December 12 God Gave the Wise Men a Direction…
Affirmation: I am doing my best and that is enough.
(And today is the 4th birthday in a week! Today Jonah is 4!)
From Jacque: Notice how you’re feeling this week. Make deliberate choices to laugh, sing and dance. Play music & take a break from the news, sports, sit-coms.
We enjoy John Mayer, Michael Kiwanuka, Lauren Daigle, Van Morrison, Tommy Walker.
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Ponder, Personalize, Practice: Recite Matthew 22:37 several times throughout the day. What does it mean to love God with all your soul? Talk to God about your love for Him.
Matthew 22:37Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all you soul and all your mind.”
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Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown
Guidepost 10: Cultivating Laughter, Song, and Dance. And Letting Go of Cool and Always in Control
Just like play and rest; laughter, song, and dance might seem like luxuries to Type-A achievement-oriented people.
But a life without laughter, song, and dance would be undoubtedly missing something.
Brene’ Brown summarizes what these activities bring to our lives:
“Laughter, song, and dance create emotional and spiritual connection; they remind us of the one thing that truly matters when we are searching for comfort, celebration, inspiration, or healing; We are not alone.”
Laughter, in particular, is a core element of resilience. Without the ability to laugh at yourself and your inevitable missteps, you’ll be hard-pressed to continue through adversity.
Song and dance are clear indicators of good moods. When we feel great, we sing and dance more. And since feelings follow behavior, when we authentically express ourselves through song and dance, we feel better.
The gremlin that holds us back from laughter, song, and dance is the desire to be seen as cool and always in control.
From Jacque: Notice how you’re feeling this week. Make deliberate choices to laugh, sing and dance. Play music & take a break from the news, sports, sit-coms.
We enjoy John Mayer, Michael Kiwanuka, Lauren Daigle, Van Morrison, Tommy Walker.
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Mastering the 7 Decisions from Andy Andrews
The Responsible Decision
The Buck Stops Here!
Each of you must be responsible to do your creative best with your life. Gal. 6:4
If decisions are choices…and our thinking dictates our decisions—then I am where I am because of my thinking.
The Responsible Decision for Personal Success represents the beginning. Taking responsibility for your past will segue you into an extraordinary future of your choosing.
My thoughts will be constructive---NEVER destructive.
Responsibility is about HOPE and Control. Make better choices.
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Reading for Today
Walk in Grace. Live in Love. by Bob Goff
God Gave the Wise Men A Direction, Not A Bunch Of Instructions. It Wasn’t A Business Trip. It Was An Adventure.
The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.” Luke 1: 30
The story of Christmas tells us a lot about how God rolls. When the angel came to Mary to tell her what would happen, that message did not come with a playbook of everything that would come after. When Joseph learned about his coming son, the angel didn’t sit him down to explain the miracle or how to navigate the situation. Joseph and Mary were asked to trust, no more and no less. The same goes for the Wise Men. God showed them a star as a compass, but that was about it.
In our age of on-demand instructions, it is hard to accept the vague sense of direction we get in our spiritual lives. God doesn’t give us the play-by-play of what is to come when he tells us to go. He just reminds us to pack light and take a lot of love.
God gave the wise men a direction, not a bunch of instructions. They knew the prophets had said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, so they knew He had come when they saw His star hanging just above the place of His birth. They did not hear the voice of God, and there were no angels telling them what to do next. They just had a star to point them toward the Savior.
Don’t get discouraged just because you don’t have all the answers. God isn’t sending you on a business trip. He is inviting you to join Him on an adventure. It always lead you to Jesus.
How do you sense the adventure Jesus is calling you to as you look toward the new year?
The story of Christmas tells us a lot about how God rolls. When the angel came to Mary to tell her what would happen, that message did not come with a playbook of everything that would come after. When Joseph learned about his coming son, the angel didn’t sit him down to explain the miracle or how to navigate the situation. Joseph and Mary were asked to trust, no more and no less. The same goes for the Wise Men. God showed them a star as a compass, but that was about it.
In our age of on-demand instructions, it is hard to accept the vague sense of direction we get in our spiritual lives. God doesn’t give us the play-by-play of what is to come when he tells us to go. He just reminds us to pack light and take a lot of love.
God gave the wise men a direction, not a bunch of instructions. They knew the prophets had said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, so they knew He had come when they saw His star hanging just above the place of His birth. They did not hear the voice of God, and there were no angels telling them what to do next. They just had a star to point them toward the Savior.
Don’t get discouraged just because you don’t have all the answers. God isn’t sending you on a business trip. He is inviting you to join Him on an adventure. It always lead you to Jesus.
How do you sense the adventure Jesus is calling you to as you look toward the new year?
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