Advent 2011

Advent 2011

The Journey to Bethlehem

The Department of Missions and Ministry of University of the Cumberlands invites you to

A Celebration of Advent 2011

“Journey to Bethlehem” Joseph chose obedience to God regardless of the circumstances Over the steep, rugged mountains they traveled Unaltered in fulfilling their duty as citizens and their faith in the Living God Rest for the weary was a shallow stone cave acting as a stable and hotel Name of her baby was given by the Father before she conceived Eternity’s plan of redemption was one step closer to being completed Yielding to God’s plan brought hope, peace, joy, love and numerous other attributes of God in their lives -Millie Haar

With the Christmas season fast approaching, I find myself already getting caught up in the emotions of such a wonderful holiday. Thoughts of the season conjure up images of family gettogethers, soft Christmas tree lights, red and green decor, and hot chocolate by the fireplace. These are wonderful gifts of the season, but they are man-made and man-centered. Too often Christians forget the clichéd but true, ―Jesus is the reason for the season.‖ Our true reason for celebrating Christmas is two-fold.

Firstly, our Savior was born in Bethlehem. God made Him flesh and brought Him into this broken world through the obedient journey of Mary and Joseph. Secondly, Christ made His own journey while on earth to Calvary, where He sacrificed His life for ours. But His journey did not stop there. He reigns in Heaven where all believers will one day see Him. Advent marks the beginning of the Christian year when Jesus Christ arrived. Beginning this year on November 27, Advent continues for four Sundays and ends on Christmas day.

Each of the four Sundays of Advent begins a week of preparation around a theme. The first is Hope, the second Peace, the third Joy, and the fourth Love. The overall theme of this year‘s booklet is ―The Journey to Bethlehem.‖ Let this Advent season prepare your heart and home to receive the true reason for celebrating this Christmas. Remember Christ‘s journey and follow Him on your own.

"And without controversy great is the mystery of Godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" 1Timothy 3:16 KJV -Kate McKnight, editor

H O P

eaven's gift to all creation

nly God's son can bring redemption

urpose of Advent is to prepare our hearts for the

King of Kings

E

xpecting God to save and hear us

-Millie Haar

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.�

Romans 15:13 KJV

Writers for the week of Hope Joe Dodridge is a 1999 graduate of UC. He is the Associate Pastor of Old Town Hill Baptist Church and Baptist Collegiate Ministry Director at Ball State University in Muncie, IN. He and his wife Sara have two children.

Carla Hawkins Earley is a 1995 graduate and is currently working as a homeschool mother who also teaches Spanish and ASL to members of the community. She and her husband Scott have two children.

Darline Ballou, a 1995 graduate as well, is a housewife to husband Don, President of the Woman‘s Missionary Union of Maryland/Delaware, and a teacher of English as a Second Language.

Matthew Norton graduated in 1998 and currently serves as Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

This certified ―storm spotter—storm chaser‖ and his wife Rachel have five children.

Keith Schrum, class of 1975, is the husband of Cindy Murphy and stepfather to Erica Jones. He is a first degree black belt in Shaolin Kempo and works as Curator of Books & Manuscripts at the Colorado Historical Society.

Catherine Mack is a 2006 graduate. She enjoys volunteering on the Youth Ministry team and leading the high school girls at Allen Baptist Church in Prestonsburg, KY. Bill Clark graduated in 1994 from UC and is Senior Pastor at Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Independence, KY. He enjoys basketball, photography & videography and spending time with wife Sherry and their two children.

Sunday, November 27

Romans 5:1-5

When I was a little boy, my dad helped tuck me into bed. Some nights he would kneel beside me and talk about all of the things that we were going to do together. He would talk about places we were going to go and special things we were going to do.

Sometimes I would wish out loud, ―I sure hope we go fishing!‖ or, ―I hope I can play soccer next year!‖ My dad‘s reply would be, ―Don‘t just hope for it. Make it happen.‖ In his mind my hope was something I wasn‘t sure of.

My hope was something I dreamed about and wanted to come true, with no assurance that it would.

When we think about hope today, our thoughts are often guided by a hope that is defined by wishes and chances, or yearnings and impossibilities.

However, when we read about hope in the Bible, it is less accurately defined by possibility and more accurately defined by expectation and confidence.

When Paul writes, ―This hope does not disappoint‖ (Romans 5:1, HCSB), he reminds us that our hope is based on God‘s promise.

Our hope is affirmed by the Holy Spirit‘s work in our lives. Our hope is an anticipation of what we are certain will come, not because we‘ve seen it, but because our faith gives us a hope that we know is sure.

Therefore, I place my hope in Jesus, because I am sure of my salvation and my eternity with Him. -Joe Dodridge

Monday, November 28

Jeremiah 17:7-8

I just love analogies in the Bible! They‘re so deep and inviting.

Once I explore them, I can understand some aspect of God‘s character more than I had before.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 gives me a mental picture. The spring of water, clear and pure, cannot be affected by the heat and drought of the valley because it comes from the top of the mountain where pure white snow dwells all year long. The tree, planted 27 years ago, stretches its roots out from the bank just to feel the coolness of the water. The tree is not straight, but leans slightly toward the water as if a windstorm had blown it. Its branches hang low, sometimes dipping into the water as the breeze blows through the leaves. Squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and other animals reside in its branches, enjoying the shade and bounty of fruit given by the tree because of the unending water source beside it. That‘s what I want my tree to be like, anyway.

Close your eyes and picture what you want your tree to be like. Think and pray about why it‘s not like your picture. Is your soul planted in the Word of God? Is the Lord your source, the one you trust, depend on, rely on for everyday life? Or are worries and doubts overcoming you because your tree isn‘t near enough to the water? This Christmas, I invite you to ask God to dig up your tree and transplant it next to His Living Water.

-Carla Earley

Tuesday, November 29

Psalm 31:24

Sometimes things sneak up on us. Who of us is ever prepared for a surprise?

Zechariah, Mary, and the Shepherds were going about their every day duties when God came and surprised them.

We are told that Zechariah was gripped with fear. Mary was greatly troubled. And the Shepherds were terrified.

God had a special message and task not only for these three, but also for us. How do we react when we hear a message from God just for us? Are we gripped with fear, terrified, or even greatly troubled?

We are called to: ―Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.‖ Psalm 31:24 (KJV) God‘s message to Zechariah - God has heard your prayers. To Mary - God is pleased with you. And to the Shepherds - I have good news for you. To all of us - Don‘t be afraid, be courageous, I will strengthen you, place your hope in Me. -Darline Ballou

Wednesday, November 30

1 Peter 1:3

During the funeral visitation of a deceased Christian man, his wife and sister stood by the casket while they greeted people. As people offered their condolences, the sister kept motioning to her brother‘s body and would say, ―There he is. There he is.‖ After some time, this statement began to irritate the wife. When she could take it no longer, the wife turned to the sister-in-law and lovingly said, ―If I believed, ‗there he is,‘ I would be miserable.‖ Then she added, ―Do you know what enables me to get through this day? What gets me through is that I know the truth – There he isn‘t.‖ The apostle Peter wrote The Epistle of 1 Peter to a group of Christians who needed heartening and encouragement while under the strain of persecution. He sought to remind them that painful times are not an end in themselves and that there is hope in spite of suffering. Where does this hope come from? This hope is grounded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The hope that we have as Christians is a living hope since it is based upon Christ‘s resurrection. If God brought Jesus through the most painful of trials and from the pit of death itself, certainly He can bring us through whatever we face. The knowledge that Christ is no longer in the grave will help us make it through whatever we face in this life. Praise God for this blessed hope in Christ!

-Matthew Norton

Thursday, December 1

Micah 7:7

As a history museum curator I ask visitors to imagine themselves in the time and place of the people they are examining. Looking to the past we can see how a story ended; however, our subjects could not, for events were taking place or had yet to occur.

Imagine the experience of Joseph and Mary. The Gospels say nothing about the months that filled their lives from the time they learned a child would be born until just before the birth event we celebrate.

To imagine this period in Mary and Joseph‘s lives we need look no further than our own experiences as parents. Having a child, and particularly the first, is frightening and exciting. It is a new experience that brings wonder, hope and fear. We are mindful that even though we have modern medicine, skilled expertise and nearby hospitals, pregnancy is dangerous. Things can happen that affect the expectant mother, and the father can do only so much to protect his wife and unborn child and the rest is out of the parents‘ hands. Everyone is vulnerable. Anything is possible.

Constant awareness and vigilance are required during the prenatal period. It is a time of expectancy and anticipation of new life, and we pray for God‘s help once we‘ve done all we can do. It was true for Joseph and Mary, and it remains true today. The words of Micah call us to be aware and vigilant for something is going to happen! Something from God for God is with us!

-Keith Schrum

Friday, December 2

Lamentations 3:24

―The Blessing of Waiting‖ Waiting. Waiting some more. Waiting longer. I feel like I‘m always waiting for something. Even though I consider myself to be a relatively patient person, I don‘t normally enjoy waiting. However, the longer the wait, the sweeter it is to have the wait relieved. Charles Spurgeon once wrote, ―Even when prayer speeds not, the blessings grow all the richer for the delay.‖ Since the Garden of Eden, humans have been waiting for a Messiah—a hope. But, God knew what He was doing. He sent His Son at the perfect time, probably when it felt like the wait was never going to end. No two people knew this wait better than Simeon and Anna, who spent years praying and serving the Lord in His temple while waiting for a Savior (Luke 2:22-38). Through it all, both held onto their faith in God‘s promise. Imagine their joy, when towards the end of their lives, the wait ended, and they saw the Hope of the world with their own eyes!

Sometimes, it feels like the wait is never going to end. But oh, what joy comes with fulfilled hope! Fulfilled hope and unbelievable joy is what happened on that night in Bethlehem long ago, and the same hope can still be found in Jesus Christ. The wait is over; the King has come!

-Catherine Mack

Saturday, December 3

Psalm 130

Hope is what keeps you going when everything else within you wants to just stop. The marriage that's on the rocks can survive and even once again thrive if both parties hang on to at least a little thread of hope. And as those who trust in the Lord, we will encounter seasons in our lives when all our circumstances seem to be going wrong, and we will wonder how we will keep going.

This was the story of the Israelites. For all they had been through in their great miraculous history with God, something was still missing. Obeying the Torah, as if it could be perfectly obeyed, did not fill that void. Occupying the Promised Land didn't fill it either. And the nation specially chosen by God found itself in a vicious, perpetual cycle of sin, despair, and consequences. There had to be something more. In fact, everything God had been doing and saying from the beginning was pointing to that something more: Jesus Christ. The Psalmist prophesied that redemption was coming for Israel. Forgiveness and unfailing love will fill that void, and they come in the person of Jesus. The journey to Bethlehem ends at the very feet of Jesus. Your journey, by faith, is exactly the same. When you wonder if you have what it takes to keep going, embrace hope. Embrace Jesus, our very reason for living, our very purpose for the journey.

-Bill Clark

P

lace of Jesus' birth was predicted in the Old

Testament

E

ach person came bearing gifts of worship, love,

and devotion

A C

ngels sang of this everlasting peace

arols are sung proclaiming His birth,

identity, and purpose

E

xploring true peace will always lead to

Christ -Millie Haar

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 KJV

Writers for the week of Peace Matthew Norton, who also wrote for the theme of Hope, is a 1998 graduate. He was the LifeWay Pastoral Leadership Award winner from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2004.

Charis Buckland is a 2006 graduate who works as a professional counselor under supervision. She enjoys coaching cheerleading and taking dance classes and is the wife of Brett Buckland.

Ron McKnight graduated in 2010 and is completing his Master of Arts in Teaching at UC while working as Graduate Assistant in Hagan Memorial Library. He is the husband of Kate McKnight, secretary of Missions and Ministry.

Brad & Katie Bell are newlyweds and 2008 and 2011 graduates of UC, respectively. They met through BCM, where they both served as President during their senior years. They were both missionaries to East Africa as well.

Terry Harbison graduated in 1996 and lives in Bloomfield, Kentucky, and is currently looking for a ministry position. He and his wife Cerri have three children. His special memories of UC include being an inaugural member of the Urban Canoe Club.

Calep Surgener is a 2011 UC graduate. He currently lives in Williamsburg and works for CSC. One of his fondest memories of UC was working with Appalachian Ministries‘ summer team.

Jeemes Akers, class of 1970, recently served as First Secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore. He is a Chinese linguist for the U.S. Air Force and a Vietnam veteran. He and wife Imogene live in Sterling, Virginia, and have two daughters and two grandchildren.

Sunday, December 4

Ephesians 2:14-17

When I was seven years old, I first fully understood the message of these song lyrics – ―He sees you when you’re sleeping, He knows if you’re awake, He knows if you’ve been bad or good, So be good for goodness’ sake!‖ Until that moment, I lived in childhood bliss, in which Christmas was the best day of the year. I had always believed that the gifts at Christmas were there because Christmas always came with gifts. You could count on them.

But now I painfully understood that if I wanted any gifts at Christmas, I had to be good. It was all riding on me.

There was this all-seeing, all-knowing Santa. If there were going to be any gifts at Christmas, I had better shape up. I began to wonder, ―How ‗good‘ is good enough?‖ ―Would ‗pretty good‘ work?‖ Hopefully Santa knew that I had two younger brothers that might provoke me to misbehave. I would grow weary each Christmas season hoping I had been good enough to receive the gifts. The season of peace became a season of worry for me.

I‘m so thankful that God operates by a different standard. When it comes to salvation, my salvation is not riding on me. It‘s not about how good I am. It is all about how good God is! God has taken charge and provided the means for forgiveness of sins – Jesus.

No Jesus, No Peace. Know Jesus, Know Peace. Do you know Him? -Matthew Norton

Monday, December 5

Psalm 4:8

Than they get in all their shopping sprees.

At day's end I'm ready for sound sleep, For you, God, have put my life back together. MSG In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe. NLT In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety. NIV One of the best feelings in the winter is putting on soft pjs, sliding under the covers in bed, curling up with some hot tea and a warm afghan, and reading an exciting book until drifting off into a restful sleep.

Sometimes life is just unfair, and restful sleep does not come easily in crisis. Some days it is a struggle to simply get up in the morning in attempt to push through one more day. Unexpected news, deaths in families, job losses, wars, sickness, pain, and other tragedies are a part of everyday life.

In Psalm 4, David asked God to listen to him while he was experiencing major crises, including Absalom‘s rebellion, betrayal, a ruined reputation, and serious enemies. The Lord heard David pour out his heart, and David acknowledged with humility the peace and rest God gave him while he hunkered down during the storms surrounding his life.

During this season meant to be filled with peace, joy, and gratitude, these may seem out of reach. We can be assured that while life is uncertain, because of Jesus‘birth, death on a cross, and resurrection, salvation is real, God is near, and He hears our deepest concerns. It is easier to sleep well when we know God is in control. Instead of lying awake at night worrying, ask God to draw you to Him, ask for restful sleep, and thank Him for His control. Despite powerful storms, we can sleep in peace because He makes us safe.

-Charis Buckland

Tuesday, December 6

Proverbs 16:7

When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

NIV

Many people worry. Many people fear. For many, these human emotions consume their daily lives. Often times, people may feel like things are out of their control. The good news is this – they are. However, God is in control, and that leaves individuals with only one thing to worry about: All that matters on this earth is walking in the ways of the Lord and aligning with His Word.

When individuals are in the will of God, they need not fear anything or anyone. Even the worst of a righteous man‘s enemies cannot rise against him and must instead live in peace with him.

Likewise, God can give a man favor in the eyes of those who despise him. God can use a seemingly dire situation to exalt and promote a man who takes pleasure in seeking and following His will. All mortal men are like sailors in a boat, powerless against the tide of God‘s will. Men may fight against the current, but ultimately, God‘s destination is reached and His goal is achieved.

How much time and energy can be saved by moving with God‘s current instead of fighting His will and worrying about how to conquer life‘s struggles.

-Ron McKnight

Wednesday, December 7

John 14:27

Health. Wealth. Insurance. Status. Ability. Luck.

Family. Determination.

Whether we realize it or not, these are the most common sources of our peace. They are the peace as the world gives. And hey, they work! Why else would so many of us trust in them?

Then there‘s Jesus. He places His hand on His followers‘ shoulders and says, ―My peace I give to you.‖ Then He‘s murdered before their very eyes. He says to you, ―I am with you always.‖ But you‘ve never seen Him even for an instant.

Nothing about this resembles peace, which probably explains why church pews are pretty empty.

The key to figuring out Jesus is putting together all that He said, especially those things immediately before or after the particular quote of interest. If we do that to John 14:27 it‘s easy to see that He‘s talking about ―the Helper, the Holy Spirit‖ who ―will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you‖ (v. 26). Later Jesus says ―it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you‖ (16:7). What‘s better than the peace of Jesus Himself among us? How about the Spirit of Jesus inside every one of us who believe!

Lord Jesus, Yours is the only peace that lasts forever. You Yourself are our peace (Ephesians 2:13-18). In You we have peace with the Father. Because I have You, I have peace. Thank You.

-Brad & Katie Bell

Wednesday, December 8

1 Peter 3:10-12

―A Reflection on Peace‖ Somebody said ―Give peace a chance.‖ I don‘t think I‘ll ever get the chance to do that dance.

No more job; no more work; I‘ve been asked to leave.

My little ones chirp; three mouths to feed.

My situation leads to frustration and agitation No peace for me or the nation.

Maybe peace is more than a situation, Maybe Peace comes from having the right relation.

Relation to whom?

To me? To you?

To the One who set it all in motion and holds the ocean in his hands like your worries and cares Peace is found in pursuing the One who‘s always there

-Terry Harbison

Friday, December 9

Galatians 5:22-26

Many Christians are very familiar with the fact that Christ called all of his followers to bear fruit so that God may be glorified. I would really recommend reading John 15:1-8 before you read the rest of this devotional if you are not familiar with Christ and his talk on fruit. It is through the book of Galatians, however, that we are able to read and understand what fruit Christ has called us to bear. I always feel that it is important to acknowledge that fruit is used in the singular sense and not the plural. When Christians acknowledge and realize that fruit is used in the singular sense we are immediately accountable to all of the attributes that consist of the fruit of the spirit not the ones we pick or feel we are able to bear. The true fruit of the spirit consists of all those qualities not one fruit to each attribute. This is highly important as many Christians reflect some of the qualities that make up the fruit of the spirit, but unknowingly we neglect other attributes. This is not to say that by doing so we do not glorify God, but it is so we may realize that by neglecting other attributes we are not bearing the true fruit of the spirit. I would strongly encourage you to pray and seek out God on what you are lacking in the fruit you bear. Nobody is perfect, but it is for God‘s glory that we should bear fruit so that the world may know he is the only thing that truly satisfies in life.

-Calep Surgener

Saturday, December 10

John 4:10

So what did Jesus mean by ―living water‖? Isn‘t all water living and capable of sustaining life? Clearly Jesus was referring to a source of spiritual strength and refreshing that surpasses the normal nutritional and cleansing qualities of the physical water that the woman could dip from the well.

I was thinking about the nature of ―living water‖ during a trip this summer to Idaho where we enjoyed the spectacular natural beauty of the Snake River with its cascading rapids and picturesque waterfalls. This is water that you can taste, smell, and see. The type of water that irrigates vast fields of potatoes, powers electrical turbines, and flushes countless toilets. It was such water that the Samarian woman assumed Jesus was talking about during their extraordinary encounter at Jacob‘s well.

In the high desert country of Idaho we also traveled through an area with the highest concentration of nuclear facilities in the world. The aquifer beneath us—the Snake River aquifer no less—is therefore the most extensively researched underground water system in the world. At any given time this hidden aquifer holds more water than Lake Erie. This water, trapped in layers underneath us and hidden to the human eye, is a vital and virtually limitless source of supply.

Is it possible that Jesus had this aspect of water in mind when referring to ―living water‖? Our spiritual thirst simply cannot be quenched by worldly, physical water. Walking in relationship with Jesus Christ, bathing in His mercy and grace, we can be empowered and totally immersed in a hidden, boundless reservoir of spiritual ―living water.‖ Like the unseen Snake River aquifer, this source of power will sustain us as we seek to accomplish those special purposes He has destined for us from the beginning.

J

ubilant praise from the angels

O

bserving God at work

Y

ielding to God's plan from all participants

- Millie Haar

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Phillipians 4:4 KJV

Writers for the week of Joy Aaron Austin is a 2000 graduate. He and wife Melissa have two children. Aaron works at Eastern Kentucky University‘s English Language Instruction program. He and his band, The Bootleg Preachers, have released a CD that is available on aaronaustin.com.

Lucas Waters is a 2010 graduate of UC. He and his wife Meredith live in Williamsburg. Lucas enjoys reading, writing, and hiking in his spare time.

Gayle Clifton is a 1992 graduate. He and his wife have two children, and he is the pastor of Upper Seneca Baptist in Maryland. He is an avid soccer fan and has served in international missions to Eastern Europe since 1993.

Terry Roberts graduated in 1999. He was a Marine Corps Sergeant and now serves as a Navy/Marine Corps Chaplain. He is a Combat Veteran and has traveled to 17 different countries.

Michelle Warnky is a 2006 graduate from Westerville, Ohio. She just returned from Kazakhstan, where she taught English for five years. She plans to spend the next months working and simplifying her life as she seeks God‘s guidance in what to do next.

Randy Millwood, class of 1980, says he celebrates two seasons: Christmas and baseball. He and wife Adele have two sons and two grandchildren. He serves as adjunct faculty with various seminaries and is author of To Love and To Cherish From This Day Forward: A Portrait of a Healthy Church.

Natalie McGary graduated in 1996 and is currently a stay-athome mom for her two children Lucy and Samuel. She enjoys traveling, history, and reading.

Sunday, December 11

1 Chronicles 16:31

The sun was just beginning to redden as the procession made its way up the hill to Jerusalem. Singers waved like wheat fields in their call and response. The ancient tunes were somehow charged, electrified. Hair stood up on necks and arms. Breathing sharpened. David‘s feet whirled and shifted on the dirt path. He flitted like a spring-fevered bird, his smile resounding in the evening sun.

In the middle of this surge of arms and hands and feet and shouts was the placid Eye--a golden box sentineled by two looming seraphim. The fevered chants and rapturous undulations subdued in the wake of this box that, with the aid of the evening sun, looked to be gilt in fire. Here, in the eye of this booming storm of elation, was the source, the center, and the axis.

If one paid close attention to the sacred text of the tunes, now sounding more like barroom choruses than holy liturgy, she would see that this was the climax of their narrative. The promise of long ago was fulfilled under this sanguine sky. Abraham‘s pioneering had finally ended with God‘s promise borne out--a home and a family to fill it.

While most days Joy loiters about with hands in pockets, sometimes we see God‘s glimmer in the evening sky. The Divine lingers on the back of our necks. We get a glimpse of God‘s dream--a place where kings and peasants stand on level ground and hearts brim because the Divine is among us.

-Aaron Austin

Monday, December 12

Jude 24-25

Dearest Exile, God has never saved anyone halfway. I think sometimes this is a hard thing for us to grasp. Many of us have had fathers that have really let us down. I‘m not so naïve as to believe that everyone reading this devotion had Andy Griffith for a dad; the real world isn‘t Mayberry. I‘ve worked with kids whose dads have left them, beat them, neglected them, verbally abused them, or have sent them packing to another family member because they simply didn‘t care what happened to them. They didn‘t want their lives to be burdened with the blessing of children. To some kids the idea of God as Father is foreign or even hateful.

But, God is not a derelict Father. He sent His Son to ―bring many sons to glory‖ (as the song says). Through Christ, we can be called the children of God (John 1.12). God is not the kind of dad that so many kids have known; He is the greatest Father One Who will never leave nor forsake His sons and daughters. He will never let us stumble away from His grace and grasp. How amazing is the thought that I‘m being raised by the God of the universe! He‘s working in me to present me blameless before His presence! He is conforming me to the image of his Son. He won‘t leave me now, and He‘ll never leave me for all eternity. He‘s my Father! I‘m proud of my Father!

So I say with Jude, ―…to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.‖ And to you, wounded child, I say, ―Our Father will never let us fall. Trust Him!‖ He loves you, all the way Home and forever.

Your Loving Brother, Lucas Waters

Tuesday, December 13

Habbakkuk 3:18

What is the source of our joy? From where does our joy come?

Too often in life, our joy is rooted and found in our circumstances or in our things; sometimes in both. If things go smoothly and pleasantly for us, we have joy. If we reach a desired standard of living, with the things that accompany that, we have joy. Modify the equation in any way, however, such as our circumstances becoming adverse and difficult or our things being lost, the resulting effect is that what we had thought to be joy is taken away.

In the beginning, I should have asked, ―What is the source of true joy? From where does true joy come?‖ Those are entirely different questions. In Habakkuk 3:18, we see that this prophet understood what true joy was and where it was to be found. In the verse immediately preceding that one, Habakkuk described the absolutely worst, most destitute situation that any Israelite ever could have imagined occurring: no figs, grapes, olives, other food crops, sheep or cattle! In other words: completely devastating circumstances with all treasured things gone. Even then, the prophet declares, ―Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.‖ Christmas reminds us once again that God has given us His incredible gift of His love in Jesus Christ. If all that we have is Jesus, we have everything. Most of all, we have His true, neverchanging, priceless joy, for life and for eternity!

-Gayle Clifton

Wednesday, December 14

Psalm 148

A harsh wind blows across the desert, carrying with it the dust and sand of untold centuries, bearing witness to the endless story of eternity.

Nearby, little boys wrapped in flowing and flapping clothes tend to their sheep and goats.

A cool river rushes life into this endless sea of sand and time.

But here time stands still.

In the distance, donkeys bay under their burdens as they are brandished by their drivers.

On a forever horizon, camels caravan themselves through endless dust and dreams as they follow distant yonder star.

There is a scurry in the market place as wares are hawked to standers by. The promise of lavish fortune and joy can be purchased for a few coins and the expectation of hope.

The oppressive mid-day sun retreats as the promise of night coolness draws near.

The grandeur of GOD‘S handiwork is displayed across the night sky. The Moon reigns for but a brief time as the lesser light; reflecting the greatness of creation.

Orion once again chases the Bears across the northern night. The pursuit of the great night hunter continues until it once again gives way to the promise of a new dawn.

Another day in Afghanistan passes into the abyss of time. But here time and life are as they were thousands of years ago. Time stands still.

But the Love of GOD sees into all times and places to all People.

GOD gave us HIS greatest promise of Salvation from our sins in HIMSELF as GOD in the flesh.

Shepherd boys in flowing and flapping clothes received the birth of a KING. -Terry Roberts

Thursday, December 15

1 Thessalonians 5:16

‗To rejoice‘ is defined as ‗to be glad‘ or ‗to take delight,‘ and is often followed by the preposition ‗in.‘ We are commanded in Thessalonians to ‗rejoice always.‘ Surely the author knew about the hardships and struggles of this life, the things that hurt us and bring us grief. Surely he had experienced them firsthand. So how can he tell us to rejoice always? Always? Even when a family member has died, you‘ve said goodbye to dear friends, or you‘ve lost your job? Even when you gave in to temptation or humiliated yourself in front of others? How is that possible? Purely by the grace of God!! Disciples who know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord always have something to rejoice ‗in’! God‘s promises are always with us. The promise that we are forgiven completely before God!! Promises that He will never leave us, that His Spirit is inside of us! Promises that Heaven is better than anything we‘ve ever seen, heard or could even imagine. Promises that we will receive an eternal inheritance. Having a splinter in your pinky pales in comparison to the joy of a friend‘s long-awaited wedding. Multiply that by 984,573,621, and we start to see how our current troubles compare to eternity with God! It says in Romans 8:18, ―I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.‖ Let us rejoice always, even in hard times, trusting the promises of our beloved Father!

-Michelle Warnky

Friday, December 16

Luke 1:46-47

William Cowper lived in England in the 1700‘s, authored 66 hymns plus many poems, and died at age 68. He fought depression and doubts his entire life; struggled with anxiety so much that he was institutionalized three times; and tried to commit suicide.

During one fit of depression, Cowper decided to drown himself.

He called a cab to take him to a bridge over the River Thames. A thick fog rolled in as the cab was leaving Cowper‘s residence, so thick that the cabby never could find the river. Exasperated, Cowper demanded to be let out. The cab stopped and Cowper stepped onto the sidewalk in front of his own home. His conclusion: Even in my darkest days, God watches over me.

He sat down and wrote words that became the hymn, ―God Moves In A Mysterious Way.‖ Here are two verses: God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head.

Cowper found joy when he least expected it.

Mary‘s stunning news from today‘s text had anxiety written all over it, yet she came to find joy where one might least expect it.

And you? Have you thought a storm you are in or a word you are hearing can’t possibly be good news? Who knows? God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform!

-Randy Millwood

Saturday, December 17

Psalm 5:11

I live in the Chicago area where the heat often causes summer storms. The weatherman can often predict how bad the storms will be and about what time they will arrive. My husband and I will often watch the weather and then make our outdoor plans. We may say, ―Tomorrow looks like a nice day; let‘s take the kids to the zoo.‖ There are times when the day will be sunny and out of nowhere a storm will blow in and we are unprepared and must run for shelter. In a lot of ways the storms of life are like a summer storm that develops and causes us to run for cover.

In Psalm 5:11, David urges us to take refuge in the Lord. The word refuge is defined as ―shelter or protection from danger, trouble, etc.‖ David tells us that when we seek refuge in the Lord he will spread his protection over us. This brings to mind a picture of a mother bird covering her babies with her wings.

David not only tells us to take refuge in the Lord he urges us to be glad and to rejoice. We are not to rejoice because of the storms, but rather because we have a savior who will cover us and protect us in the midst of the storm.

In this season of business we can rejoice and sing because Emmanuel has come, and He is truly ―God with us.‖

-Natalie McGary

L

onging to see the Messiah before he died

was Simeon's earnest prayer

O

bedience of each person in the Christmas sto-

ry is a model for us

V E

irtues were portrayed by Mary and Joseph

ternity's gift to us was revealed -Millie Haar

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17

Writers for the week of Love Allen Robbins is a 1990 graduate. He works as the Secretary/ Treasurer for the Sevier County Electric System in Sevierville, TN. He and wife Jachar have two sons and a daughter.

Nathan Kinser graduated in 1999 and is Director of World Relief Nashville. He is the husband of Brandy Hall, 2000 UC graduate.

Anthony & Laura Jolly are newlyweds and graduates of UC. Anthony graduated in 2009, and Laura graduated in 2011.

Charlie Higgins, class of 1988, is Senior Pastor at Westview Baptist Church in Sanford, Florida. He met his wife Kim at UC, and they have four boys.

David Popham graduated in 1985. He is the United Church of Christ Associate Conference Minister for the Rocky Mountain Conference and lives in Denver, CO. He and his wife Kerrie have two daughters. David is also the author of a blog that can be found at thebibleindrag.blogspot.com.

Brad Parham is a 1999 graduate and is Operation Manager at Unique Management Services in Indiana. He is working toward a degree in International Church Planting. He and his wife Amanda have two children.

Albert Jones graduated in 1994 and is Associate Pastor/Minister of Students at Main Street Baptist in Williamsburg, KY. Jones enjoys being outdoors, camping, and hiking. He and wife Sherryll have two children.

Joe Lewis is a 1984 graduate and Pastor of Second Baptist Church of Petersburg, Virginia. He and his wife Teresa have two children. His special memories of UC include working with Appalachian Ministries.

Sunday, December 18

Matthew 22:37-40

―God‘s Law of Love‖ Shortly after the exodus from Egypt, God, on Mount Sinai, gave Moses the Ten Commandments. These commandments represent the law given by God. The law reveals to us that we can never fully measure up in obedience to God. There are two sections within the commandments that address our relationship with God and our neighbor. The first four commandments reveal to us how we are to interact with our Heavenly Father and love God above all else. The last six commandments teach us how we are to interact with one another and love our neighbors as ourselves. So what is Christ really teaching us concerning the law? Jesus taught in these few verses the true spirit of the law, ―Agape Love.‖ There are four different Greek words that are translated as love in the New Testament, and they have more distinct meanings than our English word love. The two most common are Agape love, which is the Christian Love of the Bible, and Phileo love, which means to love emotionally or in an impulsive way. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13:13, stated all things will pass away except faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love. God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten son, Jesus, so that we all may have the opportunity to be saved if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. On the cross Christ fulfilled God‘s law of love.

-Allen Robbins

Monday, December 19

1 John 3:7-11

As I think about what Christmas means to me, I often think of the fun times shared with family and friends at church, at parties, around the dinner table, and around the Christmas tree. What makes these times so memorable? Is it the decorations, food, or gifts? Not really, because I cannot remember in detail any of those things. What I remember is the time spent together and the LOVE shared between family and friends.

What is more amazing is the LOVE our Heavenly Father has shown us. He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to be a baby that first Christmas morning. Though scripture tells us he did receive gifts, He did not come for that reason. He came to be a gift, a gift of LOVE from our Heavenly Father. He is a gift of love because Jesus showed us ultimate LOVE when he willingly died on the cross for our sins so we might be called children of God. He came as a gift of love and showed us how to love those around us.

As you celebrate this Christmas season, rejoice in the LOVE that the Father and the Son has shown you. And just as God shared His LOVE with us that first Christmas day, let‘s share our LOVE with those around us.

-Nathan Kinser

Tuesday, December 20

Romans 12:9-13

For the first time, Genuine Love in the flesh would enter into the world. The birth of Christ was the beginning of a journey that would lead to Calvary and conclude with His triumphant resurrection on the third day. Christ‘s life became a living representation of how each of us should oppose that which is evil, and cling to that which is good.

During this advent season, each of us should take time to give of ourselves to others. As we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate not only the birth of Christ, but the greatest gift that God the Father could give – Salvation. God demonstrated His love for us by giving His only Son, a gift that was given not because of man‘s merit, but because of his unconditional, everlasting love. This love is hard to fathom, and even at times incomprehensible, but teaches us every day something new.

Our hope is that this love would teach us to love others, to serve the Lord and always be hospitable to those around us. Each of us has so much to be thankful for that we don‘t even deserve.

During a season when much of the world is contemplating what gifts they will receive, may we challenge you to consider what you can give. More than a box neatly wrapped with a bow on top, but something that requires opening our hearts and giving from within, a gift out of love. We never know when one gift can change the world. Little did the inn keeper know that the gift of his stable to two weary travelers would usher in God‘s greatest gift, his Son, Salvation, Genuine Love.

-Anthony & Laura Jolly

Wednesday, December 21

Ephesians 5:2

I love Christmas! The sights are beautiful. I love the lights, the presents, and the decorations. The sounds are wonderful with all the music. But there is nothing that makes me think ―Christmas‖ like the smells! Evergreen, cinnamon, cookies baking, turkey, ham, stuffing, citrus; it all just SMELLS like Christmas! But there is one smell we so many times miss… love. That‘s right, I said ―LOVE‖. What does love smell like? Well, Ephesians 5:2 tells us to ―walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling aroma.‖ (NKJV) Christ‘s loving sacrifice for us is an offering that pleases God the Father like a beautiful, sweet smell. Pay close attention to that verse. It also says we are to walk in that same love. In other words, because Christ loved us, we are to love others in the same manner. So remember, this Christmas love people like Christ loved us. It smells like Christmas to God the Father!

-Charles Higgins

Thursday, December 22

Psalm 37:28

―The Audacity of Advent‖ For Our God loves justice and will never forsake the faithful…

The family leading the congregation in lighting the advent wreath was a single mother and one of her sons. The husband died in a car accident. The son bears the reminders of the crash: slurred speech, diminished cognitive capabilities.

Future prospects for this kid are limited – maybe part of a janitorial team or some sort of repetitive job. Yet he smiled as his mother instructed him on lighting the wreath. Should one such as this be trusted with fire?

For Our God loves justice and will never forsake the faithful…

He lit the candles carefully and with dignity. In this community of faith, at the time of worship he was safe to be himself.

My friend stood awkwardly while his mother took up the reading: ―My soul magnifies the Lord…‖ Odd. On her lips the words of another mother with circumstances that would seem to invalidate love.

For Our God loves justice and will never forsake the faithful…

Watching the boy before me I was struck by the audacity of advent. Through preparing and waiting, through our lives as followers of Christ we proclaim that love came in a certain life, and the child was named Jesus. Through his cross, he became one with the suffering of the earth. Through his resurrection, he brings the promise of a creation transformed through the love of a God who does not forsake.

-David Popham

Friday, December 23

Deuteronomy 7:9

Throughout the scriptures we find a covenant making and keeping God, starting with the Adamic covenant in Gen 3:16 promising the son who would crush the head of the serpent. God would continue this covenant, promising Abraham that He would bless all people through him. Later Abraham would make an amazing statement to Isaac, "God himself will provide the Lamb," which we know He did when He sent His son to be born in the manger that Christmas so many years ago.

As Christmas approaches, we celebrate the Love of God that motivated Him to establish a covenant and then follow through with that same covenant. Yet so often, we live each day forgetting this covenant and the love that motivated a sacrifice for our sins to pay the penalty which we deserved. Take time today to meditate on the Love of God that led to Him sending His son to die and, in doing so, provided an opportunity for us to have a restored relationship with the Father. "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved" Eph. 3:4-5

-Brad Parham

Saturday, December 24

2 Thessalonians 3:5

Where Are We Going Now ―Gracie‖?

May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

2 Thessalonians 3:5 Do you ever find yourself talking to a GPS device? Although they are designed to make our lives simpler and get us where we want to go in the least amount of time, those little devices in our windshields sounding out ―right turn,‖ ―left turn‖ ―approximately 1000 feet,‖ sometimes make big mistakes. It is then that I ask my Global Positioning System, that I affectionately call ―Gracie,‖ ―Are you sure about this?‖ God has instilled in each of us a spiritual GPS; it is called the Holy Spirit. It is His Spirit that continually directs our hearts and lives to His abounding love for us. Unlike the units we depend on for navigational purposes, God‘s Spirit never fails us. It is His Spirit that directs us to His love. A love that we celebrate and remember as we worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that was born long ago in such a humble state in the small town of Bethlehem.

May our celebrations, traditions and fond Christmas memories through the leadership of God‘s Holy Spirit direct each of us to a fuller appreciation of God‘s love and Christ‘s perseverance on our behalf!

-Albert Jones

Sunday, December 25

1 John 4:7

As we gathered for worship on September 11, I asked the children to tell me what they thought to be the most powerful force in the world. Having just experienced an earthquake and still recovering from hurricane Irene, I expected to hear nuclear power (we‘re close to the nuclear power plant that shut down as the earthquake occurred) or wind. I thought someone might mention guns or some other weapon. One little boy raised his hand and said, ―My momma!‖ He‘s right. To him, his momma is the most powerful force in the world. Why? Because she is love, and love truly is the most powerful force in the world.

Today we celebrate love. Today we rejoice that love itself became flesh and dwelt among us. Today we rejoice and are glad that God is love.

Indeed, love is the most powerful force in the world. I told the children that love is what heals nations and people groups. I reminded them of God‘s love for us and his wanting us to love others, and thus help change the world.

P. Teilhard de Chardin once said, ―Some day, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides, and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.‖ Today, let us celebrate God‘s love in the birth of Jesus, and let us unleash this most powerful force for the advancement of the Redeemer‘s kingdom.

-Joe Lewis

Acknowledgments I would like to give a huge thank you to University of the Cumberlands alumni who contributed to this year‘s booklet. Their willingness to write made this booklet possible, and I hope that their words are blessings to everyone who reads this booklet.

I would also like to thank Jessica Staggs and Millie Haar, alumni who shared their wonderful creations in this booklet. I deeply appreciate their willingness to give to others through their words and art that are featured here.

Jessica Staggs graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She is from Ransom, Kentucky, and is the daughter of Doug and Kathy Staggs. She drew the cover art for this volume of the Advent booklet. She has beautifully depicted this year‘s theme of ―The Journey to Bethlehem‖ by symbolizing Christ‘s journey from Bethlehem to the cross, which gives us reason for celebrating.

When Millie Haar shared her unique gift of writing acrostics with me, I knew they would make the perfect addition to each week‘s theme of the booklet. Her thought-provoking acrostics of ―Journey,‖ ―Hope,‖ ―Peace,‖ ―Joy,‖ and ―Love‖ are featured throughout the booklet. Millie is a 1976 graduate who currently teaches Pre-K at J.W. Ray Elementary in Dallas, Texas.

Furthermore, I would like to thank Dr. Bob Dunston, Chair of the newly renamed Department of Missions and Ministry, and his wife Norma. I could not have completed this booklet without their help and guidance. In addition, many thanks to Dr. Tom Frazier, professor of English for proofreading this booklet. Many thanks also must go to Media Relations and to the Campus Supply Center for printing and distributing the Advent 2011 booklet.

Blessings!

-Kate McKnight, editor

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy– the Son of God. Luke 1:35

We wish you a blessed Christmas season.

Department of Missions and Ministry University of the Cumberlands 7989 College Station Drive Williamsburg, KY 40769 (606) 539-4156