Lean In and Hold On

Despite the fullness in my stomach from a huge Christmas dinner, the aroma of buttered popcorn enticed me the second I opened the door to the theater. Deciding on drinks only, my family and I navigated the congested lobby in search of a place to wait for the movie we selected.

We arrived an hour early hoping to secure our favorite seats for an exhilarating 3D experience, so I searched for a place to sit until time for tickets to be collected.

To my surprise, I spotted a cushioned bench with just one occupant near the ticket receiving area. I smiled and sat down beside a woman with a walker – the kind my dad uses, with sturdy wheels and a built-in seat. Having already exchanged a friendly greeting outside as we sought to escape the penetrating cold, I leaned toward her and asked, “Have you had a great Christmas?”

She turned my way and said, “I believe this has been the best Christmas I have ever had.” I knew she meant it.
 “That’s awesome,” I said, noticing the covering on her head as she continued.

 “I’ve been really sick, but have been so blessed to have my sister living with me.”

 Leaning toward her again, I asked, “Chemo?”

 She nodded. “And radiation.” Sitting a bit taller, she proclaimed the completion of her tenth round of treatment.

 “I’m sorry you’ve had to endure so much,” I said. She nodded.

Then a boy about twelve years old approached, leaned over and wrapped his arms around the woman’s neck. He hugged her tight, rested his head on her
“My nephew. Such a good boy,” she said tilting her head toward him and patting his arms. My heart melted watching the warm exchange.

We introduced ourselves.

I sensed peace in Darlene as she openly shared her struggle. At first it was lung cancer, stage four, discovered when she couldn’t shake flu-like symptoms. Then, sometime after her treatments began, Darlene’s sister discovered her in the kitchen late one night, confused and saying things that made no sense. This time it was brain cancer.

I concluded her illness, not age, created the need for the walker. She was mature, but not elderly.

I listened, and marveled at the sweet spirit radiating from Darlene. Not an ounce of anger or bitterness. Not an ounce of self-pity. Not an ounce of fear. I sensed only wisdom, joy and contentment. And peace.

I leaned closer this time, shoulder to shoulder as if we were old friends, and said, “I’m sure you’ve had lots of people praying for you.” 

 “Oh, yes. The prayers of so many are the only reason I’ve been able to get through this. I am so blessed. God placed my sister in my house for a reason. To be there for me.”

I asked if she had a church family to surround her, but I knew before she answered.

Then I said, “May I ask where you go?”

Receiving her answer, I smiled. Not only do I know the location of her church, we have a mutual acquaintance who also attends. The idea of keeping up with Darlene’s progress filled my heart and settled well within my soul.

When the time came for Darlene to submit her movie ticket, I assured her my church and I would be praying for her. She thanked me, and switched her attention to the family surrounding her.

 As I watched Darlene part the crowd with her walker, I considered so many things.

 She blessed me by sharing her story, because her focus was not on her struggles but on her Savior. Peace. Confidence. Trust. Faith. She wins the fight no matter what the outcome because she knows where she is going. “It’s in God’s hands,” she said, “and it is His decision.”

 Complete surrender.

 Wow. I mean, WOW.

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7, NIV)

Maybe you are fighting for your life, or walking this road with a loved one. Maybe anger consumes you because your diagnosis feels unfair. Maybe you don’t understand why you’re not responding to treatments, unlike others. Maybe the opposite is true. Maybe you wonder if God even hears your pleas. Perhaps your struggle is with something completely different, but you desire the peace Darlene carries.

Whatever your situation, I encourage you to allow your weakest moments to be a showcase of God’s incredible strength. Lean into Him. Lean in and hold on.

As God’s strength emanated from Darlene that day, I witnessed the “peace that transcends all understanding.” No wonder I kept leaning toward her.

His very presence, through her, drew me there.

 

(UPDATE: Please pray for Darlene. I understand she entered the hospital with pneumonia earlier this week. Thank you.)
 
 
Rita Halter Thomas is a staff writer for Prophecy Simplified, providing HOLD ON Stories to encourage you to hold on to your faith. She is a pastor’s wife and the mother of a college missions major.  She is also an award-winning writer, the founder of The Write Editor, http://thewriteeditor.com, and a former newspaper and magazine publisher with 23 years’ experience in print and digital media. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
 
  


Prophecy in a Carol

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,   because the Lord has anointed me  to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners – Isaiah 61:1

For 28 years I sang Christmas carols without understanding the words.

Now that I am a precious child of God, Carols bring life and hope.

One of my favorite carols is O Holy NightMy favorite line in the song, “Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother, and in His name, all oppression shall cease.”

Jesus humbled Himself and entered the world to break every chain.

I was in chains.  Chains of self-doubt, worry and unbalanced expectations. I saw myself as unlovable, worthless, without a purpose. Jesus changed me when I believed this truth.

As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, let’s take a look at my favorite verse in O Holy Night and compare it to Scripture.

Chains Shall He break 

He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. Psalm 107:14 NIV

I am your servant, LORD, I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains. Psalm 116:16 NIV

 

For the slave is our brother

 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant (slave), and coming in the likeness of men Philippians 2:7 NKJV

For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother Mathew 12:50 NIV

For He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source, That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers Hebrews 2:11 ESV

 

And in His name, all oppression shall cease

Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. Deuteronomy 26:7 ESV

From oppression and violence, He redeems their life… Psalm 72:14 ESV

 

I still get chills when I sing this song. In Luke 4:18 Jesus declared that He is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. 

I envision people walking out of jail cells with no shackles, leaping for joy at their newfound freedom. Heads lifted high to greet the sun instead of staring at their feet. Hearts that once craved love now possess complete acceptance in Christ, who is Love.

As we celebrate His birth, let us never forget that He is the Messiah.  The promised one.

Emmanuel, God with us.

He is the only one who breaks chains, heals wounds, and sets the captives free from the bondage of sin. My heart rejoices and I want to fall on my knees in reverence and worship.

Let’s join the angels and praise the Holy one for all He has done for us.
 
 

What effect do Christmas carols have on you? Join the conversation.

 



Why Jesus is the Reason

Discussing Christmas traditions with an excited group of children, a young boy’s smile faded as he told me he couldn’t spend Christmas with his daddy. I inquired further, expecting the boy to cite divorce or death as a reason. My mind began forming words to encourage the boy.

“He’s in jail,” he said.

I stammered slightly, unsure how to respond to this revelation.

Quietly, I replied, “You know, no matter what circumstance caused your daddy to be in jail, there is nothing God won’t forgive unless a person doesn’t ever accept Jesus.”

As we created Christmas decorations together, I reminded those gathered around the table “Jesus is the reason for the season.” Then I explained what the phrase means and why.

When we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we celebrate the depth of God’s love for humanity. God loves us so much “… He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” [John 3:16 NIV]

Jesus. His name is not just the “name above all names.” He is the King of Kings. The Lord of Lords. The Prince of Peace. The Messiah. The Savior of the World. His birth is Christmas. The first step on earth toward salvation for man.

Joy to the World!

Like this young boy, the blows of life threaten to chase away our joy. We know for many holidays magnify an endless list of struggles: the loss of loved ones; broken relationships; failing marriages; addiction; mental illness or physical health issues; financial worries; bitterness and anger; depression; unconfessed sin, and more. Even the volume of possible struggles is heartbreaking.

Christian joy is not a happiness based on how well things are going in our life. Perhaps the best description is an inner peace planted deep within the soul based on our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. The more we know Jesus, the more joy we experience – even in the heat of suffering.

Notice I did not say the more we know about Jesus. We may learn all there is to know about Jesus and still not have a relationship with him.

Since God desires a close and personal relationship with us, the trials and sufferings we face in this world should cause us to long for our Heavenly home. There is only one way to Heaven.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” [John 14:6 NIV]

THE way.

THE truth.

THE life.

THE Father.

Singular. There is no other way to the One and Only Father except through His One and Only Son.

Jesus was born to die on the cross as the atonement for all our sins – past, present and future. Yours and mine. Not one of us is sinless.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” [Romans 3:23 NIV]

Our punishment for that sin is eternal separation from God – much worse than jail – but God gave us a precious gift to restore us to Him.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [Romans 6:23 NIV]

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” [Romans 5:8 NIV]

Therefore, when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we celebrate God’s love and the gift of salvation. It is free to us, but not without cost. Jesus paid the price for us on the cross, and it is available to all who will accept it, just as we are. His blood washes us clean. We cannot do that on our own.

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” [Romans 10:9-10 NIV]

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” [Romans 10:13 NIV]

Without this birth, there would be no Jesus. No cross. No resurrection. No salvation. No hope. No peace. No joy. No reason for Christmas.

“Jesus is the reason for the season.” It is not just a catchy phrase, or some singsong slogan.

It is truth.

Maybe you already have a deep, personal relationship with Jesus, but the hustle and bustle of holiday activities threatens to steal your joy. Maybe someone you love, like this young boy’s father, is in prison. Maybe you feel shackled and weighted by something you are trying to carry alone. Maybe your soul has been crying for hope, peace and joy.

I pray whatever your circumstance, you have accepted or will accept the best gift to all humanity: Jesus

I pray you will surrender your heart, your burdens, and your will to Him. Among all gifts, the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ is the best gift we will ever receive, and the best gift we will ever share with others.

Share Him freely, and often.

After all, He is the reason we celebrate this season.

Merry Christmas.  
 
 
 
 
 
Rita Halter Thomas is a staff writer for Prophecy Simplified, providing HOLD ON Stories to encourage you to hold on to your faith. She is a pastor’s wife and the mother of a college missions major.  She is also an award-winning writer, the founder of The Write Editor, http://thewriteeditor.com, and a former newspaper and magazine publisher with 23 years’ experience in print and digital media. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
 
  

 



Jesus Born of a Virgin: God Works Through Us When We Listen

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son -Isaiah 7:14

When God speaks, we must listen, no matter the circumstance.

Stranded with my church group on a dirt road in Togo, Africa,  my head pounded from the smoke of burning feilds. Locals flocked around us to watch our bunch of white men try to repair a tire without any parts. 

Five months before this moment my mind was not on Africa, but was on our baby due March 6th.  We were very excited.  

I had such relief hearing the heartbeat at 13 weeks. With one baby already in heaven, I knew God would not take this one too. Following that appointment, I met a friend for a movie at the IMAX.  I left dizzy and sick to my stomach, I assumed the symptoms were from the 3D movie and vertigo.

Two days later I was balled-up on the floor with stomach cramps.

Another child was gone and  my heart was in pieces.  This goodbye was more difficult than the first.

We now have two babies in heaven. We named our first, Michael Corban (a gift dedicated to God) and the second Talitha Grace (little girl of grace).  Naming our babies gave us closure, even if we truly didn’t know  if they were a boy or girl.

My solace, then and now, is knowing the first face my babies saw was the face of God.

And now here I stand five months later across the globe, broke down on the side of the road. The medication I took for my headache had soothed the pain.

Still on that roadside, the Spirit impressed upon my heart—Go witness to the locals. I dragged myself out of the van.  As my eyes adjusted to the dark I looked to my left, grass huts. In front of me, I saw a few of my fellow missionaries and local tribesmen examining the tire.

I admired how the locals wore western attire. Very clean and crisp.  I wondered how they kept everything so nice amidst all the dirt.   To my right, another group of men joined the midnight party.

In my heart I heard, “Go speak with those men, now.”

I grabbed my husband’s hand, “Let’s go. God gave us these men to witness to.” 

The locals were very happy to meet us.

A few of them understood English.  We shared the Good news of Jesus Christ. 

I sensed that they understood but I wanted to make sure. We asked Pastor Mike, the local pastor traveling with us, to come explain the gospel in their native language (Ewe and French).

As he explained the free gift of eternal life a few men stepped back.  I found out later that Pastor Mike asked them to walk away if they did not want to make a decision for Christ.  He said, “This is a very important decision; do not do it if you are not committed.”

Five men stayed and accepted Christ as Savior.  Hallelujah!  As we were praying the Lord reminded me of the Sunday morning before we left for Africa.  I stood in the front of the Church devastated, missing my child crying out, “Lord if I never have my own child, please give me babes in Christ when I go to Africa.  I only want to serve you Lord”

As I stood there, on that dirt road in Africa, holding my husband’s hand, tears streaming down my face. The Lord spoke to my heart and said, “These are your babes in Christ.”

The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart, I listened, and I was able to be part of changing eternity for five men.

The Virgin Mary and Joseph listened to the Angel of God. Gabriel proclaimed that she will give birth.  Mary replied, “How will this be since I am a virgin?”  Gabriel says, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”

Later the angel encouraged Joseph to not fear marrying Mary with these words: “What is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” 

Joseph had every right to divorce Mary. In fact, Mary would have been stoned to death for infidelity—but Joseph chose to listen to God’s messenger and married Mary.

They both listened and took part in the greatest event known to mankind. The birth of the Savior of the World.

Aren’t you so glad they listened and obeyed even with unimaginable circumstances?

I know I am so glad I obeyed God and stepped out of that van in Africa.

I am so thankful God allowed me to be obedient and take that mission trip even after facing such pain in my life.

Have you listened to the Spirits prompting in the past?

Has God sent a messenger to you with a word that defies your common sense?

Again when God speaks we must listen, no matter the circumstances.

 

 

Join the conversation. Let us know a crazy step of obedience that you are thankful you have taken.
 
Cherrilynn Bisbano is a collaborator with Jake in this special Christmas Series. She is a writer, speaker, literary agent, and editor.  Her passion for helping people is evident.  She loves Christ, coffee, chocolate, and cats. Managing Editor at Serious Writer & Almost an Author, Acquisitions Reader and Junior Agent for Literary Agent, Cyle Young. Host of Genre Chat www.seriouswriter.com. Speaker with Women Speakers & By Design ministries, Leadership Certified by Christian Leaders Institute. http://bit.ly/2j9vzaT. She is a two-time winner of Flash Fiction Weekly. You can find her published in Amramp, More to Life (MTL), Christian Rep, Refresh, Southern Writer, and other magazines. Cherrilynn is a contributor to, newly released Breaking the Chains. Cherrilynn proudly served in the Navy and Air National Guard earning the John Levitow Military leadership award.  She lives with her fifteen-year-old son, Michael, Jr., and husband of 19 years, Michael, Sr.  
  


Genealogy Doesn’t Lie

The Messiah would be a descendant of King David of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it.  – Isaiah 9:7

 

It’s Christmas morning, you’re in your pajamas with a cup of coffee. You watch your family open presents.

Life is good. You say to yourself.

“Open it,” your loved one says as they hand you the prettiest box you’ve ever seen.

“You’ve been talking about this all year.” The loved smiles.

I talk about many things. It’s too small to be a car, could it be the keys?  You say to yourself.

You unwrap it with care.

“Hurry, it’s only paper, just rip it!” Your loved one is anxious to take a picture of your as you see the surprise.

“A DNA Kit! Thank you!”

They were listening.

All across the world, this scene will play out on Christmas morning. DNA kits have been one of the rave gifts this year, but why geneology for Christmas?

There are many reasons we might want to trace our ancestry. Maybe it’s the novelty of knowing that someone famous is in our lineage. Are other more practical reasons like to trace a family inheritance, trace land ownership, find birth parents, trace medical conditions, validate old family stories, or reconnect with family.

DNA kits help us discover our ancestors through genetic matching. These trending kits guide the user in collecting their own DNA samples and then results are received by mailing the samples in to a lab. The result from the testing are compared to other DNA samples from around the world, detecting similarities that trace back generations and connect us to the lands of our ancestors. Although DNA tests are fun and have become a recent hit, they are not always accurate.

These tests reveal what people groups are in your lineage, not specific individuals, which is still fascinating. With shows Finding Your Roots, Who Do You Think You Are, and Genealogy Roadshow, as well as, websites like https://www.geni.com, http://www.ancestor.com/, https://www.myheritage.com/, and https://www.ancestry.com/cs/finding-your-roots we can trace our lineages.

We can trace our lineage with accurate records.

Jake and Cherrilynn have discovered a pirate, Vikings, WWI General, Cowboy, and Farmer in their combined genealogies. Cherrilynn is a descendant of Sir Francis Drake, a pirate, and a pioneer. Cherrilyn attributes her plundering her sister’s candy and her love for travel to her lineage. Jake has confirmed old family stories of Vikings through his ancestry. Jake finds encouragement in his ministry looking back at the transformation of many Vikings on their hearing of the Gospel.

You may or may not be on the DNA Kit bandwagon this Christmas, but there is a great benefit to knowing our ancestry. Whatever inspires us to solve the mystery of our past, many find healing, strength, and a sense of belonging and purpose through the research.

Matthew and Luke who both tell of the birth of Jesus, also highlight Jesus’ genealogy. Obviously, they didn’t use a DNA kit, but the results are just as incredible. The difference between our lineage and that of Jesus is that his birth was predicted hundreds of years before the event. Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah. Along with other prophets Isaiah told that the Messiah would be a descendant of David, and therefore a descendant of Jesse and Abraham.

In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. –  Isaiah 11:10 (NIV84)

But even beyond the prophecies, we learn In Matthew and Luke’s’ lists that Jesus had a King, shepherd, and prostitute in His lineage. The King may be expected in Jesus’ ancestry, but a prostitute? Yes, a prostitute. And in those days shepherds were considered quite lowly. There are also many other unsavory characters in that list, but Jesus wasn’t ashamed of his genealogy. He knew he had a mission and joyfully accepted it. His mission was to be the Savior of the World and bring ultimate peace.

Matthew’s genealogy begins with Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, shows the relationship of Jesus to all Jews—he is their Messiah. This agrees with the theme and purpose of the book of Matthew—to prove that Jesus is the Messiah.

The purpose of the book of Luke is to give a record of the life of Christ as the perfect human Savior. Therefore, the genealogy record of Luke goes back to Adam, to demonstrate the relationship of Jesus to His creation.

He is the Savior of the world.

As you open your gifts this Christmas, as many of your ancestors did in the past, remember the best gift is to know that Jesus’ genealogy proves He is Savior and Lord. It also proves that Jesus was and his later sacrificial death was for everyone. The King, the popper, and yes, even the prostitute.

Genealogy doesn’t lie.

 

 

 

Have you tested your DNA or searched your ancestry? Or is a kit under your tree?

We’d love to hear about it.
 
 
 
 
 
Cherrilynn Bisbano is a collaborator with Jake in this special Christmas Series. She is a writer, speaker, literary agent, and editor.  Her passion for helping people is evident.  She loves Christ, coffee, chocolate, and cats. Managing Editor at Serious Writer & Almost an Author, Acquisitions Reader and Junior Agent for Literary Agent, Cyle Young. Host of Genre Chat www.seriouswriter.com. Speaker with Women Speakers & By Design ministries, Leadership Certified by Christian Leaders Institute. http://bit.ly/2j9vzaT. She is a two-time winner of Flash Fiction Weekly. You can find her published in Amramp, More to Life (MTL), Christian Rep, Refresh, Southern Writer, and other magazines. Cherrilynn is a contributor to, newly released Breaking the Chains. Cherrilynn proudly served in the Navy and Air National Guard earning the John Levitow Military leadership award.  She lives with her fifteen-year-old son, Michael, Jr., and husband of 19 years, Michael, Sr.