“Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.” 2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

On this Think About It Thursday I encourage you to reflect, just as Paul encouraged Timothy. Paul wrote letters to Timothy to shape and encourage Timothy’s ministry. So today I share a letter with you.

Dear Readers, As 2022 draws to an end, I encourage you to reflect on the year and also look forward to 2023. As you think about the new year, ask God to lay upon your heart a word to guide you and your Christian ministry. Yes, you are a minister!

You and I are both called to spread the Good News and live a life worthy of our calling. I urge you to pray and meditate on a word for 2023. Some of the words of the year I have chosen in the past include intention, transform, impact, and simple.

Tomorrow I will share my word for 2023 and I hope you will also share your word with us. Perhaps God will inspire you to choose a word that has been your word of the year before just as I have used today’s picture previously. However, God may shed new light and insight on the word and lead you in a different direction. I simply encourage you to be open to God’s leading.

As I leave you today, I pray your heart will be open to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit. May you feel His presence and allow God to shape you as you walk into 2023 within God’s plan for you.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭105‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Word. According to Mirriam Webster dictionary, the definitions of “word” is: order, command. Another definition is signal. The dog in today’s featured photo appears to be waiting for his owner to give him a command. The command probably consists of a word or group of words that are a signal for him to respond in a specific manner such as “sit”, “stay, or “fetch”.

If you have been a Water Walkers follower you know that at the end of each calendar year Julie and I are in the habit of choosing a word of the year for the following year. For me, the word of the year is like a signal. After much prayer and meditation, I choose a word that I feel God has laid on my heart and that word will be a signal for me to refocus.

On this Water Walking Wednesday, I encourage you to spend some time praying and meditating about a word for 2023. What area has God asked you to focus on? Is there a word God has placed on your heart? Today, step out of your boat of comfort and allow the word of God to direct your path toward an intentional focus for 2023. What will be your word of the year?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV

Most of us are still coming off the high of Christmas. We have enjoyed time with family and friends. We have eaten delicious food. We have relaxed. Today many of us are going back to work. As we move farther and farther away from Christmas Day, let’s not lose focus on what the day truly means to us as Christians.

As I sat in church on Christmas Eve, I was drawn to the cross in the first picture that is on our Chrismon tree. After church, I took a picture of the advent wreath and I was amazed at how many representations of Christ were in this one picture. The Christ candle on the advent wreath symbolizes the birth of Christ. The cross represents His death but also our birth to eternal life. How do we earn eternal life? We don’t! On our own, we would never qualify. However, we only need to believe in the Son, Jesus Christ. Believing in the One who was born on Christmas Day and then died on the cross for our sins is all that is required for us to have eternal life. What a wonderful and priceless gift that came wrapped in swaddling clothes!

On this Testify Tuesday I encourage you to pray for God to place in your path a person who you can give this most precious gift. Ask God to open your eyes and give you the courage to testify of the love of God. John 3:16 is a testimony all spelled out in a verse. Use it as a starting point and way to testify to the love of God.

On Christmas Day, our friend and partner in ministry, Ray White, shared a blog post about shining for Christ. If you weren’t able to read it I encourage you to Click here and read the practical ways Ray shares that we can shine for Him. Shining for Christ is being a living testimony. Let’s all find ways to testify today.

“And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭46‬-‭47‬ ‭ESV‬‬

According to biblehub.com, the biblical definition of magnify is; to make great, extol, celebrate in praise. Yesterday we celebrated Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. During our worship service our pastor reminded us that as Christians, we should celebrate Christmas all year. This reminded me of when my daughter, Briley, was only 3 or 4. We were listening to the Christian radio station and she was happily singing along, as usual. It was nearly Christmas season and I suggested we look for a station that was already playing Christmas music. She matter of factly told me the song on the radio was a Christmas song. I disagreed with her and she said, “Mama, all Christian songs are Christmas songs because they are about Jesus.” Wow! Out of the mouths of babes! What an awesome point!

This Magnify Monday I encourage each of us to take note of the humility of Mary and the boldness of Briley. Let’s each find ways to magnify our Lord and Savior in our words and actions. Let’s not let the day after Christmas be a letdown, but instead the beginning of a year-round celebration of the birth of Christ. After all, the birth of Christ was the birth of eternal life for you and me! Without Christmas, we would have no Good Friday or Easter. What can you do today to magnify Jesus and celebrate Him in praise?

Blog written by Ray White

“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:9-11 NIV

Astronomers estimate our universe contains at least 70 septillion stars, that’s 7 followed by 23 zeros. That’s roughly 10,000 stars for each grain of sand on Earth. I can’t comprehend a number that large. Yet, it was ONE star that led the Maji to Bethlehem on their journey to find Jesus, the messiah.

Today as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, let’s remember that as followers of Christ we have the responsibility to help others. 

We cross paths with thousands of people each year, some we work closely with, some just passing in stores or on the street. We seldom know what challenges are taking place in the lives of others. 

I can tell you specific times in my life when the actions, words, or just the simple act of being there from someone has been a gift from God. Single acts of kindness that to this day stand out. It isn’t always about sharing your testimony. It can be retrieving an item from the top shelf at a supermarket for someone, helping a person pick up dropped items, visiting someone sick, kind words, smiles and sincere words of encouragement. Listening. Caring. Loving others, as Jesus directed: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34

Let’s be Children of God who love and help others daily, not just during this special Christmas Season. Allow God to use us to share His glory, to shine for Him.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭26‬-‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Often when we are faced with crisis, we automatically get stuck on asking God “Why?”

Click here to watch tonight’s See You Saturday video and hear the reason we should move from asking why and start asking what.

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I am calling today Fantasy Friday. If you know me very well, you know I love to go to Disney World. I love to escape the real world of trouble and stress and enter a magical, problem free world. When I am in Disney World I don’t have to worry or fret. I can stroll down the streets of the Magic Kingdom and escape the difficulties of my usual daily life.

As I prayed this morning about what to share with you, God reminded me that I don’t have to be in Disney World to not worry. I don’t have to escape to a fantasy world when I have a burden. Jesus Christ is my High Priest who is willing and able to help me in my times of need. All I need to do is accept the help. I like the Message version of Hebrews 4:14-16.

“Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Are you carrying a burden today? Are your worries consuming you? You don’t have to escape to a fantasy world. Your Savior, Jesus Christ, is not out of touch with reality. Your Great High Priest is ready to give you all you need. Let’s you and I, “take the mercy, accept the help.”