Garth Brooks had the honor of inviting McCreery to join. Continue reading…

A Prayer for the Overwhelmed Mom This ChristmasBy Alicia Searl "The Lord replied‚ ‘My Presence will go with you‚ and I will give you rest.'" Exodus 33:14 Christmastime is a beautiful and holy time of year‚ causing us to pause and reflect on God's rich love for us‚ soaking in all its wonders‚ but for the overwhelmed mom‚ going into this season can cause a surge of panic. As excitement and anticipation grow‚ so do the anxiety‚ frantic nerves‚ and seasonal stress. The daunting task of trying to please everyone around her while making memories for her precious family has officially begun‚ and she's already tired. Her intentions may mean well and generally stem from a pure heart‚ but in due time‚ all this striving and giving‚ tirelessly aiming to satisfy family and friends‚ eventually leads to a place that exudes a dim glow that's a little lackluster.  Moms have always been rather good at stuffing down their own happiness in order to bring out the best in others. This need to create magical memories only intensifies as Christmas draws near. They pledge to themselves (pretty much every year) that this Christmas will be different. This Christmas will be more about... fill in the blank. This trail of thought is brought on by the detour she took looking back on Christmases past.   Yet‚ as time goes on and the to-do list grows longer‚ the once deemed "holy and jolly mom" slowly gets replaced with the pale green starkness of the Grinch. Joy and peace manage to become consumed by the shuffle of events and endless demands‚ and the excitement quickly fizzles out with unmet expectations. Before too long‚ the busy patterns of this season will have a weary momma's heart gently whispering‚ "Where are you‚ Christmas?" Maybe you are that overwhelmed mom in need of hope. Well‚ let me remind you that our Savior is near! If we truly want this Christmas to be different‚ we must make room in our schedule to become overwhelmed by His Presence (Exodus 33:14). This Christmas‚ search for ways to slip away to be removed from all the "stuff" so you can be refueled by God's unfailing love. Carve out time to dig into His Word‚ stroll in His beautiful creation‚ sit beneath the tree and soak in its glorious glow. Let those small and precious moments that you met with Jesus prompt you to rejoice and give Him thanks and praise for all that He has done in your life (Isaiah 12:4-5). I would like to invite you to pause and pray with me today. Let's seek Jesus this season and let Him speak softly to your weary heart. When we stop searching for the perfect Christmas‚ we are met with a perfect Savior. Rest in Him today‚ and let His presence be the promising present of joy for your overwhelmed soul (Romans 15:13). Let's pray: Lord Jesus‚ You are the true reason for this season‚ and I am blessed by the gift of salvation You brought to this fallen world in order to save us‚ to save me. This time of year‚ I long to create special memories for my family‚ but it is so easy to get overwhelmed by the pressure and demands of this season. O God‚ create in me a heart that wants to be overwhelmed by Your precious presence and etch that within the hearts of my children. Create boundaries in my life that allow me to be filled by Your love so I can freely share Your abundant love with others. Lord‚ forgive me where I fail You. The moments I have allowed joy to be stolen from me this season due to the calendar I so quickly fill up with unnecessary events. Show me areas in which I can simplify my schedule and make extra room to be still and quiet (Psalm 46:10).   When those events do come‚ and we try to bond as a family‚ I invite You to be the main part of our gathering. Lean in a little closer when I am met with unrealistic or unmet expectations. Speak to my heart and lead and guide me back to Who You are. Jesus‚ I am so thankful for Your sweet and precious birth story. I long to be overwhelmed in Your presence this season and all year long. With love and adoration. Amen. Photo credit: ©GettyImages/evgenyatamanenko Alicia Searl is a devotional author‚ blogger‚ and speaker that is passionate about pouring out her heart and pointing ladies of all ages back to Jesus. She has an education background and master's in literacy.  Her favorite people call her Mom‚ which is why much of her time is spent cheering them on at a softball game or dance class. She is married to her heartthrob (a tall‚ spiky-haired blond) who can whip up a mean latte. She sips that goodness while writing her heart on a page while her puppy licks her feet. Visit her website at aliciasearl.com and connect with her on Instagram and Facebook. LISTEN to More Christmas Prayers on LifeAudio Teach Us to Pray is a FREE prayer podcast hosted by iBelieve writer Christina Patterson. Each week‚ she gives you practical‚ real-life tips on how to grow your faith and relationship with God through the power of prayer. To listen to her episode on What to Pray in the Morning for a Worry-Free Day‚ click below! Now that you’ve prayed‚ are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer for the Overwhelmed Mom at Christmas – Your Daily Prayer – December 4 appeared first on GodUpdates.

December 4‚ 2023 When You Can't Shake a Bad MoodJENNIFER WIER‚ COMPEL Training Member Lee en español "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands‚ he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD." Exodus 34:29 (NIV) I hated to admit it‚ but my houseguest was grating on my nerves. An old friend had kindly traveled across the country for a visit. But when differences in personality‚ parenting styles and preferences continually made themselves apparent throughout her stay‚ I found myself in a sour mood I couldn't seem to shake. Though I value hospitality and my friend‚ I felt tired and incapable of generating the warmth I knew I was meant to extend. I simply could not fake it. Thankfully‚ Sunday came swiftly‚ bringing the opportunity to attend church with my friend. Bathed in the Word of God‚ I soaked up Paul's words from 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 about how we are to be the pleasing aroma of Christ. I continued on to read about Moses in 2 Corinthians 3:7-18; after meeting with God on the mountain‚ Moses shone so brightly with the light of God that those he encountered could see the light emanating from him. "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands‚ he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD" (Exodus 34:29). I so badly wanted to radiate light to those around me‚ too‚ but it was painfully clear I could not produce this light on my own. Then God gave me the most freeing realization: Moses' light didn't come from him. It came from the Lord. My heart was buoyed by the thought that maybe I did not have to make myself more forgiving‚ kind and gracious after all - instead‚ just by sitting in the presence of God‚ I could absorb His loving nature. If Moses beamed with the glory of the Lord after he received the law‚ how much more might we‚ as partakers of the new covenant of grace‚ radiate the brilliance of the Lord as His Spirit rests upon us? That morning‚ as I basked in the light of the Lord‚ meeting with Him on a "mountain" that resembled a pew‚ my heart was changed. After the church service‚ I apologized to my friend for my unexplainable gloomy disposition that had hung over much of our time together. She extended grace‚ and I wore a genuine smile as we spent the day hiking together in the mountains. I knew without a doubt what had caused my mood to lift: stepping into the light of God's presence. Maybe you‚ too‚ find it hard to manage turbulent emotions or relationships sometimes. If so‚ there is good news for you today: You don't have to generate the light yourself! Your task is not to manufacture goodness for God but to be the recipient and bearer of the goodness of God. He Himself is the light‚ and He is inviting you in. So turn on the worship music‚ open your Bible‚ or whisper a prayer to the One who sees your heart and knows just how to revive it. Rest a while in the warm glow of the source of light Himself. Soon enough‚ you'll shine. Dear God‚ thank You for shining Your light into my life. Please fill my heart with Your love so that I can share it generously with those around me. In Jesus' Name‚ Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS Get a jump-start on your 2024 writing goals: Today is the LAST DAY to join COMPEL Writers Training before the year ends! With your membership‚ you’ll get access to guided courses that will help you grow in your craft when you aren’t sure what to do next‚ one-of-a-kind publishing opportunities that are not offered anywhere else‚ and a tight-knit community that will encourage and support you each step of the way. Registration is only open today; click here to sign up now! P.S. Need a last-minute Christmas gift? You can also give COMPEL Training membership as a gift to any writer you know! Learn more here. ENGAGE Today's devotion writer‚ Jennifer Wier‚ is a member of COMPEL Writers Training. For free writing tips‚ tricks and tools of the trade‚ subscribe to the COMPEL blog today! FOR DEEPER STUDY 1 John 1:7‚ "But if we walk in the light‚ as he is in the light‚ we have fellowship with one another‚ and the blood of Jesus‚ his Son‚ purifies us from all sin" (NIV). When is it hardest for you to display the graciousness of God to the people around you? How will you intentionally enter into God's presence in those moments so you can receive the strength you need to love others well? Share your ideas with us in the comments! © 2023 by Jennifer Wier. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews‚ NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post When You Can’t Shake a Bad Mood – Encouragement for Today – December 4‚ 2023 appeared first on GodUpdates.

1691 - Spanish king Carlos II names Maximilian II as Viceroy of Southern Netherlands 1914 - Walter Johnson accepts an advance from the Chicago Whales of the Federal League; Washington Senators owner Clark Griffith threatens to take Johnson to court 1963 - Boston Bruins' right wing Andy Hebenton sets a new NHL record by playing in his 581st consecutive game in 2-2 tie with Chicago Black Hawks; reaches 630 straight games 1964 - Baseball approves a free-agent draft 1965 - San Francisco Giant Masanori Murakami‚ 4-1 this year‚ does not renew his contract signing instead with the Nankai Hawks of Osaka for $40‚000 1974 - Jean-Paul Sartre visits Red Army Faction (Baader–Meinhof Gang) leader Andreas Baader in prison 1977 - Neil Simon's play "Chapter Two" opens in NYC 1981 - Reagan Executive Order on Intelligence (No 12333) that allows CIA to engage in domestic counter-intelligence 1987 - Karlstad skates world record 10 km (13:48.51) 2018 - First successful birth resulting from uterus transplant from a deceased donor in São Paulo‚ Brazil More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1489 - Battle of Baza - Spanish army captures Baza from Moors 1920 - 1st Pro football playoff game Buffalo-7‚ Canton-3 at Polo Grounds‚ NYC 1958 - Dahomey (Benin)‚ Ivory Coast become autonomous within French Community 1985 - President Reagan appoints Vice Admiral John Poindexter as security adviser 1988 - Actor Gary Busey critically injured in motorcycle crash 1988 - Edmonton center Jimmy Carson becomes just the third player to score 6 NHL hat tricks before the age of 21 in the Oilers 10-6 win over the New York Rangers More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1844 - Franz Xavier Wernz‚ German Superior General of the Society of Jesus‚ born in Rottweil‚ Württemberg (d. 1914) 1868 - Jesse Burkett‚ American Baseball HOF left fielder (NL batting champion 1895-96‚ 1901; 240 hits in 1896 MLB record for 15 years; Cleveland Spiders‚ St. Louis Perfectos/Cardinals)‚ born in Wheeling‚ West Virginia (d. 1953) 1912 - Ian Wallace [John Wallace Pritchard]‚ American sci-fi author (Megalomania)‚ born in Chicago‚ Illinois (d. 1998) 1930 - Ronnie Corbett‚ British comedian (The Two Ronnies)‚ born in Edinburgh‚ Scotland (d. 2016) 1933 - Dick Ricketts Jr.‚ American basketball center (# 1 overall pick 1955 NBA draft St. Louis Hawks) and baseball pitcher (St. Louis Cardinals)‚ born in Pottstown‚ Pennsylvania (d. 1988) 1938 - Yvonne Minton‚ Australian-British soprano‚ born in Sydney‚ Australia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1131 - Omar Khayyám‚ Persian mathematician (cubic equations)‚ astronomer (Jalali calendar‚ basis of the Persian calendar)‚ poet (quatrains)‚ and philosopher‚ dies at 83 1182 - Henry‚ earl of Gelre/Zutphen (1141/79-82)‚ dies 1935 - Hylton Philipson‚ English cricket wicketkeeper (5 Tests‚ 11 dismissals)‚ dies at 69 1983 - Bruce Drake‚ American Basketball Hall of Fame coach (University of Oklahoma 1938-55‚ 200-181)‚ dies at 77 2007 - Chip Reese‚ American poker player (3 x World Series of Poker bracelets)‚ dies from pneumonia at 56 2007 - Pimp C. [Chad Butler]‚ American rapper (Underground Kingz)‚ dies of overuse of prescription cough syrup and sleep apnea at 33 More Famous Deaths »

The head of the Israel Security Agency‚ commonly referred to as “Shin Bet‚” said in a recording that was leaked to Israeli media that the agency is going to hunt down and kill all Hamas officials‚ including top officials hiding on foreign soil. In a recording obtained by Israel’s public broadcaster Kan‚ Shin Bet Head Ronen Bar calls this “our Munich” — a reference to when Palestinian terrorists murdered 11 members of Israel’s Olympic team in the 1972 Summer Games in Munich. Israel responded to the murders by hunting down and killing every person that was involved‚ either directly or indirectly‚ with the attacks. Bar’s comments come after Palestinian terrorists with Hamas murdered 1‚200 Israelis‚ wounded 5‚300+‚ and kidnapped more than 240 in an unprecedented terrorist attack on October 7. “The cabinet set a goal for us‚ to take out Hamas. And we are determined to do it‚ this is our Munich‚” he said. “In every location‚ in Gaza‚ in the West Bank‚ in Lebanon‚ in Turkey‚ in Qatar‚ everyone. It will take a few years‚ but we will be there in order to do it.” He said that his agency is responsible for security and that they failed to do their jobs on October 7 but are now “on an upward trajectory.” Bar said that Shin Bet was “not waiting” to take every action that it can at the current moment to execute its goals as it operates with a new sense of urgency. “We are already learning our lessons from the events‚ already transferring them to other sectors‚ not just to the Gaza Strip‚ of course‚” he said. He added that much of what Israel has faced over the last year from a threat perspective is not known to the public. “The scope of threats facing the State of Israel has been unprecedented in the past year‚ even before these events‚” he said. “Even in this case‚ the main issues are hidden from view. Many things are happening beneath the surface.”