An Indescribable Gift
Mary gazes down on sweetness in a manger,
Bright eyes, soft skin, pure delight,
A gift from heaven.
John sees the Lamb at the Jordan,
Without spot, without blemish, without sin,
A gift from heaven.
Nicodemus questions the Rabbi in darkness,
New answers, fresh hope, glad heart,
A gift from heaven.
Zacchaeus climbs the sycamore tree,
Delighted, repentant, forgiven,
A gift from heaven.
The Savior dies on a Roman cross,
Bloodied, rejected, scorned,
A gift from heaven.
A sinner hears a message full of grace,
Good tidings, great joy, blessed hope,
A gift from heaven.
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:15
I’m thankful anyway . . .
Well, it’s Thanksgiving Day, and I’m sitting here with four stitches in my mouth after having some unexpected dental surgery. No, the timing isn’t great—I’ll only be eating soft foods today—but I’m thankful anyway.
While Thanksgiving Day has morphed into being much about food, football, and family, and less about THE ONE who provided it, that doesn’t have to be the case. Being thankful is an individual choice. YOU make the decision about whether to express your gratitude for the bountiful blessings you’ve been given, and you can do that no matter what your circumstances are today.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I Thessalonians 5:18
I don’t know what your circumstances are, but here’s a short list of things I have encountered personally or counseled with others who have had to face these circumstances. There are always things to be thankful for . . . anyway.
- Chronic pain or illness — even while managing daily discomfort, you can be thankful for skilled doctors, small improvements, or the strength God gives to endure.
- Financial strain — when the budget is tight, you can still be grateful for daily provision, a friend’s generosity, or unexpected reminders of God’s care.
- Loneliness — in seasons when relationships feel distant, you can be thankful for God’s presence, moments of connection, or the hope of new friendships.
- Grief after losing someone — even in sorrow, you can be thankful for the memories, the love shared, and the comfort God provides.
- Waiting for answers or direction — in uncertainty, you can thank God for His wisdom, His timing, and the doors He will eventually open or close.
- Family conflict — though painful, you can be grateful for opportunities to grow in patience, forgiveness, and grace.
- Workplace stress — even when tasks pile up or tensions rise, you can be thankful for meaningful work, supportive coworkers, and God’s sustaining help.
- A difficult diagnosis — you can have gratitude for compassionate medical staff, treatment options, or the peace God gives when the future feels overwhelming.
- Unexpected disappointments — when plans fall apart, you can still be thankful for God’s protection, His redirection, and the lessons tucked inside the setback.
- A strained or uncertain future — even when nothing feels secure, you can be thankful for God’s promises, His faithfulness in the past, and the hope He guarantees for tomorrow.
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 107:1
Are You Prepared?
One day—although it’s probably happened to you already—you’ll experience disappointment, loss, suffering, hurt, betrayal, or a number of other painful situations you didn’t anticipate would come your way.
Even though you may have thought you were prepared for every possible hardship a human being can have, there’s a good possibility a situation will arise that will surprise you—something you weren’t prepared for, something you never imagined would happen.
Thankfully, God has graciously instructed His followers how to respond when difficulties come our way.
First, He tells us to expect difficulties:
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” 1 Peter 4:12.
Difficulties and hardships aren’t strange. They happen to every human being on the planet, including followers of Jesus Christ.
Second, learn from difficulties:
“. . . you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:6-7.
In His infinite wisdom, God allows us to suffer various hardships in order to test the “genuineness” of our faith. Although we may not understand His purpose for it until we walk through the portals of Heaven, we can be assured He designed it for our ultimate good.
Third, recognize our difficulties won’t last forever:
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10.
We won’t be in this difficult situation forever. There is an end to it—whether in this life or in death.
Lastly, rejoice in difficulties:
“ In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials.” 1 Peter 1:6.
Rejoicing when we experience trials doesn’t mean we aren’t grieving or hurting. It means in our prayers and by our testimony, we are trusting God, giving Him glory, and relying on His goodness during our suffering.
“Therefore, let those who suffer according to God’s will, entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” 1 Peter 4:19.
Be prepared to suffer. In doing so, you will honor and glorify our Lord, “. . . who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross . . .” Hebrews 12:2.
I Got Irritated
On a visit to Sam’s Club the other day, I got mildly irritated—not angry or mad—just irritated.
It happened as I came into the produce section and went by an area of the store where a Sam’s Club worker was putting oranges through a machine to make freshly squeezed orange juice.
I usually enjoy the tangy fragrance as I go through the aisles selecting the produce I need, but today, I was assaulted by a high-pitched noise coming from the machinery that automatically squeezes the oranges to produce the juice.
As I passed other customers, they gave me a smile, so I felt sure they were as irritated as I was that someone in management hadn’t shut the machine down.
The noise seemed to be getting worse as I hurried to make my selections and move out of the area, and for a brief moment, I considered saying something to the person restocking the apples.
Instead, I quickly made my way over to the dairy section.
But, despite the fact I’d moved several feet away, I could still hear the high-pitched squeaking.
Suddenly, it dawned on me.
I was the one causing the irritating noise.
Or rather, as I made my way around the store, the squeaky wheels on my cart were responsible for the awful racket.
While I’d been blaming everyone else for my discomfort, I was responsible for it all along.
I immediately found myself smiling, and yes, I saw a lesson in it as well.
The fact that I was looking somewhere else for the source of my irritation reminded me of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:3-5: “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? … First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
It was a reminder that before blaming someone else for whatever is bothering me, I should examine myself first.
Once I’ve looked inward, I may not need to look outward.
James 1: 14-15: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
It’s a Joy Thing
Whether you spend time reading the Bible on a daily basis, or you’re only familiar with it from hearing a minister preach from the Bible, you can’t miss the fact that joy is one of the predominate themes in the Bible.
Depending on which Bible translation you’re using, there are over 200 verses that talk about experiencing joy, which I would define as a deep sense of well-being that comes from knowing Christ through the presence of his Holy Spirit.
Joy isn’t happiness, which is a temporary emotion based on outward circumstances which brings pleasure or satisfaction for a short length of time and can easily disappear when a situation changes.
Instead, joy is rock solid, permanent, anchored in the unchanging nature and promises of God and expresses itself outwardly through our prayers and praises to Him.
Here are a few instances of what the Bible says about how we experience joy:
Joy is found in God’s presence
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11.
Joy is found in believing God
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13.
Joy is found in worshiping God
“Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.” Psalm 33:1.
Joy is found in hearing the words of God.
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11.
This deep, abiding joy is exclusively given to those who are believers in Christ, who have trusted His death on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice to pay for their sins, and who are anticipating spending an eternity basking in the light of His glorious beauty.
“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isaiah 51:11
Need A Blessing?
When a stranger suddenly sneezed when I was standing in front of her in the check out line at a grocery store, I responded by saying, “Bless you.”
She nodded and said, “Thank you. I needed a blessing.”
Her response amused me, and as I thought about this encounter later in the day, I was curious why we say, “God bless you,” or “Bless you,” when a person sneezes.
Naturally, that led me to do a little research on it, and I discovered this practice started during the Bubonic Plaque in Europe when sneezing was seen as a symptom of the disease. Saying, “God bless you,” was a way of asking God’s protection from the disease.
As believers in Christ, we don’t have to wait for a stranger to ask God’s blessings on us after a sneeze.
We can ask God to bless us at any time, at any place, and under any circumstance.
Matthew 7:7 tells us to “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.”
An Old Testament character named Jabez asked for God’s blessing in this way: “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” 1 Chronicles 4:9-10.
Before asking for God’s blessing, think of all the ways He’s already blessed you—salvation, family, career, shelter, health—and then be specific in the way you want Him to bless you now.
In asking for anything from the Lord, the Bible admonishes us to examine our motivation for asking—is it in keeping with God’s will for our life and the holy life he expects us to live as His children? How do we intend to use God’s blessing—for ourselves or for others?
One of the prayers of the Apostle Paul is a good guide to follow: “God, bless me abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that I need, I will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8.
My blessing for you today is this: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26.
I’m Not Able
When someone makes the statement, “I’m not able,” it can be an admission of weakness, but it can also be an admission of faith.
When a person realizes they’re not able to stand before God as blameless, they’re not expressing weakness; they’re validating the truth of Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
But that’s not the full story. Even though everyone has sinned, Hebrews 7:25 tells us that Jesus, the Son of God, “is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God.”
And there’s this from Jude 24, where the writer says that Jesus “is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.”
Admitting I am not able to deliver myself from my sins, nor appear before God as blameless, is an expression of faith, and accepting the truth that He is able—by means of His sacrificial death—to accomplish it, is a confession of that faith.
But that’s still not the full story. In 1 Timothy 4:12, the apostle Paul says, “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.”
And lastly, from Hebrews 2:18: “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
I am not able, but God is able.
He is able to save those who come to Him.
He is able to keep you from stumbling.
He is able to present you as blameless.
He is able to guard you.
He is able to help you in temptation.
As the apostle Paul urges us in Ephesians 3:20-21, we give Him glory for He is able.
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
What Really Counts?
I recently saw this quote attributed to Winston Churchill: “Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”
As I thought about the sentiment behind this quote—that neither success nor failure defines a person, but what truly matters is the determination to keep going—I realized that while the language was inspiring, it wasn’t Biblical and therefore wasn’t true.
Churchill was emphasizing human determination rather than faith in God. He suggested that personal courage is the key to overcoming challenges, but Scripture teaches us that believers should rely on God’s strength rather than their own determination.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6.
While Churchill’s statement implies that success and failure are transient, believers understand that both are under God’s sovereign control and part of God’s plan for His people.
“He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” Daniel 2:21.
And lastly, what truly “counts” at the end of life is not courage, but faith in Christ.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9.
This is not to say that perseverance isn’t encouraged in the Christian life. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
However, it is only through God’s strength and guidance that believers endure.
What are you counting on when you can no longer count?
It Doesn’t Make Sense
A newly remodeled house burns to the ground. A long-awaited child is stillborn. A businessman dies on the day he retires.
It doesn’t make sense.
Abraham waiting twenty-five years before his promised child is born. A chosen people suffering in slavery 400 years before freedom comes.
It doesn’t make sense.
The son of God becomes a man and lives among His creation. His creation despises and rejects Him.
It doesn’t make sense.
The One who never sinned takes on the sin of all mankind. Their punishment becomes his punishment.
It doesn’t make sense.
No, God’s ways don’t always make sense, and neither should our response.
Habakkuk, an Old Testament prophet, didn’t understand what God was doing, but after voicing his confusion, this was his response. “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail, and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:17-18.
When God doesn’t make sense, we are to rejoice in the Lord.
No, it doesn’t make sense, but as Paul said, “What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:18.
Eternity, when all will make sense.
A Most Unusual Christmas
No matter what age you are, you probably have a Christmas tale about a sad Christmas, one that didn’t go exactly as planned, one that was disappointing, one that was so sorrowful you can’t think about it without the tears flowing.
Or you may have a Christmas tale about a happy Christmas, one where someone surprised you with an unexpected gift, one where you reconciled with a loved one, one where everyone loved the gifts you bought them, or one where you had enough money to buy someone the gift they wanted but didn’t think they’d get.
Some of you may even have a Christmas tale about an unusual Christmas, one where events unfolded in a non-traditional way, so much so that you can remember the circumstances as if they happened yesterday.
I’ve had all of the above, and although space—and my introverted personality—doesn’t lend itself to reciting the details of each situation, here’s a partial list of my most unusual Christmases.
- A Christmas morning when a family member had a kidney stone, and we had to spend the entire day in the ER.
- A Christmas when an ice storm struck so no family members were able to make it to our house to participate in our gift-giving and holiday meal together.
- A Christmas Day when my husband, young daughter, and I had to travel to a foreign country where we would be living for the next three years—a frightening and very lonely day.
- A Christmas Eve when I had to call an ambulance for my husband, who thought he was having a heart attack. In the ER, we learned it was acute pancreatitis, and he ended up spending the next three months hooked up to an IV.
Although it may be hard to believe, I could list several more unusual Christmases during my lifetime. But strangely enough, in all of these circumstances, I found peace by focusing on the most unusual day in all of human history—the First Christmas Day—the day God arrived on planet Earth in a human body.
It was a day like no other day, an unusual day, a unique day, a day we should celebrate even if our Christmas Day ends up being sad, happy, or unusual.
Jesus tells us why in His own words. “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” John 12:46.
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His Glory My Joy, a blog of Author Luana Ehrlich 
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