Storms ahead but hope is here!

Ferry crossing a few weeks ago with severe weather warning interrupting radio on mainland

Merry Christmas!

This last month, as we travelled back and forth every week to the mainland, major storms and dark clouds brewed on the way. At one point, severe weather warnings interrupted the radio station as we drove.
All around us friends and family are experiencing other kinds of great storms, (one reason that this blog posting has taken low priority.)


If you are going through dark storms or know of others who are, we pray that this Christmas you might know the amazing light-help that came to earth. Jesus, second person of the godhead, co-creator of heaven and earth, humbled himself, because "God so loved the world"* conceived by the Holy Spirit, born by the virgin Mary, so we, who are imperfect and sinful and in darkness, might have a way back to a Holy God.

Jesus, sacrificial lamb of God, whose birth we celebrate today, came to live a perfect life, take on our sins and die for us on the cross. His resurrected body returned to the right hand of God, and he sent us, who believe and follow him, the Holy Spirit to guide us and counsel us in all the storms of life. We pray you might also believe and and discover the light in the darkness.

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

 Jesus calming the storms Luke 8:22-25
* John 3:16 "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

A Gift for the New Year

Gift left in greenhouse by island friend

When an island friend came to leave a Christmas gift while we were away, the only place she could find unlocked was the greenhouse,* amongst the dirt and the mice. It reminds me of the dirty manger that God’s greatest gift ever, Jesus, was placed after being sent away from the locked inns of the time.

Where have you locked Jesus out of your life this year? What is taking the place of Him in the center of your heart or life? We unknowingly push to our life's center our previous purchases, (which keeps our homes and cars locked) our time, our money, even ourselves. Because there is no more room, we lock God's gift out as we did our friend’s gift that had to be left in the greenhouse.

What other gifts might he bring us if we open our hearts and unlock our doors today and get out of the way?
Help us in the New Year to remember to ask.

“Come into my heart Lord Jesus, come into my heart to stay.” Emily E Elliott

*Usually islanders leave at least the car unlocked (except in zucchini season)