When Jesus left the heart of the Father and became human, I wonder if it helped to know that, through His Son, some would be saved. Jesus was born to start the journey that would remove our stony hearts and give us eternal life.  Our life is now intertwined with His because He has, in His grace through faith, given us a new heart.

Most people have definite favorites when it comes to holidays. My mother’s favorite holiday was Thanksgiving. She loved to cook and have all of her kids gathered together. Unlike Christmas, with its expectations and anxieties, she could relax in her element. For others, one season bleeds seamlessly into the next with thankfulness for all of our earthly needs being met along with celebrating the joy of our salvation, Jesus our Lord.

After four years of hard work, Pastor Tim Norton has been ordained and life continues on

During this time of year, we recall the greatest story of all and the greatest life ever lived.  It is Jesus, our Savior, who came into our sin-darkened world to give us eternal life and forgiveness.  It is through Him and in Him that our story has meaning.  Let us honor Him with our thanks and praise this season of Advent. Let us honor him with the stories we leave behind.

The more I reflect upon and study American Indians, the more I realize many people have false ideas about them.  In many cases, they have no ideas at all.  We have what we came for after all - their land.

Inexplicably, American Indians, like my friend's mother, survived. 

I’ve heard people ask the hypothetical question, “What would you do if you knew today was your last day on earth?” Paul’s point is to ask ourselves that very question every day. The knowledge that Jesus may come at any time helps us to live in the Spirit and to live in the moment.

With each birth, there is wonder and mystery.  Who is this tiny new person and what shall he or she become?  What joys and sorrows lie ahead for each new one as they start the journey of life?  What ways will God use to bless them and others through them?

Jesus came into this world to fill our hearts with His love and to heal our broken hearts.  He could be using your own loved ones to speak powerfully into your heart this season to help you find your heart in a new way this year. 

This Week in Native American News (12/8/17): La crosse, heart surgeons, and indigenous apps for mental health, child abductions, and language revitalization

As we learn to trust God and His Word in the midst of our trials, we will grow in our faith. May God give us a teachable heart so that we, too, may praise Him.