So, what does my night stand look like? You’d probably never see it if you came over for dinner or to chat over tea, usually that master bedroom is too intimate to open to even the closest of friends. But, because my night stand is one of my favorite spots in our home (because it holds some of my most precious possessions!), I wanted to give you a glimpse into what you’d find.

This is the place where I keep my personal things- my Bible, my prayer journals for my children, devotional resources and studies, and books that I’m in the process of reading. As seasons change, studies end, and books are finished, the contents of my night stand change, but here is a glimpse of what is speaking into my soul at the current moment.

My Bible

Journal the Word Bible

I have had many different styles of Bibles over the years, and this one is my absolute favorite! I love the lined margins that give space for notetaking and journaling how God is speaking to me.

God & I Time Resources

Head to Toe Prayer Journals

I created these prayer journals to help me be more intentional in praying for my children. I have one for each child where I record specific requests that I’m interceding for on their behalf. This is a keepsake that I cherish using in my motherhood.

Great Hymns for Growing Hearts

This is a 12 week hymn study the Lord allowed me to publish early in 2022. We have been going through it with our family, and the fruit has been so rewarding. I love hearing my littles singing hymns like “God Leads Us Along” and “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” throughout our days. I know that we are investing biblical truth into their hearts that will reap for their lifetime!

Great Hymns for Growing Hearts: Christ the Savior is Born

We will soon be taking a break from my first Great Hymns book to delve into the new Christmas edition! This is a 4 week hymn study designed to help you sing your way to Christmas as you prepare your hearts and homes to celebrate the birth of our Savior.

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller

I am currently studying through Psalm 23 in my devotional time, and this book has been such a helpful tool providing a deeper understanding into the heart of our Shepherd!

Pastel Bible Highlighters

I love these highlighters from Daily Grace Co. They have been designed to not bleed through even the thinnest Bible pages.

Micro-Pen Fine Liner Set

This is my favorite pen set for writing notes in my Bible. And bonus that it comes with so many colors! I like using different colors to emphasize different things (the promises of God, commands, words of Christ, etc)

Books I’m Reading

These are books that I am currently reading. Each book has been enjoyable and helpful thus far, but I wanted to put the disclaimer that I have not finished them yet, so this isn’t a finalized review and recommendation.

Heartfelt Discipline by Clay Clarkson

from the back of the book. . .

As a Christian parent, you know your chidlren need you to “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” The Bible is clear about what you should do. But what about how you should do it? Your answer will shape how your children remember your parenting and family.

Heartfelt Discipline contends there is no divine “how to” formula for childhood discipline. Rather, there is a “way.” It is the way of life, the path we walk with principles of discipline as you walk the path with your children.

Direction: Guiding and showing them how to walk on the path with God

Correction: Getting them back on the path when sin leads them off of it

Protection: Guarding them from temptations that could draw them away

Giving Your Words by Sally & Clay Clarkson

from the back of the book. . .

As a parent, your heart’s desire is to guide your chidlren to love and follow God. Yet so many voices are offering help and advice. Whose voice should shape your children?

Sally and Clay Clarkson suggest the answer is as simple as it is powerful: yours. They will show you how to use your own words to shape your child’s life for Christ.

Start here to gain confidence to personally and intentionally cultivate a verbal home, one filled with words of faith formation and spiritual nurture.

Just Open the Door by Jen Schmidt

from the back of the book. . .

For many of us, inviting people into our lives and homes feels more like inviting judgment on our entertaining skills and stress on our already maxed-out schedules. But what if you knew that opening your front door had the power to radically change the world? To make an impact and leave a legacy with everyday invitations?

Jen Schmidt has set out to reframe how we think about hospitality and to equip us to walk a road of welcome in our daily lives. Jen knows that every time we choose open-door living– whether in our homes or by taking hospitality on the road just like Jesus- those we invite in get to experience the lived-out gospel, our kids grow up in a life-lab of generosity, and we trade insecurity for connection.

Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay Clarkson

Discipleship. Whole Books. Real Life.

Need more be said?! This is the handbook for wholehearted Christian home education! It is quite the resource coming in at almost 400 pages packed with biblical wisdom and practical advice and information. This is one I’m working through slowing, seeking to absorb every ounce of experience and advice.

Planning Tools

PowerSheets Goal Planner

After a friend shared raving reviews about this goal planner, I decided it was something I’d have to try out. It has not disappointed! A bit different from a regular life planner, this helps you dig into what matters most to you, help you set and achieve goals, and make your dreams come true. This resource has been so helpful as I am praying and preparing for a new year with NHC!

So, what’s currently on your night stand?

Amazon links are affiliate links

If you see something you love, purchasing through the links given are a blessing to my little family. Thank you!

This book was birthed from a mother’s heart who wants her children to love truth. We could sing and learn hymns, connecting the ears and the lips. I want more than that. I want them to heart he words, have the message take deep root in their hearts, and have their lips overflow in praise from a passionate love for their Savior.

I have presented the hymns in this book to go beyond words and music. I want readers to dig into the messages of the songs and to discover more about our great God. When we explore all the aspects of truth in the words of hymns, it will enable us to worship and praise God on a deeper level. Hymn singing will become more than our lips moving in a familiar motion to a recognized tune. It will be an expression of adoration as our heart meditates on the truths learned and worships the One who embodies those truths.

After months of having this project on my heart, it is a joy to announce that it is available for purchase! You can order your copy here.

As I launched the book on social media, I received several questions about the book and it’s intended use. I wanted to be sure to address each of those so that you can glimpse the potential that this book can have as you seek to raise the next generation for Christ!

Questions

• What is Great Hymns for Growing Hearts?

  • This book is a hymn study for parents and teachers to use great hymns of the faith to teach doctrinal truth and the character of God to children.

• Is this a book or a resource?
  • I have written it to be a resource. This is not a book that you will read one time, and then put on a shelf. You will pour over this study time and again as you mine the truths from Scripture that these hymns present.

• Is it curriculum for schools?

  • While we have many who are using this resource in Christian schools, it is not curriculum. There are no worksheets included. It is more of a study. It was primarily designed for home and family use, but I have provided suggestions on how to adapt it to be used in a school our group setting.

• What Bible translation is used?

  • All Scripture is from the King James Version.

• What part does Christ-honoring music play in the home?

  • Music is a powerful tool that can create a specific atmosphere in the home. When Christ-honoring music is played, it allows for us to have a home where beauty and truth are intricately woven into the fabric of our family.

• What ages is this geared towards?

  • I believe that I have written this in a way that makes it adaptable to any age group, but the targeted age would be mid-elementary through high school. Depending on the age of your children, you will have to determine what portions to give more emphasis to. Young children will enjoy the stories behind the writing of the hymns. Older children will be able to have deeper discussions as you work through the Heart Application and Deeper Dive section.

• Is this just for families?

  • No! This would be a wonderful resource for Christian schools, children’s choirs, youth groups, Sunday school classes, and more!

• Is there a discount code for pastors or Christian school leaders placing a bulk order?

  • Yes! Email me at nohighercallingpodcast@gmail.com with your church/school name and the number of copies you need to purchase, and I can send you a discount code to use!

• Can an adult glean from this if they are not using it to teach children?

  • Yes! This study has been so enriching to my life and walk with Christ. It has given my worship and praise a greater depth. It is written for adults to use to teach to children, so you will notice that in the style of writing, especially in the story behind the hymn and the questions in the Heart Application section. But an adult can definitely benefit from this study.

• What hymns are included?

  • 1. Amazing Grace

  • 2. Day by Day

  • 3.Jesus Paid It All

  • 4. God Leads Us Along

  • 5. It Is Well

  • 6. Near the Cross

  • 7. Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus

  • 8. Here is Love

  • 9. Come Thou Fount

  • 10. All The Way My Savior Leads Me

  • 11. I Must Tell Jesus

  • 12. God Will Take Care of You

• Do you offer international shipping?

  • Yes! The cost will be more than US shipping, but it is available!

• Will this be a series?

  • We’ll see what God has in store for the future, but let’s just say I have really big dreams!!

• How is each hymn study laid out?

  • It is intended that a week be spent studying through each hymn, so the book will give you 12 weeks worth of hymn study. Each hymn study is divided into 5 days.

    Day 1: Introduce the hymn and Scripture memory verse. Read through the words of the hymn and begin learning to sing it.

    Day 2: Practice saying the Scripture memory verse and sing through the hymn. Read “The Story Behind the Hymn” section.

    Day 3: Practice saying the Scripture memory verse and sing through the hymn. Read the “What Does This Hymn Teach Us About God?” section.

    Day 4: Practice saying the Scripture memory verse and sing through the hymn. Go through the Heart application sections.

    Day 5: Aim to quote the Scripture memory verse and sing the hymn from memory. Read the “Deeper Dive” section.

• What are the different parts of the Heart Application section?

  • Question and Answer: Questions taken directly from the words of the hymn, the hymn story, and the character of God section. Each question will have a specific, easy to find answer.

  • Conversation Staters: These questions are to incite open-ended discussions. There is no right or wrong answer for these. The purpose is to get children to a higher level of thinking as they meditate on the message of the hymn through the lends of Scripture.

  • A Glimpse into God’s Word: Open your Bibles and discover truth together! I provide Scripture passages to get you started, but you will read through them and go through the Bible study questions on your own.

• What do I hope Great Hymns for Growing Hearts will accomplish?

  • I believe that teaching hymns in the way presented in this book can have a life-changing impact on the hearts and futures of our children. As we lay a foundation of truth and a knowledge about who God, this will provide a bedrock that God can use in our children’s lives today and every day til Jesus comes!

Order Your Copy Now

It was March 17, 2017. I had just nursed Eden to sleep, and I decided to take a nap myself. With her warm little body cozied up next to mine, I began to drift off to sleep. I was startled as my phone buzzed. My Dad was calling. At that time, my Dad and I weren’t super close. We rarely talked on the phone. I placed the phone back down on my bed thinking I’ll just call him back after nap time, but something prompted me to answer. “Hello?” I whispered. In a broken voice, he said, “Clay’s dead.” In an instant, the breath was knocked out of me and the room began spinning. Surely I didn’t hear him right. But I did. Dad didn’t know many details; he would call back as soon as he did. The next place I remember being was on my hands and knees on the floor of our living room. I called Simeon, screaming and weeping “Clay has died!”

I am the oldest of four children. Clay, my brother, was 18 months younger than me. From my earliest memories, we were always a pair. Best friends or worst enemies, we had an incredible childhood growing up together. Our teen years into adulthood drew us even closer. Clay had just finished up four years of service in the army. In December of 2016, he’d moved back to Germany to marry his fiance. He had met her while he was stationed there for two years. They were married in February 2017. One month and one day after their wedding, Clay died. We later found out that Clay had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition he’d had since birth. His years in the army had exerted a muscle in his heart to a point that it was so taught that it no longer allowed for his heart to beat. In an instant, his heart stopped, and he entered into heaven.

That was the first time in my life that I experienced grief. It was also the first time where God became more than head knowledge, but heart knowledge. I was saved years prior to this instance, but I never had faced anything that left me desperate for Christ and truths that were only found in Him. In all of the tumultuous emotions that came in the following days, God’s grace was so sufficient.

It was in my darkest moments that I found precious treasures, shining like stars in the black night. At the time, I called them “my anchors.” They held me to the Rock when life’s waters threatened to rip me from the arms of my Saviour. Today, the water’s current isn’t as strong. Yes, grief still rears it’s ugly head from time to time, and I’m reminded of my deep loss, but time has healed the wound. I now call these treasures “my gifts.” I see them as precious gifts from the Lord. These are things I have come to experience personally. No one could ever convince me that they are not real because I have lived them.

Gifts Discovered in Grief

• God’s Sufficient Grace II Corinthians 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
• God’s Unending Comfort Psalm 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
• God’s Perfect Peace Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
• God’s Sweet Rest Jeremiah 31:25 “For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.”

Clay’s death was only the beginning of dark, soul-crushing waters that my family would have to walk through. I’m so thankful that God used this loss to drive these truths a mile deep in my heart. I would need the confidence of these promises to carry me through the trials that waited ahead. As I continue to journey through life, God is continuing to show me that sweetness can be found in the bitterest of waters.

I love this poem by William Cowper-

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

You can listen to the corresponding episode on the No Higher Calling podcast.

It takes strength to be a mom. There are days when I feel as though the strength I have doesn’t even come close to equaling the output of energy and effort I exude. During a recent church service, one of the men in our church preached on this verse from Deuteronomy. I have been meditating on this passage ever since. God has been doing a work in my heart regarding the truths found in this verse.

We must all realize that we are completely weak in and of ourselves. Living this life for the Lord requires strength. The strength required is not something that we can muster up on our own. The only source of our strength is the Lord. In this passage in Deuteronomy, He promises us that the strength He will give us will equal the days that we will live. God has ordained, before we were even conceived, the number of days that we will be on this earth. With each new day, God gives us the allotment of strength needed for us to live righteously and glorify Him that day.

Psalm 39:4 “LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.”

In Exodus 19, we find the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. They are hungry and whining for food. God sends manna from heaven, but there’s a catch. He supplies only a daily provision. When they collected more than what they needed for one day, they found it had spoiled the next morning. Day by day, they had to trust God to provide for them. What does this mean for us? God will not give us tomorrow’s strength today. But you can guarantee that He will provide all of today’s strength for us! For every day that we are on this earth, we can rest assured in knowing that God will give us what we need for each day.

This reminds me of a story Corrie Ten Boom shared in her book The Hiding Place. When she was a young girl, she went with her mother to visit a family who’s infant baby had died. It had just passed away, and when they arrived at the house, Corrie found the baby still lying in it’s cradle. She touched the tiny hand to find it cold and lifeless. That is the first time she had been made so aware of death, and it frightened her. That night when her father came to tuck her into bed, she clung to him, crying, telling him that she was so afraid of losing him, her mother, or one of her siblings. Her father so tenderly wrapped Corrie in his arms. He reminded her of their weekly train rides together. He asked her when it was that he handed Corrie her ticket. She replied with, “Right before we board the train.” He responded, “Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things, too. Don’t run out ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need- just in time.”

As you travel down the road of life, you’ll come to realize that some days require more strength than others. God is always previous! He knows what we will need before we are aware of it. We can trust Him to provide strength to match the need. We need not worry about the future, God promises to supply.

Matthew 6:34 “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself”

You might thing, Ok, I know all of this, but how does that play out in my life in a practical way? Let me share with you my takeaways, from this Scriptural truth.

• I do not need to worry about the future. The future is in God’s hands. Though I make my plans, I have no idea what the days ahead will bring. We can find comfort in knowing that God does! God has been so faithful to provide us with strength every day in the past, we can trust Him to provide it for the future. Whatever fears and concerns are looming in the distance, take courage knowing that God has already promised to give you the strength to face what lies ahead.
• I do need to prepare my heart and mind and my home for the days that lie ahead. I don’t have to worry about the days ahead because I rest in the truth that God is previous, and He has promised to supply the strength required for me to accomplish His purposes. It is my responsibility to be preparing my heart and my children’s hearts to be ready to receive the Lord’s strength. There have been days that started off great, and one phone call completely changed my world forever. In an instant, I was left broken and weak. I am so thankful that I had taken the time in the days, months and years prior to saturate my heart with Scripture and encouraging hymns. When sorrow hit and I couldn’t even find the strength to read my Bible, God flooded my mind with His Word through verses and songs I had memorized. We need to be working diligently to put truth into our children’s hearts, so when moments come that shake them to their core, their hearts and minds will be quick to find strength in the promises of God.
• God’s purpose for each of us EVERY DAY is that we will glorify Him and point others to Christ. I may not have the strength needed (or the time!) to accomplish my lengthy to-do list in one day. That’s ok! That doesn’t mean that God has failed me. God promises to give us the strength required to fulfill HIS purposes for our lives each day. What is that purpose? It is that we bring Him much glory, and that we point others to Christ. It may be a day that the only people I see is my husband and my children, and the only things I accomplish are menial household chores. Does the thought of being filled with God’s strength to accomplish His intent for my life seem to lofty for such a normal day? Absolutely not! We can glorify God, no matter what the task, by doing the task He has called us to. For me, that is being a wife and mother. When I love and take care of my home and those within it’s walls, I am bringing glory to God. As I am changing diapers and menu planning, I can be pointing others to Christ! How is that possible? When I serve my family with a heart of humility, joy and devotion, I am allowing my heart and hands to mirror the heart and hands of Jesus. He was the greatest servant of all!

We are living days that require much strength, and I wonder if even more difficult days are ahead. No matter what level of strength the days ahead will require, KNOW that God promises that as our days, so our strength. We can face the future with confidence, hope and peace resting in this promise. Whatever circumstances come into our lives, as long as we are trusting in the Lord and leaning on Him, we will have what it takes to not only endure, but to thrive!

You can listen to Brettnay share more on this thought on episode 5 of the No Higher Calling podcast.

Christmas is my favorite time of year! It has always been special, but I’ve loved it to a whole new level as I have had my own home and children. Simeon and I are having so much fun selecting traditions that we hope will forever shape this glorious season in the hearts and lives of our children. Some traditions are ones that our parents did with us when we were growing up. Some are things we’ve come up with on our own. All are anticipated and enjoyed! As the years go by, we look forward to the elements that make up our family’s Christmas traditions.

We are learning that different seasons bring about different aspects of celebration. Some of the traditions and rhythms that we do currently, we might not do forever. There are quite a few that we hope will remain through the many years to come!

These are a few of our favorites that we hope to implement for a lifetime!

*Decorating Our Christmas Tree: We always get a real Christmas tree. There’s something magical about the smell of a fresh pine tree in your house during the holiday season. Every year, we get it from a tree farm on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We spend the evening decorating the tree while listening to Christmas music. That’s the official start of Christmas music echoing through our home. Once the tree is complete (which, in my opinion, is not until presents are piled underneath) we climb onto the couch to watch the Veggie Tales Toy That Saved Christmas.

Each year, we let the kids pick out an ornament to add to our collection. This is something I have fond memories of doing when I was little. It is neat to see the kids personalities come out in their ornament choices each year. Then, we also get a family ornament. It is usually something that represents the biggest thing we did that year. Each of our kids has a baby’s 1st Christmas ornament that is Winnie the Pooh themed. I have each of theirs hanging together on the tree. It is so special to me to remember their first Christmases.

*Countdown to Christmas: Read about our advent calendar tradition here-https://nohighercalling.wordpress.com/2020/11/28/keeping-christ-the-center-of-christmas/

*Baking day: This year was the best baking day so far! Eden and Knox are old enough to help more. . . and eat more! Every year we make sugar cookies (a recipe from my great Aunt’s Mennonite cookbook), peppermint oreo cookies, gingerbread cookies, Andes mint puppy chow and Sim’s favorite, salted caramels.

*Christmas Date: Since the days when we were dating, Simeon and I always have a special Christmas date. Up until this year, we’ve went to see the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas performance. It is the highlight of the season for me! We get fancied up, enjoy a nice dinner together and delight in the beauty and magic of the music. Unfortunately due to COVID, they will not be having it this year. We are so sad, especially since this will more than likely be our last Christmas stateside for a while. We’ve talked about some other things we could do instead. We’ll have to see what we come up with! I know that whatever we decide on will be precious because time spent together always is!

*Christmas Party: We’ve hosted a Christmas party with our friends every year since we got married. There’s almost not a week that goes by that we don’t have people in our home. We love it that way! Hospitality is something I find so much joy in. Our annual Christmas party is the best event we host. We invite over enough couples to leave just enough space to find a place to sit. There is always some sort of contest involved. This was easy the first few years. We did things like ugliest sweater, craziest socks, or best Christmas cookie. We never wanted to repeat a contest, so we’ve had to get creative in recent years. Last year, couples had to wrap a present together while blindfolded. They also had to wrap one arm around each other. The other arm was the one they could use to work together to wrap the present. We voted on who had the best wrapped gift. It was so much fun, and we laughed so hard. Sim and I have a pretty awesome competition in mind for this year, but in case some of the people who are invited read this, I’m going to keep it a secret!

*Twas the Night Before Christmas: I might love our Christmas Eve traditions more that those on Christmas day! Early in the evening, we gather together and read the Christmas story from Luke 2. Then each child gets a present designated for Christmas Eve. It’s always a Christmas themed book that we’ve chosen for them. We read through them before we tuck them into bed. This has been a fun tradition because it builds their library. To keep these books special (and because we don’t want to read holiday books throughout the year), I store them away until December 1st. We spend the whole month reading through the books we’ve collected in past years.

Once the kids are tucked into bed, Simeon pulls our mattress out into the living room, and we sleep by the Christmas tree. We’ve done that every year since we got married, and it’s been such a special thing we do together. It also ensures that our kids don’t sneak out to the presents before we are ready!

*Celebrating Christmas Morning: Sim and I wake up before the kids, and we exchange the gifts we’ve gotten for each other. A tradition Sim’s parents did that we’ve kept is leaving a main present for each child unwrapped sitting in front of the tree. It’s the first thing that catches our children’s eye when they run out on Christmas morning. Sometimes, it’s the most expensive gift; but more often it is the one we know they’ll be most excited about. This year, Eden is getting a glass, princess tea set. Knox is getting a Buzz Lightyear.

Once we are done with presents, we always have a delicious breakfast casserole and homemade cinnamon rolls. This is the link for the cinnamon roll recipe https://nohighercalling.wordpress.com/2020/09/29/from-my-kitchen-cinnamon-rolls/

What Christmas traditions have shaped the way your family celebrates Christ’s birth? I always love hearing how different families enjoy this beautiful season. In whatever celebrations we choose, may we always remember the true reason for the season- the coming of our precious Lord Jesus!

ponder: to weigh in the mind; to consider and compare the circumstances or consequences of an event, or the importance of the reasons for or against a decision (Webster’s 1828 dictionary)

My current season of motherhood is what some classify as “long days, short years.” Snotty noses, diaper changes and sibling battles are on constant repeat. But so are the bear hugs, slobbery kisses and endless giggles. Maybe my future self will one day disagree, but these are the best days! Busy? Yes! Exhausting? Of course! Worth it? Oh goodness, YES a million times over!

All that to say, in this season of motherhood, I’ve had to realize that some things in life are going to look different for me, and I need to be ok with that. When I was a teenager, I’d spend hours pouring over God’s Word reveling in a truth He had shown me. I no longer have hours on end in which to do that. Sometimes I hear from moms with older kids who do deep dives into the Scriptures and have wonderful, theological discussions. We aren’t quite there yet. A better description for my devotional life right now would be short and sweet. I know it won’t be this way forever, but for now I’ve had to learn to glean and grow from devotional thoughts. This is where the word “ponder” comes into play. I am working hard to take a thought, phrase or verse from my morning devotional time (however long that day, and my children allow for) and ponder on it throughout the day. As I think on, contemplate, weigh and consider even a small portion of God’s Word, I see it washing over my heart, transforming my thoughts and conforming me into the image of Christ.

Ways That I Ponder Throughout the Day

• Pray: I work hard to keep myself in a state of prayer throughout my day. While I do have designated times of prayer, most of my prayers are whispered while I’m doing dishes, making dinner or cleaning messes. As God brings people to my mind, I try to lift them up before Him then and there. If I don’t, I will most likely forget! My devotional musings often work their way into my prayer life. Whether I’m asking God for wisdom regarding a thought, asking Him for forgiveness for how I’ve failed in that area or  seeking His strength to become more like Him in that specific area, I find myself pondering through my prayer life.
• Praise: This is connected to pondering through prayer. This year has altered my prayer life, hopefully forever! I try to spend more time praising God than making requests. He is so worthy of all our praise! The more I praise Him, the more I have to praise Him for! There are different ways that my ponderings become praise. Sometimes, I praise God for the specific characteristic of Himself that I’m studying. Other times, I read about man’s sinful condition or rejection of God, and I praise Him that in spite of us, He loved us anyway. Offering Him the praise due His name has helped me gain a heavenly perspective. That has been invaluable in my heart, especially during these current days.
• Pass It On: Preachers often give the illustration of Christians as sponges. We are not to continue to soak more and more in. We are to soak in, then squeeze out. As God is filling my heart and life with His truth, am I squeezing that truth into the hearts and lives of others? My husband and I often discuss the ponderings of our hearts. It connects us on a deep level and reveals to the other how God is working in our heart. We also do our best to take every opportunity to speak truth into the hearts of our children. I want them to grow up hearing Mama and Daddy praying, praising and speaking often about God. They understand way more than we give them credit for!

Now for some application. . . I’m sure you’re wondering how all that ties into keeping Christ the center of Christmas? Well, I’ve decided to take the month of December to ponder on the gifts we receive in God because of the relationship made possible by His Son when He came to earth.

In past years, we’ve done different versions of an advent calendar with our children, usually involving toys or candy. This year, we’re coming at it from a different angle, and I’m excited about incorporating this year’s countdown to Christmas in our annual traditions. I found this gorgeous advent calendar on Amazon. The 24 little drawers open, and I’m filling each with two slips of paper. One will list a fun activity/craft/outing/ that we’ll do that day. (examples: Christmas movie pizza party, holiday baking day, Christmas parade, caroling with friends, etc) The other will have a characteristic of God that we’ll ponder on throughout the day. We will ponder on one each day as we prepare our hearts for Christmas. It is my prayer that this will keep our hearts and home centered around the true meaning of Christmas. Might I add, that the meaning goes way beyond the manger. The true meaning of Christmas is rooted in the cross. If it wasn’t for the cross, there would have been no need for the manger. God sent His Son to earth as a babe with the purpose of Him being the ultimate and final sacrifice for the sins of mankind. While we have many traditions and fun activities that we do during the Christmas season, it is so important that we keep Christ the focus of Christmas.

However you choose to focus on Christ throughout the Christmas season, I pray that you will be intentional! He is worthy of all our love and adoration.

Counting Down to Christmas by Studying the Character of God

1. My God Sent His Son to Pay For Our Sins: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

2. My God Forgives: Psalm 86:5 “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”

3. My God Cares for Me: Matthew 10:29-31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

4. My God is Able: Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”

5. My God is Hope: Romans 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

6. My God is My Father: Isaiah 64:8 “But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.”

7. My God is Worthy: Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

8. My God is With Me: Deuteronomy 31:8 “And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”

9. My God is in Control: Romans 8:28-29 “

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

10. My God is Worthy of My Trust: Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

11. My God Enables Me to Fight Worldly Thinking: II Corinthians 10:3-5 “or though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 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;”

12. My God Comforts: Psalm 23:3-4 “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

13. My God is My Refuge: Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

14. My God Enables Me to Fight Satan’s Attacks: Ephesians 6:10-11 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

15. My God is Good: Psalm 100:5 “For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

16. My God Casts Out All Fear: Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

17. My God Gives Peace: Isaiah 26:3-4 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:”

18. My God is Love: Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

19. My God Gives Wisdom: James 1:5-7 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”

20. My God is Powerful: Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

21. My God Strengthens Me: Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

22. My God Gives Grace: Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

23. My God is Strong: II Corinthians 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

24. My God is Coming Again: I Thessalonians 4:16-17 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

*Some of the attributes and Scripture references listed in the Christmas countdown are taken from the book What Do I Know About My God by Mardi Collier

I’ll start blunt. We do not celebrate any part of Halloween.

I know that the stance I’ll present in this post is not mainstream. We are in the minority in our beliefs on this topic. That does not matter to us. Now, please don’t think I’ll judge you if you do not agree with me on this topic. We are all personally accountable to God, and I would never try to force my standards on anyone. I do want to encourage those who do share our beliefs on this issue. You are not alone! I want to challenge those who are on the fence to think and pray through this issue. Also, I want to have something to reference when I once again have to explain why we have made the decision to ignore this holiday.

Romans 12:9 “Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”

I have been meditating on this verse recently. I have come up with a mental image for both ends of the spectrum. Abhor: Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines abhor as hating extremely, or with contempt; to lothe, detest or abominate. I hate beets! I have horrible memories of being forced to eat them as a child. It did not end well. Even today, the thought of them makes me want to vomit. I abhor them! Cleave: Webster defines cleave as uniting or be united closely in interest or affection; to adhere with strong attachment. My minds eye imagines me drowning in the sea. A piece of driftwood comes my way. I grasp onto it and hang on for dear life, knowing that if I let go I will perish. With those pictures in mind, let me apply it. I want to abhor this world. I want all of it’s glitz and glamour to have no hold on me. I should abhor the darkness. That is how I feel about Halloween. I abhor it. It literally makes me sick to my stomach to see the evil that is so blatantly shoved in our faces. On the flip side, I want to cleave to my Saviour like my life depended on it. He is my life. I am nothing outside of Him. I am so in love with my Jesus that I want to glorify him in every aspect of my life. What my eyes see, what my ears hear, what I participate in, I desire to glorify Him in it all. All aspects of my life should go through this filter- does what I am doing (seeing, hearing, thinking, etc.) honor and glorify my Savior? My God is holy. My God is pure. My God is light. My God is hope. My God is life. My God casts out all fear. My God gave EVERYTHING for me. I owe Him my EVERYTHING in return!

John 3:19 “. . .men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

There is so much darkness surrounding Halloween. Many make the excuse that they just do the cutesy costumes and get candy. Friend, look around you. This is not a fun, lighthearted holiday. Death, fear, gore and darkness are the underlying currents that infuse this holiday. I am not going to give a history lesson of this holiday. A brief internet search can give you information on that. I will state that it is rooted in pagan, cultic rituals and celebrations. You can read testimonies of former Wiccans who will say that Satan, the spirit world and the cultic followers revel in the fact that this holiday is so widely accepted and promoted. I walk out my front door and see jack-o-lanterns, ghosts, ghouls and witches decorating my neighbors homes. I go to the store, restaurant, grocery store, basically anywhere, and I am surrounded by zombies, skeletons, grim reapers, cauldrons and crystal balls. These things have no place in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ!

II Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

It only takes a quick glance at this holiday to see that it is one shrouded in fear, darkness and unstable minds. Just walk down the Halloween isle at Walmart. Most of what you’ll find can be listed under one of those categories. In contrast, Timothy writes that God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind! So why on earth would we participate in something that is stark opposition to the gifts the Lord has blessed believers with? In Romans 12, Paul is beseeching the Roman believers. He is imploring them. He is entreating with urgency! What is he beseeching them about? He writes, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renenwing of your mind.” I can only imagine the delight Satan gets when those who say they are Christians, or little Christs, conform themselves to this world. What better way to keep the lost from finding the truth? If a believer is presented as one who is just like everyone else other than the fact that they give up a day of their weekend to go to church, why would anyone want that? If we are not conformed but transformed, there will be a difference between a Christian and a lost person. My heart breaks to see that the line is becoming so blurred that you can’t tell a Christian from a non-believer anymore. Christ was willing to come to earth as an outcast because of His beliefs. Am I better than Christ? Am I more worthy of acceptance and favor from others than He was? If he sacrificed everything for me, why is it so hard for me to be willing to sacrifice my everything for Him? I have a feeling that we will stand before a holy God one day with tears in our eyes as we remember how often we chose the world over our beloved Creator! If giving up a holiday that brings Him zero glory is a sacrifice I must make to be more like my Savior, is that too much of a price to pay? Think about it in light of eternity, I believe you’ll come to the same conclusion as I did.

I’ll take it a step further. We also believe that the church has no place participating in this holiday. I know it’s become popular for “trunk or treats” and other celebrations on Halloween night. The argument is made that they do it to give a replacement for the world’s activities. Why do we as Christians feel like we need to imitate the world to keep our children out of the world? That seems very confusing to me. If it confuses me, how much more does it confuse our children? I’ll take a strong stand on this point, but if our concern is keeping our church kids out of the worlds celebrations, wouldn’t it be more effective to disciple the parents and let the Holy Spirit work in their hearts regarding this issue? When did it become the church’s job to protect children the from things of the world? God gave parents the responsibility of training their children in the way they should go. If the church feels that it must provide an alternative, you can do so without it having any resemblance to Halloween. There are many other things the church can do that kids would love to participate in!

I John 1:5 “. . .God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

God is light. In Him is NO darkness AT ALL. That is very strong, straightforward language. Every day that I live, it’s my hearts desire to know more about my God and conform more into His image. As He guides, convicts and reveals things to me, it is my responsibility to act upon what I have been shown through prayer and His Word. My beliefs on this issue have come about through the pursuit of Him. Maybe you disagree with me on this topic. That is fine. I’m not trying to force my standards on anyone. I am simply giving a testimony of how the Lord has worked in my heart and my husband’s heart regarding this issue. Every believer’s walk with Christ will look a bit different, but there will be many things that are the same as we follow Scripture. Our circumstances, spiritual maturity and upbringing, to name a few, can take us down different paths, but they all should lead to the same end goal- Jesus Christ. May we determine to be intentional as we pursue Christlike holiness. May we be willing to abandon anything that doesn’t bring glory to our Lord. May we be courageous to stand for light though we are surrounded by darkness!

I Corinthians 6:20 “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”