Friday, December 25, 2020

MERRY CHRISTMAS!


"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
Luke 2:11


 From Kevin, Zachary, and me ~ 
We wish you a Merry Christmas filled to the brim with God's most precious and special blessings!
Thank you for being a part of our online family!  So many of you have become so dear to our hearts over the past eight plus years of blogging that you truly do feel more like family than friends.

Thank you for the many emails, comments, and gestures of encouragement in response to my last blog post.  You have warmed and blessed my heart more than I could ever put into words.  I continue to press on and seek God earnestly day by day concerning His perfect will.  I am sure He will make it known to me as I continue to search for Him with my whole heart.  To those of you who are faithfully praying for me, sending notes of encouragement, and continuing to loyally support my efforts, I send a huge hug and much gratitude, and I humbly ask you to please, please keep me in your continued prayers.

A few of you know this, but for those who don't, I regularly host online youversion Bible studies.  I would love to have you join in with us!  It is completely flexible, you are not on any time constraints, and you can do it at your own pace.  Depending on what I have going on, I sometimes fall several days behind, but I just catch up as I am able - that is just how flexible it really is.  The group God has woven together there is a great blessing to me, and we have been continuing to study together for several months now.  As one study ends, the Lord leads us on to the next, then the next, etc.  If anyone would like to join us, please email me at homespundevotions@gmail.com.  I would love to welcome you to our study team and have you share your own thoughts and perspectives with us!

At the end of each lesson, we are given space to comment on what the day's lesson has meant to us on a personal level, and after reading an especially impactful lesson in a study called, "Who I Am in Christ" today, I shared with Zach some thoughts God had impressed me to write.  After hearing it, he walked in to the kitchen where I was seated in front of my laptop.  The pleading look in his eyes melted his mama's heart as, among some other comments he said, "Mama, PLEASE don't shut down Homepun Devotions!  Please keep sharing what the Lord gives you."

So, at our dear boy's request, here it is - I hope it is a blessing to you.

"For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."  Hebrews 12:3

"I don't know how many times I have read this or heard it preached on through the years, but I NEVER got this until right now.  The "contradiction of sinners against Himself" is what jumped off the screen at me today. Everywhere Jesus turned He was told He was not who He really was. Hardly anyone believed Him. Those in His own hometown tried to push Him off a cliff. All they could see is that He was Joseph's son, Mary's son, or the brother of His siblings. They could not see past His humanity to who He really was. 

When He was in the wilderness being tempted by satan for 40 days, this is one of the main tactics satan came at Him with, "IF You are the Son of God" trying to place that doubt in Jesus' mind. His true identity was continually under attack all throughout His earthly life and ministry. There was a constant "contradiction of sinners against Himself" that He had to deal with and keep squelching the lies and believing the truth about who He was. 

Sound familiar? If Jesus' true identity was constantly being contradicted by sinners & satan, do we think we will get by with less? Jesus said, "a man's foes shall be they of his own household" in Matt. 10:36, and in Mark 6:4, He said, "A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." Familiarity breeds contempt, and often those we grew up with and those who saw us in our past, sinful life have a difficult time believing who we are now in Christ. They see only the failures and issues and are blinded to the fact God has made us new and can use us mightily. Also, satan will continually throw our past up to us, but that is NOT who we are now. God sees us through the lens of His own Son's blood that was shed on the cross, and that is how we must learn to view ourselves and drown out those who contradict that with the truth of who GOD says we are today."

So, don't ever forget how special you are!  No matter what is said about you, who turns against you, how the enemy tries to bring you down, when you try and fail, or where your insecurities lie.  Remember that it is GOD who defines you, and you are His extraordinarily special child.  It was for YOU that He sent His only begotten Son to be born in the lowliest of circumstances on that first Christmas night so long ago.  

Have a wonderful Christmas, and keep your eyes on Him!

Much love from our house to yours!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

(Thank you to my special friend, Priscilla, for sending the beautiful Christmas graphic!)

Update on Kelly:

Kelly is home from the hospital and continuing to improve!!  Isn't God so good?  Please continue to keep her and family members who are caring for her in your prayers.  God has brought her a long way, and we know He is able to complete her healing process.  Thank you so much for your prayers!

22 comments:

  1. I'm so gratified to see this positive update on Kelly, Cheryl, and I will continue to pray for her full recovery. I'm also feeling hopeful about the eventual outcome of this election. I'm praying every day that it be God's will to reveal the ways of the wicked that His glory may witnessed by all. Thankfully, I keep receiving a sense of peace whenever I pray this way. Our God is good beyond measure, and He is just in all things.
    Enjoy a very Merry Christmas with Kevin and Zach!

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    1. I stand with you on the election outcome, sweet friend. I hope you and Danny had a very merry Christmas, and may God bless us all with our best year ever in 2021, in Jesus' name!

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  2. Thank you for this post Cheryl, the words were some that I especially needed to hear today. It is so good to hear the wonderful news about Kelly. I have been praying for her and of course, will continue.
    I hope that the three of you had a wonderful day celebrating His birth. Dennis and I had a very quiet one but we did get to have a group video chat with our kids and Miss Piper. Alex, Tara and her family in London and Brad, Mandy & Piper in Nebraska. It's so fun when we're all together. Our other son Jamie, was unable to join us. Hopefully next time he'll be there too.
    Wishing you a wonderful and safe weekend.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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    1. We surely did have a wonderful Christmas, and I am so thankful you and Dennis did, too. I'm so glad you were able to do a group video chat with your children. May the Lord bless you and your family with a wonderful 2021. Many blessings to you, too!

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  3. Cheryl I hope you had a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. May you continue to post and share your faith in our beloved Savior. Hugs!

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    1. Thank you so much, Debbie. You are such an encouragement and I so appreciate your kind words! God bless you in the new year!

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  4. Reading Zach’s plea to you was such a heartwarming message to me, as I know it was to you!!! I hope that you, Kevin and Zach had a most blessed Christmas. Thank you for your message and the update on Kelly. Blessings to you and yours, my friend.

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    1. Yes, our dear boy surely did warm my heart, as he always does. We had a wonderfully blessed Christmas, and I hope you did too, sweet friend. Many blessings to you, too!

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  5. Hi precious sis.
    Hope pray your Christmas was wonderful!
    Mm i too strughlere continuing to blog when so few comment. Im glad Zac was there with exhortations at the right time.
    This verse in Heb 12:1-6 is my life verses so yes, I've pondered this but always good to remember what Jesus has done for us. We will trily not fully grasp till heaven.
    Praying on with you sis.
    Thanks for sharing, and may God bless and keep you and all whom you love safe and well.
    Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz. X

    {Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
    {Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

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    1. Our Christmas was truly wonderful, and I hope yours was, too, dear sis. I completely understand your feelings about blogging. It can be so discouraging, but I hope you always blog because you are such a blessing to me and so many others. Your voice is so needed. I am so thankful Zach was there at the right time, too, and it is amazing how often the Lord works through him like this. Oh, I LOVE the verses you shared, and they are often my source of encouragement to press on. God bless you always, dear friend.

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  6. I do hope that you and your precious family had a most wonderful Christmas. Thank you for the update on Kelly. Praising the Lord. Thank you dear Cheryl for your faithfulness to our Lord. You are truly a woman of God with a servant's heart. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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    1. Dear Cindy! Your precious words bring so much hope and encouragement to me, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope your Christmas was wonderful, too. Ours could not have been more perfect. I just praise the dear Lord over and over for all of His blessings and for keeping us safe and healthy through another year. Oh, He is SO faithful! Sending much love and many hugs and blessings back your way today, sweet friend.

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  7. Blessings on you and your sweet family as we bravely head into 2021, trusting Jesus to be the same yesterday, today, and forever, Cheryl. Praise God He is our victory, our comfort, joy, and hope.

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    1. Thank you ever so much for your kind words and blessings, Linda. They brightened my day and brought such encouragement. Yes, praise God, He surely IS our victory, comfort, joy, and hope. Without Him, where would we be? May He bless you always, my friend.

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  8. So thankful for this wonderful post dear Cheryl! It was such a blessing to hear Zach's words, as I want to echo them also, your thoughts and things you share here are such a blessing and inspiration, ALWAYS! Your humble heart that seeks the Lord is such a bright light in this world filled with voices saying so many things. It is always a joy to hear how the Lord speaks to your heart, and you always share it beautifully here. I am so thankful you had a blessed Christmas, it was really a difficult year for so many, but we were blessed incredibly so far with the Lord's hand of mercy upon us. We had a special Christmas with our children, and feel very blessed. Praying that the Lord continues to bless your ministry for Him in greater ways than ever before in 2021! With much love sent your way :)

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    1. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, sweet friend. Your words meant so much to me. May the dear Lord richly bless you for the encouraging friend you have been to me.

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  9. Hi Sweet Friend, Thank you so much for all that you do hear on your blog sharing your heart, sharing encouragements, and most of all sharing Christ through every word you type. You are such a dear blessing to us all!

    Thank you so much for sharing the update on Priscilla. Praise God!

    Merry Christmas!

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    1. Thank you, dear friend. What a blessing you are to me, and I truly appreciate every kind word and comment you have left here over the years. May the Lord richly bless you!

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  10. Praise God for the good report on Kelly! God answers prayer so powerfully! I agree with others and with Zach that it would be a great loss to lose your blog. I love your heart for the Lord and for sharing it with us. Continued blessings and love, sweet and dear friend! xoxo

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    1. Thank you, dear friend. Your words are precious to me, and I appreciate them so much! Much love to you, and please know I am continuing to pray for you during your hard trials. May Jesus lay His healing hand upon you speedily.

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  11. I am so sorry I am extremely late in commenting dearest Cheryl. I was so happy to read Zach’s earnest plea, God sends what we need always on time. Yes, I am still praying and will continue. Thank you for the update on Kelly, praise the Lord. You are a shining light, my friend!

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    1. Thank you so much, sweet friend. You have been such a blessing to me. May the Lord richly bless you!

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