Still Upward in 2010

Still upward be your onward course:
For this I pray today;
Still upward as the years go by
And seasons pass away.

Still upward in this coming year,
Your path is all untried;
Still upward may you journey on,
Close by your Saviour's side

Still upward although sorrows come,
And trials crush your heart;
Still upward may they draw your soul,
With Christ to walk apart.

Still upward till the day shall break
And shadows all have flown;
Sill upward till in Heaven you wake,
And stand before the Throne

(Taken from Streams in the Desert)

Not many of us are living at our best. We linger in the lowlands because we are afraid to climb the mountain. The steepness and ruggedness discourage us, so we stay in the mist of the valleys and never learn the mystery of the hills. We do not know what is lost by our self-indulgence, what glory awaits if we only have the courage to climb, or what blessings, we will find if we will only ascend the mountains of God!

I pray you have the courage in 2010 to climb your mountain, whatever that may be for you! And remember, you do not have to do it alone! Resolve to never give up and never give in in 2010!

Happy New Year!

'Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.

See the PC Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas ... No one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a "Holiday."
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit,
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

CDs from Madonna, an X-BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken and Fonda.

As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas was nowhere to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-is-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Durbin, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Reed, on Kerry, on Clinton!

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Choose your words carefully, choose what you say ...
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!

~ author unknown ~

Is it Possible to Have Peace On Earth?

I am sitting in my living room and enjoying a very peaceful, quiet morning with my cup of coffee and the Christmas lights sparkling so beautifully. I treasure these quiet moments, as I know they are few and far between, but am always reminded of the scripture that says "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

When you think about Christmas, and everyone wanting peace on earth, I somehow think that the only way for that to happen is to start with peace in our own hearts and homes.

We live in such a high paced, stressful, chaotic world today, that it is hard to find time to just sit and be still. We are so used to technology filling every part of our day, from the computer, to the TV, to our cell phones, never a moment to ourselves. We drop into bed exhausted at night, only to start the process all over again the next day. Certainly not a feeling of peace and contentment. Our lives can so quickly get out of balance.

I challenge you this Christmas Season to take time to sit and be still. Take time to think about your year and what you have accomplished, or what you may want to change for the new year. Take time to reflect upon the goodness of what God has done in your life.

This morning I came across a site online containing the meanings of names, so thought I would check out what my name meant. I have seen different versions of the meaning of my name, but it really touched me as I read it again today.

Meaning of Janna ~Yaweh is gracious~Yaweh is merciful

This is certainly so true, and a great reminder to me of all the the Lord has done in my life. He has been so gracious to me, and so merciful as well. I am so grateful that I know Him as Lord and Savior of my life.
I don't know where I would be today if it wasn't for His mercy and graciousness every day in my life. And the peace that He gives me, doesn't compare to anything else this world can offer.

If you are struggling with inner peace this season, I invite you to come to know the only one who can give true peace. The only one that this Season is all about. The only one that can truly make you content. Jesus!