Now that the Christmas season is officially in full swing, I am making a renewed commitment this year. Sometimes I spend so much time preparing everything from my decorations, to menus, to parties, to how my Christmas card will look, that I overlook the most important preparation of all! My heart.
Though my heart is the most important part of my preparations, busyness during this season can easily crowd out getting my heart focused where it should be. So, this year I'm getting proactive. I'm putting a great new resource front and center during my holiday preparations! It's a great new e-book by Marybeth Whalen called, "A Recipe for Christmas Joy."
Let me tell you the fantastic things you'll find inside:
~ ways to keep your heart where it should be
~ beautifully written devotions around the various Christmas activities you'll find yourself doing
~ recipes, recipes, recipes! Marybeth cooks like a pro but only uses really easy recipes! I have used most of them and can atest they are great. And if I can easily follow them, anyone can!
~ ways to organize your to-do list this Christmas
~ the meanings behind some of the things we celebrate. This is great so I can finally answer some of my kid's Christmas questions intellegently!
~Decorating tips and much more!
I give this e-book my highest endorsement. Not only will it bless you but it will also help Marybeth out in three big ways!
1. It will encourage her to see your order come in. Seriously, she does a happy dance with every order!
2. It will show the Christian publishing world that Marybeth has a message worth sharing and maybe by next Christmas we can all see her book in bookstores~
3. It will help Marybeth buy a new washing machine! With 6 kids and LOTS of dirty clothes- a washing machine is a great thing to have.
So, order your copy today. I promise you'll love this e-book!
To order, click here to get to Marybeth's blog and then click on the side bar "Joy" icon. You can also scroll down in her November posts to read what her husband says about this e-book.
Merry Christmas!
Though my heart is the most important part of my preparations, busyness during this season can easily crowd out getting my heart focused where it should be. So, this year I'm getting proactive. I'm putting a great new resource front and center during my holiday preparations! It's a great new e-book by Marybeth Whalen called, "A Recipe for Christmas Joy."
Let me tell you the fantastic things you'll find inside:
~ ways to keep your heart where it should be
~ beautifully written devotions around the various Christmas activities you'll find yourself doing
~ recipes, recipes, recipes! Marybeth cooks like a pro but only uses really easy recipes! I have used most of them and can atest they are great. And if I can easily follow them, anyone can!
~ ways to organize your to-do list this Christmas
~ the meanings behind some of the things we celebrate. This is great so I can finally answer some of my kid's Christmas questions intellegently!
~Decorating tips and much more!
I give this e-book my highest endorsement. Not only will it bless you but it will also help Marybeth out in three big ways!
1. It will encourage her to see your order come in. Seriously, she does a happy dance with every order!
2. It will show the Christian publishing world that Marybeth has a message worth sharing and maybe by next Christmas we can all see her book in bookstores~
3. It will help Marybeth buy a new washing machine! With 6 kids and LOTS of dirty clothes- a washing machine is a great thing to have.
So, order your copy today. I promise you'll love this e-book!
To order, click here to get to Marybeth's blog and then click on the side bar "Joy" icon. You can also scroll down in her November posts to read what her husband says about this e-book.
Merry Christmas!
4 Comments:
Hi Lysa! Thanks for the recommendation! I just went to Marybeth's site and placed my order. I can't wait to see it!
Thanks also for the reminder about preparing our hearts this Christmas season. This is something I, too, had been thinking about. I think your reminder was God's gentle nudge to me not to forget.
Merry Christmas!
Dawn
Lysa,
Your fear.LESS teaching at Southbrook was very meaningful. Thanks for coming back from Florida early to do it.
Phil
Great job this weekend, Lysa!
Thanks for being available to teach!
Rob
I haven't had a chance yet but I plan on checking out Marybeth's e-book shortly.
I have been thinking ALOT about how to take the stress out of the Christmas season. I am a young widow of 5.5 years and not remarried yet although dating the man God has placed in my life (there are so many reasons God has shown me that he is "the one" although I tried to fight it). Acceptance has set in. Anyway I hate how Christmas has become so commercialized and how everyone refers to it as "holiday" instead of Christmas. Don't they realize there would be no "holiday" if not for Christ? CHRISTmas - Jesus is the Reason for the Season! I just don't know what is wrong with the people of today. They certainly weren't raised like I was!
after all this rambling I feel the need to share an interesting email that I recieved today, i'm not sure if I agree with it or not but it is certainly another view and one which I had not considered.
Dear Children,
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival, although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.
How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.
If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up
John 15:1-8.
If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:
1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.
4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.
7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.
8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.
9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.
10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.
Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember,
I LOVE YOU,
JESUS
Janet Reno
jjreno@localnet.com
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