Archives

  • When Love Came Down at Christmas

    “Do everything in love”—1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV). One of the things I love about this time of the year is the music, including the hymns and the contemporary versions of those songs. It’s interesting to read the stories of the songwriters and what inspired the lyrics they wrote. “Love Came Down at Christmas” is one […]

  • Our Days are Already Determined

    “A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed”—Job 14:5 (NIV). On Christmas morning, as I was reading one of my daily devotionals, something I’d never thought about grabbed my attention. Forty days and forty years are significant in the Bible. However, while reading […]

  • No Mountain High Enough: Why Christmas is All About Descending

    You know those moments when you’re keenly aware that you are experiencing something profound, something that will become a treasured memory in a matter of hours? I had one of those last week. A very strange and hectic turn of events took me to Peru on the first week of December when I expected to […]

  • How to make this Christmas one of joy

    My family and friends know that by the time September hits, the Christmas season has pretty much begun for me. While other people are thinking about school holidays and sport, I’m already beginning to dream about decorations, gift ideas, Christmas parties and perhaps even playing some Christmas music (secretly of course). I just love the […]

  • And His Name Will Be Immanuel

    “But the Lord will still give you proof. A virgin is pregnant; she will have a son and will name him Immanuel”—Isaiah 7:14 (CEV). My parents named me Carol Ann when I was born in 1953. I disliked my name for a long time. I considered it plain vanilla. Not even a squirt of chocolate […]

  • How You Can Put the Joy Back in the Christmas Season

    “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”—Romans 14:17(NIV). If you ask any American child what he likes about Christmas, you will probably hear the same answer. In their excitement, most would probably shout the word “presents” or “toys.” Ask […]

  • Christmas: When Nothing Means Everything

    Every year it’s the same for me. My level of busy-ness during the approach of the holiday season ascends to an unbearable and unsustainable intensity and I have a near meltdown. With four out of five birthdays in our family between October 20 and December 25, Halloween and Thanksgiving and all the shopping, meal planning […]

  • Kate Bracks: Five inspirations for a joyful Christmas

    Masterchef winner Kate Bracks loves the Christmas season, which for her centres around family, food and faith. She shares with us some great ideas about how to celebrate the season joyfully! It shouldn’t come as any surprise that on Christmas morning Kate Bracks and her family of five start the day with a tradition of […]

  • 5 Steps towards a healthier holiday season

    Halloween was a few short days ago and I’m already getting a little anxious about the weeks ahead. I don’t know about you, but I have a little problem with sugar, especially around this time of year. This is the time of year I’m more prone to a little more jelly to my belly and my […]

  • Refreshed by joy this Christmas…

    My family and friends know that by the time September hits, the Christmas season has pretty much begun for me. While other people are thinking about school holidays and sport, I’m already beginning to dream about decorations, gift ideas, Christmas parties and perhaps even playing some Christmas music (secretly of course). I just love the […]