I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
Good News for Everyone
Picture, for a moment, a normal day of your life. Everything is pretty typical—nothing out of the ordinary. Then, imagine that out of nowhere, light shines down all around you. It’s so bright and warm, you can’t see anything except … an angel? An angel is talking to you!
That’s exactly what happened to a group of shepherds near Bethlehem the night Jesus was born. And here’s what the angel said:
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10)
It’s no surprise the angel opens with, “Don’t be afraid.” The shepherds whom the angel appeared to must have been terrified! How startling to be in the middle of a normal day taking care of your flock and have something so unexpected happen! And not only unexpected—something that absolutely changed the course of history.
The angel also knew what the shepherds did not: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” The Messiah all of Israel had been waiting for, the one whom the prophets had foretold of, had been born. He had come. Nothing in the world could have been better news or a cause for greater joy than this!
And of all the people who could have been first to know, it was these shepherds. In Israel at that time, shepherds were everyday people. They weren’t powerful, influential, or wealthy. And yet God picked these everyday people to be the first to hear this good news. The Kingdom of God isn’t just for those people society holds in high regard. It is for everyone. It is for all of us.
Today, pay attention to how God may be speaking to you. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’ve been, or where you’re going. This good news is for you!
“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said ...
Refreshed
Do you know someone who constantly pours themselves out?
They’re generous with their words, unselfish with their time, and openhanded with their money. And yet, somehow, they always seem to have more to give.
The author of Proverbs, traditionally attributed to King Solomon, said this:
“The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”
Proverbs 11:25 NLT
King Solomon knew a thing or two about generosity. In fact, Scripture tells us: “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth” (1 Kings 10:23). But he was also generous, spending years of his life funding and building the temple in Jerusalem, as well as sharing what he had learned with others.
Some of the unhappiest people on earth are stuck in a cycle of selfishness. But if you’ve ever been generous with your life—whether you’ve given financially, contributed your expertise, invested your time, opened up your home, or offered ...
