Thank You for the Donkey

In anticipation of Christmas, I'm revisiting a series of guest posts that I wrote last year for Tommy Nelson. Our family wishes yours a very blessed Christmas season. . . .

Thank You for the donkey

That helped them all to leave

And got Mary to Bethlehem

In time for Christmas Eve!

Thank You for the donkey,

Your precious Christmas gift.

~A Christmas Prayer

“Thank You for the donkey.” That always gets a giggle out of the kids.

I’ll ask them, “How many of you have a donkey on your Christmas list?” There’s always one who raises his hand. (And I’m saying “his” because it’s usually a boy with a wry grin.) I then ask them, “How many of you have ever said thank you for the donkey?”

That gets a lot of funny looks. I mean, why would you? He’s just an extra in the Christmas story. Donkeys, in general, are an awkward version of the majestic horse. They have huge, bucked teeth, and they even make a ridiculous sound. Hee-haw!

But for some reason, God chose the donkey as the star of several biblical stories. A donkey spoke to His prophet, Balaam. A donkey carried Jesus into Jerusalem on that fateful Palm Sunday. And a donkey carried God’s unborn Son and Mary all the way to Bethlehem.

Can you imagine if a very pregnant Mary had to walk all the way to Bethlehem? (I’m guessing Christmas would have come a couple of days earlier. . . .)

The donkey is our sweet, unsung, unsuspecting hero. It humbly carries its load without complaint and without thanks.

And that’s all the more reason to say, “Thank You for the donkey.”

I know Mary did.

What unsung heroes should you thank God for today?

Thank You, God, for Joseph

In anticipation of Christmas, I'm revisiting a series of guest posts that I wrote last year for Tommy Nelson. Our family wishes yours a very blessed Christmas season . . .

Thank You, God, for Joseph,

Who trusted Your good plan.

He took Mary to be his wife.

He was a faithful man.

Thank You, God, for Joseph,

Your precious Christmas gift.

—A Christmas Prayer

“He was a faithful man.” That’s quite the understatement, isn’t it? 


We know that Joseph is a good guy even before Gabriel visits him. Mary, the woman Joseph is engaged to is [My six-year-old is reading over my shoulder. How do I explain?] going to have a baby, but they’re not even married yet. Of course, we know Mary didn't do anything wrong. She did everything right. It’s God’s baby. [Six-year-old interjection: “Mo-om, all of us are God’s babies!”] But Joseph, not yet privy to this information, decides to divorce Mary quietly.

Matthew even hints that Joseph is only divorcing her in order to follow the law. Still, he must have been hurt, must have felt betrayed, must have thought all of his life’s plans were ruined. Yet he doesn't want to embarrass Mary with a public divorce. He still chooses to put Mary’s feelings first.

Sounds like the perfect man for the job.

God has known the quality of Joseph’s character all along. In fact, God has been planning this whole thing for a long, long time. The prophet Isaiah foretold hundreds of years earlier that Jesus would come from David’s line, and guess what? Yup, Matthew 1 tells us that Joseph is twenty-eight generations after King David, who is fourteen generations after Abraham.

So it’s no huge surprise, when an angel speaks to Joseph in a dream and tells him to take Mary to be his wife, that Joseph obeys. God had planned it all along.

He knew that Joseph, like Mary, would sacrifice his own personal plans for God’s omnipotent, perfect plan.

Would God know the same about you? What plans are you holding onto, despite God’s calling in another direction? Be a “faithful man” today.

Thank You, God, for Mary

In anticipation of Christmas, I'm revisiting a series of guest posts that I wrote last year for Tommy Nelson. Our family wishes yours a very blessed Christmas season . . .

Thank You, God, for Mary.

She let faith lead the way:

“I am His servant girl,” she said.

“Let it be as you say.”

Thank You, God, for Mary,

Your precious Christmas gift.

—A Christmas Prayer

Mary is probably the second most-celebrated star of the Christmas story. And it’s no wonder.


One night an angel shows up and tells her that she’s going to have God’s Son. And Mary agrees. There are so many elements to this that blow my mind . . . and make me want to be more like Mary.


We don’t know exactly how long it took for Mary to make up her mind, but by all accounts it seems to be a done deal in that one visit from Gabriel. It's a carelessly quick decision, considering the gravity of God’s proposition to Mary, wouldn't you think? She’s young. She’s not married. And she’s engaged to Joseph.

Consider the fear of being a first-time mother. Consider the unknown with such a mysterious conception. Consider her options as an unmarried mother in her society. Consider the glares of a less-than-understanding community when she turns up pregnant by someone other than Joseph. Surely Mary’s mind flashed with these scenarios.


And maybe when Gabriel said, “Don’t fear,” he sensed this. He wasn't just talking about the present moment. He knew that her fears grew far beyond a shiny stranger invading her home.


Still, Mary does not falter. We all know the young girl's humble yet amazingly faithful response: “I’m God’s servant. I’ll do whatever He says." (See Luke 1:38.)


She didn't say, “Let me think about it,” “Let me sleep on it,” or even, “Let me pray about it.” She doesn't give excuses, and she had plenty: “I’m too young,” “I’m already engaged,” “I could never explain this to my parents.”


But Mary’s young heart is sure. She immediately recognizes the pure calling of God and. Just. Says. Yes.


How could you be more like Mary today? How would it change your life? How would it change the world?

Thank You, God, for Gabriel

In anticipation of Christmas, I'm revisiting a series of guest posts that I wrote last year for Tommy Nelson. Our family wishes yours a very blessed Christmas season . . . 

Thank You, God, for Gabriel,

Who brought news of great joy.

He said to Mary, “God chose you

To have His baby boy.”

Thank You, God, for Gabriel,

Your precious Christmas gift.

                            —A Christmas Prayer

While we could point to many beginnings of the Christmas story, Gabriel’s announcement to Mary sets it all in motion. 

This one scene amazes me.

Imagine yourself as a teenager, when an angel visits. An angel visits. Don’t gloss over that phrase. Imagine a glowing man standing right there in your bedroom, illuminating the room and everything in it, telling you that God has chosen you to bring a Savior—His Son, no less—into the world.

Of course, we know him as Gabriel, but we don’t know if Mary even knows his name. From the looks of things, it’s pretty safe to say that she doesn’t.

She apparently reacts to God’s messenger as we would have. Gabriel’s next words are, “Don’t be afraid.” I’m not sure that a shiny, unexpected visitor telling me not to be afraid would make me any less afraid. But he tries. And we get a clear glimpse of Mary’s emotions at that moment.

The story would come across much differently if Mary had said, “Oh, hey, Gabe. Got any God messages for me?” But Mary is clearly no more familiar with daily angelic encounters than we are. She’s just an ordinary girl with an extraordinary visitor.

Gabriel continues: “God likes you. He’s found favor with you.” How would you react to, “God thinks you’re a good person”? Especially when it’s an angel speaking to a teenager! I’m not sure that I’d understand why God liked me, but I’d want to hear more. Wouldn’t you?

Still, a million questions must be blazing through Mary’s mind at this point. “Is he for real? How’d he get in here? What will my mother say? What will Joseph think?”

How will Mary respond? How would you?

Join Me for a Season of Wonders!

Pat Whitaker, from the Rutherford County Extension office, has invited me to be a part of their Season of Wonders event--and I'm inviting you! 

In one stop, you'll find holiday ideas for decorating, gifts, cooking, and a homemade lunch to boot! Join us and learn a lot from these ladies who put the home in homemaking. 

I'll be offering a Christmas card craft and signing copies of seasonal titles too.

We hope to see you there!

(Click here to see flier in a larger view.)

AND Pumpkin Prayer Is #7 on CBA!

Wow.


Yesterday I announced that A Pumpkin Prayer was #6 on the ECPA Bestsellers list, and today I found out that it's #7 on the CBA list! See the CBA Best Sellers [sic] list here.

And if you happen to be one of the reasons that I'm on this list, I thank you ever so much.

A Pumpkin Prayer Is #6!

The sweet, little A Pumpkin Prayer is #6 on the ECPA Juvenile Bestsellers list for November 2011. See it--and the other bestsellers!--here.