November 29‚ 2023 Hope for Our Imperfect ChristmasesASHERITAH CIUCIU Lee en español "and she gave birth to her firstborn‚ a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger‚ because there was no guest room available for them." Luke 2:7 (NIV) "Is this how you pictured Christmas morning?" My husband leaned over our kids' heads and grinned at me‚ a twinkle in his eyes. Why‚ no. It was not. From our toddler's hand-foot-and-mouth disease to my husband's sudden flu to the stomach virus running through our family to my own first-trimester morning sickness ... our home looked more like a hospital ward than a Hallmark movie. We missed the Christmas Eve candlelight service. We missed caroling with our neighbors. We missed Christmas lunch at my mom's house. We missed unwrapping presents with nieces and nephews. All my favorite Christmas traditions? We missed them all. But in the midst of the disappointments‚ God opened my eyes to see joy all around: Our toddler coloring ornaments with Jesus' names on them ...Listening to the Christmas story from The Jesus Storybook Bible ...Watching the Nativity movie for the third time in three days ... There were plenty of reminders that Jesus came not to offer us picture-perfect holidays but to offer us His very presence amid our imperfections. God Himself came into our world‚ entering a first-century Palestine that was restless under Roman rule. He was born to a poor couple exhausted after an arduous journey. The birth of the Son of God lacked glitz and glamor‚ aside from the angels' performance for lowly shepherds (Luke 2:9-14). This nativity didn't look pretty‚ smell good or even feel comfortable: "She gave birth to her firstborn‚ a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger‚ because there was no guest room available for them" (Luke 2:7). I wouldn't want my own children to be born in a barn - let alone the Son of God. But those things we'd consider less than perfect about Jesus' birth were divinely orchestrated by God Himself. And here we find the gift of Christmas: God with us in the midst of our mess‚ making the messy moments holy in His presence. Immanuel means "God with us" (Matthew 1:23‚ NIV).God with us in our chronic illness.God with us in our family dramas.God with us in our financial difficulties.God with us in our unknown futures. No matter what your Christmas season will look like - whether it's exactly what you imagined or the exact opposite of your holiday dreams - bring it all to Jesus anyway. He's with you in the mess‚ and He's making your messy moments into holy ones. Because our Immanuel God is with us. Lord‚ thank You for inviting us to celebrate Jesus even when our "perfect" holiday plans fall apart. Please open our eyes to see Your goodness all around us‚ and soften our hearts to receive the gift of Your presence with us. In Jesus' Name‚ Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS For a limited time only‚ when you give to Proverbs 31 Ministries‚ your donation is matched dollar for dollar! Donate today so that together we can reach more women with God's Word. Give here. Asheritah Ciuciu's beautiful Advent devotional‚ Unwrapping the Names of Jesus‚ has helped over 150‚000 families discover the beauty of Jesus by relishing His names one at a time. Click here to order your copy today. ENGAGE Looking for an easy way to rest in Immanuel? On the Prayers of REST podcast during the Advent season‚ Asheritah's calming voice will guide you in praying through 10 of Jesus' wonderful names. Listen to one episode a day‚ or stream all 10 prayers at once: Come‚ let us adore Him! And if you have little hands to keep busy this Christmas season‚ download and print out Asheritah's "Names of Jesus" coloring ornaments. Great for kids around holiday tables (and fun for adults who like to color‚ too!)‚ this resource is Asheritah's gift to our community this week. Download the coloring ornaments here! FOR DEEPER STUDY Luke 1:46-48a‚ "And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior‚ for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant" (NIV). How was the Lord mindful of Mary's humble state - both before and after Jesus' birth? This Christmas season‚ how might you invite God to upend your holiday expectations in order to bring about His own plans in your life? Leave a comment sharing your insights or holiday prayer requests‚ and let's pray for one another. © 2023 by Asheritah Ciuciu. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews‚ NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post Hope for Our Imperfect Christmases – Encouragement for Today – November 29‚ 2023 appeared first on GodUpdates.

1745 - Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite army moves into Manchester and occupies Carlisle 1791 - Chatham Islands sighted by HMS Chatham commanded by William Broughton 1803 - Dessalines and Christophe declare St Domingue (Haiti) independent 1850 - The treaty‚ Punctation of Olmütz‚ signed in Olomouc means diplomatic capitulation of Prussia to Austrian Empire‚ taking over the leadership of German Confederation 1943 - US aircraft carrier Hornet launched 1981 - Revival of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's musical "My Fair Lady" closes at Uris Theater‚ NYC‚ after 119 performances 1986 - 51st Iron Bowl: Auburn beats Alabama 21-17 in Birmingham 1987 - Ranger's Bob Frosse becomes 2nd goalie to score a goal (vs NY Islanders). It is later ruled that he should not be credited with goal. 2017 - Bosnian war criminal Slobodan Praljak commits suicide by poison in court at The Hague after 20 year prison term read out 2022 - For the first time fewer than half of people in England and Wales call themselves Christian according to the 2021 Census More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1825 - Gioachino Rossini's comic opera "Il barbiere di Siviglia" (The Barber of Seville) become 1st opera performed in Italian in US‚ staged at New York City's Park Theater 1950 - National Council of Church of Christ in US forms 1963 - US President LBJ sets up the Warren Commission to investigate the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy 1971 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR 1975 - New Zealand general election won by the National Party headed by Robert Muldoon 2008 - 73rd Iron Bowl: Alabama beats Auburn 36-0 in Tuscaloosa‚ Alabama's first win in the series in seven years More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1627 - John Ray‚ English naturalist (advances in taxonomy)‚ born in Black Notley‚ England (d. 1705) 1899 - Arvid Kleven‚ Norwegian flautist and composer‚ born in Trondheim‚ Norway (d. 1929) 1961 - Masayoshi Yamashita‚ Japanese heavy metal bass guitarist (Loudness)‚ born in Osaka‚ Japan 1969 - Ben Iroha‚ Nigerian football player (Vitesse)‚ born in Aba‚ Nigeria 1977 - Andy Beshear‚ American politician‚ Governor of Kentucky (2019-)‚ born in Louisville‚ Kentucky 1990 - Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit‚ American actor (Full House)‚ born in Los Angeles‚ California More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1530 - Thomas Wolsey‚ Cardinal‚ adviser and Lord Chancellor‚ (1515-29) to England's King Henry VIII‚ dies just before facing treason trial at about 55 1957 - Erich Wolfgang Korngold‚ Austrian-American composer (Violanta; The Adventures of Robin Hood)‚ dies at 60 1989 - Ann Burton [Anna Rafalowicz]‚ Dutch jazz singer‚ dies of throat cancer at 56 2003 - Larry Booker (Moondog Spot)‚ American pro wrestler (WWF Tag Team champion 1981)‚ dies of a heart attack at 51 2006 - Allen Carr‚ English anti-smoking campaigner (b. 1934) 2018 - Charles Harrison‚ American industrial designer (view finder)‚ dies at 87 More Famous Deaths »

"We wanted this band to be fairly simple‚ high energy‚ cathartic rock. We didn't overthink it": Introducing James And The Cold Gun

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