“And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:8

Good morning, Grace-filledOne. 

What is your gift-‘thing’? 

What will you do with it this season to honor the simplicity of the Christ child?

Your gift-thing comes with a load of grace … overflowing … pouring in, so it can be poured right back out.

Maybe your gift is numbers,

or management,

or music,

or encouragement,

or speaking,

or cyber-security,

or peacemaking,

or machining,

or your smile. 

Writing brings me satisfaction – pen and paper deliver great joy. Parts of it are fantastic, parts of it are not. Finishing a project or report is good, and I appreciate that it is done and all, but getting a ‘thanks’ or ‘congrats’ is not what brings the greatest joy. I am happiest when I have expressed in writing what I mean – splattered it all out in ink splotches where I can see my heart-thoughts on paper. Not everyone understands that need deep within me to write and share. They don’t have to. So simple … even if it is hard, you will know your gift because of the peace it delivers to your heart. If you choose to share your gift … then, more often than not, it becomes a bridge. 

God had a gift. 

He shared it. 

A son. 

Savior of the world. 

A bridge. 

The God of the Angel Armies must want us to use what He gifted each of us with to build bridges, too … the kind that walk us into each other’s lives and memories. So when we lay our gift down, we walk right over it into the heart of another. 

This Christmas, I will believe in: your God-delivered gift. 

I will be thankful for: the ability to recognize gifts at work for His glory. 

I will always remember: the gift of the Savior, whose bridge leads me to eternity. 

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‘“…his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalms‬ ‭1:2-3‬ ‭HCSB‬‬
Good morning, BlessedOne. 

Traditions and trees and celebrations of old … this past weekend I was telling my girls about childhood adventures with my dad, annually cutting our Christmas tree, and gathering mistletoe. He is an adrenaline-junkie. The best mistletoe was always in the highest part of the tree. I would spot it, and he would climb and shimmy out to the farthest limb to fetch. 

The reason I went in the first place was because the one time I didn’t, he and my brothers brought home the most lopsided, pathetic, monstrosity wad of pine needles and called it a tree. 

Poor little thing. 

Lights and ornaments didn’t even help. I cried and cried. 

Adventures and stories and traditions matter as much as watering trees that grow and stand through seasons of 

newness, 

fresh coverings, 

winds of force, 

color change

stripping loss, 

barrenness, 

and renewal, again. 

Our hearts need to be reminded … a return to our grounding place is a return to our Savior, who does not wither us, but renews us. 

Join me this Christmas season as a place of renewal. Journal along the margins of your bible, or get a little notebook, or a photo album. Jot a daily reminder for the next 30 days, or so – 

Christmas 2016:

I will believe in ___. 

I am most thankful for____. 

I will always remember ____.

Here is what came to mind for me:

I will believe in more love, more peace, more understanding, more kindness from unexpected places. More love, love, love. 

I am most thankful for little girl tradition-memories with family to bring to life again for my loves in an act of renewal, renewal, renewal. 

I will always remember home – roots that run deep, having been watered … intentionally, for the continuous bearing of fruit. 
Wake up. 

Plant the seeds. 

Go. 

http://www.lewis3sunz.com

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Good morning, DearHeart. 

Christmas is a season to me. Not just a day … yeah, that’s it – it’s a decision-making season. 

“Prepare the way of the Lord,/Make His paths straight” (Matt 3:3)

Preparation … expectation … anticipation … waiting … waiting in the Light of the Lord’s presence. 

We went to the city yesterday to celebrate our anniversary of 30 years of wedded bliss, or something or other. Driving home, I thought of all that asphalt and concrete and those buildings and artificial lights. All set up to lure us in and trick us into believing we must stay very preoccupied with the glitz and hullabaloo and wanting more and more and more to keep life running smoothly. But, we don’t really. 

There’s a door facing east in my kitchen. I’ve watched each of my three sons through the years stop dead in their tracks to gaze at an early morning sunrise and pause and refuel. 

And, I am filled when they’ve said, “hey, mom, come see the sunrise”. They know the Power of being filled.  

Spiritually refuel. 

Soulfully refill. 

A Holy reset. 

Our Creator doesn’t always use words to speak to us. 

Sometimes, I’ll start my morning routine, catch a glimpse of the morning light, and don’t get any further than, “thank You, thank You, thank You …”.

To me, that’s where John the Baptist’s heart was set when he quoted Isaiah, ‘prepare the way of the Lord’. 

It starts in an individual heart, yours. 

A heart that allows itself to be prepared – slowed – opened – bathed in the slow, simmering light of the Holy. 

That’s a good place to begin this holiday/Holydays season. 

And, today is a good time to begin, as well. 

Wake up. 

Holy reset. 

It’s all in the preparation. 

Go. 

http://www.lewis3sunz.com

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Good morning, DearOne. 

Preparing for holidays, 

doing holidays, 

recovering from holidays … it can be exhausting. We make it so hard … til we take the time to make is so simple:

“Jesus replied, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in the One He sent.” 

John 6:29

Really? Can you get any simpler than that? Work=believe. 

To take yourself from misery to comfort or hope is a miracle, and I know you know what I mean. As though launching a rocket or discovering a waterfall in the desert. Perspective is a game-changer, and perception is reality. When you choose to make one tiny, sacred choice … one … a veil of comfort flows through your heart, through your veins, becomes extra oxygen to your brain cells. One thought. Believe. 

Let your worn out old chair be the humming place, as sacred as the Mount of Olives … how lovely is Your dwelling place …

And, when those self-appointed judges of the mighty “Daily-To-Do-List” call and ask, “what did you do today?” 

Answer with a pure, honest voice: “I changed a thought today”. 

Believe me, I know the “acceptable” answers. 

Whisper out anyway. 

With holy reverence. 

Because, when we choose to change a thought, God Almighty changes the neuroplasticity of brain cells and opens up a thousand new opportunities in your life.

Others are looking to hear that you’ve cleaned the garage pantry and hauled out five full bags of trash. Or maybe made a million dollars on the stock market or found a cure for cancer. 

It may seem far more productive to them that you be organizing your make up drawer. Nuts and bolts. 

To your Creator, well, He is far more concerned with the organization of the drive of your heart. One changed thought. Believe. 

Wake up. 

Prepare your thoughts. 

Go. 

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“I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” Ephesians‬ ‭1:16‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Good morning, ThankfulOne. 

Active thanksgiving creates more than enough, doesn’t it? Have you noticed? 

Abundance. It is called abundance. 

And, notice this, too … the miracle of multiplying happens when I give thanks–take just one loaf … “say it is enough”, and give thanks–then, He miraculously makes it more than enough. God’s economy blows my mind. 

Wherever you are, be all there this week. It is only possible in the posture of deep joy. 

Deeper states of gratitude. 

I want to slow down … 

and taste life … 

give thanks … 

really give thanks –

and see God. 

Everywhere. 

In your face, I see Him there, too. And, I am thankful. 

Wake up. 
See Him. 

Deep thanks – enter in. 

Go. 

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“He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock. My refuge is in God.” Psalms‬ ‭62:6-7‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Good morn, ThankfulOne. 

Space. Perhaps one of the finest gifts offered by celebrating Thanksgiving is that it opens a space for gatherings of family, of friends, of co workers. In thoughtfulness we also open space where we savor gratitude, reflect, and allow the fullness of life’s cycles to set: 

our milestones, 

our days, 

our joys. 

For a moment, in entering into the space of gratitude our soul leaves to watch our story from under the root of an old creek tree. 

Mesmerized by what it sees. 

Transformed by the shifts. 

Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. 

It turns running away into, ‘I made through that dark-deep, and it didn’t kill me’. 

(Living, He loved me, dying He saved me.)

It turns, unbearable weight- ‘I thought I was suffocating without them’ into, ‘this is the air I’ll breathe, in perfect portion, Holy, Holy, Holy, from the very breath of God himself’.  

Gratitude changes the light on problems, so unexpected fractals begin to sparkle and open new doorways of the soul. And, as one door opens, another begs to be explored. 

And, another. 

And, another. 

(My hope is built on nothing less…). 

Mistakes become important events … necessary places – must leap or die cliff-edges. 

(Love lifted me). 

The unexpected rainstorm of brewing problems become a perfect rinsing. 

(Nothing but the blood of Jesus). 

Gratitude works. 

The shift brings peace for the moment, and lays down the dirt road of fresh vision for the Almighty’s plan for our tomorrow. (I know Whom, I have believed). 

Wake up. 

Find space. Notice the dirt road. 

Go. 

http://www.lewis3sunz.com

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Good morning, ShiningHeart. 

It’s always the sunrise that grabs my attention first. It keeps coming back, no matter how big or how small the trouble we’ve brought upon ourselves from the days before. It shows up with as much force and warmth as ever, day after day:

for the saints and the sinners, 

the selfish and the givers, 

the hookers and the druggies, 

and the slackers and the driven. 

It doesn’t come to judge or punish. You can run and find cover in the dark for decades, and when you decide to crack the shade, it’ll be there. It doesn’t take your hiding personally. It’s still just lighting up the world for all who will soak it in. It’s been there all along, just waiting on you to notice and be warmed. That’s like our Creator, neither the sun or God come to judge where you’ve been or what you’ve done. God keeps telling the sun to rise again, day after day, as your personal invitation from Him, the God Most High to simply come back to life. 

“Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say: The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.”

‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3:22-24‬ ‭HCSB‬‬
Wake up. 

Embrace mercy. 

Go. 
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“Jacob had Joseph, Mary’s husband, the Mary who gave birth to Jesus, the Jesus who was called Christ.

There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, another fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and yet another fourteen from the Babylonian exile to Christ.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1:16-17‬ ‭MSG‬
Hello, DearOne. 

My heart always pulls toward the Christmas story in the fall. Like some kind of pivotal build up to a fresh look at the Christ. 

The Savior of the world. 

My Savior. 

Your Savior. 

Matthew is interesting in his genealogy. He mentions the girls associated with the kings of Jesus’ royal bloodline. Women. Mostly tainted. 

Jesus made His Messianic way to us through messy humans. 

A rape victim. 

Incest. 

A prostitute. 

A poor, desperate widow. 

An adulteress.  

Without their existence, 

without their stories,

without their messy –

you and me would be hanging out here today without hope. 

No eternity to look forward to. 

If you cut open the skin of every polished and every ragged woman alike, every female I’ve ever known, you’ll find a messy heart. 

Different stories. 

Same messy. 

Our God is still in the business of using us tainted ones to bring about His divine purpose. 

His purposes are all-inclusive. Never thwarted. That’s a promise. (according to Isa 46:1)
Wake up. 

Manage your messy. 

Go. 
http://www.lewis3sunz.com

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