Expectant

Dear friends,

On November 18th my mom and I were involved in a car accident. (Shortly after I picked her up from the airport!) My mom was bruised from the seat belt and my right wrist has multiple fractures. (I'm typing with my left pointer finger) Writing is challenging. But...that has left me with more time to read! Over the next few weeks I will bring you  4 excellent authors with 4 very unique books and messages. 

Today I am introducing you to my friend and fellow mentor mom from The MOM Initiative, Julie Sanders. You will love her!

with faith, hope, and love,

Lori

We imagine the encounter, but we can only guess the details. There must have been a knock and an inquiry at the door of the inn, but we don’t know if Mary stood hopefully with Joseph or at a distance. Maybe her contractions were underway, or maybe they were still just an expectation. The innkeeper might have paused, but maybe he shot back a quick retort. With people flocking to their hometowns for the census, the hospitality industry was overwhelmed. Maybe Joseph pled or hung his head in resignation as the keeper closed the door. We only know the Christ-bearing couple was turned away, ending up in a shelter for animals to receive the Prince of Peace. Parents do what it takes to care for their children, even if they’re not divine!

“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:4-7)

We don’t know the details, but we know the innkeeper missed the opportunity of a lifetime. The celebration of the coming of the Son of God needed a host, but he missed out on being part of the glory. Locked into the limitations of his life and his expectations of the events, he missed a divine opportunity.

 A celebration of the coming of the Son of God needs a host this Christmas. If we aren’t careful, we could miss out on the glory. There are limited seats around the table, limited nights to create memories, limited days to prepare, and limited energy to serve those at our door. Loved ones have expectations about the wonder of the holidays and, if we’re honest, we do too. It’s hard to escape the expectations of those we love! From the chapter Yielding Zone in my new book Expectant, for new and expectant moms, “Maybe having a baby or adding a child to life is more about us becoming holy than about making us happy.” When we insist on seeing earthly expectations fulfilled, we risk missing the glory of celebrating the birth of God’s Son, Emmanuel.

Maybe the inhospitable innkeeper didn’t miss the opportunity of a lifetime. Perhaps the keeper of the crowded inn saw the star, heard the angels, or bumped into the praise-filled shepherds. Maybe he had another chance to receive God’s gift to mankind, and maybe then he welcomed Jesus into his life.

 Sweet Christmas-loving friend, what earthly expectations might keep you from missing the glory of celebrating Jesus this year?  

Do you need to clear away some of the clutter and make room to welcome Him back in to your life, your home, your family, and your celebration?

Dear Father who sent Your own Son,

Thank you for knocking at the door of my heart. I want to come dwell where you belong. There is room for you in our home, our lives, our hearts this Christmas. Welcome.

Julie lives where tea is sweet and grits are cheesy. She and her husband of 25 years have two nearly grown kids. EXPECTANT: 40 Devotions for New and Expectant Moms was born when God brought a group of young couples into their lives, just as they began to long to grow their families. Julie loves to teach God’s word to women in her hometown and across the globe; she is passionate about fighting human trafficking and helping women of all tribes and tongues find God’s peace for life.  Check out Julie’s blog home Come Have a Peace  (www.juliesanders.org) and Marriage Mondays to find reasons for peace and information about her ministry. Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ComeHaveaPeace with One Minute4MOM

EXPECTANT is available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.