Thankful for the Hollowed Manger Ground

While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.
-Luke 2:6-7 (MSG)

Christmas time is a very weary time for our family. Since Jack's birthday into heaven, Dec. 23rd 2004… we have dreaded Christmas . Instead of joyfully entering into a season of good cheer.. we fall wearily by the wayside praying desperately for it to pass as quickly as possible. Again, I am wondering where God may be in all of this ? After 4 years I still find myself searching desperately for hope… wondering if we will ever be able to enjoy Christmas again. We have such horrible memories that cloud a time that should be spent reflecting on the moment “Glory in the Highest” first placed it’s human feet here on earth. I know the enemy loves the fact that our tragedy intersects with the birthday of our savior. He would love nothing more than for me to always dread Christmas.
However, this past weekend I felt this strange urge to celebrate. Not in the way I used to celebrate with hurried parties and packages. This year, I really wanted to celebrate the birth of our savior, Christ. One reason for the urge was because I know that the enemy never imagined that I would want to celebrate Christmas again. The revelation hit me while I was singing Christmas songs at a concert this weekend. I had to force myself up to join the crowd in their joyful singing and clapping . What happened next was very unexpected! With each clap I felt like I was becoming stronger. I imagined myself clapping directly in the face of my enemy.. showing him that he had not won this battle.. that I would not go by this Christmas with my head hung in defeat.This year I wanted to look up from my wounds to see my Father's sacrifice. Taking a step back, I can see the enemy’s age old tactic. He wants me to only see my pain.. but I know that if I take my pain to God.. I begin to see His pain, His plan and His purpose.
His heart aches for us.. He knew over 2000 years before Jack’s death that I would need a plan, and a purpose for my pain. He knew that if He left me alone in my pain that I would die too. His plan was to join me.. to come down to my level.. to meet me where I was at.. look me in the eye and say to me… I know this is hard for you, it was also hard for Me. I did not plan for it to be this way, but I have plans to change it!
My plan is a gift for you. Actually, it was the first gift ever given on the first Christmas Day. Julie, when I gave it over 2000 yrs ago.. I had you on my mind. My plan was to give you life at a time when all you could see was death. I knew you would need this specific gift, because I, myself have endured the pain of suffering the loss of many loved ones…. I did not want you to feel forsaken, I wanted you to feel defended. My gift came with a purpose and that was to defeat death once and for all. My gift was hope! It promises when death steals something precious from you… that I buy it back .. restore it and give it new life. My sweet child, don’t you know what is precious to you was precious to me first.
With that being said, can I once again celebrate Christmas? Can I truly feel the joy, peace and love that this season is suppose to bring us?.. remind us of?…
My heart shouts yes! Because, for the first time in my life, I can fully appreciate the “reason for the season”.
To remember and be thankful for the day God sent a baby, full of grace and truth, to bridge the gap between life and death. I am forever grateful for the gift of knowing I will cross that bridge one day to be reunited with those who are precious to Him and missed dearly by me.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!
Merry Christmas to all!
Julie Peck

God's Promise

"I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. "When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. "When you come looking for me, you'll find me."Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." God's Decree."I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you"—God's Decree—"bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.

Jer 29:11-14 (MSG)

Do you ever feel like you have been forgotten by God? When life is hard, and you have prayed for hope... what keeps you coming back to God for help? For me, it's knowing His love for me is true. I know for sure one thing... Love is the one thing when all else fails, that will hold us together make us a shelter to weather the storm. God encourages us to be persistent prayer. He tells us that we will not be disappointed, that He will turn things around for us and bring us back home. Home is where the heart is .... where is your heart today with God?

Remember, He is love and wants you to be at home with Him!

The song below says it all!

It don't have a job
It don't pay all your bills
Won't buy you a home in Beverly Hills
Won't fix your life
In five easy steps
Ain't the law of the land
Or the government
But it's all you need

And love will hold us together
Make us a shelter
To weather the storm
And I’ll be my brother's keeper
So the whole world will know
That we're not alone

It's waiting for you
Knocking at your door
In the moment of truth
When your heart hits the floor
And you're on your knees

This is the first day
Of the rest of your life
This is the first day
Of the rest of your life
‘Cause even in the dark
You can still see the light
It's going to be alright
It's going to be alright

Joy is found in the mourning

Grief and mourning are considered by many to be one in the same ...
Not true. Grief is the feelings you feel over something you've lost. Mourning is acting out what you feel. It is the actual act of sorrowing. What I have come to discover as I journey through great sorrow is that all people grieve, most do not mourn. Most of us keep our "feelings of grief" over something we've lost stuffed deep down in our hearts. We do this either because we feel like it is not important enough to deal with or that we have no one to help us deal with it. We also fail to see the importance of dealing with it. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."Psalms 30:5, KJV
This scripture hit me with such meaning this "morning"
Joy is found in the "act of sorrowing"... dealing with, acting out, working through our pain is where we find joy! Simply put, God wants us to deal with our hurts, losses and disappointments because that is the only way He can deliver us.. give us joy. He is always available to offer joy, however we are not always willing to offer him our grief..
What is your grief? Are you willing to allow yourself to sorrow for what you have lost? God is waiting...

If you've knelt beside the rubble of an aching, broken heart,When the things you gave your life to fell apart;You're not the first to be acquainted with sorrow, grief or pain,But the Master promised sunshine after the rain.Hold on my child, joy comes in the morning,Weeping only lasts for the night;Hold on my child, joy comes in the morning,The darkest hour means dawn is just in sight.To invest your seed of trust in God in mountains you can't move,You have risked your life on things you cannot prove;But to give the things you cannot keep for what you cannot lose,Is the way to find the joy God has for you.Hold on my child, joy comes in the morning,Weeping only lasts for the night;Hold on my child, joy comes in the morning,The darkest hour means dawn is just in sight.The darkest hour means dawn is just in sight.Just in sight!

"We are the Outsiders"

Do you ever feel like an outsider?
Walking out God's will for our lives is not easy. For the short time that my eyes have been open to see the path, I have strayed and stumbled many times. For me, keeping in step with the path requires me to stay connected to a rhythm, or a certain melody that is often hard to hear. It changes from season to season, which means it's never predictable. I often feel lost and alone because no one else seems to hear what I hear. Sometimes, I feel like I'm the only one out on the dance floor... and you know what that looks like! "Look at that poor girl! She has no one to dance with". On the contrary, if I stay connected to God's word, it assures me that the dance floor is full! It's filled with other "outsiders" dancing on the dance floor of life. We get to that dance floor by seeing it with the eyes of our heart. Our hearts play the tune we must dance to and often it requires us to dance when we think we should be "sitting this one out". When we choose to tune in and listen, God will move us to dance on an empty dance floor. It's only empty because of the circumstances that surround us. Jesus told us not to lose heart even when circumstances are hindering our ability to dance... He told us we would have troubles.. times where we would not feel like dancing.. He said, "Do not lose heart, Pray". So, when my heart is heavy due to what I see... I reach over and push "pray" on the ipod in my heart... and once again ... I find that I can dance. Our hearts are the ultimate ipod, because the songs are downloaded from the heart of God.
I wanted to share this song... it allowed me to dance again yesterday!!!
It makes a great point... "If you're not laughing, who is laughin now? -

"Face To Face"

Had to share my "Streams in the desert" with you this morning. It went well with this song...

My struggles only bring me "face to face" with the only one who can bring me comfort.

Enjoy-

"And he took him aside from the multitude."(Mark 7:33.)

PAUL not only stood the tests in Christian activity, but in the solitude of captivity. You may stand the strain of the most intense labor, coupled with severe suffering, and yet break down utterly when laid aside from all religious activities; when forced into close confinement in some prison house.

That noble bird, soaring the highest above the clouds and enduring the longest flights, sinks into despair when in a cage where it is forced to beat its helpless wings against its prison bars. You have seen the great eagle languish in its narrow cell with bowed head and drooping wings. What a picture of the sorrow of inactivity.

Paul in prison. That was another side of life. Do you want to see how he takes it? I see him looking out over the top of his prison wall and over the heads of his enemies. I see him write a document and sign his name, not the prisoner of Festus. nor of Caesar; not the victim of the Sanhedrin; but the"prisoner to the Lord." He saw only the hand of God in it all. To him the prison becomes a palace. Its corridors ring with shouts of triumphant praise and joy.

Restrained from the missionary work he loved so well, he now built a new pulpit, a new witness stand and from that place of bondage come some of the sweetest and most helpful ministries of Christian liberty. What precious messages of light come from those dark shadows of captivity.

Think of the long train of imprisoned saints who have followed in Paul's wake. For twelve long years Bunyan's lips were silenced in Bedford jail. It was there that he did the greatest and best work of his life. There he wrote the book that has been read next to the Bible. He says, "I was at home in prison and I sat me down and wrote, and wrote, for joy did make me write."

The wonderful dream of that long night has lighted the pathway of millions of weary pilgrims. That sweet-spirited French lady, Madam Guyon, lay long between prison walls. Like some caged birds that sing the sweeter for their confinement, the music of her soul has gone out far beyond the dungeon walls and scattered the desolation of many drooping hearts.

Oh, the heavenly consolation that has poured forth from places of solitude! --- S. C. Rees.

Taken aside by Jesus, To feel the touch of His hand; To rest for a while in the shadow Of the Rock in a weary land. Taken aside by Jesus, In the loneliness dark and drear, Where no other comfort may reach me, Than His voice to my heart so dear. Taken aside by Jesus, To be quite alone with Him, To hear His wonderful tones of love 'Mid the silence and shadows dim. Taken adise by Jesus, Shall I shrink from the desert place; When I hear as I never heard before, And see Him "face to face"?

How to find Joy Again

My goal this year was to find joy again; that abundant life that Jesus talks about...My devotion this morning from "Streams in the desert" showed me where to find it..

Enjoy...

Joined in God

"As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" (2 Cor. 6:10).

Sorrow was beautiful, but her beauty was the beauty of the moonlight shining through the leafy branches of the trees in the wood, and making little pools of silver here and there on the soft green moss below.When Sorrow sang, her notes were like the low sweet call of the nightingale, and in her eyes was the unexpectant gaze of one who has ceased to look for coming gladness. She could weep in tender sympathy with those who weep, but to rejoice with those who rejoice was unknown to her.Joy was beautiful, too, but his was the radiant beauty of the summer morning. His eyes still held the glad laughter of childhood, and his hair had the glint of the sunshine's kiss. When Joy sang his voice soared upward as the lark's, and his step was the step of a conqueror who has never known defeat. He could rejoice with all who rejoice, but to weep with those who weep was unknown to him."But we can never be united," said Sorrow wistfully."No, never." And Joy's eyes shadowed as he spoke. "My path lies through the sunlit meadows, the sweetest roses bloom for my gathering, and the blackbirds and thrushes await my coming to pour forth their most joyous lays.""My path," said Sorrow, turning slowly away, "leads through the darkening woods, with moon-flowers only shall my hands be filled. Yet the sweetest of all earth-songs--the love song of the night--shall be mine; farewell, Joy, farewell."Even as she spoke they became conscious of a form standing beside them; dimly seen, but of a Kingly Presence, and a great and holy awe stole over them as they sank on their knees before Him."I see Him as the King of Joy," whispered Sorrow, "for on His Head are many crowns, and the nailprints in His hands and feet are the scars of a great victory. Before Him all my sorrow is melting away into deathless love and gladness, and I give myself to Him forever.""Nay, Sorrow," said Joy softly, "but I see Him as the King of Sorrow, and the crown on His head is a crown of thorns, and the nailprints in His hands and feet are the scars of a great agony. I, too, give myself to Him forever, for sorrow with Him must be sweeter than any joy that I have known.""Then we are one in Him," they cried in gladness, "for none but He could unite Joy and Sorrow."Hand in hand they passed out into the world to follow Him through storm and sunshine, in the bleakness of winter cold and the warmth of summer gladness, "as sorrowful yet always rejoicing."

"Should Sorrow lay her hand upon thy shoulder,

And walk with thee in silence on life's way,

While Joy, thy bright companion once, grown colder,

Becomes to thee more distant day by day?

Shrink not from the companionship of Sorrow,

She is the messenger of God to thee;

And thou wilt thank Him in His great tomorrow-

For what thou knowest not now, thou then shalt see;

She is God's angel, clad in weeds of night,

With 'whom we walk by faith and not by sight.'"

- L. B. Cowman

Be strong and couragous

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

- Joshua 1:9

Macie, my 13 year old daughter, needed help with her homework. It was about 10:00pm and I was tired and honestly did not want to participate. My husband and I had just returned from a long day of moving my oldest daughter, Maddie (age 19) into her new apartment at school. My day had been filled with 5 hours of car travel, a Walmart visit, buying, moving, and assembling furniture, decorating on shoe string budget, praying “she” would like it… and most importantly trying to enjoying an afternoon with my daughter, whom I rarely get to see.
Simply said- My brain was fried!
I know you can relate….But, Macie could not… and at the innocent age of 13, she didn't need to relate just yet. “Helping” at any time of the day still fits my job description. And with the current job market, I certainly can’t afford to lose this job. So, silently I gave myself a pep talk-

“Julie- you can do this! It’s only an 8th grade reading assignment. Read the one page essay; explain it and all will be good."

What I didn't realize was that the assignment was going to be more for me than her!
“Come on Macie, this wont take long at all”.

Re-energized by my pep talk, I grabbed her homework and began to read and translate “Self Reliance”; an essay written by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

You know by now, one would think that I’d be able to recognize God’s way of getting my attention. Once again, I am blessed by Him for just doing my job…being present and actually listening to what my girls have to say. He likes to use my children to speak to me. I think He uses them because honestly, I don’t always take the time to listen… and when I do, I am often blessed by what I hear. It is one of His calling cards, using the weak to help the strong.
The essay was about the importance of being you, and living in the moment of each day. Mr. Emerson pleads with his reader to “simply believe your own thoughts.” He goes on to explain that we underestimate the value of ourselves and our personal thoughts. We are always looking to someone else to be the smarter one, the wiser one, and the chosen one. His challenge to the reader is - To believe what is true for you in your private heart is true for others as well… “Speak what is true for you, and it will almost always resonate in others”.
The voice in our own mind is so familiar to us. We give it no respect. Instead we give more weight to the thoughts of others; our neighbors, our teachers or some great thinker from the past. So, I pondered the question, “What makes great thinkers great?” The answer: “They don’t disregard their own thoughts and look to someone else’s thought to be better. “ They move ahead confidently living a purpose filled life while I sit back and wonder, what about me?
Yes, I too have been guilty of wondering why everyone else has been given a plan and wonderful purpose for their life. Emerson says that way of thinking is just a sign of my ignorance.
“Envy is ignorance; imitation is suicide.”- Emerson
I have something unique, original, and great to express. Trying to imitate someone else only kills off the originality of “me”. Envy is a lack of appreciation of my own special gifts. I will never know what my special gifts are until I try to express them. I must find them by paying close attention to the interests placed inside of me by my Heavenly Father. They will reflect the “one of a kind” miracle God made me to be. For the miracle of “me” to be expressed, it will take courage and dedication. The greatness of the One who created me cannot be expressed through a coward.
Remember the Cowardly Lion who lived in the fictional Land of Oz. He was not your typical lion. Lions were made to be courageous and fearless kings. Oz’s Cowardly Lion never acted like a king. He was afraid of everything. He lacked the courage to face his fears because he was always running from them. What he failed to realize was that courage would come through facing his fears. Only after he receives the Wizard's gift, is he not filled with fear.

Our Father gives us the same gifts through the Holy Spirit. So, be brave and true to the creation God intended “you” to be! Put your heart into your work and be aware of what interests you. Follow these interests with sincerity! Listen and trust the holy spirits voice with in you! And soon you will find yourself moving closer to who you truly are: An original work of art, a “one of a kind”, a genius, a creator, a witness to the reality of redemption, a teacher and a force of good passing through this world.

May you live today with the courage and strength to be you!

Julie Peck