Christmas is the celebration of the keeping of a promise. A saving promise.

To know that God loves us in the state of grace or disgrace is the most powerful motivation to respond with the aid of grace to His loving call.

Most incredible, however, are the times we know Christ is with us in the midst of our daily, routine lives. In the middle of cleaning the house or driving somewhere in the pick-up, He stops us. . . in our tracks and makes His presence known. Often it's in the middle of the most mundane task that He lets us know He is there with us. We realize, then, that there can be no "ordinary" moments for people who live their lives with Jesus.

Behind every specific call, whether it is to teach or preach or write or encourage or comfort, there is a deeper call that gives shape to the first: the call to give ourselves away - the call to die.

To allow myself to be loved by God in my deepest brokenness is to experience a love that defies human comprehension.

But the Promise showed their wildest dreams had simply not been wild enough.

But our wounds are part of who we are...and there is nothing left to chance....And pain's the pen that writes the songs....That call us forth to dance