Let’s Get Started: 30 Days to an Unstuck Christmas!!

Here is how this works!!

I am flat out excited to get this intentional time of quiet reflection started and have been so blessed to watch some sweet friends join me over the past few weeks! I KNOW who you are!! I have been praying and planning our time together since far before the first leaves of Fall dropped. Actually, Fall leaves have NOT been on my path. In fact, I am enjoying Thanksgiving Day with my family, as I always do, from a smoldering Florida location. Not so much a “Hallmark” Christmas card scene, but it’s home for us.

Rosemary (my sweet friend, Executive Assistant and our talented graphic designer) and I hope you will enjoy our gift to you for the next 30 days. These devotions will not be sifted through a professional editorial process but will come straight from my personal prayer journal to be gently mixed with your own.

The season that begins today and ends with a brand new year, is truly to be treasured. Together, we have made an INTENTIONAL CHOICE to keep our Christmas UNSTUCK and free, allowing us to BE and RECEIVE some special BLESSINGS!

My suggestion is that you print each day and create a notebook/journal of your Christmas Season. Add your own prayer notes and jot down some ideas about what holiday happenings worked and didn’t work in your heart, home and harvest. I hope these ideas will create a memory for years to come. Miracles witnessed and blessings enjoyed.

If you enjoy Facebook or other social media, remember to chat and share the journey with us there. I am excited to hear YOUR heart, home and harvest ideas for future journey’s together!

Let’s get started shall we? We will be starting in Luke Chapter One!

I am Thankful for you!
Pat

DAY 1: “Officially” Thanksgiving Day but there are ACTUALLY 32 Days from Thanksgiving to Christmas so you have a few “Forgive Me–I missed my DEVO” days!! LOL!

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Luke 1:1-4 (NIV)

Whenever I drag the heavy plastic bin that holds 30 years worth of my old prayer journals from under my bed, blow the layer of dust off the top and crack open the lid, my HEART does that funny dance between terror and delight. You may know the feeling; It’s like what happens when you ride Space Mountain at Disney for the first time. My mind always reviews my options -burn these and let all this “stuff” stay between me and Jesus OR keep saving them as a raw record of “the things that have been fulfilled…so that you may know.”

Memories hold such a personal place. My family always teases me about the stories I share in my books and my speeches. They always remember things differently than I do. The truth is likely somewhere in the middle.

In these familiar verses Dr. Luke, the author of this book of the Bible, goes on record with his version of the birth and infancy of Jesus as it was handed down to him. This is the longest book of the Gospels and is essentially written from Mary’s perspective. Dr. Luke was a student of truth and details, and presents a beautiful narrative of, not only the birth of Jesus but, his boyhood and launch into ministry. Luke introduces Jesus as “The Son of Man” and shares His prayer life, healing touch and His compassion for the lost and hurting. My hope with 30 Days To An Unstuck Christmas is that we take a FRESH and RENEWED look at these very familiar passages. Let’s get started shall we?!

Prayer: Father, thank you for leading me to this special journey with you during this holiday season. I trust you for the time and the space to get quiet and reflect upon your birth in my life. Show me some NEW things Lord. Things that I have never seen. Most of all, I want to see you in a fresh way today. Open my eyes Lord. I want to see Jesus. Amen!

How about you friend? How do you keep your memories stored for yourself or for others in your family?

Do you keep a journal like I do? What about your photo memories?

Here is just one HOME idea for you to consider on this Day #1 of our 30 day journey as you reflect on “the birth of Jesus” in your own life.

Two years ago my family was spread far and wide. We would not, for the first time EVER, see our middle son and his family at Christmas. I knew it was going to be very tough for me so I set out in early November to create a “memory tree.” It was a daily reminder of how fortunate I am to share this beautiful family, no matter how far away.

You’ve heard of “random acts of kindness?” Let’s make those “random acts of HARVEST” this year! Let’s think of some creative ways to not only share a good deed, but to share our FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST! Let’s take those fabulous ideas of generosity and crank up some Eternal Christmas LOVE, shall we! Lets shadow Dr. Luke and challenge ourselves to share how Jesus was BORN in our lives over this next 30 Days.

In this section each day I will drop in an idea for sharing a quick and easy act of Christmas kindness OUTSIDE of your normal giving and going days of Christmas that will give you a very specific opportunity to share your faith!

Today, how about writing a Christmas blessing with today’s scripture on an extra Christmas card (if you haven’t purchased yours already, last years leftovers will work as well) and give it to a random stranger – a bank teller, grocery store cashier, or fast food attendant. LOOK FOR opportunities to share a quick word of testimony.

If you have a few extra dollars to set aside for the 30 day activities, how about establishing a small budget for purchasing a few gift cards – Target, grocery, coffee shop, gas, movie tickets – that we will share as a surprise blessing over the next 30 days. If finances are a challenge, could you think of a physical blessing or small gift you might use for this exercise?

PLEASE SHARE your thoughts on my FACEBOOK page.

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Lastly, Check out my 2016 Unstuck Christmas Special! $20.00 (include extra shipping cost) Gift Box! Autographed Life Unstuck personalized for your gift receiver (even if it is YOU!)