The first Candlelight Service at Council Road was in 1970, when I was six years old. Fred Wilhoite, our first pastor, was a kind, older gentleman, and I remember children like me were naturally drawn to him. The tradition of children climbing onto the stage for the Christmas story didn’t start until years later. About 12 years ago, Norman had a wonderful idea to begin writing and publishing our own children’s books for that service, with each child getting to take one home.
We are focusing on qualities of God we are most thankful for on the blog this month. If you’re like me, though, it’s tough to dial it down to just one characteristic. His faithfulness, mercy, and grace would top my list for sure. The comfort of the Holy Spirit and peace He brings are irreplaceable, and the way He knows and loves us is enough to bring tears to my eyes. He is just so good, and I am just so thankful for Him.
Faithfulness is a word often used, but rarely defined in Christian circles. A quick google search will tell you that faithfulness is a firm or even unfailing devotion. It’s hard to believe that God is firmly devoted to us, though, when we’re in the midst of a difficult circumstance that he could miraculously change, yet doesn’t. What if God’s faithfulness is not primarily a statement describing his relationship to us, but a character quality of himself?
I pre-ordered Jackie Hill Perry’s latest book, Holier Than Thou, as soon as I heard about it. I knew I would like it and I did. JHP, as I affectionately call her, is one of my favorite people to learn from. She is unfussy, poetic, truthful, and not once has she called me her “friend,” which I find altogether endearing and hard to find amongst female Christian authors. (No offense, I just have never met these people so I don’t know why they call me their friend when I’m just trying to read their books.)
Have you ever been the recipient of something beautifully simple, of which you never expected to receive? I have. It was the dress my sister bought for me when my bank account was literally in the negative. It was the joy of seeing the second bowl of watery potato soup my first ever house guests partook in. It was the bouquet of flowers from my family delivered to my office on the day I resigned from the job I loved. It was a kind message from an old friend after he read my vulnerable Instagram post. It was the picture my dad took of me on the beach that made me feel special amid the couples’ photo sessions.
Happy Fall, Y’all!! The temperatures are cooling off, mums are blooming, pumpkins are on display, and the holiday season is upon us. As much as I love spring and the promise of new life, I also love autumn and all its richness of color, pageantry, and celebration of holiday tradition. Today, we are past Halloween, and it is time to turn our thoughts toward Thanksgiving.
Christians should be familiar with the call to be servants, right? 2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us “God loves a cheerful giver,” while Acts 20:35 admonishes “It is better to give than to receive.” It requires selflessness and sacrifice to be a giver. Let’s be people who give as the Lord has given so much to us. But, when we talk about receiving or asking for help, I can get a little squirmy. Who wants to be in a position where they need to ask for help? I’m sure you can think of a time you were in that spot. Christian community must do more than give; they must also be willing to receive.
I have been impacted by so many faithful servants of Jesus. I grew up in a small church in Kansas where everyone felt like family and as a child I felt constantly cared for in my church. It often had to do with food. I’ll never forget Maxine’s homemade bread, Darlene’s coffee cake, and Charlene’s cinnamon rolls. It wasn’t always the deep theological discussions that were the most impactful (although important), but it was experiencing their love and joy in serving Jesus. It was evident that the love of Jesus overflowed from them, spurring them on towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).
