Christmas in July

As we’re in the Christmas-in-July mode, and just in time for a few clouds that have blessedly rolled in as a tiny hint that this insanely hot weather will soon give way to Fall and the Christmas season, I want to share a treasured book with you.

It’s a collection of 49 inspiring Christmas stories, including mine, put together and published by the administrators of an online Christian writing group called Christian Writers for Life. 

The personal short stories in Discovering Again the Gift of Christmas tell of homecomings, salvations, miracles, and many other joys at Christmastime and are sure to bring a nostalgia for Christmas past and hope for our future in the One who gave us the reason for celebrating.

Perfect as a Christmas gift or coffee table book for the Christmas season.

Click on the picture to the right, or at the bottom, depending on which device you’re reading this, to go to the Amazon page.

 

Merry Christmas!

Dorci

One Author, Many Stories

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

So begins one of the most well-known and best-selling novels of all time. But it doesn’t stand alone. There are countless other stories just as beautifully written and well-regarded. It would be futile to compare them because they’re each beautiful in their own unique way. 


“…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”  
Hebrews 12:1b-2a


It is oh so easy to compare our lives, our stories, to others. In fact, satan encourages it. And with the explosion of social media, it’s easier than ever to become engrained into our psyche, even subconsciously, to compare everything about ourselves and our lives to others. 

What he doesn’t want us to remember is that we have a perfect Author who writes each unique story of faith.

Our Author knows what what’s needed to advance our own particular epic, strengthening our faith, while taking into account our unique hearts and the varying characters and events of our lives, so that our faith is mature and complete. 

Yes, our stories will be different, but every one is written just as thoughtfully and lovingly as the others, each just as beautiful and miraculous.

The one commonality we share in our stories, if we indeed know Him, is our Protagonist, our Hero, the Champion of our faith. 

So whether our stories begin with “Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy” or “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit,” as long as we continue walking with our Champion, the Author of our faith, we can trust Him with the twists and turns of own adventures, developing our faith until the end.

And then, a new beginning…

 

 

 

Sunday Praise and a Prayer of Faith

 

“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
1 Corinthians 15:54b-55
 
Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You and the Holy and Precious Name of Jesus Christ who conquered the grave, giving us life, and the Holy Spirit who dwells within the hearts of those who believe in Him and have put their faith and hope in Him. 
 
In faith, LORD, we look forward to the many more miracles you will do today and every day. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 
 
In Him, Father, and for Him alone we live and move and have our being, and it’s in His precious name we pray, amen. 

Sunday Praise and a Prayer for the Sick

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise you. You are the omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent God. You are faithful to hear our prayers, and we thank you for hearing our prayer today. 

Father, we lift up to you those who are facing life-altering and life-threatening illnesses.

For those who know you, we ask that you would renew their strength and hope. We pray you would comfort them and fill them with your peace that passes all understanding. We pray you would surround them with people who support them with love and friendship. We ask that you would also give strength and hope for their loved ones and caregivers. 

For those who don’t yet know you, we pray you would reveal yourself to them in a very personal way. Maybe they’ve blamed you for what they’re going through. Maybe they’re angry, or lost and just don’t know where to turn. We pray you would not allow the enemy to fill their minds with lies.

Father, we know what a personal and compassionate God you are, and we ask that you would show them that you know them and you love them.

We pray you would open their eyes and turn their hearts toward you, that they would receive you as their Lord, their Savior, their Hope to walk with them through this time, giving them all they need and more. 

We pray you would remove all fear and help them keep their focus on You, the God Who is bigger than anything they’ll face here on earth. We pray you would give them strength and courage to walk in confidence with you each day. 

Father, you are also the Great Physician. You created our bodies and you can heal them. If it be your will, Lord, we ask that you would do miracles and grant healing and restoration. We pray you would open doors and move mountains to do those things that need to be done.

We pray you would give the doctors and nurses your wisdom, your skill, and your compassion. 

We pray, Lord, that you would also open doors to provide financially, and that all debt is paid. 

Father, we pray you would be glorified in all these circumstances. What the enemy has meant for evil, we pray you would use for your good. We lay it all at your feet, trusting you, and we thank you ahead of time for what you’re going to do. 

In Jesus’ precious and holy name we pray, amen.