Welcome to My World!

"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10

As I ponder this passage as Mary does so often in the bible. I think of what I have been learning about myself from God. Do I welcome new things into my life or am I just afraid?

So much of my life has been marked by fear. Fear of being hurt, fear of the unknown, fear of rejection, fear of doing the wrong thing. I have been through all those things and yet God has held me up through them all.

So first of all --Do I welcome my savior into my life? Do I let him use me by revealing how he has made me strong through those past hurts? Do I let him heal my hurts and show me that through him I am being built into a precious creation?

Secondly,  do I welcome others into my life? This year has been a time of letting new people into my life. A new church, two new home churches, an accountability group, students in classes that I took this summer--and then also letting them slip away. Am I just as willing to try the next time around? Oh God let me welcome others into my life with an open heart, hands and mind.  As well as new people, do I welcome the old friends back into my life. Some who have gently slipped away and others who there has been great hurt and conflict. I sent out only a few Christmas cards this year with the hope of welcoming those people to stay a part of my life. There are still many others where I regret the relationship slipping away and want to welcome them into my life once more.

Lastly, do I welcome the future? Do I see God's faithfulness through my singleness? Do I read the story of Elizabeth and relate to her longing for a child,the emptiness of  barrenness,the wasted years or do I hope with expectation for the things to come? Lord let me trust you to guide me each day.

Savior thank you for saving me from my sin, my fears, my unrealistic expectations, my hurts, my desire to hide. Thank you that I have an eternal hope and a hope for each day.

 Each day may my prayer be "Welcome to my World"!

In His Grasp,
Dawn

Advent

It is almost Christmas. In fact it is Advent. What is Advent? It is a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord. I think it is a time to come to peace with what you have done this year, who you have become and to welcome the savior in your life next year.

Welcoming has been a big theme in my life this year. How do I welcome people into my life? What prejudices do I have that keep me from welcoming others. Do I make fun of people for not liking or thinking,or believing what I do. I think I am way more welcoming to those who don't believe in Jesus than I am who like the "wrong music", the "wrong worship tradition"or "wrong dress". I want to be open to whom God brings into my life whether they are completely different that what I would expect.

So I want to spend the next month growing in welcoming God into my heart, my time and my soul. I ordered an Advent devotional that I cannot wait for even though it is late, So right now I am singing through an old hymnal, reading Luke and meeting the people who await Jesus. I am also reading some prophesy in Isaiah of the coming King! So may I spend this time giving myself time to enjoy my Lord, time to reflect on who I am in the grace of God, time to welcome new and old into my life.

There is a book called the Advent Conspiracy--the premise is not about giving presents but presence. Lord may I be more present in all those who I come into contact this season and in the new year

Come Lord Jesus Come!