Christmas Truth - Awe and Wonder Surrounding the Womb

Today we start our Christmas Truths. Why do we do these? This season as glorious and wonderful as it is, can tend to get busy. And sometimes the word busy is and understatement. So we’ve created small Christmas Truths that will be sent to your inbox each morning. They are meant to refocus our thoughts on why we celebrate. Why there is a Christmas in the first place. Why we find joy and hope in this season.

They refocus our attention back to God and his plan for salvation through His Son. A baby.

Some days they are just a quote. Other days a small writing like this. But our goal is that you take a hot second and sit in the wonder of His word, story, and grace for humanity. Christmas is truly amazing. Don’t let it pass by without gazing at the True Star.

“He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.”

Luke 1:15.

This is part of the Angel Gabriel’s proclamation to Zechariah when he was in the temple. We know by reading later in the story that the Holy Spirit entered Elizabeth upon meeting Mary, Luke 1:41. The child leapt inside Elizabeth and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Just think about that for a second.

Elizabeth and Mary, standing next to each other, Elizabeth with the Holy Spirit and Mary with Jesus. Two of the three Trinity. Two of the three Trinity inside a woman’s womb. One consuming and igniting a fetus causing it to leap at the presence of another. Two of the 3-in-1. The 3-in-1 that are the Creators, All-knowing, Holy, Infinite and Eternal in the inner-most parts of these women. So many thoughts whirling in my mind about this picture yet awe and wonder are the only words adequate to write on a page for you.

Sit for a few minutes and take this part of the Christmas story in.

And remember… it’s not just a story.

It’s The Story.

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photo by Joanna Klapperick

if you have christmas photos you’d like featured, please email carly@sixnotesclothing.com

In The Waiting - Christmas Playlist

The holidays tend to usher in a lot of angst, anticipation and even anxiety for some. It’s a wonderful time of year, but can come with a deep longing, so we’ve leaned into that theme as we created the next playlist for you all. It’s a beautiful Christmas playlist with songs you don’t often hear. It's a playlist of hope and anticipation as we wait. Wait for Christmas, wait for the time of Jesus’s birth, and wait for the day of the Lord’s return.

Be sure to save it to your Spotify library for later by clicking the heart at this link

Then read this…

“Lord, in my place of weakness and need, I ask again: Will You come and help me? I know I’m always in Your thoughts. You are my true Savior and hero, so don’t delay to deliver me now, for You are my God. I am standing in absolute stillness, silent before the One I love, waiting as long as it takes for Him to rescue me. For this is the hope of our salvation. But hope means that we must trust and wait for what is still unseen. For why would we need to hope for something we already have? Only God is my Savior, and He will not fail me. For He alone is my safe place. His wraparound presence always protects me as my champion defender. There’s no risk of failure with God! So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me? This is why I wait upon You, expecting Your breakthrough, for Your Word brings me hope. I long for You more than any watchman would long for the morning light. I will watch and wait for You, O God, throughout the night. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him. And here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting—for He will never disappoint you!”

and Dive Deeper by opening your Bible to these verses:

• Psalms 40:17 TPT

• Psalms 62:5-6 TPT

• Romans 8:24 TPT

• Lamentations 3:25 NIV

• Psalm 72:11-20 TPT

• Psalms 27:14 TPT

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Thanksgiving Devotional

Thanksgiving might not be a biblical holiday but its reasons to celebrate are scattered throughout the Bible.

History of thanksgiving

Squanto was a Native American who became the pilgrims “trusted” friend by offering them help and wisdom to survive their first harsh winter in a new land. Please note that this is not a blog on history.  The motives behind Squanto actions are not the point here.  When the pilgrims celebrated their first successful harvest, they gave gratitude to God.  During this feast Squanto was invited and he brought with 90 Native American friends who graciously served up plenty of wild turkey to prepare for the feast.

The 1st thanksgiving was a mingling of cultures and races.  I can only pray it was a feast of mutual respect for their differences and a time to understand each other.  It all centered around one idea though. Giving thanks to God. That was the intent set out by the Pilgrims.  A feast of thanksgiving for his hand in helping them survive and then thrive with the harvest.

Thanksgiving for Christians

The Bible is littered with verses about thanksgiving, grateful hearts, and blessings.  Do a quick 2 minutes Google search and you’ll have more verses than you need.  But it’s what we do with those verses that cultivate a heart of thanksgiving, an attitude of gratitude.

Two things I love most about the thanksgiving story is the idea of community and service:  usually those 2 words together aren’t a good thing but here they are.  The pilgrims came together for one reason.  To give thanks to God.  They endured crazy hardships fleeing their homeland being persecuted as Christians, traveled the Atlantic Ocean by a simple wooden ship just to be welcomed by the chance of survival.  And because of someone who doesn’t look like them, a Native American, they do.  They survive.  And how do they react?  They don’t say well done self and pat themselves on the back.  You worked hard.  No.  They throw a feast of thanks to God.  And they invite an outsider and he comes serving and sharing his plenty.  He gives what he has with an open and welcome heart and it’s a beautiful picture of what biblical service looks like..  The feast in 1621 has so much to teach us.  Don’t let the intentionality of this gathering lose its meaning because greed and persecution set in later in the American history.  This feast, the original thanksgiving was beautiful in God’s eyes.

A day devoted to thanking God for their blessings.

A day devoted to humbling themselves and glorifying God for his provisions and care.

A day devoted to giving of oneself so another can prosper.

A day devoted to community and service.

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A Prayer For Thankful Hearts

As we draw upon Thanksgiving, take time to quiet your soul, pray this prayer, and meditate on the verses below.

Heavenly Father,

You are the giver of every good thing. Your blessings are beyond measure.

Your mercies never run out or expire. Perfection is not a prerequisite for your love.

Your grace is freely given, and repayment is never required.

You are a generous and faithful God.

With thanksgiving we surrender our hearts and open our hands.

We let go of that which we shouldn’t hold, to receive all that you have for us.

Shape us and use us for your purposes.

All glory and honor and praise be yours, forever and ever.

Amen

Bible Verse:

Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us - to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

Open up your bible and dive deeper into these verses:

• Ephesians 1:3

• Psalm 103

• James 1:17

• Psalm 9:1

• Psalm 118:1

When I Rise - Morning Playlist

Some mornings we find our brain just too foggy to read another devotional, our hearts to heavy to study another verse or we just need to quiet our thoughts. If that’s you. If you just can’t open the pages today. That’s okay. Sit in the quiet. Go for a walk and take in the goodness of worship.

Jesus doesn’t care HOW we connect with Him. He cares that we just take the space to do so. So connect here in this playlist we created for you. Click here or the image below. Then be sure to save it to your library for later by clicking the heart.

Then read this…

“Rise up in splendor and be radiant, for your light has dawned, and Yahweh’s glory now streams from you! Look carefully! Darkness blankets the earth, and thick gloom covers the nations, but Yahweh arises upon you and the brightness of His glory appears over you! For you are all children of the light and children of the day. We don't belong to the night nor to darkness. This is why we must not fall asleep, as the rest do, but keep wide awake and clearheaded. Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for His purposes. Put into practice the example of all that you have heard from me or seen in my life and the God of peace will be with you in all things.”

and Dive Deeper by opening your Bible to these verses:

• Isaiah 60:1–2

• 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6

• Ephesians 5:15-16

• Philippians 4:6, 7, 9 TPT