It begins by receiving the great gift which brought joy to the heart of the Father in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Each day’s reading is matched with corresponding Scripture passages. What Happened Next? I experienced such a Christmas in the second grade. Angels sang joyfully, and those who heard the song rejoiced with exceeding great joy--the kind that goes to the depth of your soul. Dr. Mel Lawrenz has been an author and pastor for more than 35 years, and the father of a daughter and a son, with his wife, Ingrid. Hebrews 12:2. Browse devotions about Joy, from the Today Daily Devotional library. You Are Never Alone Week 6 — God Is with You When You Need Grace, How to Make It Through the Holidays When You Don’t Feel Very Grateful, What Am I Supposed to Do With All the Hurt, One Thousand Gifts OBS Week 2 — Grace in the Moment. Include your family in making this plan, and make the commitment to hold each other accountable. What you felt was joy. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Now, for a moment let’s go back to the child who opens that very special gift that you gave him or her. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.". Thank you for what you do for our kids! ~ Devotionals Daily. More from the Girlfriends Meet the Team He said, “There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves.”. And I believe they have the ability to bring you much joy this Christmas season. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Default. Choose to focus on the victories and joys you have experienced during the year, and then find ways to share that victory and joy with others. The darkness can be destroyed if we choose to face and deal with whatever it holds. May your Christmas and New Year be filled with joy! To come together as families, parents can follow along with the version for adults and teens, Christmas Joy: A Devotional, which has the same daily themes as the kids’ book. Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through email or on Facebook. Schedules demand every ounce of energy, and false expectations leave us empty and hollow. You will read the words of angels and shepherds and Mary and Joseph. The truth applies all year long, but maybe Sevareid is right. 2020 Vision But it shouldn’t simply be children whose hearts are filled with joy. We don’t want to understand depression or find the treasures of that darkness; we simply want to be rid of it. She wore soft, cuddly pink pajamas that begged for a hug. Christmas Devotion Christmas Joy All Year By Kay Camenisch. The real joy of this glorious season, however, is the joy we feel in our hearts because of the message that was brought to the shepherds as they watched Think about the joy that those shepherds must have felt on the night of Jesus’ birth. The joy which would be His when He again came through the door of heaven. Discover how you can find peace with God. Today's Devotion; Devotional Library; Subscriptions; Devotional Blog; Donate; Help; About Us; Today. If you are not in a class, find a few friends or family members to read through the lessons and play the Christmas Chaos game with you. If you have an immediate prayer need, please call our 24-hour prayer line at 800-700-7000. Send a prayer request now, or call 1‑800‑700‑7000. This devotional series from Answers Bible Curriculum is a great classroom activity. My sister and I usually got similar gifts. We feel it when we participate in Christmas programs and concerts, portraying Jesus’ birth and proclaiming the message of hope Make this Christmas one of “exceedingly great joy”! Let’s all have a wonderful, blessed Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Jesus! Hide Footnotes. Do you want to revolutionize your prayer life? Friend to Friend “But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. But, the wonder and joy doesn’t have to stop when we grow up. My fingers tingled as I reached and gently touched her stomach. Grandparents, you will be able to make a deposit for the spiritual growth of you grandkids. Stories of Impact, 26161 Marguerite Pkwy Suite F How did the shepherds react to the news of Jesus’ birth? Make this Christmas one of “exceedingly great joy”! He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, as Isaiah wrote long before His coming to Bethlehem; nonetheless, while He lived among us joy was the strength of Jesus’ life. - John Greenleaf Whittier "If you give, you will receive. inexpressible love that wells up in our hearts, especially when we reflect on Christmas, the day our Savior was born. This small book is your doorway to go back to that time. Excerpted with permission from Hope for Each Day Morning and Evening Devotional by Billy Graham, copyright Thomas Nelson.