Daily Devotionals Coming Soon!!!

I am so excited to present Daily Devotionals beginning Tuesday, January 1, 2013! We will go through scripture and learn a little about God and His plan for us everyday. On Sundays, I will expand into a more in depth Bible Study where we dive even deeper into what God's Word means and how we can apply it in the real world.

This is an endeavor that God has placed on my heart. I never really thought of writing devotionals, I always wanted to write the great American novel. However, I believe God is using this particular talent for a greater purpose. It is my heart's desire to truly inspire people and this is the method which God has provided for me to do just that.

I pray that these devotionals bring Glory to God and that you can learn something about yourself or about God that will help you in your walk with Him and in life in general. I hope that you can read and get exactly what you need, my prayer is to affect people in a positive and loving way.

Be inspired! Seek Peace! Live in Joy! That is my prayer.

Please join me on the 1st as I trust God and begin Daily Devotionals with Amanda at Tales from a Mother!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

God Bless!

God Bless The Little Children

It has taken me a long time to be able to respond to the Newton tragedy. I think part of that is denial. It is not possible for this evil to live among us. It is not possible for innocent lives to be stolen so violently.

On Friday, a gunman opened fire in Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. He killed 26 people, 20 of which were children.

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To be perfectly honest, I still don't have any words. My heart pours out the families of those precious lives lost.


1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 -- “16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

This is the verse that God put on my heart when I began writing about this tragedy. I couldn't believe it. After the evil the world witnessed in the presence of children, "this is God's will for you" ?!?!?

But then I began to understand. 

"Always be joyful." -- With joy comes a peace, an understanding, that only Christ can bring. Because it is a joy that goes far beyond the happiness of this day. It is a joy that we know, beyond a shadow of a doubt we know, that when life is over for us on this world -- this cruel evil world that is in the hands of Satan -- that we will spend eternity with the one who created us and who loves us. Those beautiful, innocent children are in the arms of Jesus today. I pray the others are there with them. It is a tragedy, but there is joy in knowing they are safe and they are loved.

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"Never stop praying." -- Well that one is easy. The hearts of people all over the world, whether they are Christian or not, whether they believe in God or not, are praying and sharing in the pain of this unbelievable loss together. I will never stop praying that love with overcome evil. I will never stop praying that God will bring justice upon the sins of man. I will never stop praying that forgiveness is the way to turn a tragedy into a  greater faith that can change the world.

"Be thankful in all circumstances." -- This tragedy is one circumstance that it is quite difficult to be thankful in. But God calls us to be thankful in all circumstances. That includes even times like this where darkness covers everything and evil has corrupted our world. What is there to be thankful for? I am thankful that those precious lives were not taken in vain. There is a greater purpose working here, God always has a plan to teach, to love, to save. I am thankful that innocent lives are destined to walk with Jesus. I am thankful that God is watching over us and can begin to heal the hearts of the loved ones left behind. I am thankful because I have faith in my Heavenly Father who will right the wrongs of this world and will triumph over evil in the end.

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"For this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." -- God's will for us is not the tragedy we face, it is that we may have joy because we know we are safe in the arms of Jesus, we will never stop praying because we share in the joy and the pain of those around us, and we can be thankful in all circumstances because God help us overcome the pain. By having Christ Jesus in our hearts we have the tools and the faith to move beyond the hurt to the purpose. God always has a purpose. This is a tragedy that affects us all, but it is an opportunity for belief. If you have no faith, then this tragedy may consume you, but with the hope that God provides, there is more. There is a light in the darkness that no evil can extinguish. There is a way that no foe can hide. With Jesus, the evil of this world will be crushed and peace shall reign in entirety again. 

Matthew 11:28 -- "Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

Psalm 147:3 -- "He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds."

Dear Lord,

I pray for the families of this tragedy. Please help them grieve and give them peace that you are greater than any evil the world can muster, you are greater then even death. I pray that you find justice for this evil loosed on precious, innocent lives. I pray that purpose will come from your hand and that fear will not grip us because you are in control. Lord, I pray that we can heal and grow together as brothers and sisters in Christ. And I pray that the love of those around them will draw others to your light that do not know it. I pray that all will find peace and that we can always be joyful, never cease praying and be thankful in all circumstances because it is Your will for us to so for all of us who belong to Jesus. Amen.

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Finally I want to share a poem I wrote in response to this tragedy:

God Bless the Little Children

Little angels fly to heaven

Our little children, must they go?

Our hearts are broken, our world crashes down

As tears fall freely down the halls

Where's the justice? Where's the love?

What a world this has turned out to be

God spreads out his arms to welcome his children

Tragedy strikes but reasons must be

life maybe lost, but love will spread

A purpose must come from this tragedy

With heavy hearts and bowed heads

we come together to share the pain

Innocence may never be restored

but love and faith will grow forevermore

Through forgiveness and grace we can forge a path

to rise out of the darkness and become the light

God bless the little children

all the children of the school

let there be justice in you sight

for each little life

and redemption in the souls of the world.

Amanda McCusker

Advent: Awaiting Jesus Christ

I love the Christmas season! The countdown for Christmas is one of my favorite parts of the holiday. I wanted to take a moment and really think concentrate on what this time of year really means. What is the Christmas season really all about?

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What is Advent all about?

The countdown to Christmas is often called the Advent. But what does that mean? “Advent” means “arrival,” usually referring to an important thing or event. At Christmas time we are awaiting the “arrival of Christ!” Knowing that, it makes me even more excited to celebrate the Advent!

This is the time to ready our hearts and home for Christ. It is time to celebrate with friends and family, but also a time to quiet our hearts for repentance, examination and introspection. Christmas and the celebration of the Advent is a time like no other where we can truly find rest in Jesus, quietly alone and with others.

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The Messiah is Coming!

Isaiah 7:14 -- “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”

The prophets of the Old Testament foretold the coming of the Messiah over and over again. God promised a Savior, a King and a way out of the oppression the people faced. The Old Testament prophecies gave hope to His people then and assurance to us now. God does what he says he will do and he will continue to.

Micah 5:2-4 --
“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
are only a small village among all the people of Judah.
Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you,
one whose origins are from the distant past.
3 The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies
until the woman in labor gives birth.
Then at last his fellow countrymen
will return from exile to their own land.
4 And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord’s strength,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
Then his people will live there undisturbed,
for he will be highly honored around the world.

Micah was writing during war torn Israel, a time where hope often felt lost to anyone. But He speaks of a Savior to be born in the small town of Bethlehem that would restore God’s people. Micah wrote to warn the people about the judgment waiting if they did not turn back to God, but also of God’s love and justice for us all. Even through the troubles of the time there was hope, a hope in the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

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Jesus is Born!

Luke 2:7 -- “She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.”

The King of Kings and Lord of Lords had a very humble beginning. He was born in a stable because there was no where else for him to go. I was wrapped in the spare cloth they had on hand. He shared a room with horses, donkeys and sheep. He had his mother Mary and his worldly father Joseph to welcome him into the world. He was joined with others who saw and followed the signs: the shepherds, the Wise Men and the angels. Yes, it was a humble beginning for our Lord just as it would be a humbling life and a humbling exit. However, Jesus did not come to be a part of the world, he came to save it.

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The World would Never be the Same!

John 3:16 -- “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Through humble beginning he came, but Christ grew and fulfilled His Father’s purpose -- He saved God’s people. He shed His blood on the cross to overcome the sins of the world. Anyone who believes and gives their lives over to Christ will have eternal life in Heaven with our Heavenly Father. Now that is Good News!

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The True Meaning of Christmas!

Christmas is not about stressing over gifts and holiday lights. It is not about making everything perfect or trying to get everything done. During this inevitable busiest time of year we need to stop and remember what it is all about. It is about Jesus!

We honor his birth in this season, but the story doesn’t stop there. Christmas is a celebration of Christ’s entire life, His purpose and His sacrifice for all of us. By knowing Christ we can have peace and joy not only at Christmas Time, but also throughout the entire year! Christ loves us no matter what, the Advent is a good time, amongst the business, to remember that. By knowing Christ’s love we can share that love with others everyday.

Amos (Bible in 90 Days)

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Amos is proof, once again, that God can use any one to speak his message. Amos was not a priest or well-known prophet, he was a Shepard and tended the land in the Judea countryside.

However, when Amos saw a vision from God and the conviction to spread the message, he left everything he knew and fulfilled his purpose in God.

Amos traveled through all of Israel proclaiming God’s judgment for the people’s complacency, idolatry and oppression of the poor. His message impacted many and is still extremely relevant today.

While Amos preached people cheered when neighboring cities were denounced, but every city had their own judgment proclaimed on them and were less enthused. A priest named Amaziah, even tried to stop the preaching, but Amos bravely continued retelling God’s vision. 

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The judgment of the nation was fierce, but God wants us to know that all hope is not lost. Amos ends his message with hope and the promise that God will one day restore his people and they will be great again.

God doesn't want the show or the mindless ritual while his people still have sinful hearts—he wants to be close to his people and love them on a personal level.

“I hate all our show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.” Amos 5:21-24

Wordless Wednesday: Zoey in Action

Zoey in Action

Our Elf on the Shelf Adventures

We are doing Elf on the Shelf this year, and I have to admit, I am having as much fun with it as Zoey is! I wanted to share our first week with the Elf, he has gotten into some fun mischief!

24 Days Until Christmas!

Meet our Elf

23 Days Until Christmas!

Elf in a Chair

22 Days Until Christmas!

Elf with a message

21 Days Until Christmas!

Elf with Baby Jesus

20 Days Until Christmas!

Elf in a Fort

19 Days Until Christmas!

Elf playing Lucky Ducks

18 Days Until Christmas!

Elf and Minnie Tea Party

I hope you are having a wonderful Holiday Season! It is a special time of the year, where each day holds a little bit of magic. I would love to see some of your Elf on the Shelf adventures and other Christmas traditions! Post your links in the comments and enjoy some holiday cheer!