Day 16/30 Days to an Unstuck Christmas: Filled With New Life!

Hi my sweet friend,

Has it worked?

Have you been enjoying an UNSTUCK Christmas? Or at the very least UN-STUCKER than normal?

My Christmas season is actually having it’s ups and downs in terms of TIME, BUT I am completely loving the “dig” into God’s Word from a fresh heart. I find that our friendship in this intentional journey offers me an accountability partnership of sorts. I hope you have felt the same!

Today’s verse stirred a sweet memory for me of giving birth together with 2 of my sisters. Family is the most precious gift, in the good times and in the not-so-good times.

It’s the weekend so my guess is some shopping or shipping might be on your “To Do” list. I can’t wait to hear your chatter on Facebook.

Hugs and blessings to you today,
Pat

DAY 16
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:39-41 (NIV)

I grew up in a home with 3 younger sisters. We are so close in age that two of us are THE SAME AGE for a full month each year. One year, 3 of us (yes 3 out of 4) were all pregnant together. Our poor Mom right?!! OMG, imagine having 3 pregnant daughters! We all gave birth within a few months of each other, 2 of them with first babies and me with my second.

You can only imagine, 3 sisters with swollen feet and swollen bellies, midnight cravings for pickles and Oysters (we grew up in Savannah after all!) and laughter turned to weeping at the flip of a switch. I always smile when I remember the Thanksgiving and Christmas we had that year. It was a memory making season for sure.

We grew up in a middle class family and lived in a small home in Savannah, Georgia. We had shared bedrooms, bathrooms and hand me down clothes all of our lives. But this time around, it was different. We had never shared anything quite like announcing our good news within weeks of one another, wondering together (this was before ultrasound spoiled the surprise) if we were having boys or girls. Passing maternity clothes both up and down, having joint baby showers, going to the doctor together, calling one another in the middle of the night to whine about our oblivious husbands. Then finally, one by one, giving birth together and totally understanding the joy-filled panic.

For Mary to run to see her cousin was a natural response for finding a place of refuge. She knew Elizabeth would welcome her with open arms, even if her pregnancy was unplanned. She knew Elizabeth would understand her emotions and the changes in her body. What a gift.

In my ministry of the past 30 years, I have served thousands of women who were not so lucky. I have wrapped my arms around women who were abandoned, rejected and scorned for an unplanned pregnancy. I have picked up the pieces for women who felt forced to choose the unthinkable and live the rest of their lives with a missing child.

Maybe you can relate to empty arms? Maybe you are single. Maybe you are a happily married woman who has not had the gift of childbirth and have longed to hold a child of your own. Our only hope in times like these is to remind ourselves of yesterday’s verse and repeat Mary’s words “I am your servant Lord, may it be to me as you have said.”

Prayer: Father, thank you for family!! Help me to embrace and reach my family in a fresh way this Christmas. Some are not so easy to reach. If there is a way, if there is an action, if there is forgiveness, if there is a welcome I might extend, please help me to see it. Give me the wisdom and the strength to follow through and Father, may the Holy Spirit come to them as a result of my surrender?!! Amen.

Prayers and blessings on your weekend friend!

Pat