So, when Christmas Eve offered up a beautiful White Christmas I couldn't help but be giddy. I couldn't help but remember the promise of the manger, the promise of the Messiah, the promise of the Cross and the promise of the Resurrection.
The promise of the manger: the promise that we would have a high priest that would know what it's like to put on flesh.
The promise of the Messiah: the promise to be delivered from the slavery of sin.
The promise of the Cross: the promise to know suffering at its greatest extent and through that suffering absorbing wrath, imputing righteousness, atoning our sin and making all the Father's promises be a resounding YES.
The promise of the Resurrection: it's done--all our debt is paid in full--the pain and suffering will be but the pain of birthing new life.
"For all the promises of God find their yes in Him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory." 2 Cor. 1:20
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24 comments:
Absolutely beautiful!
tristie
Beautiful! Thank you for this! I love you all and am praying for you and it is snowing today in Abilene!!!
Stephanie Ellison
Love the photo of the family. Nice word about forgiveness. May the Lord bless you in 2010. -Mark
www.wordsforwarriors.com
Wow. Thanks for sharing this Lauren. Your family is in our prayers.
Praying. Lifting all of you up to the Father.
Awesome pic
Hugs,
Teena
A White Christmas Eve in Texas no less. That was a true gift Lauren.
I just wanted to take a moment and thank you and Matt for sharing this unexpected season of your lives with your extended family.
This morning I watched Michael W. Smith's video performance of "Deep In Love With You." The last stanza says,
Lord, my redeemer, Your blood runs through my veins
My love for You is deeper than it was yesterday
I enter through the curtain, parted by Your grace
Lord, You're the lover of my soul
We are getting a picture of that deep love, and how all of God's promises are fulfilled, through you and Matt.
You will never know of the countless ways God is using your testimony. You've touched our home.
We will continue to pray for you all.
In Christ,
Well said! What a great connection to the Creator we serve and how He lays the foundations of experiences before we even know we are going to need them to fall back on as a reminder of His character. Thanks for sharing, praying for your family.
Don't know why the Lord put this on my heart, but felt compelled to share it with you.
1 [a] I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.
5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful works. [b]
6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
10 All you have made will praise you, O LORD;
your saints will extol you.
11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
12 so that all men may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made. [c]
14 The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
Psalm 145
Beautifully written and said. We cont. to pray for your family in Littleton, Colorado
Lauren,
Thank you for your steadiness and faithfulness. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to Christ's glory in the midst of pain and uncertainty. And thank you for reminding us readers of the promises of God and His history of keeping those promises.Your faithfulness has been a challenging motivator for me. Much thanks.
Hey! Our family has, along with so many, been praying for your's. Beautiful reminder of His promises.
I love that about snow, too. Thank you for sharing this. Praying for your family fervently.
I am reminded of the promise that He will never leave you! That was such a comfort to us during my sweet Daddy's battle with cancer! We had no idea what the outcome would be, but we KNEW God was for us, with us and He was our comfort and Joy!
Our family is praying for you.Our 6yr old, Elijah, remembers Matt by name as we pray together each time. Some of your biggest prayer warriors will be the littlest warriors!
Your beautiful family has been heavy on my heart. Believing God for the miraculous and the grace to sustain each day...
Isn't God so awesome! He is faithful and your faithfulness to Him is a beautiful testimony. Praying for you, Matt, the children, and The Village Church - which happens to b my church :)
Praise God for His infinite mercies and love. Praying for you and Matt daily in Canada.
i LOVE reading your thoughts, lauren. i'm praying for matt, you, your beautiful kids and the rest of your family.
your faith is beautiful.
I am so glad the snow is wrapping you in God's peace and comfort along with His promises at this time. I will continue to keep your family in my prayers.
i read your husbands twitter about the zofran. Another thing that really helps with nausea is sniffing alcohol swabs or pouring rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and smelling it. I had 5 surgeries in the past 3 years with extreme nausea and it helped even more than the zofran. Praying for your family.
connie
Austin tx
Read this in my Bible (Message version) last night and prayed it over your family:
Wait for your God, and don't give up on him - ever!
~Hosea 12:6b
LOVE this post - especially verse from 2 Cor.
Yesterday I watched David Platt's "He Came to Give God Glory" sermon online and was really encouraged by the promises God has given us. I know life is crazy right now, and the sermon is 50 minutes long, but I recommend just going to 30:00 and listening through 35:00.
http://www.brookhills.org/media/series/he-came/v481
"In 2010, hope in this: God will be true to his character."
We continue to lift your family in our prayers.
We miss you and as always still praying for you. Y'all mean so much to us. We love you guys. You do a great job on your blog. :)
Amy Herford
You are a wonderful writer. Truly praying for your family and for Matt. With a situation like this...what better way for God to bring glory to Himself than for a miracle of healing! Praying praying praying for that. Thank you for sharing this with everyone.
I am thinking of the Chandlers today. Praying for you as I lie down. the Metcalfs
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