Yesterday, I left off chatting about how the Light was about to enter the world after a 400 year period of silence.

I don’t know about you, but silence for that long from the God you serve would be very depressing, which is a form of darkness I occasionally have battled over the years.

Why so long may be the question you too are asking yourself, but when I look at the Bible, things become a bit more clear.

Sometimes a separation makes the heart grow fonder or long more for the one you are not with. And sometimes the distance makes the return that much grander and sweeter.

If I had been in the dark for a long period, then heard that a Light overhead was pronouncing a mighty king would arrive? I would grow excited and look for his coming with anticipation of good things yet to come.

John gives us hints as to why the Light came in the following verses, which give me a great deal of comfort on darker days:

“The true Light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name,  He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood  nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of  grace and truth.” (John 1:9-14)

The Light came to show us His glory up close. To show us that God cares enough about us to become one of us, and meet us face to face.

I don’t know about you, but that truth, that kind of love, warms my heart and makes this season of Christmas shine all the brighter this year.

May you too see the Light this Christmas!

PS. Will share about the Christmas Star tomorrow, and my favorite light in the Christmas story on Thursday!

#sharingHope

I have always loved light, but it’s never more appreciated than when I am in the dark.

Maybe you too can relate. Are you feeling like this season of pandemic upheaval is making your holidays appear less bright than usual? Are you feeling blue with the time change and the fact it is now dark before supper? Are you feeling like a sardine living & working close to others all the time now that you are in lock down again?

One of the lines which I love most in the Bible occurred in Genesis…

“Let there be light.”

And the light entered the world, and has blessed us all with sunshine, moonlight & the twinkling of stars ever since.

At the end of the Old Testament, there were 400 years of silence where it appeared God was nowhere to be found. A dark period for His people.

And then a great light appeared in the heavens to announce to the world that a King unlike any other was about to be born.

Talking about Light 💡 again tomorrow, stay tuned.

#sharingHope
#comeletusadoreHim

In these tumultuous times, I find it extra important to listen to songs which soothe and bless. This song has become an international hit, in part for that very reason.

May it bless you with the blessing of our loving God and usher you into His embrace each and every time you hear it!

“The Lord bless you & keep you. Make His face shine upon you & be gracious to you. The Lord turn His face toward you & give you peace.

Amen, amen, amen.
Amen, amen, amen.

May His favor be upon you & a thousand generations, & your family & your children, & their children, & their children. X2

May His presence go before you & behind you, & beside you. All around you, & within you, He is with you, He is with you. In the morning, in the evening, in your coming, & your going; in your weeping & rejoicing, He is for you, He is for you.

He is for you, He is for you.
He is for you, He is for you.
He is for you, He is for you!

Amen, amen, amen.
Amen, amen, amen!”

THE BLESSING by @karijobe
@codycarnes
@elevationworship

#sharingHope

Friend, as York Region and many other areas are in lock down due to Covid, it is important to keep focused on how God is for us.

May these verses give you comfort as you choose to proclaim His blessing over your life.

I will be sharing a few more verses to focus on as the week goes on.

Blessings,

Karla

I have come to realize how intricate the whole Word is.

From our beginnings in Eden right through to Revelation, humanity has cried to God to save it. And our Hope has responded mightily, and will always continue to do so. So in the light of the Word, I share these words with you today.

I wait in hope for Your salvation, God. Genesis 49:18 (MSG)

As a parent, I love to speak blessings to my children. Because let’s face it, I speak more warnings and correcting on a day to day basis then I do blessings.  

Jacob, the father of 12 boys for whom God named the 12 tribes of Israel, is a parent I can relate to. He made mistakes, didn’t offer enough praise, played favorites when it suited him, yet still God used him.

Not only did God redeem Jacob’s family from all its failures and family drama on an epic scale, but He redeemed an entire nation through him.

Close to the end of his days, Jacob called his sons to him, to speak what usually is blessings upon them (Genesis 49:1-28). Instead Jacob said what He really thought, pointing out most of their flaws interspersed with blessing.

This verse from Genesis 49:18 stuck out to me like a sore thumb for many years, because it seemingly didn’t make sense. Until I took a step back and saw it in context of the whole of Jacob’s life.

Jacob spoke this verse with the belief and trust that the same God who brought good out of his life would do the same for his sons.

He spoke out hope for God to save them from themselves, knowing that God could do so. His hope was not found in his sons, but the God who would move through them!

This Christmas, God the Father reminds us of His love for us, and that He sent Jesus to be our Living Hope. Invite Holy Spirit to show
you the heart of the Father towards your children, and you.

For those who need hope, He has come as Hope.

Pause and Apply:  Do I pray in faith for God to bless and use my children despite their flaws? Am I speaking truth beyond what I see to my children?

Prayer: God, I too wait in hope for You to save my loved ones. Help me see where You are moving within them. Amen

(Note: this post was part of a devotional series I wrote for Remade Ministries)

#sharingHope

If you take a close look at this photo, you can see the silver necklace around my neck. The pendant is a simple daisy with the word HOPE engaged upon it.

The Bible reminds us so often “Do not be afraid” that I firmly believe it is not just a reminder but a command. A choice for us to believe each and every time we feel afraid. And similarly, the Bible also tells us that we are never alone, God is with us always.

So I chose to write Hope on this pendant as a visual reminder to myself that my Hope is always with me, and because He is, I need not be afraid of anything. And each & every time I see this necklace in the mirror, I choose to align myself with Hope again.

What do you do to help remind you of His Word?

“Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9 MSG)

#sharingHope

🎵”I AM NOT ALONE” 🎶 by🎙️Kari Jobe

When I walk through deep waters I know that You will be with me. When I’m standing in the fire I will not be overcome. Through the valley of the shadow I will not fear.

Chorus: I am not alone, I am not alone. You will go before me, You will never leave me. X2

In the midst of deep sorrow I see Your light is breaking through. The dark of night will not overtake me, I am pressing into You. Lord, You fight my every battle oh, and I will not fear.

Repeat Chorus

You amaze me, redeem me, You call me as Your own. You amaze me, redeem me.
You call me as Your own!

You’re my strength, You’re my defender, You’re my refuge in the storm. Through these trials
You’ve always been faithful, You bring healing to my soul…

Repeat Chorus

https://youtu.be/bfveawSAHJA

#sharingHope
#hopefortheharddays

The holidays can be a difficult season for many of us. The extra to-do’s on our list can keep us busier and more stressed than usual, which can leave us with less time to spend connecting with others. Add the pandemic, and this season can be especially hard to navigate.

If you too are feeling lonely despite the atmosphere of excitement for Christmas or Hanukkah, you are not alone. Really.

Open your bible and remind yourself of these 10 Words:

• Joshua 1:9
• Isaiah 41:10
• Deuteronomy 31:6,8
• Psalm 23:6
• Psalm 139:7-10
• Matthew 1:23
• Matthew 28:20
• John 14:16-17
• Romans 8:38-39
• Hebrews 13:5

The one which God has etched upon my heart?

“Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, He’ll calm you with His love and delight you with His songs.” (Zephaniah 3:17)

In every season, God is present. With us. Nearer than we know.

So no matter where we go, we never go alone. What a comforting truth to wrap about us when we feel lonely!

#sharingHope #hopefortheharddays

HOME.
A blessing to many.
Painful to others.
A place to run to, or run from.

What I have learned in my 50 years here on this planet is that what this word means makes all the difference to each of us.

Home no longer means what it used to for me. It is not a building, although I love our little house with which we have been blessed, and sometime refer to it as my cozy nest.

Home is not a feeling, although it is part of the package.

Home is a person. That person who anchors you throughout the storms, supports you amidst the heartbreak, and loves you unconditionally. And although I am happily married 99% of the time, my husband is not my home, although I thought he was when we were first married.

God is my Home.

As He lives within me, I can  literally carry Home any and every where I go, whether in my house, work, my car, coffee shop, grocery store, restaurant… 

And because God is my Home in a sliver of the way He can be while I am living in this world, Home is ultimately where I will be living forever when I step into His embrace when I pass away.

That hope of Home is a constant flicker within me as I go about my days, when I sleep during the nights.

If you too have mixed feelings and a painful history thinking about home, ask Him to reveal Himself to you in a fresh new way.

After all, this is the season where Love came down to live amongst us, to bring Home, and eternal life, to all who choose to accept that wonderful gift of love. Asking Him to help you unwrap that gift will be His pleasure, friend.

#sharingHope