Week Ending Friday, December 24, 2021
{quotes}
Spiritual fulfillment doesn’t come from what you believe in. It’s about having a God you believe in.
Susan Diamond
By Hello we mean: let us not say goodbye again.
Amanda Gorman
In the Bible, God speaks to us. In prayer, we speak to God. Both are essential.
Billy Graham
Nothing ever seems too bad, too hard, or too sad when you’ve got a Christmas tree in the living room.
Nora Roberts
It’s Christmas Eve. It’s the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we smile a little easier, we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people that we always hoped we would be.
Frank Cross, Scrooged
{blessings}
Magical Season
May God bless you to overcome fear, be curious, and behold wonder throughout this most magical season of the year.
Trust in the Divine
God doesn’t ask you to figure it out. You are asked to trust God who figured it out already. May you be blessed with the virtue of trust in the Divine.
For the Good
Look for the good, talk about the good, think about the good, and be thankful for the good God has blessed you with.
Open Door Discovery
When God is about to open the right doors for you, God will first shut the wrong ones. May God bless you with open doors that lead to wonder, discovery, and delight.
Skies of Christmas Eve
May God bless you tonight with anticipation, and awe. Hold on to your hope and may you never be too old to search the skies on Christmas Eve.
{prayers}
Stop for Prayer
Hassled time, hurried time, crafted of jammed schedules, marathon cooking sessions, and shopping trips from hell. Why do I make this season harder than it must be? All You ask of me is to live and give thanks. All I am doing is pursuing busy-ness. Stop me. Oh God, remind me of my treasures, the ones I did not buy in a store. On second thought, prayers of gratitude will be my go-to, yet another reason for the season.
Sweet-Souled Family
Dear God, Bless my family and friends, and all the people in the world who need blessings today. As I come before You in prayer, I ask that no bitterness betray the sweet souls you have placed in us. Soften the hearts of the stubborn. May common sense prevail and success follow. I am grateful for Your guidance and protection. I offer thanks and give praise. Allelujah!
Divinely Planned
Dear God, I know there is no such thing as coincidence, only fate – divinely planned and brilliantly executed. Show favor upon me, help me realize my full potential. I give praise to You, my Creator who shapes my destiny in loving splendor. Amen
Shine Brightly Angel
Angel of God who is near to me, help me pay attention to all I see. Shine brightly upon the unnoticed, the dull and dreary. Sing with good cheer, allow my ears to hear your holy melody. Blessed companion, I thank you for wings to shelter me from harm, for spirit that you share with me, and for the blessings I am about to receive.
Peace Forevermore
Dear God, help me honor the sanctity of that which I celebrate, giving gifts of loving-kindness, accepting that which I cannot change, and living peaceably with my neighbors. Praise to You, now and forevermore. Amen
{bible affirmations}
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, compassionate, and forgiving, as God forgives too.
Proverbs 16:3
Commit your work to the Lord, and you will succeed.
Ephesians 3:19
You are loved beyond measure.
Romans 15:13
God fills me completely with joy and peace because I trust in the Lord. I am overflowing with confidence and hope abounds through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 9:6
For a child has been born to us, a son is given to us, and the authority is upon his shoulder, and the wondrous adviser, the mighty God, everlasting Father, called his name, the prince of peace.
{stories, features, videos}
Story: Burden & Blessings
Susan Diamond
Feature: I Hate Christmas, and You Should Be Okay with That
Brian Broome
Music Video: Still (The Prayer)
Da Flame
Music Video: The Prayer
Pentatonix
Holiday Story: A Memorable Christmas Tree in Texas
Poetry Feature: Visit from St. Nicholas