Today, I have a gift I want to give you. I’s a gift EVERY WOMAN NEEDS! And it’s tucked inside this short video. I recorded it last week for a friend’s Christmas give-away, but after I finished it, I just knew God wanted me to give it to you too! So, instead of reading about it, please click the arrow below so I can tell you about it.
I’ve got a question and a give-away for you, but first here are some things I want to share::
Printable Christmas Prayer
For those hopping over from my P31 devotion today, welcome! That story I share in the video is the year that led to the writing of my Christmas prayer. If you’d like to receive a FREE printable version of it, please enter your email in the box below and click signup.You’ll receive an email within 24 hours that include links to download the prayer as a printable 4×6, 5×7 or 8×10 you can frame for yourself and give as gifts.
Confident Heart Online Study
I also want to invite you to join me and women from all over who will gather here beginning January 16th to read through my book, A Confident Heart. We’ll walk through each chapter together and discover how we can overcome self-doubts and strong or even subtle insecurity by learning how to to live in THE security of God’s promises! I’m so excited about all God’s laying on my heart for our study, and I’d love for you to be part of this special community where we’ll share encouragement, prayers and stories of all that God is doing in and through us!
To join us, enter your info and click Sign Up..
To find out more details about online study, click here.
Enter Today’s Give-away
How you are going to give yourself grace this Christmas? I’ll share my answer in the comments below. You can share yours and any other thoughts you have about video message or the topic of my devotion and you’ll be entered to win this gift pak just in time for Christmas:
- Copies of my book (for you & two friends)
- 3 Sets of Confident Heart conference calls (optional)
- $10 Starbucks gift card
- Godiva Chocolate Bar
Click below this post where it says “Share Your Thoughts” and do just that. Then be sure to share this post with friends (see those tell-a-friend buttons? They make it really easy). If you do, leave another comment and tell me. You’ll be entered twice! {Update: Congratulations Angel Miller (your were selected in our prayerful yet random drawing for a winner. We’ll email you details! Thank you all for entering. Be sure to sign up for email updates in the sidebar so you don’t any future give-aways!)
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Thank you so much for the wonderful reminders. I need a little more grace this year, for sure. My daughter and her husband have not been home for Christmas the past two years, but they are coming home this year for a very brief visit. My initial “to-do” list for their visit was pretty ridiculous, as I wanted everything to be absolutely perfect this year. I have since given myself a little grace on those expectations because I was not in a good place with all that added stress because it had taken over my priorities above all else for a time. Advent and Christmas are so much more meaningful for me when I stay focused on the coming of Christ over all, while still attending to some holiday activities and chores. When I turn those two things around in priority, things are just not good. Scheduling regular time with God for bible reading and prayer helps to keep my focus on what really matters, and the Christmas season is no time to let that slip.
With me laid off from work I have become closer God and have realized that more isn’t always better so this Christmas season my family will be celebrating more of reason for the season then all the commercialized things. I have prepared my children for a small Christmas and I think they are ok with it. I have just prayed and asked God to bless our family for the season and lets just enjoy having the ones we love around for the season. That is my grace. To have the true meaning of Christmas and not get all caught up in everything else. Thanks so much for sharing with us.
Thank you so much for the devotional and for your honesty and encouragement. I am giving myself Grace to just be in the moment. Get out of my head, with the planning, to do lists, and activities. And instead, njoy the moment that is right now, whether it be the quietness of my home as my girls are at school or in the craziness of four excited kids all talking at the same time, telling me about their day. The Grace to show them (and myself) acceptance and love during this busy and beautiful Christmas season. Praise God for His never ending Grace!
I am giving myself grace by not stressing over having the decorations up early and everything having to be perfect. I am going to focus on Jesus, the reason for the season.
Thanks!
I shared the devotion thoughts with all three of my sisters via e-mail for my second entry:) Thanks!
I have been on my knees a lot lately but sometimes the busyness of the season on top of the regular daily routine does get to be a bit much. Thank you for the devotion & reminder to take time out for devotions & prayer. It truly is the only way my day will go right. Thanks for the give away too-I would love to share the book with my sisters & mom-we would all take turns reading it (I have 3 sisters:). Thanks again!
~Blessings~
Thank you for reminding me to focus on the most important thing. Immanuel . His grace is with me everyday, but I often forget to really ponder what that means. I love your poem & I’m going to share it with friends!
Love this post. It is so true and we all need Grace. Even more so this time of year. I know even now I let myself get caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas and forget why we are really here. This past week I have made myself stop and focus on him. It has truly calmed my heart and my anixety.I love God in all that he brings, that he knows before i know. It is hard to just give it all to him and trust in him but this time of year you just have to. I thank you fo rthe encouraging words. I need that this week. We have had alot of health issues in our family and it is making it very hard to be in the spirit of Christmas. You helped give me a reality check reminding me that it is not the holiday but our savior we need to be celebrating.
“Invade my soul like Bethlehem” touched my heart this morning as I read your poem. It made me wonder how often the presence of the Lord is knocking at the door of my heart during the holidays and I have consciously let Him know I had no room in the inn so to speak. I appreciate your video and Lord knows how much we all need GRACE! I have heard the acronym for Grace, God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. For the holidays I have changed it to God’s Really Amazing Christmas Encouragement. Thank you for being there for all of us.
I will spend more time meditating on the Word of God.
Thank you so very much for sharing about grace today with me. This is exactly the advice and wisdom I needed at the right time to have a meaningful time every day during the Christmas Holiday! I am sure that because of keeping grace with me, many more people will also be touched by God’s Holy Spirit working through me! May God richly bless you, Renee!!
I am giving myself grace everyday throughout this season by just learning to relax and take it easy. I have simplified Christmas every year and cut out things that may be considered “musts” to most.
Thank you for reminding me to be still and quiet in His presence. It is so easy during the Christmas season to “make” ourselves so busy that we forget the real reason we are celebrating Christmas. Thank you for sharing your talents with us, I am going to post your poem throughout my home. Merry Christmas.
I am giving myself grace by forgiving myself and trying to like myself where I am in my journey today, instead of being hard on myself and having too high of expectations.
I am giving myself grace by forgiving myself and trying to like myself where I am in my journey today, instead of being hard on myself and having too high of expectations. I will just keep trying and just keep praying. Thanks for sharing!
I need God’s grace EVERYDAY. It is very hard to not expect too much of ourselves, especially during special times of the year– holidays, birthdays, etc. We should try to remember the story of Mary and Martha. I definately tend to be more like Martha and need to remember what truly is the most important thing.
This devotional touched my heart as Christmas is always at my house. My family is large with my parents being in bad health. All the planning is my responsibility and each year I am so stressed trying to make everything “perfect” This year I will have surgery on Dec. 16th and everyone knows they need to pitch in. I am not going to worry about the perfect Christmas, I am accepting God’s GRACE and taking care of me.
I love the words (and the reminder) to “unwrap His presence each day” and I can do that when I give myself God’s grace to take the time to sit and experience Emmanuel, God with Us. What a great way to start out my day!
Thank you for this devotional and video. It is so important to remember and unwrap God’s grace each and every day. This year I’m encouraging my daughters to give gifts to those less fortunate through our local Angel Tree gift program. They are truly enjoying the process of choosing, making, buying and wrapping these gifts for others that they will never meet. May God bless everyone’s Christmas!
Renee, Thanks for the reminder today. I am tired of trying to meet so many people’s needs this Christmas. I need God’s grace for me to be me and not to have unrelaistic expectations. I need to rest in his plan, presence and promises. And today is just the day to do just that! Your devotion is very timely just like God has planned it especially for me! Blessings to you and yours. Bing