Friday Favorites!

Happy Friday!  I was blog hopping yesterday and came across Nester's post, Books I read in 2011.  Which gave me the wonderful idea of jotting down my favorite books from 2011.  I'm not what you would call an avid reader, but here goes nothing!


Heart Strengthening:

Bittersweet, Shauna Niequist
Soul nourishing.  Thank you Megan!! 

One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp
Life changing.

The Power of a Praying Wife, Stormie Omartin
The best marriage counseling $10 can buy!

Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted, Priscilla Shirer
A refreshing reminder that God gives us 2nd chances.


Heart Warming:

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, Rhee Drummond
A classic love story.

The Undomestic Goddess, Sophie Kinsella
Frivolous & Fabulous!

Mini Shopaholic, Sophie Kinsella
Some girls have Twilight & Harry Potter, I have my beloved Shopaholic Series starring Becky Bloomwood. 

Books I Plan to Finish/Read in 2012:

The Paris Wife
I've read the first 20 pages at least 5 times, but am determined to stick with it!

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy Kaling
After the millionth rave review, I just know I need to give it a go! 


As you can see, I have a lot more room in my 2012 lineup.  Have a favorite from 2011?  Leave it in the comments below!

the invincible future

“As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, forgetful delight, nor with the quickness of impulsive thoughtlessness.
…Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.”  - Oswald Chambers

Image from Pinterest

I loved Mary Elizabeth’s post on instituting a Christmas mantra as a way to actively set my heart and mind on the joy of Christ’s birth. I adopted her “Be still: restore” mantra, just altering “be still” to “hush, hush” à la Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella, Sufjan Stevens style.  Call it a musical mantra if you will.

I have used mantras/themes in the past at the passing of birthdays and new years. As 2011 draws to a close, I have been praying about what promises to be an exciting and challenging 2012. I could probably spend 12 full months praying through “Be still; restore” and only scratch the surface of understanding stillness in and deep closeness to God.

One thought that has returned in praying for the upcoming year is to treasure my relationship with Christ.  In Matthew 13, Jesus talks about the kingdom of heaven as a treasure and a precious pearl.

 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field…Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

Somehow the man realized great joy in choosing to sell all he owned, just as the merchant felt no regret in doing the same. They both recognized that the treasure was worth sacrificing every earthly possession.  They pursued something of great value without mourning what had to be sacrificed.

Through the gift of salvation, I have a personal relationship with Christ. That is worth everything. Everything.  So, I am praying for perspective. I don’t need to sell everything I own in order to get my treasure, but I want to live as though the treasure is worth everything I could possibly own. Jesus is my treasure. My theme for the upcoming months will be "Treasure and Trust" - adding to an ongoing theme of trusting in God's promises and faithfulness in my life.  Christ is first. Christ is loving and omnipotent.


Heavenly Father, as you lavish your love on me, your precious daughter, I pray to trust and have peace in your promises, your truth and your timing. I am lost without you and you are everything to me. May meditating on the inestimable value of the gift of salvation ignite a new passion for you. 

Christmas Recap

Baby Gingerbread House for little Susanna

Merry, Merry!  I hope you had the most wonderful of days on Sunday!  I'm still processing all the family, food, gifts, and joy that we experienced this Christmas, but one thing is certain: it was a rich and wonderful time.

In big, huge, blog-worthy news, this year, my favorite Christmas carol officially switched from O Holy Night to Joy to the World.  On Christmas morning, I went to wake Bernie up with a little Mariah Carey rendition (is he lucky, or what?) and I started to cry as I let the words settle deeply into my heart.

"Joy to the World, the Lord is come!"

In the midst of pain, heartbreak, uncertainty, and success, we have JOY; the Lord has come and God is with us--I absolutely love that! 

As Christmas slowly winds down, I would be remiss if I didn't take the time to thank each and every guest poster we had this month.  In November I had the idea for a month of guest posters, but worried I wouldn't be able to pull it off, but these wonderful ladies accepted the challenge and the result was a beautiful thing.  In case you missed them, I'd encourage you to check them out, and be sure to visit their personal blogs as well.  Each one of them nourishes and encourages me deeply.  Here's a recap in case you missed some:

Wonder's Season by Sara Hagerty

The Hopes & Fears of All The Years by Caroline McCain

Christmas by Trish Ryan

Christmas DIY Wreaths by Carrie Yuill

An Ordinary Girl by Lisa Robertson

Worth The Hurry by Nina Simone

Submitting to the Supernatural by Meg Kelsey

God With Us by Anna Kate Prum

That's a Wrap by Cally Everett

Home By Another Way by Cindy Finley

Advent by Mary Stafford

He Leads by Laura Kraus

Worth The Wait by Molly McFarland

Certainty for the Present by Rebekah Miller

Mantras & Mistletoe by Mary Elizabeth Stone

Forget Not by Jenn Sorenson

Forget Not

I hope everyone had a joyful Christmas day! I feel ridiculously blessed to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Scott's parents' home in Utah. The picturesque view of snow-capped mountains from their living room does an excellent job of fostering a spirit of gratitude and awe of our Savior! Glory to God in the highest!

I am pumped to announce that today we have another guest post from an amazing señorita: Jennifer Lea Sorenson, a proud Indiana Hoosier who has lived all over the world serving God. Jenn and I lived together for a year in Buenos Aires when we both taught at an international Christian school and, between moving from Argentina to Suriname, she stopped by Virginia to be a bridesmaid at my wedding. She now lives in Kenya teaching Spanish at West Nairobi School (see pic below of one of her classes on "Pirate" Spirit Day). She is currently spending the holidays in South Africa with her family that moved there in 2007 to serve as missionaries. Not only is her life fabulously exciting, but I am constantly amazed and encouraged by her faith and profound commitment to live for Jesus. Take it away, Jenn!

Anyone who knows me even a little bit knows that I'm a pretty independent person. I attribute this mostly to my amazing mother. While this is often looked on as a very positive thing, particularly in American culture, spiritually this is KILLER. So, since God knows me well and that this is something I need a little work on, He sent me to Africa as a missionary which is practically impossible in every way without a lot of outside help.

For the first time I found myself raising monthly financial support (scary and humbling!) and asking TONS of questions about how to survive (What kind of water filter do I buy? Where can I safely get shots against Typhoid? What should/shouldn't I eat at a restaurant so that my stomach doesn't revolt? What do I do if the shady police pull me over? etc.). This semester has been a difficult but good growing season.

One of my favorite Psalms says:

Bless the LORD, O my soul, 
And forget none of His benefits; 
Who pardons all your iniquities, 
Who heals all your diseases; 
Who redeems your life from the pit, 
Who crowns you with loving-kindness and compassion; 
Who satisfies your years with good things, 
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

I love this because we forget so easily all that God has done for us. We need this reminder to REMEMBER and be grateful for His blessings especially when we get distracted by the the crazy, negative things that just don't seem to go our way. Hope and peace are restored when you remember how God has always sustained and guided you in the past.

Living on the equator can confuse the senses, and it’s really easy to forget that seasons even exist. The Christmas Season is everywhere though. Whether there is snow and turkey or not, Christmas is an annual reminder of  God’s provision for us. Even before we knew we needed a Savior, He sent His Son to “redeem our lives from the pit.”

Stop to remember and trust in the goodness of the Lord!

(For more from Jenn, go to http://hoosierportena.blogspot.com/ )

JOY to the World!

Joy to the World, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

 

May the God of hope fill you with all JOY and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Romans 15:13

Mantras & Mistletoe

The Stone Family

Merry Christmas Eve!  I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas weekend!  Today, I'm overjoyed to feature Mary Elizabeth Stone.  We've been fortunate to have her guest post with us before and it's always a delight.  Mary Elizabeth is so gifted with words and I'm always blown away with how her heart and her faith pour through her writing.  Today's post is perfect to carry us into Christmas and 2012!  Mary Elizabeth is most certainly one of my heroes and I'm so grateful to call her a friend.  Here's Mary Elizabeth!

It is my prayer that the Lord will use what He is teaching me in this hectic holiday season to also serve as an encouragement to you.

Here is my advice that I am attempting to flesh out even as I type: Get a MANTRA!

Stick with me; I know this sounds cheesy. Or on the other hand, it could sound like I am telling you to put on your big girl panties while you pull yourself up by those proverbial boot straps and Bible verse your way through stress, difficult family dynamics, endless to do lists, unfulfilled hopes, or whatever else you face this Christmas. 

This is NOT what I am recommending. We need the Lord and we certainly cannot navigate this holiday season without His grace and provision.  After all, He is strongest when we are at our weakest (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Thankfully, the Lord provides us with tools to make the burdens we face lighter.  The tool I currently am employing is a mantra.  I wanted something short that I could easily recall and quickly say to myself and whisper to Jesus.  I wanted something that calmed my anxious heart while reminding me of the purpose and renewal Jesus has for my life and for my family.

Here is the mantra I chose:

“Be still; Restore.”

I chose this mantra, because I am prone to stress and carrying heavy burdens, especially those associated with the pain of the past, the unknowns of the future, feeling spread too thin, and longing for my son John’s full healing on earth. 

The first part, “Be still,” stops me in my tracks. I see this as my part. I have to slow down, stop, and give myself permission to simply be still.  The second part, “Restore,” is God’s. He is the only One who can restore and make things new.  I love how rest is part of the word restore. Only He brings true rest. Also the word, restore, reminds me that God has a plan for my life… that He hasn’t forgotten my past and that He is working to restore hope, joy, and abundant life to me in my present and future.

I will continue to pray for you as you create your own mantra or decide to adopt this one. Mostly, I pray Christ will give you peace, joy, and hope as He reminds you of His unfailing presence throughout this sacred time of year.  With these mantras under our belts, it is my hope and belief that the Holy Spirit will enable us to switch our Christmas focus from chaos to anticipation… anticipation of what Christ did 2,000 years ago when he was born AND anticipation of what Christ is doing today in each of our lives.

“ ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’


The LORD Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Psalm 46:10a,11

John & Daniel

Hear more from Mary Elizabeth at her Caring Bridge site. 

Certainty for the Present

Image via Pinterest...of course!

With Christmas in just two days, we're squeezing in as many guest posts as possible.  Today, we have the privilege of hearing from Meg's friend Rebekah Miller.  I had the privilege of meeting Rebekah this fall and she is just lovely!  She's the only person I've ever known to write me a thank you note following a tailgate—she's classy like that!  We're so excited to welcome her here and I hope you enjoy her post as much as I do!  Here's a little sneak peek: "Joseph and Mary both chose to dwell in the certainty of who God is, rather than the uncertain circumstances of their lives."  Don't you love that?!?  Read on for more fabulous nuggets!  Here's Rebekah!! 

I am honored to be writing here at Meg’s request.  I met Meg during our first year of law school at the University of Miami (FL, not Ohio!), and I am absolutely convinced God directed me to UM for my first year to specifically meet her.  I love her – a true kindred spirit (no, I will never outgrow Anne of Green Gables).  And I was fortunate to meet Elizabeth at a UVA tailgate that she hosted beautifully and welcomed me most graciously.

During this last exam period my mind kept jumping ahead to worrying about after graduation— job, money, housing….you know how your mind just gets going and won’t quit?  I had worked for several years before law school, so I have been looking forward to getting back to the “rest of my life.”  But the area of law I have chosen is very fluid, and even though the past semester was filled with keeping up with contacts and inquiring about possible positions, it is increasingly clear that I am just not going to know about jobs for awhile.  And definitely not according to the timeline I had in my mind (big surprise).  I am not even sure where I am taking the bar.  Needless to say, this type A personality is living with much uncertainty as she tries to plan ahead.

But as I began to reflect on the Christmas story this season (credit to Pastor Warrick at WCC), I noticed how much uncertainty Mary and Joseph faced and how God provided certainty for the present.  He didn’t lay out each step of His master plan, but He demonstrated the certainty of Himself, which resulted in encouragement and strength to carry on.  Joseph and Mary both chose to dwell in the certainty of who God is, rather than the uncertain circumstances of their lives. 

Mary was a young girl, engaged to be married who suddenly became pregnant, but remained a virgin.  Her future was the epitome of uncertainty.  The thoughts that ran through her mind must have included: “What is going to happen to me?” “No one is going to believe I am a virgin and pregnant.” “Will Joseph still marry me?” “If not, what do I do?”  So many questions, and yet, Mary sang to the Lord, “My soul exalts the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” Luke 1: 46-47.  God sent His angel to Mary whose presence filled her soul and she knew that God was in control.  She didn’t need to know the answer to any of her million questions because she believed that “nothing will be impossible with God” and took action accordingly.  Luke 1: 37-38.

Sometimes we get so lost in trying to find answers to our specific questions that we miss HIM.  We miss His presence, His peace, and His view.  Had Mary chosen to dwell on her own perspective, she may have run away, fearing punishment for being pregnant before being married.  Or abandoned the baby altogether.  Instead, she got a glimpse of God’s perspective and rejoiced: “For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name.  And His mercy is upon generation after generation… .” Luke 1:49-50. 

Joseph too faced stark uncertainty.  He was supposed to marry this young virgin, and presumably, build a life together.  It definitely wasn’t supposed to begin with her giving birth.  He also must have had many questions: “What will people think of me?” “How can I marry her when she is pregnant with another man’s baby?”  “What will my family say?”  “My rabbi?” “My friends?”  So many doubts, but Joseph’s perspective changed when God showed him the divine view.  God gave him a sneak peak to the end goal — “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”  Matt. 1: 20-21.   Joseph chose to trust in God and took Mary as his wife, in spite of the many uncertain details and inevitable scorn from the community.  God revealed His purpose to Joseph, and Joseph responded with a sure, certain step towards God.  May I do the same!

All of us struggle with uncertainty.  Sometimes I used to think, “if only I had that job” or “if only I was married already,” then I may have more certainty in my life (i.e. I could choose a state bar based on my husband’s job).  But no.  At every stage of life there will be uncertainty because God does not drop down google maps of our lives that show every turn we will take (although, I so wish He would at times!).  Instead, the God of the universe takes time to show Himself to us.  He proves His certainty each day through His willingness to be present with us.  Such an amazing love!

We may not have angels appear to us as Joseph and Mary did, but we know the end of the story!  What God promised to Mary and Joseph actually happened!  A baby was born who fulfilled the promise in Isaiah 9:6 and truly lived to die for our sins.  What a God!  We have the assurance that the baby born to Mary was Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior of the world.  He came, so that we could be certain of an eternity with God.  Jesus did come to save His people—US!  That is our certainty for the present and the future!  

Like Mary and Joseph, we have to choose to view our lives from God’s viewpoint, instead of focusing on the uncertain “what if’s,” “why’s,” and “if only’s.”  God’s love for us is certain in the midst of any uncertainty we may be facing.  We don’t need to know the play by play of our lives ahead of time because we have a God who fulfills His promises and completes His purpose for each of us.   This is a lesson I seem to repeat over and over, but it is no less true.  He is my certainty, if I only stop long enough to recognize His perspective.  Mary and Joseph rooted themselves in the certainty of God and forged ahead to fulfill His purpose for the world.  My hope is to do the same this Christmas and into the New Year.

Worth The Wait

Image via Pinterest

 

 

The countdown til Christmas continues and today I'm excited to have Molly McFarland share with us.  I've known Molly for years, but have had the joy and privilege of getting to know her so much better this year since our husbands are in Darden together.  We're also neighbors which means we get to carpool and hang out at each other's houses when we lock ourselves out.  Molly is one of the few girls I know who can perfectly quote more random chick flicks than I can and she also shares my love for God and Gossip Girl.  She has a joy and enthusiasm for life that is contagious and she's always up for a good dance party!  Here's Molly!!      

 

" Now hope that is seen is not hope.  For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."  Romans 8:24-25

The words hope and patience are exceptionally meaningful this time of year.  I love that the word, hope, is both a noun and a verb.  We look forward with desire and confidence (the verb) to the Person in which our beliefs are centered (the noun).  In the midst of the Advent season, we so often can get caught up in so many "urgent" visible things in the present world that we don't sit in the beauty of waiting for the Person who is to come.  We run around getting the best presents for everyone, putting up our trees, sending out the perfect Christmas card that we fret for hours choosing and trying to accomplish everything on our New Year's resolution list before the end of the year (toned arms is always mine).  It gets tiring and stressful.

I often spend days forgetting about the real hope and joy of this season as I rush to get to the end of the year.  I feel like I often miss the beautiful preparation of Christmas.  One of the pastors at my old church put together an Advent book a few years ago and his picture of the incarnation of Jesus Christ helped me to slow down and wait for the unseen with hope:

"There is a resonance that comes from a multi-layered understanding of hope fulfilled in concert with hopeful, patient expectation of the glory we can't see. Advent amplifies every note of hope. Hope was fulfilled for humanity in the incarnation, life and death of Jesus Christ. In that here is a hope that grows ever greater within us as we grow in our understanding and acceptance of the redemption and renewal made possible by Christ."

There is something glorious about the understanding of hope and waiting each year.  In a society where you can always be doing something, Advent gives us the time to wait with thoughtful patience for the hope that is to come. 

We are human beings waiting for the divine Son who joined human nature in the form of a Person, fully God and fully man.  That is worth the wait.

 

Hear more from Molly at McFarland Adventures.  

He Leads

Lulu & Susanna shopping at Costco—a staple for all Robertson girls, young & old. 

 

Merry, Merry!  Today's guest post comes from someone very near and dear to my heart: my big sister Laura.  Not only is she a fabulous wife, mom, and sister, but she's also one of my most favorite writers.  I'm so grateful she was willing to sneak away to write this post, because I just love it and I know you will too!!  Here's Laura!   

 
During the Christmas season, every emotion you’re experiencing seems to be amped up on steroids.  Normally, this is great, since so many aspects about this time of year put me in a festive mood- the smells of fresh pine and warm gingerbread, elaborate displays of twinkling Christmas lights, jubilant Christmas carols . . . I love it all.  

Other times, it’s not so great, and last Sunday started off on a particularly low note.  My husband was out of town, so getting both my infant and toddler daughters to church was no small challenge.  My two-and-a-half-year old did not want to put her shoes or tights on before we left, so I wound up with about 50 pounds of wiggling girls in my arms on the way to the car. While I thankfully didn’t drop anyone in transit, we ended up leaving thirty minutes later than planned.

By a great Christmas miracle, I made it into the service in time to hear selections from Handel's Messiah.  I was enjoying the music on a surface level until I heard the familiar song based on Isaiah 40:11 "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."

Hearing those refrains, it suddenly clicked for me.  In the midst of running after my own little flock, wrestling to put tights on their squirming legs, or arranging bows in their golden ringlets, God is leading me.  Even when I feel overwhelmed by this tumultuous time of life, Christ holds me in His strong arms, carrying me through even the most challenging circumstances.    

It can be so difficult to sit calmly in God’s arms when dinner needs to be made, someone needs a new diaper, and Christmas cards need to be sent.  But soaking in the presence of God gives us the rest and direction we so desperately need.

That Sunday morning, peaceful refrains from The Messiah were all too quickly replaced by happy squeals of my two cherubs in the back of the car, but I left with a renewed sense of confidence that God would carry me through the rest of the day and beyond.

Advent.

Today, I'm excited to feature one of my most favorite people in the world: Mary Stafford.  Since I first met Mary at UVA over nine years ago, I've been one of her biggest fans.  I'm slightly obsessed with her and just adore her zest for life, her heart, and her honesty.  I think we all need a little Mary Stafford in our lives, so I'm delighted that shes' guest posting today.

She's also an incredible photographer, so I begged and pleaded to be able to post some of her work below.  Mary's photos ooze with JOY and I love her uncanny ability to capture real life and real people in such a beautiful way.  Here's Mary! 

Advent. It’s been a learning process for me – for a long time I just thought it was a good excuse to light a bunch of candles on a wreath as a way to countdown Christmas. But as I’ve walked and stumbled after Jesus I began to realize this season is a gift, a way of making room for Him.

So, Advent.

It seems so different this year than last year.

During Advent last year, I was busy making plans for a new career and excited about the potential of my future.  I was dancing and bopping through life headed to a new and exciting adventure that I felt God had commissioned in my heart.

Then. It all stopped. It went dark and I found myself scrambling just to make contact with God.  I stopped talking and writing about God so much because it al felt fake. My dancing and bopping shifted more to a flopping and flailing.

Am I being dramatic?  Likely, but it was intense. Plus I like the alliteration of flopping and flailing.

I sat in darkness.

Eventually, I managed to begin to talk to God. It wasn’t pretty nor was it eloquent.  One word prayers uttered through tears flooding the carpet. These were perhaps the most honest prayers of my life. The prayers uttered in the darkness from the rawest places of my heart.

I prayed in darkness.

I had to remind myself that God is faithful. God is loving. God is a healer. I read the words of Isaiah 61 and asked God to help me trust that Jesus would and could do the things he said he would: bind up broken hearts, give the oil of gladness, etc.

I waited in expectation in darkness.

Eventually, God birthed something new. Through the prayers of  my sweet friends, many of them appear on this blog, and a new posture God’s open heart surgery began to wind down.  I was too tired to fight, and therefore had taken on a posture of surrender. Letting down my fighting hands allowed for a pathway to my heart. It almost felt like the scene in Narnia when the words, “Aslan is coming!” were shouted.  I hoped for God’s healing. I trusted Him to do what He said he would do – Isaiah 61 my life. (can you make verse references verbs? Yes.)

In the darkness, God broke in and showed Himself powerful, faithful, and oh so loving.

I guess that is why Advent seems different this year. During this time we posture ourselves in quiet and sit with expectation for Jesus – His coming and what He will do.  This year is different because, I now have a tangible, “advent of the soul” where Jesus entering the scene made all the difference.

I know I sort of moaned and groaned through this – but the point is that last sentence, Jesus entering the scene made all the difference. 

I used to wonder what this time felt like for the people waiting on Jesus birth – the people who needed Him to come to be their mediator – to change everything – to break in the darkness.  But I am now grateful for the darkness this year – it was a gift that allowed my, at times, self-centered heart to make room for Him.

We sing this hymn at my little church – it is an Advent Hymn, and these two verses speak to the heart of what I think God is up to during this season of our waiting, expectation, and sometimes darkness.

Comfort, comfort ye my people,
   

Speak ye peace, thus saith our God;


Comfort those who sit in darkness,

Mourning 'neath their sorrows' load;


Speak ye to Jerusalem


Of the peace that waits for them,


Tell her that her sins I cover,


And her warfare now is over.

Hear & see more from Mary at MerryStudios.com.

Home by Another Way

Image via Pinterest

Happy Monday!!  Hard to believe Christmas week is here!  Are you as excited as I am?  Today's guest post comes from the faithful and talented Cindy Finley.  I met Cindy a few times in Charlottesville, but really connected with her when I began reading her blog and following her family's adoption journey to bring their beautiful daughter Katya home with them.  Here's Cindy!

 

Pulling into the driveway, I glanced at the handsome man behind the wheel.  He smiled at me, and I smiled back, but my stomach flip-flopped and my heart pounded in my chest.  As the car rolled to a stop, the front door, wreathed in Christmas greenery, opened and out came my family.

“Bill, I’d like for you to meet my family.  Mom, Phil, I’d like for you to meet Bill.” 

Bill and I had known each other for years, but six weeks earlier, we had walked and talked, shared our hearts for Jesus, and our growing interest in one another.  By late that afternoon, our relationship was definitely defined.  Intensely attracted to each other, and seeing a matching passion for Jesus in one another, we began to intentionally date.  Bringing Bill home to meet my parents was the next step. 

As I stood in the driveway introducing my family to Bill, I was nervous.  What would he think about them  What would he think about the lavish decorations, presents spilling out from under the tree?  What embarrassing stories would my family tell about me?  

Since I had met the Lord three years before, going home for Christmas had been hard for me.  Immaturity, zealousness, and a judgmental spirit was an ugly combination.  I needed a new way of going home. 

Going into the house, (the wise men) saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.  Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.  And, being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.  Matthew 2:11b-12

They went home by another way.  Hearts full of wonder and worship, they heeded the warning and went home by another way.

If going home for Christmas is hard for you, as it was for me, here’s what I recommend to help you dislodge the old patterns, the familiar routes, and go home this Christmas by another way.  

1.  Be yourself

As a woman of God, your identity is in Christ.  You are a child of God. Family and old friends may try to put the immaturity of high school, or old, negative behaviors back on you.  They may tell stories that make you uncomfortable or ashamed.  Without defensiveness, simply remember that although your past may be shameful, you are fully loved and fully redeemed. (2 Corinthians 6:17-18, 1 John 3:1)

2.  Be gracious

Even if family members and friends are unkind to you, be gracious to them.  As you choose kindness, love, compassion, and patience, you are giving them a picture of the grace you have received from Christ.  (Colossians 4:5-6, 1 Peter 3:9)

3.  Be a servant

Be the first to wash dishes, take out the trash, run an errand, and while you’re serving, invite someone to help out or come along.  As you serve others, not only will you be following in the way of Jesus, you may also have the chance for a real conversation. (Philippians 2:6-7, Galatians 5:13)

4. Be a light

Share about your life.  Without Christian lingo, talk about the work God is doing in your life.  But sometimes you can be light by not saying anything.  When gossip, idle or malicious talk begins, simply choose not to participate. (Matthew 5:13-16, Philippians 2:14-15)

5. Be wise

Over the holidays, unhealthy patterns may attract you.  You may face temptations from the past. Make wise choices.  When that old boyfriend tells you how good you look and invites you to join him for drinks, just say, “No, thank you,”  Be wise. (Ephesians 5:15-17, Romans 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 5:17)

6. Be courageous

Going home can feel scary. You may feel worried or anxious.  Perhaps going home feels to you a bit like going into a land where there are warring giants. But just as God promised Joshua, He promises you, “Do not be frightened.  Do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  When you go home, God will be with you. (Joshua 1:1-10, Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 6:25-34)

7. Be faithful

Read your Bible. Pray. Listen to worship music.  Journal.  Whatever disciplines, habits, or patterns you have developed to cultivate intimacy with Jesus, keep them up.  Although you may be out of your familiar places, your familiar routines, be faithful to keep Jesus above all else.  (Philippians 3:12-16, Hebrews 10:39)

Bill and I survived that first Christmas, married the following August, and now are mom and dad to seven children.  Last week I went home again.  This time, not to introduce my family to Bill, but to be with my mom and step-father as she recovered from knee surgery.  As I pulled into the driveway, I smiled at the lavish decorations.  That evening, Mom dozed in and out of a percocet sleep and my step-father and I talked about life, real life, and the life to come. Icing my mom’s knee, keeping track of her medications, listening to her breathing in the middle of the night, I felt honored and blessed.   Not even 24 hours later, I pulled out of the driveway, my car loaded with presents to put under our tree.  Rather than seeing them as manic materialism, I saw them as they are, an expression of my mother’s love. 

Going home for Christmas is hard for many of us. If going home for Christmas is hard for you, rather than sliding into the familiar route, rather than being ruled by immaturity or judgmentalism, choose the way of the wise men: fill your heart with wonder and worship and go home by another way.

Hear more from Cindy at CindyFinley.com.