Saturday, December 17 (Suggested Reading: Luke 2:19) In Barbara Robinson’s book The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, the year that the Herdmans decided to participate in the church’s Christmas program they turned the church upside down but also brought a deeper sense of meaning to the age-old nativity story.

Friday, December 16 (Suggested reading: Matthew 2:1-12; Isaiah 55:1-13) Whenever scientists need to explain why something is the way it is, they turn to the process they know best-the process of research. They carefully plan, conduct, measure, and document experiments in the hopes of finding the answers they are looking for. Sometimes the answers are there,…

Thursday, December 15 (Suggested Reading: Galatians 4:4-5) When I was growing up, my sister and I used to beg my parents every evening during the Christmas season to let us open “just one” gift.  Watching the pile of festively wrapped packages growing under the tree was just too much for our curious little minds. But…

Wednesday, December 14 (Suggested Reading: Read Luke 2:8; Isaiah 61:1; 1 Timothy 1:15) It is the subject of many tranquil Christmas scenes- the sheep grazing innocently on the hillsides, while the shepherds, draped in flowing robes and regal staffs look on with tender watchfulness. Ask most kids what they want to be in the Christmas pageant,…

Tuesday, December 13 (Suggested Reading Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23) From Discovering God’s Daily Agenda by Henry and Richard Blackaby Today’s reading is an excerpt by a piece from Henry and Richard Blackaby. For me, this passage is a reminder of the depth of love that God has for me, that He desires to be a part of…

Monday, December 12 (Suggested reading: Habakkuk 3:17-19; Revelation 21:1-4) The Christmas season is not always merry. Ironically, the festivities, decorations, parties and celebrations often remind us of the what-if’s of life, the disappointments, the short-comings, the reality that life doesn’t always have a happy “Hallmark” ending.

Sunday, December 11 (Suggested reading: Isaiah 6:1-7) William is the 9-year old son of my friend Ashley. William is in 4th grade, and has already made quite a name for himself among his classmates. He is polite, well-spoken, and just an all-around good kid. One morning Ashley had exciting news about William. The First Lady…

Saturday, December 10 (Suggested Reading  Matthew 2:13-15; Hebrews 6:17-20; Deuteronomy 6:10-12) As of December 2015, the total number of refugees in the world was over 65.3 million- that is one out of every 113 people on Earth. And, it is estimated that 24 people are displaced around the world every minute. Over half of these…

Friday, December 9 (Suggested Reading:  I Timothy 6:8-19) The average American household has over $130,000 worth of debt. This includes mortgages, auto loans, and student loans. Of that $130,000, over $15,500 is credit card debt.  At the same time, about 60% of Americans have less than $1,000 in their savings accounts, and about 20% don’t…

Thursday, December 8 (Suggested Reading: Psalm 34; I Peter 2:1-3) The Dorito Effect is a book by Mark Schatzker that presents a pretty strong theory that the health crises in the United States of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes are related to the addition of chemical, and even natural, flavorings to the foods we consume. Over…