Holiday Hassles

“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” Isaiah 32:18 (NIV)

Ornament Exchange

“And exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” Romans 1:23 (NIV)

Burning Bright

“You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.” Luke 1:45 (NLT)

Christmas Shopping: A Budget Buster

“She sees that her trading is profitable." Proverbs 31:18a (NIV)

You Want Me to Search My Sole?

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8 (NIV)

Is My Jesus Enough?

The White Elephant

“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence.” 1 John 3:18-19 (NIV)

Duh?

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Getting Stronger Can Be Painful

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)

How to be Happy

“Don’t worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

Rolls versus Roles

“You have many workmen: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as men skilled in every kind of work in gold and silver, bronze and iron - craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and the Lord be with you.” 1 Chronicles 22:15-16 (NIV)

Lights…Camera…Action!!

“A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.’” Isaiah 40:3 (NIV)

A Matter of the Heart

“A happy heart makes the face cheerful...” Proverbs 15:13A (NIV)

The Drum

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

Uncomfortable Christianity

“Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23 (NIV)

It’s All In The Character

“Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.” Ephesians 5:2 (NIV)

I Thought

“But Naaman went away angry and said, 'I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.'” 2 Kings 5:11 (NIV)

Living Beyond Myself

“The flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” Galatians 5:17(NIV)

Thanks and Giving

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:48b (NIV)

Waiting for My Portion

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’”Lamentations 3:22 (NIV)