December 3rd, 2012 by Kristi Stephens

Is it just me, or do you feel like there are more and more rules cropping up about how to “best” celebrate Christmas?

• Santa? No Santa?
• Gifts? No gifts? A few meaningful gifts? Only charitable gifts?
• Advent? An advent wreath? An advent calendar? A Jesse tree?
• The elf on the shelf? Christian alternatives to elf on the shelf?

My goodness.

I love Pinterest and blogs… but wow, somehow they can breed this overwhelming pressure to do things like Christmas the “right way.” The “best way.” Don’t get me wrong – there are some amazing ideas and resources out there that can be very much worth your time. But seriously, sometimes in our zeal to keep our focus right during the Christmas season we can completely stress ourselves out and become holiday legalists.

This year I’ve been thinking about my own tendency to lean toward the line of thinking that says, “this {fill in the blank with a variety of cultural holiday traditions} isn’t from the Bible at all! Throw it out!” This comes from a desire to keep my and my family’s focus on the real truth and meaning of what we’re celebrating. At it’s heart, it’s not a bad thing.

But, here’s the thing: I don’t want my zeal to honor Christ to turn into legalism with a chip on its shoulder. And I don’t want to raise little legalists who look down on their friends who have different family traditions than we do and think of them as less spiritual. Nor do I want them to, in their matter-of-fact and innocent childlike way, inform others that they are less spiritual and missing the point. {shiver}

I want our kids to distinguish between cultural tradition and Biblical truth. And I want them to start thinking through, even as young children, the fact that while the truth and meaning of Christmas remains constant and is not culturally dependent, the way Christian families observe this monumental event in human history varies throughout history and is distinctive in various cultures – and even from home to home.

We’ll be spending a lot of time learning about Christmas traditions around the world this December. I think it will be a fun way to celebrate the diversity of people and cultures God has made while keeping our focus on the heart of it all. By the way, if you want to join us, I’ll post many of the things we find throughout the month here!

But in the meantime, if you’re feeling like a failure with all of those “tips” online for how to make your season count, here are my thoughts – for whatever they’re worth.

*Santa is a cultural element to American Christmas. It’s not the point, but it’s not inherently bad. Keep it in perspective.

*Gifts are a cultural element to American Christmas. They’re not the point, but they’re not inherently bad. Keep it in perspective.

*Advent wreaths, calendars, Jesse trees are cultural elements for certain groups of American Christians. They are tools to help us keep our focus on Christ. It is possible to use them and still miss the point, and you can do something else and have a meaningful and worshipful Christmas focused on Jesus. Keep it in perspective.

Just keep it in perspective. As the Lord for wisdom, talk with your spouse, don’t turn into a legalist. You don’t have to embrace everything in our culture, but you don’t have to burn it all, either.

Merry Christmas. =)

November 27th, 2012 by Kristi Stephens

We’re in a season of change at our house. There are many great, big, exciting things going on, and God’s hand has been so evident.

In the midst of all of these things, I sometimes think deep down in my heart, “there is no way I can do this.”

It’s true. God has given me jobs that are too weighty for me and I fear I will buckle under the load. This life seems scary and I want to retreat – pull back and cut out all responsibility. But when I lay these fears before the Lord, I continue to be reassured of His presence and He whispers to my heart over and over again, I know you can’t do this on your own. Abide in me. I will carry the weight. I will fight for you. You need only to be still and know that I am God.

He is God, and I am not. He doesn’t expect me to be omnipotent – He knows that I am weak and invites me to rest in His strength. He doesn’t expect me to be omnipresent and all-knowing – He knows that I am limited and frail and invites me to give Him my today and tomorrows and trust Him. It’s easy for us to say that we believe all of these things about God, but continue to live in our own power, our own limited understanding.

On Sunday the Lord reminded me of my need for dependence yet again through this powerful sermon. When I attempt to do what I think best in my own power and happen to succeed, it leads only to arrogance. When I follow my best-laid plans and fail, it leads only to insecurity. God doesn’t expect me to know exactly what to do or to somehow find the strength within myself to do it. He expects me to listen, obey, and trust – and that is where I will find rest and security.

Already as we look ahead to the life changes we are in and the ones we see coming, we often hear people say, “I don’t think I could do that.” It makes me laugh. I don’t think I can do it, either! But this I know: I don’t want to reach the end of my life and look back on a string of good things I did in my own power. I want to look back on extraordinary things that I know I cannot lay claim to – I want to say with full conviction, ‘God did this.’

Sometimes the Lord gives us jobs too big for us not because of great things He wants us to do – but because He wants us to learn to say with full conviction, “I need Thee every hour. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”

We have come to a new day, and I find myself dependent upon Him once again. Dependence is a very good place to be. My heart cries out with St. Patrick,

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger

November 9th, 2012 by Kristi Stephens

Election fever has broken, and I admit I am thankful to have it behind us. The thing about elections is- sometimes the candidate you want to win just doesn’t. What you firmly believe is best doesn’t happen.

What’s a voter to do when election fever breaks and leaves clammy disappointment in its place? What’s a Christian voter to do?

• Come down from your hilltop, Jonah.

I’ve seen quite a few “well, this is what you chose America -  it’s going to be terrible and it’s all your fault” posts popping up in my newsfeed the past few days. We all have a Jonah-streak in us. We want to sound the alarm, give the warning, and then settle down on the hilltop and wait for God to rain down fire and brimstone on all of those people. The thing is, God was much more interested in saving repentant sinners in Nineveh than he was in allowing Jonah a private “I told you so” victory party in the comfortable shade of his vine. Ask the Lord to give you eyes to see and a heart of compassion for the people who do not know their right hand from their left.

• Take a look at the culture around us.

People feel hopeless, afraid, and angry. They are desperate for hope. Now is not the time to retreat and lick wounds in anger. What we see in our culture is symptomatic of deeper issues and we are called to engage, not retreat! Love the Lord your God – and love your neighbor as yourself. Including that neighbor with the political sticker you hate proudly displayed on their car. Look at the people you are walking past in the grocery store, see the struggling in your community, get involved in a rescue mission, start a Bible study in your neighborhood. Do something. Resolving to fight harder for your political party next time around isn’t going to transform our culture. People desperately want something to hope in – and we know the only One who can truly transform their lives.

• Be a Daniel. A Joseph. An Esther.

Those three remarkable stories tell us of individuals who lived under foreign, hostile governments. One was carried off into Babylon as a captive. One was sold into Egypt as a slave. One grew up as an alien in a foreign land. But God used all three of those individuals to mightily impact the most influential rulers and governments of their day when they submitted to God and placed their lives courageously in His hands. This world is not our home. We’ve been mighty comfortable for a long time here in the United States, but if we are truly living for Jesus Christ we will stand out more and more vividly as aliens and strangers in a hostile land. Beg the Lord for the resolve of Daniel to live purely and courageously in a corrupt culture while interacting with those around us in wisdom and with tact. Entreat Him for patience and wisdom like Joseph as you wait for His timing and sometimes may be treated unjustly, remembering that the Sovereign Lord holds all things together. Ask Him to use us like Esther to preserve and lead His people during times of increasing hostility.

• Examine your own heart.

If Wednesday morning left us feeling hopeless, there’s a question we must ask ourselves as we take a hard look into our own hearts. If we feel despair and perhaps even a panic of sorts – who is our hope really in? The Sovereign Lord of the universe is on His throne no matter what limited and flawed human being happens to be occupying the White House. If the outcome of an election seriously shakes me, is it possible I have placed my trust in a person or political party as my “functional savior,” even while I profess faith in Jesus Christ with my lips?

Hard questions.

God is more interested in His glory than our comfort. He is more interested in seeking and saving the lost than in allowing us to have an “I told you so” party. There are hurting people all around us who desperately need to hear the Good News and see it lived out in transformed lives.

“Show me, O Lord, my life’s end
    and the number of my days;
    let me know how fleeting is my life.
You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
    the span of my years is as nothing before you.
    Each man’s life is but a breath.
Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
    He bustles about, but only in vain;
    he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.
“But now, Lord, what do I look for?
    My hope is in you.

October 21st, 2012 by Kristi Stephens

AG has been working on memorizing the books of the Old Testament lately. We learned the New Testament books pretty quickly, thanks to this fun song from Go Fish, but the OT books were harder to “get.”

Here’s a fun clapping game I did with her (and AG’s debut online appearance!)-  although you’ll notice I always tend to get tongue-tied in the wisdom books! ;)

If it helps to have the books written out with a rhythm chart, you can download it here {P for “pat” and C for “clap” – this can obviously be done by individuals, as well, patting your legs and clapping hands…}.

If you use this with your kids or Sunday School class, I’d love to hear how it went!

This post is linked up at the MOM Initiative!