Category: Advent 2023 – A Legacy of Faith

Today our Advent series on “A Legacy of Faith” draws to a close. Tomorrow, we celebrate Christmas, but before you rip open packages and eat too much candy, take time for one last thought.

When my husband and I moved to our retirement community, we downsized with great effort. There were many things we had saved for years but our children were not interested in inheriting the 100-year-old Singer sewing machine or Gene’s grandmother’s quilts or the china passed down from Emily’s great-grandfather. Those things will rust, fray or break. What we know of Christ will never disintegrate.

What will you pass on as your legacy? Who will benefit from the things you have learned from family and friends about faith?

We don’t know for certain who wrote Psalm 71. It carries a title, “Prayer of an Old Man for Deliverance.” The author asks for deliverance not because he is afraid to die, but because he wants to pass on all he has learned about the Lord. Ps. 71:17-18 reads “O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.”

That is my prayer for myself but also for you as we begin a new year. Celebrate Christ’s birth but also celebrate the new life we have received in Jesus. Share all he has done with those who follow in our footsteps!

Merry Christmas!

Perhaps you imagined that, after yesterday’s Advent thought, our “Legacy of Faith” was complete. After all, what could possibly top all that Jesus has done for us? There is another member of the Trinity that has an equally major impact on our lives. Read on.

As a new believer still in my teens, I didn’t know much about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Yes, he was named in the Apostle’s Creed that we recited in our Episcopal church, but all the Old Testament stories we heard about in Sunday School centered on the Father and those in the New Testament on the Son. The Holy Spirit was the silent member of the Trinity.

I credit Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, for opening my eyes to the work of the Holy Spirit. He explained the concept of spiritual breathing, exhaling through confession and inhaling the power of the Holy Spirit. Far from being inactive, the Spirit worked in me to show me what I did that offended God, helped me understand salvation, and then guided me into truth. I began listening to his voice.

Listening, paired with obedience, resulted in my going to Mexico to work with Wycliffe Bible Translators. During a five-month jungle training program, I discovered how the Holy Spirit also protects God’s children. I figured he stepped in to save my life almost every week, rescuing me from an exploding Coleman lantern, a runaway horse, river rapids, a fire in our thatch hut, poisonous spiders and venomous snakes.

When I memorized the Gospel of John, the final chapters of the book offered a fuller picture of this member of the Trinity. Jesus called him the Advocate. In John 14:25-26, he said, “I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” The Holy Spirit is my private tutor!

I also call him the Ally. He’s got my back. As you face the uncertainties of 2024, take the time to ask the Father to fill you with his powerful Spirit.

The season of Advent is closing, soon to be eclipsed by the joy of Christmas. Thank you for staying with me for these past three weeks and, for some of you, over the past twenty or thirty years of different Advent themes. Today we continue the theme for 2023, “A Legacy of Faith.”

We have looked at many people who have influenced our lives, including ancestors, parents, teachers, friends and more. However, there is one person who has had the greatest influence of anyone on my life. I should say he is the Person who has had the greatest impact on me. That would be my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Like my parents, Jesus has protected me. Like my husband, he has provided for all my needs. Like my teachers, he has taught me. Like my friends, he has encouraged me. In truth, if you review all the categories of influencers we have looked at this Advent season, people who have had major impact on my life, Jesus rises to the top in every category.

At Christmas we mark the birth of Jesus, but do we remember all he sacrificed to come to earth? He left his family in heaven to come to earth. He shed his divine nature and became a man. He stepped out of eternity and into time. He left unending light and entered the darkness of Mary’s womb.

Jesus went beyond what every other person ever did for me. He laid down his life for me. A woman once knelt and wept as she prayed for me, but she did not give her life for me.

Because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, I do not have to fear walking into God’s presence. I do not carry a heavy load of guilt or shame. Jesus introduced me to the Father. Now, as it says in Psalm 84:2, “I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the LORD. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.”

I pray with all my heart that you feel the same way.

Christmas is only a few days away, and we are all being distracted by last minute shopping and guests. Thank you for taking time to pause and read another of these thoughts about people who are part of our “Legacy of Faith.”

Writing can be a lonely task. That’s why readers are important participants in my legacy of faith. They encourage me to keep going.

For example, recently, my daughter sent out my Christmas letter by e-mail to several hundred friends. Within hours, she knew that over 200 of those e-mails had been opened. My in-box was flooded with people responding to the letter and the sample devotional that was attached. One friend texted, “Have had you on my heart a lot recently then just read your Christmas letter and the first day of your devotional and cried, thanking God for His goodness! So grateful to Him for placing you in my life and for your influence for Him!”

I replied that her response was exactly what I hoped would be the result of my writing these devotionals. I wanted readers to reach out and thank all those who have helped them to grow in Christ. But her next text touched me also. She explained that she had shared the devotional with all her children and her mother, too. A ripple effect.

In Psalm 22, King David prophesied about the coming Messiah in amazing detail. His hands and feet would be pierced. People would divide his clothes and cast lots for his robe. All were fulfilled when Jesus hung on the cross a thousand years later. But David went on to prophesy about you and me too. “Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done.” That ripple effect is felt even now, thousands of years later!

When we thank someone and encourage a person’s faith, that act can also have a ripple effect, prompting others to pass it on. You may not be an author hearing from readers, but the prayer, phone call or text you initiate today can start a ripple that may touch lives of people you have never met. We all can have a part in fulfilling David’s prophecy!

Is today a gray winter day? Why not slow down, grab a cup of tea, and join us for another look at our “Legacy of Faith”?

Some of my readers know that I have authored five books, and my stories have been included in many Chicken Soup for the Soul collections. But other authors have had a major impact on my life. Some, like Marlene Bagnull, have encouraged me by teaching me practical skills such as how to prepare a book proposal to send to a publisher. Other authors have challenged me with their excellence in writing.

When I read a book by someone like Jan DeHartog or Rumer Godden, I feel humbled. Their excellence of writing puts my own feeble efforts to shame. They can develop characters that are vivid and remain fresh in my mind years later. Their plots are strong. The setting of each book becomes another character, creating a powerful mood. When I turn the final page of one of these books, I lie back in amazement and say, “Wow, God!” Their writing also impels me to stretch and improve my own efforts.

The Lord too is an excellent writer. Over several thousand years, He developed a plot line that revealed His passion for mankind. The characters in the Bible are complex, not simply black or white, good or bad, but nuanced and unforgettable, like Joseph and David and Daniel. In 2 Tim 3:16, St. Paul (yet another author!) explains that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” God’s writing has a far greater impact than anything I could ever aspire to accomplish.

You may not be an author, but perhaps you have been impacted by an author’s writing. If you have read a book or seen a video that touched your life, why not pass along the title to a friend today?

[If you have never watched a short video called “Butterfly Circus”, I can recommend it. You can find it on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnzEIqbBVK0.]

Advent is quickly passing. Thanks for continuing to travel on this journey with me. Today we add another dimension to our “Legacy of Faith.”

When I was a new mom, nothing in my life had prepared me for the incredible responsibility of parenting. My college education did nothing to impress an infant that demanded I set aside every one of my priorities and meet his needs. My mother was several hundred miles away. My husband was at work. Alone with a newborn, I felt overwhelmed. I wondered if my son would ever recognize me if I stopped crying.

Enter a category of people who left another imprint of my legacy of faith: my neighbors. Bernice and Mary lived on each side of our home. Both were experienced grandmothers. I would show up on Bernice’s doorstep, carrying my squalling child. Tears ran down my cheeks. If Bernice was not home, I would turn and cross the lawn to Mary’s house. Mary would take one look at the two of us and invite us in. She would set a mug of hot tea in front of me and put my son on her shoulder, rocking him gently. Her relaxed embrace calmed Tim, her tea calmed his mother.

My son probably has no idea how much he owes to those kind neighbors. I know their kindness made a huge difference in developing my confidence as a mother.

We don’t know Jesus’ childhood neighbors, but he did answer the question, “Who is my neighbor?” In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10), Jesus made it clear that a neighbor is not only the person who lives next door but that person who cares for a person in need.

If you are a baker, why not take a plate of Christmas cookies or a loaf of bread next door to a neighbor today? And if you feel hopeless in the kitchen, why not pick up a carnation or two at your local Walmart or Target and offer it to neighbor? Don’t forget to add a measure of thanks for their part in your life.

Only seven days until Christmas! I trust that these Advent devotionals are helping you appreciate the great variety of people in your “Legacy of Faith.” I also hope that these brief thoughts are preparing your heart to welcome Jesus, the root of our faith.

Have you ever considered the impact that doctors, nurses, dentists and caregivers can have on our lives? What about emergency providers like the firemen and policemen? Most entered their profession because they wanted to serve. Many of them are people of faith.

Back in 2017, I faced excruciating back pain. After I had PT, epidural injections, scans and exams, I still walked bent over at a 45-degree angle. My surgeon explained what caused that pain. Dr. Wolf rattled off a long list of culprits, including my osteoporosis, stenosis, spondylitis, scoliosis, kyphosis and lordosis, to name just a few.

Dr. Wolf is a brilliant surgeon. Over the course of four surgeries, he has reconstructed much of my spine. However, the truly extraordinary thing is to see his humility. He has made his hands available to the Lord to complete the complex surgeries needed to correct all these problems. As a man of prayer, he placed me in God’s care before each of my operations. After one difficult surgery, I experienced a period of discouragement. Had God abandoned me? When Dr. Wolf visited my hospital room, he gave medical advice and encouragement but also offered a much needed prayer.

In John 5, Jesus met a lame man near the pool of Bethesda. Jesus asked him, “Would you like to get well?” I can understand the relief that lame man felt after Jesus touched him. Today, I too can stand and walk without pain. This is as close to resurrection as I can imagine while I am still in this earthly body.

Do you know a nurse or doctor or emergency responder? Today presents a good opportunity to express your gratitude to them and also to God for His care!

Welcome to those who are just joining us on this Advent journey. We are looking at people who have left an imprint on our faith journey, people who have become part of our “Legacy of Faith.”

Many of my readers have participated in a Bible study or a prayer group. There is a special dynamic when an entire cluster of friends gathers and stands behind you. One such group had a special impact on my life and ministry.

Working for our local pregnancy center, I discovered that many of our clients had regrets about being sexually active. I began looking for open doors into local schools. It would be a tough challenge to convince teens to consider sexual purity, so I gathered a team of a dozen people who knew the power of prayer, and I asked them to partner with me. Each person prayed daily for the schools. If I spoke in a class in the morning, I’d call to let my team know how the students responded.

Ruth was a member of that faithful team. One day, I reached out to her. The superintendent of a local school district had turned down our offer to present a program to his students.

“That’s the school I graduated from!” Ruth exclaimed. She started praying hard.

The very next day, the superintendent called me to say he’d changed his mind. In fact, he became one of our strongest supporters. For the next fifteen years, we saw thousands of teenagers and never had one complaint from parents. God protected our program under a banner of prayer.

When Jesus entered the Garden of Gethsemane during Holy Week, He needed back-up. He asked His prayer team to pray for Him, but they fell asleep. “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour?” he asked. “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.” (Mark 14:37-38)

Is there a group that has your back? Take a few moments to pray for those people, and then thank God for their role in your life.

Are your decorations up? Are your gifts all wrapped? Thanks for taking time out to join us on our Advent journey as we look at those people who have had a role in our personal “Legacy of Faith.”

People often speak of the church as their “family,” so today we will remember those within the body of Christ who have deeply impacted the course of our lives.

When I was a teenager, a member of the parish came to my father for help. She listed all her woes, her aches and her pains in great detail. After several meetings, all recounting the same miseries, my father suggested that she find a way to serve others instead of focusing on herself. The advice was sound, but Jeri chose to make the pastor’s daughter–me–the focus of her attention. At the time, I was not enamored with the prospect.

Jeri prayed for me every day. She wrote me letters when I went off to college. She offered advice that I did not want. But she kept on praying. When I dated a young man who was not a believer, Jeri prayed me out of that relationship. She prayed that I would attend a strong Bible program after college. She asked God to guide me in my decision to join Wycliffe Bible Translators and head to Mexico. Jeri was the only person I knew who actually knelt down and cried out to God about my needs.

Today, I am grateful for this woman who set aside her own concerns and prayed so fervently for mine. My life would have been very different without her influence.

In John 17, Jesus faced the end of His ministry on earth. He knew that beatings, mockery, and crucifixion lay ahead of Him. Yet He set aside His own concerns and focused His prayers on those He left behind. He said, “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.” Jesus prayed fervently for you and me!

How have people from your church touched your life? Who has made praying for you a priority? How can you pray for them today?

Glad to have you back again. As we await the arrival of our Best Friend’s birth at Christmas, we are looking at the other friends God has placed on our path as part of our “Legacy of Faith.”

Believers who have followed Christ for multiple decades are like trees that have weathered the storms of life, but new believers are like young shoots in the garden of life. Their passion can energize our faith. They too become part of our growing legacy.

Over the years, I have done a fair amount of lay counseling. The first time I met L., she came reluctantly, under protest, at the urging of her mother. L. had shaved her head, had multiple piercings, and wore a dark scowl on her face. Drug and alcohol addictions had caused her to attempt suicide on multiple occasions. Doctors responded by pumping her full of antidepressants. She fought with her parents and refused to obey their house rules.

L. declined to see me again. She had no desire to be “fixed.”

Months later, L. changed her mind. She agreed to meet with me even though our sessions included Bible study. Then, one evening, she arrived in a passion of excitement. Elders at a local church had prayed over her and cast out several demons. Demons? Her story left me uncomfortable. Did my faith allow God to work in such a dramatic way?

L. was a new believer, but I watched as her insights into familiar passages became deeper, her applications to her own life were on target. A year went by. L. moved to Texas to attend a Bible school. She married. She became a mom. Across the miles, we stayed in touch.

L’s faith grew, but so did mine as I watched God transform her life in every area. L. brought the truth of 2 Cor. 5:17 to life: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Do you know a person who is just beginning to walk with Christ? How can you encourage them? I know God will use them to encourage you also!