Kroc Church Advent Devotional by Kroc Memphis

The Salvation Army Memphis Kroc Corps Advent Season 2015 November 29th

Living on the Edge…Cindy Lou Style Captain Carl and Major Jennifer Melton

December 6th

Living on the Edge…Grinch Style Captains Bill and Stephanie Mockabee

December 13th

Living on the Edge…Lou Lou Who Style Captain Zach Bell

December 20th

Living on the Edge…Christmas Celebration Whoville Style Captains Jonathan and Anita Howell

krocmemphis.org 800 E Parkway South Memphis, TN 38104 901.729.8066

Cindy Lou Who Style

Living on the Edge…Whoville Style

Cindy Lou Style

Week 1 Even though she is still a child, Cindy-Lou Who shows signs of her maturity and heart as she moves to befriend the Grinch. Her ability to see the potential good in a person, despite it not being obvious. At the beginning of the movie, the Grinch scared Cindy Lou in the mailing room, making her fall into the dangerous sorting machine. He then wrapped her in red Christmas gift wrap, put a bow and shipping label on her, and left her in the mailing room. Even despite that, she still said “It’s amazing- the Grinch saved me!” when her father found her. Another example of this would be when she encounters ‘Santa Claus’, who was really the Grinch in disguise. Speaking about presents, she tells him, “Don’t forget the Grinch. I know he’s mean and hairy and smelly. His hands might be cold and clammy, but I think he’s actually kinda... sweet.” Cindy Lou can be found living on the edge when she spoke out from the crowd and said “I nominate the Grinch!” when the Mayor announced the awarding of the “Holiday Cheermeister.” The crowd was shocked, and the Mayor tried to reason with her by reading a passage from the town code of ethics, which says that the Grinch can only be around when holiday spirit is in “short supply”. Cindy-Lou then replies, “True, Mr. Mayor Who, but the book of Who also says this: No matter how different a Who may appear, they’ll always be welcome with holiday cheer.” She had a genuine will to help out the Grinch at all costs, despite warnings from people. This concern showed in her efforts to learn more about him; she visited the people who were close to him and interviewed them, asking them what they thought/knew about the Grinch. She also climbed the perilous Mt. Crumpet to get to where he lived, despite the imminent danger of slipping and falling. Cindy Lou is an example of how to “Live on the Edge” and share the Hope of our Savior with others even if it goes against what is popular.

Activities for the week: Make a family blessing jar

Place an empty jar on your dining room table. Each day during advent, write one thing for which you are thankful on a slip of paper and put it into the jar. On Christmas Day, pour out the blessing and read them together giving thanks to God for all the blessings.

Hope for Action

Cut out some paper squares and write a message about what you hope to do this next year. Roll them up and tie them with string. Place them on your Christmas tree and keep them until next year.

Make an Advent Wreath

Light the first candle. It represents the HOPE that comes through Jesus Christ. Thing about how long ago, people were waiting for God’s Promised Savior. They lived in hope that this would bring a positive change to their world. Reflect on how Jesus has brought hope and a positive change in your life.

Living on the Edge…Cindy Lou Style Week 1 Daily Devotions

Monday, November 30th Stale Cookies and Sour Milk – Think about how many times you’ve watched your favorite movie? Can you remember the very first time you watched it and how captivated you were by it? After watching it the 5th or 6th time, you knew what was going to happen and so much of the life was drained out of the movie. A movie that used to bring great joy and was fun to watch, had become dull; it had become very normal. I think that’s how the Christmas story has been for many of us. We have heard the story so many times that we no longer hear it. The shock value has been lost, the amazement has been dulled down significantly and the story has become stale. The true Christmas story has turned into stale cookies and sour milk. How sad! Read Luke 1-20. Take some time today and think about how crazy it is that the God of the universe would pursue you, come for you, and rescue you. Spend some time praying that the Christmas story would be fresh once again this year. – Ryan Paulson, South Fellowship Church

Tuesday, December 1st The Waiting Game – Parents have about 8 months to prepare for a new baby once they find out they are pregnant. If you’ve been in this position before, then you know in one sense time flies by, but in another sense it seems to take forever! I have so many questions that bounce around in my head: what will he look like? What will his little cry sound like? Will he be more like me or more like his mom? And, the longer we wait, the more the anticipation builds. A few years ago I realized I am not very good at waiting. The Israelites had become pretty “good” at waiting. They had been given a promise. It was a promise that would completely change the way they lived. It would have turned their oppressed existence on its head. It would have brought prosperity, hope and joy. Listen to the promise they were given by God through the prophet Isaiah. Read Isaiah 9:6-7. Sounds good doesn’t it? It does, the only problem is that they had to wait 700 years for the promise to be fulfilled! Can you imagine? I wonder if the words started to become a little bit hollow. I wonder if the anticipatory nature that a promise like this should evoke started to wane. Christmas is a time when we have the opportunity to step back and remember that God is good on all His promises. It’s a time to remember that even when it seems like He is silent, He is still at work. It’s a time to allow ourselves to once again, in a fresh way, anticipate all that He will do in and through our lives. Take a few minutes today and think about some of the promises of God that you are clinging to. – Ryan Paulson, South Fellowship Church

Wednesday, December 2nd What If – What if Jesus hadn’t been born two thousand years ago? What if his ministry began now? What type of people would be his followers? Who would be his enemies? Sometimes we hear the story of Jesus being born in a stable, and the subsequent stories of his ministry; so many times that it starts to take on the qualities of a fable or folklore in our hearts. There is a book out called “Eli” by Bill Myers that puts the story of Jesus birth and life into a fresh light; pulling it out of the past and into a present in a way that makes you ask yourself: If Jesus had started His ministry today, would I follow Him? In the book of Eli (Jesus): is born in a laundry room of a motel in LA, apostles include a former white supremacist biker and a former adult filmmaker, he can communicate to the masses through television and other modern technologies, he feeds a crowd with a burger and side of fries instead of fish and loaves, he tells the story of the prodigal son to a group of porn stars, transgender and prostitutes, he trashes a gift shop in a overly-elaborate mega-church, instead of throwing out the moneychangers from the temple. This is an eye opener about how shocking Jesus’ ministry was and the book made this story we’ve heard a billion times new to me. What would you do if you were watching CNN and they reported that the son of God came to earth today? Would your heart be so overwhelmed that you would put down those dishes you were washing, or the shirt you were about to buy at the store; would you drop everything and follow him? Even if He wasn’t the Jesus you thought He would be? Jesus was willing to be controversial and love everyone despite what the world said about them. Imagine the beautiful work you could accomplish for the kingdom if you were willing to do the same. –Kristine Colwill, South Fellowship Church

Thursday, December 3rd Why Christmas Matters – The Gospel is not that Jesus Christ comes to earth, tells us how to live, we live a good life and then God owes us blessings. The Gospel is that Jesus Christ came to earth, lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died, so when we believe in Him we live a life of grateful joy for Him. If these things didn’t happen, if they’re just parables, what you are saying is that if you try hard enough, God will accept you. If Jesus didn’t come, the story of Christmas is one more moral paradigm to crush you. If Jesus didn’t come, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere around these Christians stories that say we need to be sacrificing, we need to be humble, we need to be loving. All that will do is crush you into the ground, because if it isn’t true that John saw Him, heard Him, felt Him, that Jesus really came to do these things, then Christmas is depressing. If Jesus Christ is actually God come in the flesh, you’re going to know much more about God. You’re seeing Him weep. You’re seeing Him upset. You’re seeing Him cast down. You’re seeing Him exalted. If Jesus is who He says He is, we have a 500 page autobiography from God, in a sense. And our understanding will be vastly more personal and specific than any philosophy or religion could give us. Look at what God has done to get you to

Living on the Edge…Cindy Lou Style Week 1 Daily Devotions know Him personally. If the Son would come all this way to become a real person to you, don’t you think the Holy Spirit will do anything in His power to make Jesus a real person to you in your heart? Christmas is an invitation to know Christ personally. Christmas is an invitation by God to say: Look what I’ve done to come near to you. Now draw near to me. I don’t want to be a concept; I want to be a friend. – Timothy Keller, South Fellowship Church

Friday, December 4th A Journey of Worship – Three kings of the Orient with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, bowing down before a baby in a manager and worshiping Him. That is the story we hear and the story we tell. Inspired by a song we remember much better than the words of scripture that tell the historical record. There is another story within this story, one of commitments and likely doubt, of perseverance and faith. A story of deep, real worship. A worship purchased with a price far greater than the gold, frankincense and myrrh. Let’s start this story over somewhere other than the little town of Bethlehem. Before that first Christmas Eve and far away from Bethlehem, maybe on the other side of the known world, there were kings who had heard or read or dreamed of a new king, a greater king. These kings had a strong faith in this new king. They had studied the sky in anticipation of a sign, a star perhaps or a cluster of stars or an alignment. One night the sign was above them. They sent a message to each other and convened for counsel to decide if this was indeed what they had been waiting for. Leaving behind their kingdoms and all that they ruled, they crossed the land into places they did not know. They followed that sign in the sky that led them to a baby born in a manger in a small city in Israel but perhaps not a baby, perhaps an 18 month old toddler running around the rental house of a transient carpenter and his young wife. What must have gone through their minds at the end of that long journey? Did they doubt the sign they had been given to follow as they looked upon the humble scene? I would guess in their humanity there is a good chance that they did. For a group of wise men accustom to the pomp and circumstance that went with their station, they saw instead pure humility in Joseph’s eyes, a quiet belief in Mary’s and a plain baby boy in front of them. But their hearts couldn’t bear the crusting weight of glory that rested upon that home and they knew who He is… and only one response was adequate of that recognition – worship. You see, the word worship that we encounter in the bible is derived from an old English would that meant something was worthy and translated from both Greek and Hebrew root words, which means “to bow down” and “kiss the hand of”. Those wise men from the other side of their world knelt into the dirt floor and presented with whatever dignity they could muster in the cramped home, gifts fit for the King. The world still recounts this act of worship. The story of the wise men is often told but the lessons of the wise men are not often

preached. Our lives are a journey of worship. With every step we say He is worthy of everything we are. With every decision we choose that path that leads to Him. With your heart and through your faith and actions, declare Jesus worthy this Christmas season. Seek, journey, worship. – Rob Colwill, South Fellowship Church

Saturday, December 5th A Devastating Invasion – Read Luke 1:26-31. Here is my translation of the angel’s announcement. “Greetings “favored” one… your life as you know it is over. Your husband is most likely either going to leave you or have you stoned because you are pregnant and he knew quite well the baby isn’t his. The dreams and hopes you had for your life are now dashed.” Favored one? We see the announcement through the way things eventually turned out, but try for a moment to put yourself in Mary’s place. The announcement had to seem more like a curse than it did like favor. The opportunity of a lifetime must have felt more like the end of her life than the greatest privilege any human being has ever received. From this side of Jesus’ birth we think, “How blessed Mary was to be the mother of Jesus’” But when she first found out, everyone around her probably thought, “poor girl!” I think there are some times in life that the blessings God brings into our lives feel a little bit like curses. Announcements that are meant to lead to joy sound initially like devastating news. As we see the story afresh, one of the things we are challenged with is that the things God brings into our lives to lead us into joy may initially feel like a curse. I wonder if there is anything in your life going on right now that feels painful and maybe even devastating that God may initially use to lead you in to joy. If we are to be people who worship fully, then we must be people who worship constantly. That means that even in the dark times of life we find reasons to worship. We trust that God is good even when it feels and seems otherwise. How is he inviting you to worship more FULLY this Christmas? – Ryan Paulson, South Fellowship Church

Grinch Style

Living on the Edge…Whoville Style

Grinch Style

Week 2 Daily Devotions The Grinch was a horrible and vile creature with a heart that was “two sizes too small”. He lived in a cave on top of Mt. Crumpit, which was about 190 meters high and lay north of Whoville, a little village, filled with happy little people called ‘Whos’. The Grinch’s only friend was a dog called Max. From his perch, the Grinch saw that the Whos were having a lot of fun and were all merry because Christmas was around the corner. He could not understand this happiness and decided to cancel Christmas. His plan was to go into town and steal all their presents, decorations and ‘Who-hash’. Towards the end though, after hearing the Whos singing despite having their possessions stolen, he realizes that Christmas itself has, indeed, more meaning to it, and how he was wrong for attempting to ruin it for other people. His heart then grows “three sizes larger”, and he gleefully tells Max, “I’m FEELING!” He is forgiven by the people of Whoville. The Grinch displayed how to “Live on the Edge” when he realized what Christmas was really about and made things right no matter what the consequences may have been. He received Peace when he was able to change his attitude and perspective.

Activities for the week: Keep adding to your family blessing jar Each day during advent, write one thing for which you are thankful on a slip of paper and put it into the jar. On Christmas Day, pour out the blessing and read them together giving thanks to God for all the blessings.

Take a break Take a ten minute break and ask God to help bring quiet and peace to you during this busy time and in this busy world!

Make an Advent Wreath Light the first candle and second candles. The second candle represents the PEACE proclaimed to the shepherds by the angels. What attitude or perspective do you need to change? Share how you hope the world can be different as a result of your new perspective.

Living on the Edge…Grinch Style Week 2 Daily Devotions

Monday, December 7th Real Joy – Read Luke 2:1-20 again today. If you read through the Christmas story, there are a significant number of mentions of joy. I think this passage in Luke is the pinnacle. Can you imagine the heavens opening up and angels declaring that the JOY of the Lord is coming to earth in the form of a little baby that has been born in Bethlehem? Wow. However, I think we can agree that joy is an elusive idea. It’s something that we have a hard time explaining and something that we often have an even harder time experiencing. In fact, I think that we often tell people that joy isn’t something you experience; it’s just something you know cognitively. As I read through the story, I was struck by the fact that I think for many years I have misunderstood joy. I’ve often taught and heard taught many times, that the joy that God brings is a joy that comes regardless of circumstances. It is an inner cheerfulness or happiness that is detached from reality but grounded in God. Many people say it is detached from the things in life that we are going through, and therefore, whatever you are facing in life you can still have joy. While that’s a comforting idea, I do not think it is a biblical explanation of joy… at all. Here is the problem with the previously statement of joy; joy in the scriptures in general, but definitely in this passage, is directly tied to circumstances. The angels announcement does not read, “Take heart, don’t fear, nothing in your life is going to change… but you will now have joy.” No, no, no!” The angels’ stated that everything is changing because a savior is going to be born! The coming of a savior is directly tied to our joy… it was back then and it is today. And it was the coming of the savior that changed their circumstances – maybe not materially, but in a definitely real way. Biblical JOY boldly states that Jesus has come… and He has changed everything. – Ryan Paulson, South Fellowship Church

Tuesday, December 8th All I Want… – The real value of the quiet, unobtrusive work which Glubose has been doing for years on this old woman can be gauged by the way in which her belly now dominates her whole life. The woman is in what may be called the ‘All I want’ state of mind. All she wants is a cup of tea properly made, or an egg properly boiled, or a slice of bread properly toasted. But she never finds any servant or any friend who can do these simple things ‘properly’ – because her ‘properly’ conceals an insatiable demand for the exact, and almost impossible, palatal pleasures which she imagines she remembers from the past; a past described by her as the days when you could get good servants’ but known to us as the days when her senses were more easily pleased and she had pleasures of other kinds which made her less dependent on those of the table. Meanwhile,

the daily disappointment produces daily ill temper; cooks give notice and friendships are cooled. If ever the Enemy introduces into her mind a faint suspicion that she is too interested in food, Glubose counters it by suggestion to her that she doesn’t mind what she eats herself but ‘does like to have things nice for her boy.’ In fact, of course, her greed has been one of the chief sources of his domestic discomfort for many years. – C.S. Lewis from The Screwtape Letters

Wednesday, December 9th On the Horizon – Luke 2:19. Have you ever thought about the first two years of Jesus’ life? About the fact that it’s likely when the wise men found Jesus he was already 18 months old? Joseph, Mary and Jesus shuffled around quite a bit those first few years. It’s believed that they first lived in Nazareth until Jesus was around 2 years old, then they lived in Egypt until Herod died, and eventually they returned to Nazareth. I often wonder what was going through Mary’s mind during various times during the early years. She left her family, and gave up her reputation, to move around in hiding with what seemed like an ordinary baby boy. Was there anything to set him apart from other babies? We can only assume that there was nothing profoundly different about Jesus during his baby and toddler years. Did Mary ever wonder “Why?” Maybe sometimes she wondered what in the world was going on; why God sent her to have this child and then hide out from the world for so long. We all have seasons like that. Sometimes God has us lay low and heal, or wait on Him to lead us to what’s next. Or maybe we don’t hear anything from him at all, and we might be considering why nothing is happening. Our vision can be limited, but His plan for us is greater than we can imagine. He can’t wait to reveal it to us. How amazing and great was God’s plan for Mary, Joseph and Jesus even if they couldn’t see it when they were hiding out in Egypt? God’s vision has no limits for us. It’s quite possible that what’s next is going to be amazing. –Kristine Colwill, South Fellowship Church

Thursday, December 10th Advent Beauty – Tilting on her yearly track; Advent beauty circles back; Flying faster with the years; Hardly giving time for tears; First to dry upon the cheek; Has it been more than a week; Since we laid both you and old; In the ground now winter cold?; Has there really been a spring; When the birds began to sing?; Has there been both summer, fall; Since the Baby in the stall; Called us with a Christmas bell, to sing; O Come, Immanuel?; Titling on her yearly track; Advent beauty circles back; Flying faster with the years; Ah, but overtaking fears; Let the Lord of advent lift; Every care (an early gift!); See the Savior and the Son; Shine in advent candle one. – John Piper

Living on the Edge…Grinch Style Week 2 Daily Devotions

Friday, December 11th Everyday Miracles – Luke 2:7. We often fail to see many ordinary things that could become miracles or that are miracles. God is constantly working for those who have eyes to see. As I prepare for the birth of my third child in February, I am often struck by how amazing it is that a life is growing inside of me. It is ordinary that people have babies every day yet it is an extraordinary occurence. God is so evident in the birth of a child, but we don’t always call it a miracle because it happens all the time. Christ’s birth is similar in that it was an everyday occurrence that a baby was born to a young couple. Those who were spoken to by God and chose to have faith were the only ones that saw the miracle in this seemingly unimpressive event. This baby was God making his debut on earth. You would think that this miracle would be an extraordinary event, but God had the most humble beginnings in that those who had faith were the only ones who really saw the miracle. Those whose eyes are open will see that in everyday events, there are miracles. I pray that my eyes would be open to what God is doing and that I would see His miracles all around me. In Luke 2:19 it says, “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Mary knew that her baby was a miracle, and she knew that he was the savior of the world. She saw what God was doing and thought about these things in her heart. She chose to see what God was doing and take those things to heart. It is easy to get caught up in everyday life and overlook the miracles of God. How much joy and life we would experience, if we were aware of these miracles. Let’s pray that our eyes would be open so that we do not miss our Savior. – South Fellowship Church

Saturday, December 12th Christmas Chaos – The new unofficial beginning to the holiday season is the news story highlighting someone getting trampled at Wal-Mart. It seems like it happens every year now. We all may not head out to a department store in the middle of the night but for many, this season is filled with the insanity of buying things for people that they probably don’t need and for people that you may not even like! As I’ve gone back through the Christmas story there is only one place where we see the giving of gifts. It is in Matthew 2:1-14. The only gifts given in the Biblical Christmas story are TO JESUS and they are given IN WORSHIP. I wonder how Christmas would change for us if we were willing to embrace this as a principle that we let guide us. What if we gave gifts that were in response to what Jesus has done for us and in worship of Him. It might pretty radically change things. – South Fellowship Church

Notes

Lou Lou Who Style

Living on the Edge…Whoville Style

Lou Lou Who Week 3

Lou Lou Who is a proud father, husband and citizen of Whoville and can be found amongst the hustle and bustle of Christmas delivering packages and mail. Cindy Lou, Lou Lou’s daughter, decides to nominate the Grinch as the “Cheermeister”. The Mayor and many of the citizens did not agree with this decision. At the end of the story he stands up to the mayor and makes it known that he is glad the Grinch took all of the presents. He stands up for Cindy Lou stating that she had been trying to tell everyone, including himself that Christmas was more than all they were making it out to be. Lou Lou Who is an example of “Living on the Edge” by standing up for what is right and shares with us the Joy that we find in the people we have been blessed to be around. Christians should be the happiest people on Earth. God is the creator of happiness. So delight yourself in Him. Joy is good for us. Laugh, fill your heart with gladness, rejoice in the Lord and be happy!

Rediscover Joy Take time to play a children’s board game or share stories about your favorite games as a child.

Make an Advent Wreath Light the first, second and third candles. The third candle represents JOY which was felt by all those that discovered the child in a manger. Think of someone that has brought you joy. Make time this week to thank that person for the joy they bring to your life.

Living on the Edge…Lou Lou Who Style Week 3 Daily Devotions

Monday, December 14th Leaving a Legacy – Have you ever taken up a pen and paper and written out your family tree? It’s a fun exercise to try with your kids, and with a quick phone call to your parents you can usually get a few names for the blank spots. Most of us have written one at some point for a school project; sketched one of those things that look like some upside down root system making it look like generations of people have led up to you walking around in your jeans and T-shirt on the earth. It can be an egocentric exercise and make you feel small at the same time. What we don’t often think about is starting the tree with ourselves. Did you every pause and think that someday someone’s tree is going to have you up there somewhere on top? There will be a point when no one can think back further than you, and there you will rest. Pointing down to someone else’s bottom of the tree moment. I did something a little unusual a few years ago and began tot think of my family tree this way from the start of motherhood. There is a legacy that you will leave to the people that come after you, whether they are your own children or nieces and nephews. What will be their 2-3 second blurb to describe your life when they go down the roots and explain their tree to the class? What are they all going to say you passed down to them? Not everyone has a family tree that they are proud of, and not everyone has been given a legacy they want to share with the class. But all of us have the opportunity to start over our family tree, or at least add a new branch if we want to. We can do it spiritually, emotionally, and even financially. We can pass on something new, something good, and something that has been planted and rooted in God’s perfect love. Joseph and Mary did this in a way. They left what they knew, and the lives their families had laid out. They turned away from the traditions of their Jewish faith by not staying to live with their extended family, and perceivably having a child out of wedlock. They instead submitted themselves to God’s path for them. They started a new tree with “a child that was holy”. And because they were brave enough to do this, it changed the entire world. From generation to ….generation, He is merciful to those who fear Him. Luke 1:50 – Kristine Colwill, South Fellowship Church

Tuesday, December 15th With Us – Isaiah 7:14, ‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Let us today go down to Bethlehem and in company with wondering shepherds and adoring Magi, let us see Him who was born King of the Jews, for we by faith can claim an interest in Him, and can sing, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” Jesus is Jehovah incarnate, our Lord and our God, and yet our brother and friend; let us adore and admire. Let us notice at

the very first glance His miraculous conception. It was a thing unheard of before, and unparalleled since, that a virgin should conceive and bear a Son. The first promise ran thus, “The seed of the woman,” not the offspring of the man. Since venturous woman led the way in the sin which brought forth Paradise lost, she, and she alone, ushers in the Regainer of Paradise. Our Saviour, although truly man, was as to His human nature the Holy One of God. Let us reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory; and let us pray that He may be formed in us, the hope of glory. Fail not to note His humble parentage. His mother has been described simply as ‘a virgin’ not a princess, or prophetess, nor a matron of large estate. True the blood of kings ran in her veins; nor was her mind a weak and untaught one, for she could sing most sweetly a song of praise; but yet how humble her position, how poor the man to whom she stood affianced, and how miserable the accommodation afforded to the newborn King! Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendor. – Charles H. Spurgeon

Wednesday, December 16th Vulnerable – I have a confession to make…I was terrified when I first became a father. There were a lot of things that scared me. I had never held a baby before. I had never changed a baby’s diaper before. I never had the experience of trying to console a baby when he/she was crying. I guess when I think about it, I was rightfully scared! So, when Ethan was born my learning curve was pretty steep. I can remember walking out of the hospital with Ethan in the car seat, loading him into the car, and starting to drive home. The feeling that I was in charge of this little life hit me like a ton of bricks. I wanted to walk back into the hospital and ask if any of the nurses wanted to come home with us to help us out. I think I had come to the realization that this little life was absolutely precious and extremely vulnerable! He was vulnerable to the extent that he couldn’t even hold his own head up. As someone who hadn’t held a baby before, I was nervous that I was going to do it wrong. He was vulnerable because he needed someone to feed him every two hours. He was vulnerable because he could do NOTHING for himself – he needed us for everything. I think one of the things often lost in the Christmas story and the endearing pursuit by God that we see in the incarnation is that GOD made himself vulnerable in the form of Jesus. He needed Mary for everything. He was completely dependent on a teenage girl to feed him, make sure he was warm at night, to hold him and care for him. The same God who spoke the stars into space made himself vulnerable. For the first time in history he needed something from humanity. When I spend time reflecting on the fact that Jesus was born a baby, the sacrifice that he made for us to becomes more real. He made himself vulnerable in order to pursue relationship with us. Today, reflect on the fact that Jesus was actually born a BABY. What a sacrifice. What a risk. –Ryan Paulson

Living on the Edge…Lou Lou Who Style Week 3 Daily Devotions

Thursday, December 17th The Risk of Love – ‘To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change, It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.’ I love that we serve and love a God who models for us what it takes to truly give ourselves to others. It requires that we love which means that we are going to have to risk. It means that we are going to be vulnerable with some of the people in our lives. Follow Jesus’ example…risk, and LOVE! – C.S. Lewis

Friday, December 18th Put Your Phone Down Daddy… – I can remember the day like it was yesterday. I had just walked in the door from work and I got an email from someone. It was an email that I had been waiting for, so I really needed to reply. So, I hopped on my phone and started to compose a message. As I wrote the message, my son Ethan started to climb all over me – like only boys can! He started to get frustrated because I didn’t engage with him in our normal wrestling banter. After trying to get my attention for a few minutes, he gave up. As he was walking away, he said to me, ‘I wish you’d put your phone down daddy’ Those words cut straight to my heart like a knife! See, my son had experienced something that many of us know, but it’s something that we have a tendency to forget. It’s possible to be present physically, but absent in every way that matters. I don’t think I’m the only one who struggles with this. In fact, I think there are many men who very rarely enter into the lives of the people around them in a way that matters. We have a tendency to substitute physically occupying space for being present. I’ve noticed that for me, this struggle continues to escalate as my phone gains more and more features. I have more ways to be somewhere else. I have more people that I can talk to. I have more options. And when I have more options, there is more of a pull to be somewhere other than where I am. Many of us use the excuse that we are trying hard to provide for our families. I get it, we are, but I’ve been reminded of a key truth lately; People don’t usually remember presents, but they always remember presence. We all have a choice every single day; Will we choose to be present, or will we simply occupy space. Maybe this Christmas season you choose to turn the phone off when you get home. Maybe you choose to log out of Facebook and instead of interacting with people through cyber space you interact with the people right in front of you. I’m thankful for the reminder from my son…I’m hopeful that I won’t need it again anytime soon. – South Fellowship Church

Saturday, December 19th The Giving God – ‘For your sakes He became poor’ 2 Corinthians 8:9 The Lord Jesus Christ was eternally rich, glorious, and exalted; but ‘though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor’. As the rich saint cannot be true in his communion with his poor brethren unless of his substance he ministers to their necessities, so, it is impossible that our Divine Lord could have had fellowship with us unless He had imparted to us of His own abounding wealth, and had become poor to make us rich. Had He remained upon His throne of glory; and had we continued in the ruins of the fall without receiving His salvation, communion would have been impossible on both sides. Our position by the fall, apart from the covenant of grace, made it as impossible for fallen man to communicate with God as it is for Belial to be in concord with Christ. In order, therefore, that communion might be compassed, it was necessary that the rich kinsman should bestow his estate upon his poor relatives, that the righteous Savior should give to His sinning brethren of His won perfections, and that we, the poor and guilty, should receive of His fullness grace for grace; that thus in giving and receiving, The One might descent from the heights, and the other ascent from the depths, and so be able to embrace each other in true and heavy fellowship. Poverty must be enriched by Him in whom we are infinite treasures before it can venture to commune and guild must lose itself in imputed and imparted righteousness ere the soul can walk in fellowship with purity. Jesus must clothe His people in His own garments, or He cannot admit them into His palace of glory; and He must wash them in His own blood, or else they will be too defiled for the embrace of His fellowship. O believer, herein is love! For your sake the Lord Jesus ‘became poor’ that He might lift you up into communion with Himself. –Charles H. Spurgeon

Whoville Christmas Celebration

Living on the Edge…Whoville Style

Whoville Christmas Celebration Week 4 The citizens of Whoville loved Christmas. They went all out in their decorations, gift giving, food, parades and social events. Everyone got into the Christmas Spirit and shared together in laughs and memory making. In the last week of Advent, the citizens of Whoville, showed us how to “Live on the Edge” by loving each other and forgiving the Grinch for his wrongdoing. God showed us true love by sending us His son, who later would die for us so that we may have everlasting life. True Love!

Share some Hearts Cut out some paper hearts and write a message to family members or friends listing something you appreciate about them. You can also hand out your hearts to others with a message of appreciation or just a note to say “I love you and God does too!”

Make an Advent Wreath Light the first, second, third and fourth candles. The fourth candle represents the LOVE God has for the world. Imagine what it would have been like to be Mary and Joseph.

Living on the Edge… Celebrating Whoville Style Week 4 Daily Devotions

Monday, December 21st “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at His birth!” Luke 1:14 Christmas isn’t about getting presents, or dressing up in our finest red dresses. It isn’t about the tinsel, the lights or even the star on the tree. It isn’t about singing carols, going on sleigh rides or drinking hot chocolate on a cold night. Christmas spirit is not what we DO, or what we SAY or even what we BRING. Christmas spirit is what we KNOW! Even though the Grinch stole all of their “things”, the one thing he could not steal was what was in their hearts. We may think that there aren’t any real Grinches in this world, but we are wrong. We all have to contend with a Grinch that not only attempts to steal our Christmas spirit but every day 365 days a year, 12 months a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, there is a Grinch who tries to steal our spirit of Christ! But when we put our hope and trust in God, there is nothing that can shake us. We may lose our material things, but noone, and I mean NO-ONE, not even the enemy, can rob us of what lives in our heart and our soul. Nobody can steal Christmas when Christmas lives within our hearts. –Laurie

Tuesday, December 22nd Seeing Christmas through New Eyes – If we look for what is wrong with the Christmas season, we can surely find it. Like the Grinch, we can grumble and complain, becoming cold and cynical about what we see around us. Nevertheless, if we look for the good, we can see this time of year with new eyes- perhaps even with the eyes of a child. The Grinch saw the good in Christmas when he learned to look past its worldly trappings. If we do the same, we can, with the Grinch, proclaim: “Maybe Christmas…doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!” Our heart may not grow three sizes as the Grinch’s did, but our heart will change. Our eyes will open to the miracles all around us – at Christmas time and throughout the year. See this Christmas the purity of the story of the Savior’s birth and feel sincere gratitude for His life, teachings and saving sacrifice for us. May this gratitude cause us to renew our determination to fellow Him. May it also lead us to draw closer to our family, our church, and our fellow men? And may we look steadfastly forward to that blessed day when the resurrected Christ will walk the earth again as our Lord, our King, and our blessed Savior. –Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Wednesday, December 23rd The Perfect Gift – Read Matthew 13:44. One of the greatest things about the holiday season is giving that perfect gift to someone that you love. My sister lives in Panama City, Panama and married a man from there. Last year they were married in April in California, and our good friends took pictures at the wedding. I spent hours creating a wedding album for them with the pictures and gave it to them last Christmas. It was one of the greatest feelings to show love for them through this gift. I had given them a gift that no one else could give them; a gift that they valued and a gift that brought them a great amount of joy. Every year God gives us that perfect gift, His son. While it is easy to get caught up in all of the stocking stuffers and gifts, He wants us to focus on His gift this year. He wants to see our joy as we open the most valuable gift that has ever been given. It is a gift that no one else could give us. It is a gift that should floor us every time we open it. It is the only gift that we will ever really need, and the most important gift that we can share with others. God has spent so lavishly on this gift; let’s follow Him in spending our time and money on the gifts that have true value. The gift of God’s son is like the treasure in the field, and we should give all we have for that field. As we spend this holiday season, think about spending less on the trivial things and more on what will last forever. The best part about giving someone that perfect gift is watching them open it. Show God your joy as you open up the gift of His son once again this year. – Kelly Paulson, South Fellowship Church

Thursday, December 24th Grace for the Moment – God entered time, They will sing about what the LORD has done, because the LORD’s glory is great. Psalm 138:5 When God entered time and became bound…. For more than three decades, His once limitless reach would be limited to the stretch of an arm, His speed checked to the pace of human feet. I wonder, was He ever tempted to reclaim his boundlessness? When the rain chilled His bones, was He tempted to change the weather? When the heat parched His lips, did He give thought to popping over to the Caribbean for some refreshment? If ever He entertained such thoughts, He never gave in to them… Not once did Christ use his supernatural powers for personal comfort. With one word He could’ve transformed the hard earth into a soft bed, but He didn’t with a wave of his hands, He could’ve boomeranged the spit of His accusers back into their faces, but He didn’t. With an arch of His brow, He could’ve paralyzed the hand of the soldier as he braided the crown of thorns. But He didn’t! –from He Chose the Nails by Max Lucado

Living on the Edge… Celebrating Whoville Style Week 4 Daily Devotions

Friday, December 25th Messy Love – 1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us” When my husband and I were first married and lived in Portland; we would often go with other students from the seminary to talk to people in the downtown area. We would listen to the stories of many of the people who lived on the street. The holiday season is a time of celebration for many of us, but for others, it is a time of great sorrow. We met one young man who had recently become homeless and would spend the Christmas holiday on the streets. We heard his story and offered our support, giving him our number if he needed anything. To our surprise, he called us asking for help one night. We talked to him on the phone and prayed for him. Looking back, I wish that we had done more, but love gets messy, and it’s easier to keep people at a distance. We didn’t do more for this young man because of fear. It was out of our comfort zone to bring him to our home and really take a step of faith and love. Over time, I’d realized that God gave up everything to love me. It was more than messy to send His son to die on the cross. God not only stepped out of his comfort zone to love, He stepped out of heaven, put on flesh, and died. He said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” Matthew 25:40 It isn’t easy to love all, but Christ has called us to love all, and He has loved all. This holiday season, pray for opportunities to love in big ways and to step out of your comfort zone. It may be inconvenient or awkward to take the extra step to really love someone, but we can love out of Christ’s love for us. I continually pray to have the eyes of Christ and see people as He sees them. I get so busy with my own life that I forget to really look to the needs of others and to take the time to stop and help when someone needs it. Let’s not get so busy this holiday season that we miss opportunities to love. Let’s not rush so much that we walk right past someone who we could love like Christ. –Kelly Paulson, South Fellowship Church