Month: December 2014

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

See what I see. Hear what I hear. Know what I know. Listen to what I say. 
Just a few lyrics in one of my favorite Christmas carols. 

Lots of busy going on. Rushing. List-making. List-marking. 

Are we seeing? Are we hearing? 

Do we know? Not just a timeless story. Not just a reason to celebrate with family.

Do we know Christ the Lord? Do we know how much He loves us. How much He sacrificed to rescue into His hands–hands that never let us go. Do we know the price He paid for us? Do we know how much He cared to take off His glory and come housed in a body of flesh? To dwell with us? To seek and save the lost. To gather us under Him. 

Are we stopping to listen? 

“He will bring us goodness and light.” 

The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light.
For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—
    light! sunbursts of light!
You repopulated the nation,
    you expanded its joy.
Oh, they’re so glad in your presence!
    Festival joy!
The joy of a great celebration,
    sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.
The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants—
    all their whips and cudgels and curses—
Is gone, done away with, a deliverance
    as surprising and sudden as Gideon’s old victory over
Midian.
The boots of all those invading troops,
    along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood,
Will be piled in a heap and burned,
    a fire that will burn for days!
For a child has been born—for us!
    the gift of a son—for us!
He’ll take over
    the running of the world.
His names will be: Amazing Counselor,
    Strong God,
Eternal Father,
    Prince of Wholeness.
His ruling authority will grow,
    and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.
He’ll rule from the historic David throne
    over that promised kingdom.
He’ll put that kingdom on a firm footing
    and keep it going
With fair dealing and right living,
    beginning now and lasting always.
The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies
    will do all this. Isaiah 9:2-7 MSG

I love this version by Josh Wilson. Take one little minute and see…hear…know…listen…



What  have you done this season to make time to listen to God? 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! I’ll be back on January 7th! 


Also, I’m over at Katie Ganshert’s place today talking about my FREE Christmas novella! Pop over! 

In the meantime, if you plan to cozy up and catch up on some reading over the holidays, I’d love for you to subscribe above to my newsletter and you’ll receive my FREE Christmas novella as a thank you! Straight to you inbox!

Santa, Get a Grip!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

Santa. Maybe he deserves a stocking of coal. Is he really all that nice? 


Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer used to be one of my favorite childhood memories.
 
However, as I’ve matured (I use that term loosely) into adulthood, I’ve made a few discoveries, as many of you may have as well.
 
What I’ve discovered is…
 
Santa’s a BIG Jerk!
 
Laughing at Rudolph’s unusual gift and not seeing it as such. Listening to the Elves’ song dedicated to him and not receiving their efforts or praise. Expecting his servants to clothe him before he sets out. Only using Rudolph when he needs bailed out of a jam. And doing NOTHING when others hurt Rudolph through vicious name calling.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I love Santa and the idea of him. I really do! But this holiday season, when it can become all about gifts and Santa, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer makes me even more appreciative of the real meaning of Christmas!
 
Instead of demanding to be clothed, Jesus clothed us in robes of righteousness. “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.” Zechariah 3:4
 
Instead of standing idly by while the hurting hurt, the broken stayed broken, He came to heal. To bind the broken. To comfort the sorrowful. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
 
He doesn’t tell us to do better when we sing adoration to Him. He dances over us. Inhabits our praises and takes it in as a sweet smelling aroma. “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save;  He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love,  He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17.
No matter how off key and pathetic someone else (or ourselves if we know we have zero singing talent) tells us we are.
 
And He doesn’t use us to bail Him out. He needs no bailing out! He doesn’t need us at all, technically. But He WANTS us. Those things that others look at as weaknesses, He uses to show Himself strong. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 1 Corinthians 12:9
 
 
 
He can use the misfit. He LOVES to, in fact. He can use the train with square wheels, the polka dotted elephant, the rag doll that’s been used up, the toy who thinks their name is worthless (I believe He changed a few names back in the day!), the boy who has a dream to be something other than what he’s been told he has to be, and the reindeer whose quirk can bring great light, great guidance!
 
 
He can use you. He can use me.
 

 

This Holiday season, remember…He sees you when your sleeping, He knows when you’re awake, and it doesn’t matter if you’ve been bad or good…He loves you anyway and He still wants to bring you a gift!
 
 

 

 
photocredit: freedigitalphotos(dot)net/dan
 
What was your favorite Christmas show as a kid? 
 

This is TOO Much Fun!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Hello friends! I’m hanging out over at Melissa Tagg’s virtual home today and answering some of her fun questions about my FREE Christmas novella. She’s so hilarious and it’s going to be a good time, so pop over by clicking HERE! Let the fun commence.

Sign up for my newsletter and receive the Christmas novella in your inbox and for FREE as a big thank you! And if you’ve read it and enjoyed it, I’d love for you to share about it on your social media sites!  

See you over there! 

photocredit/freedigitalphotos/jannoon028

Don’t Dread December!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I love this time of year! Christmas season. I’m not a fan of the snow unless I’m watching it fall from inside, then it’s beautiful. I try not to look at this month as “all the crap I have to get done” before the BIG DAY! 

I’ve learned to pick and choose what events and parties I go to so I’m not slammed with rushing. It really is okay to say, “I can’t make it.” 

I’ve also stopped all the shopping and baked a lot of my holiday gifts. People like sweets, ladies and gentlemen. Of course if you can’t bake…I have no real advice for you. But if you can, and you don’t suck at it. Holiday treat packages when made in bulk are actually less expensive and less time consuming than going into crowded shops and trying to figure out what so and so would like then settling on automated coin holders, dancing Santas, and snow globes. Unless of course you’re friends do indeed like those things. I would rather have an assortment of fudge, cookies, and candies. Fudge is not a candy. It’s in a class of its own.

Another tip, is I try to do some of my shopping online in one place for the free shipping. Especially, if I know what sizes etc… If you enjoy crowds and lines, by all means toss out the online shopping and go join in the stampeding happy bustling. 

In the last four years, December has become relaxing and I can focus on the important things: Like lit up mornings from my tree, my hot tea since my doctor hates me and said I can’t have coffee, my Bible and the reason for this season (yes that’s a cliche phrase but it’s still true). I can bake with my kiddos, watch Christmas movies till I want to gag–which is never because I love them, cheese and all. I can read tons of Christmas stories. Which are all on my Kindle! I can have lunch out with friends and not feel pressured to be busy. 

Sometimes less really is more. Especially, when it comes to keeping your sanity and enjoying the holidays. 

And one other thing I do that makes me enjoy the season, well two really. I take my son and we do a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. It’s fun, it teaches my son to be a generous giver and I know it pleases God. Do you do this? Oh, you should. You should. It costs very little. 

And number two (yes I said number two) is we give to a ministry that is dear to our hearts. I can’t talk about it or write about it without crying. That is Project Rescue. 

A ministry to rescued trafficked women, girls really, from brothels in India. Not only do they rescue them but they provide an after care for the children of the women who are still in the brothels. If they have no place to go during “work” hours, then some of them may have to lie under their mother’s beds while they “work”!!! But Project Rescue provides a safe place where they can learn about Jesus. Have a meal. And sleep peacefully. They also teach the women how to provide for themselves! You can purchase gifts through Jubiliee Market. And they help them heal through creative outlets, like creative writing! I encourage you to give, if even $10 to this ministry. 

So scrape off the excess on your plate wherever you can, however you can and fill it with meaningful, lasting things like memories and providing hope and laughter to those who may not have a a drop of it this season. Look for ways to meet needs. Bring a smile. And show how much Jesus loves this world. Enough to die for us to give us abundant life. Let’s live it, shall we?

What is your favorite holiday dessert?

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