Jesus was not a normal human baby. Unlike other human beings, Jesus chose to come into the world, even though he knew his purpose would be to suffer and die as a sacrifice.
Mighty Magnificat (Excerpt from “Advent for the Broken-Hearted”)
Whichever way they turned, the people found themselves without recourse, being bled dry by their own countrymen.
Share this:
Advent For the Broken-Hearted
This devotional was adapted from a service that Mari wrote in 2023, created to honor the thrum of sorrow and loss that undulates beneath the largely cheerful Christmas songs sung throughout November and December.
Share this:
A Child Destined to Die
God had revealed to Joseph in a dream what was about to happen. Startled awake, his heart pumping and his mind racing, Joseph quietly woke Mary and together they hurriedly packed, bundled up their son, and slipped away under cover of the night.
Share this:
New Year: A Community in Mourning
"Happy New Year" symbolizes a fresh start, a chance to start over with the possibility of leaving the past behind. But what happens when the new year brings fresh trouble, fresh pain, or carries with it the things of last year that will not go away?
Share this:
Christmas: A Woman Without Family
The prophet Anna is often missing from the Christmas story, which focuses on Jesus's birth, the wonder of the shepherds and the worship of the wise men.
Share this:
Advent: A Family in Poverty
They were a faithful couple, doing their best to adhere to God's word, and now especially because of the little Emmanuel they had in their arms.
Share this:
Advent: A People Under Occupation
The story of Christmas honors people who are experiencing oppression, and people who feel despair over their government.
Share this:
Advent: A Marriage in Jeopardy
Only Matthew's Gospel captures something of Joseph's heartache when he received the news concerning Mary's unexpected pregnancy.
Share this:
“Happy Holidays”
Tomorrow many of us will be sitting at a table laden with traditional Thanksgiving foods and offering up ways we are grateful. Perhaps it is only one thing we can be thankful for, perhaps many. But, some of us will not have a place to go, or a table spread for us.
