Sunny&80A Prayer for Those Going through Divorce at Christmas
Posted on December 23, 2018
Divorce doesn’t have to be the crushing end to all Christmas traditions. Hope does not have to fade as the picturesque view of a familiar life wanes. Christmas is the celebration of the hope Jesus brought into the world with His infant cries.
Hope lives in Jesus-filled hearts.
1. Don’t Let it Define You
Both Christian and agnostic folks have an opinion about the right or wrong of marriages that end in divorce. The holiday season brings them all together and sits them down right in front of you with a stage to speak their truth. Don’t be defined by it.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
When God says He loves you, He loves you. There’s no “if” or “unless” attached.
The Cast Call (#jammed daily devo, day 357)
Posted on December 23, 2018
December #jammed: Grace, gifted.
Day 357: Callbacks.
The story of Christ’s birth tells of ordinary people who loved God, and ended up together 
on what would be the night that changed the face of the earth forever. Humanity …we long for benchmarks, standards, and qualifications. If we were in charge, the people that were picked to be Jesus’ earthly parents would not have been Mary and Joseph. They were ordinary. And Jesus would not have been born in a manger. That’s too simple …and not sanitary.
Humanity would have had Jesus born unto royalty and into a castle …not in a stable under the stars.
Tryouts. Auditions. We’re constantly having to live up to each others’ standards.
Jesus wasn’t worried about any of them. His appearance was common. His birth was common. His parents were common. Yet, the angels still lit the sky on the night He was born.
Someone once told me that no one else can tell my story. Human life is like that. It’s so intricate and unique, one to the next, that no one story is ever duplicated fully. If that’s not a miracle in and of itself …
We like to compare, thinking it will give us a certain amount of stability to know where we stand. But God knows us all. Loves us all. Jesus knew us all before we were born. Perhaps the greatest thing we can learn from Jesus’ arrival on earth is that greatness isn’t packaged the way we think it has to be. That a humble and quiet life is heard at the same volume as the loud and flashy ones.
Father, Praise You for Christ’s humble birth, and thank You for loving every person the same on this earth. Forgive us for seeking favoritism and elevation among others, and bless our hearts to receive and give Your authentic love. In Jesus ‘ Name, Amen.
Get the conversation started by commenting below, and let’s encourage one another as we face life in 2017 armed with grace!
#greatgrace17
Happy Lane-Walking,
Megs
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The Yellow Gold (#jammed daily devo, day 356)
Posted on December 22, 2018
December #jammed: Grace, gifted.
Day 356: True Colors.
“I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.” Psalm 57:2
The light caught my wedding bands and exposed the yellow gold purging through as the
white gold finish began to wear off again. The wear reflects the reality of life that has settled in long after the magical carriage ride and pretty white dress.
There are days that the light exposes more of ourselves than we want to see. Ten years can pass without a long glance in the mirror, and suddenly we don’t recognize the reflection anymore when we linger a little longer. Time has a way of wearing on the human soul in two directions at once. As the fleeting memory reel runs in the back, the hope of the future runs ahead. Life rarely goes as we plan, but God is never surprised.
Christmas is proof of that.
Christmas was always the plan.
Jesus was born at the time, place, and in the care of the people God planned. God is a planner. God is prepared. Today’s verse allows us the freedom to cry out to Him when we are lost. When we don’t recognize who we are anymore, in the mirror’s reflection or inside of our own minds.
“God who fulfills His purpose for me.”
He will fulfill His purpose for us.
When we can feel it happening, we cry out in praise and celebration. When we’re at a frustrating crossroad or in a pit of suffering, we cry out in need of our Healer to pull us through.
Just as sure as that baby boy breathed His first earthly breath right on time in that manger, our lives will fulfill the purpose He places us here for.
Father, Praise You for lifting us up over and over again. Thank You for brushing off our shiny surfaces and loving us for who we are, all dulled and worn out underneath. Forgive us for wallowing or becoming discouraged as we get older. Bless our hearts to feel Your comfort and Your encouragement. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Get the conversation started by commenting below, and let’s encourage one another as we face life in 2017 armed with grace!
#greatgrace17
Happy Re-coating,
Megs
Get the #jammed Daily Devo sent straight to your inbox each morning, by subscribing to Sunny&80.
10 Gifts That Speak from the Heart
Posted on December 21, 2018
Christmas presents quickly become fruitcake cheesy and impractical unless we plan ahead to give heartfelt gifts this season. The point of Christmas is to move beyond materialistic lists that are advertised to us each year. When we rush to grab a limited quantity item or a deeply discounted product, we can end up with an empty wallet and a pile full of meaningless “stuff” to wrap.
When we focus on Christ’s all-encompassing gift to us, we are sure to find ways to be thoughtful in giving to others. Like everything else in life that we worry about, gift-giving can be lifted up to Him through prayer. Spending time with Him in the Word each day will tenderize our hearts to the reason for the season. When we walk through life with a grounded perspective, He flows in and out of our lives affecting every part of it! It will help us to think more of others. Here are ten ways to give that challenge the sentimental parts of our hearts.
10 Practical Tips for Family Devotions This Christmas
Posted on December 21, 2018
When looking to reflect and celebrate the Advent Season as a family, it’s important to keep some key elements of our devotional activities front and center. Christ is sole reason for Christmas; everything we do reminds, or causes us to reflect upon Him. If we can accomplish daily focus on Jesus, then our Christmas is bound to mean more this year than ever before.
There is an intimacy created when we experience Scripture together as a family. The power of God’s spoken word has the ability to meet us right where we are, separately and together, simultaneously. Take the time this Advent Season to intentionally sit as a family and allow Him to minister to and prepare our hearts.
Families need this time, if only for the Advent season, to reconnect and bond together as they walk through this season of celebration. Perhaps divorce lingers on the horizon as fights fill the hallways of our homes; maybe our kids have been the victim of bullying and we’ve had to watch their innocent light burn down to just a flicker. This holiday may be bringing with it the celebration of a new addition to the family, or union of a blended one. Jesus is amidst every circumstance we live through.
Sunny & 80 …by Meg!
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