cheek and tooth... that I had forgotten to remove the previous day.

Ada's eyes popped open as she miraculously bolted upright in the chair. "What did you do?" she exclaimed, all signs of weakness gone. Ada was miraculously healed!

Steve grinned and held up the small piece of cotton. "This is what was causing you so much 'pain.'"

Ada was terribly embarrassed.

Steve and I replayed the scenes from the previous day. Before placing the filling, he put a small cotton roll between Ada's cheek and tooth to keep the area dry. I was assisting him that day and forgot to remove the cotton roll when he had finished. When the anesthesia wore off, Ada felt her cheek and thought it was swollen. As the night wore on, her imagination ran rampant until she had worked herself into such a state, she could barely move with imaginary pain. She had made herself sick. Never once did she open her mouth and look inside. If she had, she would have seen a little white piece of cotton.

That is the power of our imagination and faulty thinking. We can talk ourselves into believing a lie to the point that it affects our actions and our emotions and even our health. However, with close examination, we can recognize the lie and stand on the truth.

Finally, Paul writes to "take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ." Just like the policeman who pursues and captures a criminal on the loose, we can capture those runaway thoughts and lock them away for good. Oh, Satan will try to post bail and set them free again. But we have the power and the authority to lock them up and throw away the key.

Let's Pray
Dear LORD, Help me recognize when I've let my thoughts run away like a wild stallion. Help me rein in worry and regret with the truth of Your Word. Thank You for the Holy Spirit who gives me the power to take every thought captive. Help me to cooperate with him.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
I hope today's devotion made you laugh. To tell you the truth, sometimes we just need to laugh at ourselves. Yes, taking every thought captive is serious business, but laughing at the way we can work ourselves up over nothing is sometimes ... well, just plain funny.

Has there ever been a time when you've just had to laugh at yourself over unnecessary worry or fretting? If so, I'd love to hear about it!

Laws of the Lighthouse

by Max Lucado

The first of the year is known for three things: black-eyed peas, bowl games, and lists. Some don't eat black-eyed peas. Others hate football. But everybody likes lists.

The Bible certainly has its share of lists. Moses brought one down from the mountain.

There are lists of the gifts of the Spirit. Lists of good fruit and bad. Lists of salutations and greetings. Even the disciples' boat got into the action as it listed in the stormy Sea of Galilee. (If you smiled at that, then I've got a list of puns you'd enjoy.)

But the greatest day of lists is still New Year's Day. And the number one list is the list I call the Laws of the Lighthouse.

The Laws of the Lighthouse contain more than good ideas, personal preferences, and honest opinions. They are God-given, time-tested truths that define the way you should navigate your life. Observe them and enjoy secure passage. Ignore them and crash against the ragged rocks of reality.

Smart move. The wise captain shifts the direction of his craft according to the signal of the lighthouse. A wise person does the same.

Herewith, then, are the lights I look for and the signals I heed:

-- Love God more than you fear hell.
-- Once a week, let a child take you on a walk.
-- Make major decisions in a cemetery.
-- When no one is watching, live as if someone is.
-- Succeed at home first.
-- Don't spend tomorrow's money today.
-- Pray twice as much as you fret.
-- Listen twice as much as you speak.
-- Only harbor a grudge when God does.
-- Never outgrow your love of sunsets.
-- Treat people like angels; you will meet some and help make some.
-- 'Tis wiser to err on the side of generosity than on the side of scrutiny.
-- God has forgiven you; you'd be wise to do the same.
-- When you can't trace God's hand, trust his heart.
-- Toot your own horn and the notes will be flat.
-- Don't feel guilty for God's goodness.
-- The book of life is lived in chapters, so know your page number.
-- Never let the important be the victim of the trivial.
-- Live your liturgy.

To sum it all up:
Approach life like a voyage on a schooner. Enjoy the view. Explore the vessel. Make friends with the captain. Fish a little. And then get off when you get home.

Part the Waters/ I need Thee Every Hour- Selah

This song is so clearly the cry of my heart that I come close to tears every single time I hear it, and I listen to it often. "I need Thee every hour, in joy or in pain! Come quickly and abide or life is vain!" These lyrics complete what my heart tries to begin to express in my worship. I need God so much that if He does not show up, my whole life really is worthless and in vain. All that I have worked for in my life, my friends, my family, and my education is all completely worthless without Him as the center and controller of it all.

Listen to this song, read the lyrics, pray the lyrics. Believe and watch God totally change your life as He did mine!

Part the Waters Lord/I Need Thee Every Hour - Selah

When I think I'm going under, part the waters, Lord
When I feel the waves around me, calm the sea
When I cry for help, oh, hear me
Lord and hold out Your hand
Touch my life
Still the raging storm in me
I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford

REFRAIN

I need Thee, O I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
O bless me now, my Savior
I come to Thee

I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain

REFRAIN

Head-In-Cloud Fantasies Keep Her Up Nights

Has anyone ever told you to “get your head out of the clouds”? Has anyone ever stopped and asked “just what you were thinking”? Have you ever wondered what you were thinking? I have. I seem to live in a little dream world where fantastic things could happen, but hardly ever do and then I get disappointed because reality is not like my dream world. But disappointments have not stopped me from dreaming in my little world. Disappointments have not stopped me from staying awake at night, dreaming of what could be, what’s nearly impossible but still nice to think about, and what is and how that is so close to what could be.

Speaking for myself only, I understand that living in a dream world is neither practical nor realistic. I know that you can’t live your whole life in a fantasy land where ordinary people like me are suddenly extraordinarily important to the very survival of the earth. I know this is not reality and I know I shouldn’t let it keep me up nights. But it’s still in my head, still pounding away and sometimes I find myself drifting off in the middle of something important because my head is just so full of this “nonsense.”

I often have to ask people to repeat themselves because while they have been talking and while I have been looking right at them, my mind was literally light years away on some fantastic adventure. I might have been saving a race from untimely extinction on some far away planet, I might have been flying through skies of blue populated with purple and orange clouds, or I might have been just down the road at the farmers market (in 1863 of course) perusing the vegetable selection. You just never know. Some people actually ask where I just was, some people recognize the look in my eyes when I’m still looking at them, but my mind has made the jump to fantasy. Not too many though.

My most recent adventure took me to England in 1913, a popular adventure for me. In fact, most of my adventures take me to England at some point in time. Even as I narrate the story in my head, my voice takes on a distinct British accent. I’ve wanted to go to England for as long as I can remember, wanted to see all the silly touristy things, but also wanting to just spend time with the people there. I want to travel to Stratford-Upon-Avon and see the birthplace of Shakespeare, to see the graves of the great British poets of World War One, and to feel the wind on my face as I stand at Stonehenge in Wiltshire.

Will I ever see these places and feel these feelings? Are they really all that important? Today, I’m not sure, but this I do know, I would like to sleep at night instead of staring at my ceiling thinking about fantastical places, people, and adventures. I would enjoy more than 3 hours of sleep a night.

Thoughts on how to accomplish this?