Advent(Dec. 1): The Place Where Love Grows



Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot—
yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.
And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
In that day the heir to David’s throne
will be a banner of salvation to all the world.
The nations will rally to him,
and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.
Isaiah 11:1-2, 10

"Out of the stump came one tender branch that would grow right into a crown of thorns, right into a rugged cross, right into a ladder - your ladder back to God. Out of the stump of Jesse's family - of every family tree - comes the shoot of Jesus' forever-love. Jesus would go to impossible lengths to rescue you(and me)."


"When we slow down and bend down and see small, wondrous, impossible things - no stump(no family tree) is ever just a stump.
"It is always just a place for love to grow, this small unfurling of miracles."
Prayer:

Pray for those who are less valued in the world. Look for simple ways to help people this December. Ask God to use your small actions to produce great results.
Here is a great example how we can help others less fortunate than us.
 Look for opportunities to share"random acts of kindness" or ask your church what you can do to help people in the community who are struggling financially. There are many community programs that offer special activities to get involved in and/or to donate financially to.

Come back tomorrow, as I share Day 2 of the Advent Calender...
in the book, "Unwrapping the Greatest Gift".(All quotes listed are from the book.)

I will be sharing each story in this beautiful book, as well as some of the breathtaking pictures. Won't you join me? Stop by each day to see the stories shared. If you would prefer I email you each days post, please leave your email in the comments section or send me an email at apop12341@hotmail.com 
and let me know. I will make sure each post is sent to you.


You may find me linking up at any of the blog parties listed on the left sidebar.(or go to my blog party page link, below)

Favorite Blogs Parties I Link-up with

Comments

Post a Comment

I would love to hear from you! Feel free to leave me a comment.

Popular posts from this blog

My word for 2016: Happiness

Image
Hello and welcome to my first post of 2016! I'm a bit shocked at writing this post, as I I haven't picked a word for the year for myself for a few years. I hadn't planned on choosing a word this year till recently.  But because last year had SO many challenges for me and I gave so much of myself and felt so drained of energy by the end of the year. it just seemed appropriate to decide on a specific word for 2016. Definition from Dictionary.com "The state of being happy." synonyms: pleasure ,  contentment ,  satisfaction , cheerfulness,  merriment ,  gaiety ,  joy , joyfulness, joviality,  jollity ,  glee ,  delight , good spirits, lightheartedness,well-being,  enjoyment ;   exuberance ,  exhilaration ,  elation ,  ecstasy , jubilation ,  rapture , bliss,  blissfulness I've been reading and praying about the word - happiness - in Scripture, in Christian theological writings and blogs. I'm learning that happiness is not something God
Read more

Burn The Ships

Image
The beginning of a New Year often has us looking back and seeing how God has walked with us in the past and contemplating the year ahead .  We tend to want to hold on to the familiar, the easier path, the old ways....but these often become unhealthy, and even dangerous for us to continue down some paths/have relationships with some people in our lives. When we become aware of these different paths/people in our lives that can hinder/harm us, we may need to "rise from the dust and walk away".  "Burning the Ships" can be SO difficult(maybe even excruciating.)  I don't know about you, but FEAR often has kept me from burning the ships and moving ahead. Fear of rejection, fear of what others will think, fear of being alone, fear of not knowing the future. But, God reminds us that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. He is our source of strength. And He holds the future and will take care of us!! “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageou
Read more

Spiritual Fervor

Image
  We go through our daily routines,  but something is missing. Maybe d uring a crisis or a major life change....            or simply spending less and less time on spiritual pursuits. ...these c an cause us to enter a time in life                          when there's just no enthusiasm or spark. Ha ve you ever been the re before? I have!! There are days when it is difficult to find the drive and zest, even when I know I have the greatest reason to be zealous . Lacking zeal or losing spiritual fervor is som ething that the believer needs to be aware of as he /she progresses in one's spiritual life.  As we grow in our knowledge of Biblical truths and the things of God it becomes quite familiar and the wonder of first discovery can diminish over the years. It is here that spiritual boredom can set in.  Zeal is a fruit of deeply abiding in the One Who is Life! It is different than mere excitement, which happens mostly outwardly and at the surfa
Read more