In Suspense

 

I’ve just read an article from BookFox about keeping readers engaged. Being both reader and writer, this title intrigued me—writing cliff hangers for the end of a chapter.

As a reader, I want to know what happens next. I have set some books aside that felt too harsh. I’m a sensitive reader and don’t tend to pick books that portray violence. An exception to that rule, for me, was The Cellist of Sarajevo, by Steven Galloway, because the writer does not focus on the 1990s siege  itself, rather the evidence of it, where people stay inside out of fear, where there are line-ups for bread at certain times of day, when it’s unsafe to go out.

 I might not have picked up that book on my own, except that I was on the book review team for our local newspaper at the time, and that was the book the editor sent to me.

The dust cover showed destruction, and I knew which war it was about. That it was far away mattered little, but I learned as I read that the writer focused on the people and their lack of hope. Sure, there were signs of war that had been all around them and gunfire still in the hills around them. Yet Galloway shows sensitivity to all that has happened and that one lone cellist who bravely sets up his music stand and chair, opens up his cello case and gets ready to play. Though I do not hear the music, I know the piece and can sense the calming effect it has on people watching. I read it to the end.

What does that have to do with us where we are now, in the holds of the pandemic? Oddly, we’re in suspense too, just before the page turn, leaving us hanging. In our minds, we question how things will look, wondering about those also who’ve had so much to lose, whose situations may have already been precarious before the pandemic was declared. And we wonder about the vaccine too (without sowing more seeds of fear).

Some people are quick to predict certain outcomes, according to their belief system. Others are afraid and anxious, and if I’m honest, I find myself there too, from time to time. 

I believe that God is with us in our celebrations, when life treats us well, and in our times of fear and anxiety when we don’t know which way to turn. We read, “Do not be afraid” as angels spoke the message to a young virgin chosen to be Jesus’ earthly mother, to shepherds in the field witnessing spectacular things in the heavens, as well as to others in the pages of the Bible.

We turn that next page in our history now with a sense of mystery and suspense. The story is not over yet; there are more chapters, I'm sure. And we can almost hear those words to us, “Do not be afraid.” And we wait.

 

Carolyn Wilker, author, editor and storyteller

https://www.carolynwilker.ca/about/

 

 

 

 

A Blast of Awe by Rose McCormick Brandon

God pulled back Heaven’s curtain for Daniel. What he saw turned his face pale and drained his strength. He gasped in amazement as the Ancient of Days sat on His throne. Daniel is the only Bible writer to use this name for Jesus. He uses it three times. The number three shows completeness, as in the Trinity.

As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated and the books were opened. Daniel 7:9,10

Writing of Christ’s birth, the prophet Micah describes Him as one “whose coming forth is of old, of ancient days” (Micah 5:2). Hundreds of years before Christ’s birth in Bethlehem, Daniel saw Him, not as a babe, but as One who is timeless, without beginning or end, One who has seen ancient times and lives eternally in the past, present and future.

Humanity creaks with age, stiffens with years and wrinkles from sun exposure. Jesus is ageless, undying, changeless, the same yesterday and forever (Heb. 13:8).

A blast of awe struck Daniel when he saw the Ancient of Days. The only appropriate response was to worship. Worship the One who takes the fear out of death, the Holy Ancient One, who was, and is, and is to come (Rev. 1:8).

O worship the King, all glorious above

And gratefully sing of His wonderful love.

Our shield and defender

the Ancient of Days,

Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.

Robert Grant

Ancient of Days, we are awed to the core when we think that we, like Daniel, will meet you face-to-face in your heavenly kingdom. 

* * * 

Rose McCormick Brandon lives in Caledonia, Ontario with husband Doug. An award-winning personal experience and inspirational writer, Rose contributes to denominational publications and devotionals. She writes and teaches Bible Studies, authors biblical essays and is the author of the Canadian history book, Promises of Home – Stories of Canada’s British Home Children. Her book, One Good Word Makes all the Difference, contains stories of her personal journey from prodigal to passionate follower of Jesus. She is the mother of three adult children and grandmother of four.

A COVID REVERSAL by Eleanor Shepherd

        On Friday morning, as I was listening to Daybreak on CBC radio, I heard an interview that gave a different perspective. 

         

         Most mornings there have been concerns expressed by both broadcasters and listeners who respond to their reports. They talk about the way that young adults who are attending colleges and universities are suffering from the lack of social contact by having to do all their courses on line. 

       Many young people interviewed other mornings expressed their feelings of depression and isolation engendered by having to attend  classes this way. Their concerns are certainly legitimate. However, the COVID reversal that arrested my attention was the assertion by two young people that they have found things better for them since the university provided their courses on line. These folks, a man and a woman are both disabled and they explained that with courses on line they have not had to miss one class.

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         The problem for them in normal times is accessibility. Not all classroom can accommodate to those with mobility issues. I was surprized to hear the young lady say that when she tried to explain to the professor that it was difficult for her to come to class because of the challenges of trying to get into the classroom, the professor suggested that she take another course instead. That does not seem fair. 

        The young man told how that because of accessibility issues he frequently had to miss classes and thus his grades were lower in those courses that he would normally receive. I could not help but be astounded at the difference between the experience of these young people and that of our son, John who three years after he broke his neck and became a quadriplegic was able to return to Harvard Business School to complete his MBA. 

       The person who was responsible for Student Affairs at the business school took the time before John returned to find out what his schedule would be. Then she went to every one of his classrooms to discover the accessibility and the best place for John to place his wheelchair when he came to class. She had the maintenance people attach a plaque to the designated place indicating that this was reserved for John Shepherd. It was one of many thoughtful measures that were taken to ensure that John was able to function to the best of his ability, given his disability.

 

      Our local universities have unknowingly done a great service for those with disabilities by making the courses available on line. Many other kind things that have been done for others both knowingly and unknowingly during this pandemic. Perhaps we have all become a little more aware of the needs of others as we try to cope with the challenges of the adjustments, we have each been required to make. 

      Is there a life lesson here for me to learn? Seeing quadriplegia up close has given me a much greater appreciation of how our society functions for the able-bodied. I have discovered so many obstacles for anyone who is disabled. Might this not be relevant beyond the scope of physical limitations? Maybe I need to become aware of the obstacles of those who have limitations imposed by the economic lack they have suffered, or by the opportunities they have been denied by not being part of the privileged majority. 

     Hopefully the time for reflection about these things, that has been afforded me by the coronavirus, will help me to ask questions. These may help me find ways to be kinder and more understanding of those who do not benefit from all that I have. If so, the pandemic leaves me with a positive takeaway for which I can be grateful.

Here is the link for the interview: 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/disabilities-university-pandemic-access-distance-learning-1.5932146

Word Guild Award
2011

Word Guild Award
2009 

Word Guild Award 
2018

WHEN GOD COMES NEAR by Eleanor Shepherd

                     During this pandemic, many of us have discovered that while we are not able to meet together in our churches, as always, God is present in unexpected places.  We don’t usually anticipate meeting Him in the midst of hustle of traffic on a downtown street of a busy city, but I can tell you He is there.

Recently, reading a book, entitled When Mothers Pray by Cherri Fuller, I recalled the incident. I was reading her chapter about relinquishing our children to God, one of the most difficult things to do. While I was reading, the tears were flowing, when my husband came into the room and asked what was wrong. As I told him what I was reading, he understood.  “You have had to do it at least twice, haven’t you?” he asked, referring to traumatic times in our lives. 

            “I have had to do it hundreds of times,” I recalled again the recent significant time when it occurred. It was last winter. I was visiting with our adult son in Toronto who lives in a wheelchair.

John took the dog in his chair and went for a walk.  He went to a park where the dog could run and cavort in the snow.  The day before, the mild weather had turned the snow to slush. The power wheelchair got stuck in the snow. 

 

I had stayed at John’s apartment to do a few things to help him.  In the midst of a cleaning project my phone rang.  It was John.

          “Can you come and try and help me?” he asked. “My chair is stuck in the snow and the dog is shivering with the cold.”

“I’ll come right away.” I promised.  Donning boots, coat, hat and gloves, I set out for the location he gave me. Now I am past 70, I don’t walk as fast as I used to but I pushed myself to get there as quickly as I could.

 

When I arrived, I saw how helpless the situation was.  The tires of his 300pound chair holding his 200pound body were well ensconced in the hardening slushy snow.  Even pushing with all my might, I could not budge the chair two centimetres.

Just then a sweet oriental lady came by and said, “Can I give you a hand with that?” She looked quite frail, but I was desperate. “I don’t know if together we can move it,” I said dubiously. “But I guess we can try.”

                           

           With one of us on each side of the chair, John turned on the motor again and somehow the chair moved and came up out of ruts on to level ground. I hardly had a chance to thank this kind soul before she was gone. 

           With John and the dog both now shivering with cold, I sent them home ahead, since Iknew that I could not keep up with the speed of the power chair. 

At my more normal speed, I began walking down Bay Street on my own and the emotions that I had been holding in began to emerge. I found tears streamed down my face as I cried out to God. “I just can’t do this anymore! Please send someone to help me.”

 Hearing my tearful, “Hello,” he asked, “Are you okay?” I told him what was happening and silently listening, he then offered support. My tension decreased as we conversed. Our conversation was interrupted when my phone indicated another call. We hung up and I my daughter was on the line, just checking on how I was doing.  I knew who prompted the calls and I was not alone.

           By the time I got back to John’s apartment, I was at peace.  He was safe and I was assured that I could again leave him in the hands of a loving Heavenly Father who cares for him and will also look after me.

 

Word Guild Award
2018

Word Guild Award 
2011

  

 
 

Word Guild Award
2009

A Prescription for Preventing Hardening of the Heart

This past summer, in the middle of a pandemic, I underwent open-heart-triple-valve-repair surgery. That experience has led me to frequently considering the state of my heart, not just the body's blood pumping organ, but also the state of my other heart—the heart of the soul—the heart at the core of my affections and dreams. 

The Bible has a great deal to say about that heart. The prophet Jeremiah states, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it" (Jeremiah 17:9)? 

This devotional, which will appear in Volume II of Psalms 365, speaks to the 'heart' of the matter. And yes, it offers a cure if we will only take heed. 

Reading: Psalm 95

(Verses 7-11)
Today, if only you would hear his voice,
“Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,
    as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,
where your ancestors tested me;
    they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
For forty years I was angry with that generation;
    I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,
    and they have not known my ways.’
So I declared on oath in my anger,
    ‘They shall never enter my rest’” (NIV).*

[c Photo by Andreas Wohlfahrt on Pexels.com

Reflection
Long before we knew about the medical condition known as hardening of the arteries, there existed another condition called hardening of the heart. Hardening of the heart is not a deadly medical condition; it's a deadly spiritual condition. Those who suffer from hardening of the heart have a hard time hearing God, and when they do hear God, they tend to stop their ears, or they do their best to pretend that God hasn't spoken. 

Although we can safely say that this condition has existed since the human species stepped out of Eden, the first reported case of hardening of the heart occurred about 3,500 years ago. In the Book of Exodus we read that Pharaoh developed a severe case of hardening of the heart. But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said (Exodus 8:15).

Time and again as the ten plagues ravaged Egypt, we read that Pharaoh hardened his heart and he would not let the people of Israel go. In several instances we read that the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart. But let's be clear about this condition. Heart hardening only happens with the willing participation of the individual. Don't go about blaming God for your hard heart. Hearts harden due to our willful disregard of God's Spirit and His laws.

Neither should we presume that heart hardening only happens with a certain type of person. We are all prone to develop this spiritual malady. Our ancestry or genetic makeup offers no protection. The Egyptian Pharaoh developed a heart, but ultimately the Israelites—the people that the LORD pried free from Pharaoh also developed the same condition. That's why the psalmist issues this warning: Today, if only you would hear his voice, “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,  where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did."  

The key to avoiding a hard heart is hearing and heeding the voice of God. It's just that simple.

Response: LORD, give me ears that hear your voice gently speaking to me. Give me a heart that is quick to obey. I want a tender heart that reflects your love for me and for others. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Your Turn: Does a hard heart toward others result in a hard heart toward God? What are your thoughts?

* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

The first volume of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is now available. For a closer look at this 262-page daily devotional book click here.

General William and Catherine Booth: The Blood & The Fire

 

By Rev. Dr. Ed and Janice Hird

-previously published in the August 2020 Light Magazine

 

Cholera. Everyone’s fear, and it was happening again. William and Catherine Booth were there to help feed, clothe, and care for the sick in the stinky, rancid streets of East London.  It was 1866. 

The incoming tide from the Thames River dumped sewage into East London’s water reservoir. Almost 6,000 people died.  Two years earlier, Catherine and William Booth had started the Christian Mission in this part of London.  This is where the poorest of the poor lived.

Charles Dickens commented: “I consider the offensive smells, even in that short whiff, have been of a most head and stomach-distending nature.” The smell from the Thames was so bad that people became violently ill.  The Great Stink was not completely dealt with until 1875. 

Catherine, because of scoliosis curvature of the spine at age 14 and incipient tuberculosis at age 18, was often forced to spend weeks lying in bed.  Nothing however stopped her passion to make a difference in the lives of lost and hurting people.  She was always kind to everyone and never told a lie.

She had a strong Methodist upbringing, reading the Bible through eight times before the age of 12. As a preteen, she became concerned with the effects of alcoholism on the community, serving as Secretary for the Juvenile Temperance Society. Her father, while part of a total-abstinence league, used to periodically fall off the wagon.

At the home of Edward Rabbits, in 1851, she met William Booth, who, like Catherine, had been expelled by the Wesleyans for reform sympathies. He was reciting a temperance poem, “The Grog-seller’s Dream,” which appealed to Catherine.

As a vegetarian, she abhorred cruelty to animals.  If she saw a driver mistreating a horse, she would rush out onto the street and compel the driver to treat the horse more humanely.  Catherine, despite her natural shyness, would go to the slum tenements in East London, knock on doors, and ask them ‘Can I tell you about Jesus?” Some people say that she was a better preacher than her husband William.  She even wrote a 10,000-word essay, asserting equality for women in ministry.  Although William Booth had initially rejected the idea of women preachers, he changed his mind, later writing that "the best men in my Army are the women."  One of Catherine’s sons later commented, "She reminded me again and again of counsel pleading with judge and jury for the life of the prisoner. The fixed attention of the court, the mastery of facts, the absolute self-forgetfulness of the advocate, the ebb and flow of feeling, the hush during the vital passages—all were there."

Catherine Booth lobbied Queen Victoria to successfully support the "Parliamentary Bill for the protection of girls", changing the age of consent form 13 to 16.  Three hundred and forty thousand people signed her petition to end sex trafficking of thirteen-year olds.  Catherine Booth started the Food-for-the-Million Shops where the poor could purchase hot soup and a three-course dinner for just sixpence. On special occasions such as Christmas Day, Catherine would cook over 300 dinners to be distributed to the poor of East London. She became known as the “Mother of The Salvation Army”. Queen Victoria noted, “Her majesty learns with much satisfaction that you have with other members of your society been successful in your efforts to win many thousands to the ways of temperance, virtue and religion.”

William, originally a pawnbroker’s assistant, was a practical doer. In 1865, he used a tent on a used Quaker graveyard in East London.  His passion was for soup, soap and salvation. His motto was to ‘go for souls and go for the worst.’  Many of the local churches didn’t want William’s poor young converts because they would soil the seats.

In 1867, the Booths only had 10 full-time workers, but by 1874, the ‘Hallelujah Army’ had grown to 1,000 volunteers and 42 evangelists, all serving under the name “The Christian Mission.” In 1878, William changed the name to Salvation Army, with all the converts becoming soldiers or officers.  “Onward Christians Soldiers” became their favorite marching song.  In 1882, 669 Salvationists were brutally assaulted, with one woman dying.  During 1881 to 1885, 250,000 people were converted and joined the Army. More Londoners in an 1882 survey were worshipping with the Salvation Army than all the other churches combined.

Catherine designed the Salvation Army flag and bonnets which served as helmets to protect from rocks and rotten eggs.  The red on the flag symbolizes the blood shed by Christ, the yellow for the fire of the Holy Spirit and the blue for the purity of God the Father. The star contains the Salvation Army's motto, 'Blood and Fire'. This describes the blood of Jesus shed on the cross to save all people, and the fire of the Holy Spirit which purifies believers.  The Salvation Army uses this flag in their marches of witness, dedication of children and the swearing-in of soldiers. It is sometimes placed on the coffin at the funeral of a Salvationist.  Catherine had the Salvation Army flag brought into her bedroom as she was dying, saying “the blood and fire, that has been my life.  It has been a constant fight.”

Catherine and William revolutionized the match factories.  Women were earning a pittance for sixteen-hour days.  The deadly fumes from the yellow phosphorus rotted their jaws, turning their face green and black with foul-smelling pus.  Catherine pointed out that other European countries produced matches tipped with harmless red phosphorus.  The factory owners Bryant and May said that red phosphorus was too expensive to make the switch.  After Catherine’s death from breast cancer in 1890, her grief-stricken husband William opened a Salvation Army match factory, paying the workers twice the usual wage while using harmless red phosphorus. He organized tours by MPs and journalists to meet the yellow phosphorus victims, and to see the new alternative red phosphorus match factory.  In 1901,  Bryant and May buckled under the pressure and stopped using the toxic yellow phosphorus. 

Catherine loved the poor.  “With all their faults”, she said, “they have larger hearts than the rich.”  William said at her funeral, “She was love. Her whole soul was full of tender deep compassion.  Oh, how she loved.” Catherine believed that “if we are to better the future, we must disturb the present.” May the blood and fire of William and Catherine Booth’s ministry inspire us to disturb our present with love.

Rev. Dr. Ed and Janice Hird

-co-authors, Blue Sky novel

Repairing the Doors - The Way to a New Beginning by Rose McCormick Brandon

In the very first month of the first year of his reign, Hezekiah reopened the doors of the Temple of the Lord and repaired them. 2 Chronicles 29:3 

Young King Hezekiah, devout and earnest, ascended to Israel’s throne after the death of his idolatrous father, Ahaz. The citizens rejoiced because the new king had the heart of his ancestor, David, and not that of his father. 

The first thing Hezekiah did was open the temple and repair its doors. This act set the tone for his reign. God first. Led by their godly ruler, the nation repented of their sins and committed to serving God. That meant doing away with idols and living a holy life. 

What a great beginning! No to sin and the neglect of spiritual things. Yes to giving God first place. 

After Hezekiah repaired the temple doors, revival swept across Israel. Leaders who had followed the previous king into idol worship confessed their sins, rid their homes of false gods and committed to living in obedience to God.

One of the ways we can repair the gates of our lives is to come back to the cross. 

The act of painting blood on the lintel and the doorposts of their houses concluded Israel’s 400 year sojourn in Egypt. All other homes, including Pharaoh’s, lost their firstborn son on the night God sent the destroyer. Households under the sign of the cross were protected.

Crosses today are made of gold, silver and costly woods. The first cross consisted of blood on the warped rough wood of a peasant’s door. Jesus’ cross was made from wood of the cheapest quality. The best was reserved for palace furnishings not for crucifixions.

The cross, the symbol of Christianity, is disdained by some who prefer a tidy version of the gospel. Without the cross there is no gospel, nothing to save us from our sins. Paul preached “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (I Cor. 2:2).

Behind blood-stained doors Israelite families ate their final meals in the land of their bondage. The next morning more than a million men, women and children struck out on a journey to the Promised Land. Their first sweet day of freedom.

 Every journey with Christ begins at the cross, the doorway to Heaven. God used the stark ugliness of the cross to display the beauty of His mercy. There’s no getting over it or around it, all must go through the cross to experience forgiveness of sins.

“. . . God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . .” (Gal. 6:14). 

Are the doors of your life in disrepair? Has Bible reading and prayer taken a backseat? Has the cross diminished in value? It’s time to repair the doors, set them solidly on the hinges of our lives. Time to get familiar with the squeak of the prayer closet door because that door determines the future.

SAME FAITH – DIFFERENT EXPRESSION by Eleanor Shepherd

One of the loveliest gifts that I received this Christmas was not intended as a Christmas gift. In mid-December we had the opportunity for a brief masked socially-distanced encounter with my older brother and his wife who live in St. Catharines, Ontario.

While visiting together, David gave me a notebook my parents shared over a period of years when they were young. It included interesting handwritten tidbits from their developing teaching and pastoring careers. Near the back of the book, I found prayers written out in my mother’s script.

I suspect these prayers were prepared for public events where Mom had been asked to offer prayer on behalf of those gathered.

Reading it, I realized how much I missed my parents’ daily prayers for family. For more than 65 years I was lifted up in prayer every day. It began before I was born and continued until they both left this earth. What did it mean – these prayers of my parents for me?

It was not an insurance policy. While I am sure I was protected from many disasters, I still experienced the accidents and illnesses that are a part of human life in this world, yet I thrived and developed.

Many opportunities and blessings also came my way, not because I was special nor did anything to merit them. They were gifts of grace and some I am sure coincided with the prayers of my parents as they presented my needs to God.

My journey of faith was no doubt influenced by their prayers. Their faith was unique to them and their era and I needed to discover my own. One of the important elements in this was language.

My parents’ faith was anchored in the language of the Bible they read and applied to their lives. That Bible was written in the 1611 English of the King James Version of the Bible. It was not surprizing that the language of their prayers was also King James English. As a child, I came to understand that to be the language of their faith. However, for me, this was not the case.

Like contemporary English for an immigrant who comes to this country, I understood and could communicate in King James English but when I really wanted to be understood, I used modern English. Thus, from a fairly young age, I began to speak to God myself in my English.

As part of my faith journey, I accepted the discipline of reading the Scriptures every day, in the faith language of my ancestors – King James English. Although I understood it, the world of which it spoke seemed distant and remote from my every day life.

Then when we were in our mid-twenties, the prayers of my parents for my developing faith were answered in a unique way by a gift to us from my husband, Glen’s parents. They gave us a copy of the newly available Living Bible. This was a version of the Bible that Ken Taylor had initially carefully paraphrased from King James English into contemporary English for his own family.

I began to read it immediately and the Bible really did come alive for me. As I read the stories of the life of Jesus, I could hear Him speaking in words that were meaningful for me. It was the words that were part of my everyday life. They enabled me to see more clearly how what He said and did could make a difference in my day-to-day life.

This was a helpful lesson for me as I matured and joined my parents in bringing to the Lord my concern for the faith development of my own children. Their faith journey has taken them into the 21^st century. They need to find the tools appropriate to their generation, like the YouVersion Bible on their devices and Pray-As-You-Go.  Their expression of faith is not the same as mine or my parents but is just as genuine and continues to grow as they learn to apply it to their lives in the world in which they live.

As we travel into 2021, may we each have eyes to see resources unique to our needs that the Lord continues to provide so we can comprehend the height and depth and width of God’s unfailing love for us – drawing us closer to Him.

Word Guild Award
2011

Word Guild Award
2009

Word Guild Award
2018

 

An Early Christmas Glow

What do writers want for Christmas? Here's a hint: It's a four letter word starting with the letter b and ending with k. If you guessed a book pat yourself on the back. But writers don't want just any book for Christmas. Most of all, they want a book with their name on the front cover. Well, you might say Christmas came early to our house this year with the arrival of my newest book last week. I'm still basking in the sunrise glow. Continue reading for a quick introduction to this first volume in a three book set.

Why dig into the Psalms? The Psalms are a poetic feast for the mind, soul and spirit. In them, you will find intimacy with God. For a hundred generations, hungry souls have found nourishment there.

Psalms 365 is specifically designed to help you develop a life of worship and prayer like the biblical David. Let author David Kitz take you on a journey—a journey to a deeper understanding of God’s will and his ways for your life. Each daily reading provides insight and inspiration for practical Christian living, allowing the Good Shepherd to guide you to the center of his will.

This 265-page volume packs a punch. It's slightly larger than the standard paperback size allowing for the use of a larger font. The end result is a cover and print content that is very easy on the eyes.

In total, this volume has 120 daily readings, spanning Psalm 1 through Psalm 51. Volumes two and three will be released as 2021 progresses allowing readers to journey through the entire 150 Psalms in the span of a year, hence the title Psalms 365.

Now is an ideal time to commit to a daily, year-long, devotional journey through the Psalms. Psalms 365 is written by Word Guild award-winning author David Kitz, is published by Elk Lake Publishing, and is available through Amazon and other retailers.

Despite the difficulties, isolation, and setbacks of this year, I want to wish you a very merry Christmas and a new year that sets your heart aglow. May there be good books—inspiring books—under your tree this Christmas.

David Kitz is the chair of The Word Guild, an avid blogger, and the author of several books.

Immanuel and the Man on the Moon by Rose McCormick Brandon

 The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:23

Jesus, our Immanuel, is our very own God to love and cherish. Immanuel knows us, listens for our voice, hears our prayers, revels in our praises. He is always with us – in the uncomplicated days of youth and in the trenches when life gets tough. Wherever we are, He is there. If we could soar to the moon, as James Irwin did, Emmanuel would be there with us.

“I felt the power of God as I’d never felt it before,” Irwin said of his Apollo 15 mission in July 1971. From his vantage point on the moon earth appeared the size of a thumbnail. It reminded him of a fragile Christmas ornament hanging in space. “It was touching to see the earth from this perspective,” he said. Irwin felt God so near He looked over his shoulder expecting to see Him.

Prior to his moon mission Irwin was a self-described “bump on a log Christian.” Afterwards, he formed The High Flight Foundation and devoted his life to sharing the love of Jesus

On the moon Irwin felt inspired to quote from Psalm 121: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.”

Soar to the heavens. Immanuel is there. Sink to the depths. He is there (Psa. 139:8). Immanuel, God with us, fills the soul with wonder and takes the fear out of living.

No power can wield any strength against me when He is with me (Rom. 8:31).

Before lifting off the earth to return to His rightful place at God’s right hand, Immanuel spoke these unforgettable words: 

“I am with you always, to the very end” (Matt. 28:20).

Prayer: Today, my Lord, I take time to consider that You are with me, always and forever. I’m never alone.

***

Rose McCormick Brandon lives in Caledonia, Ontario with husband Doug. An award-winning personal experience and inspirational writer, Rose contributes to denominational publications and devotionals. She writes and teaches Bible Studies, authors biblical essays and is the author of the Canadian history book, Promises of Home – Stories of Canada’s British Home Children. Her book, One Good Word Makes all the Difference, contains stories of her personal journey from prodigal to passionate follower of Jesus. She is the mother of three adult children and grandmother of four. 

What Will a Covid Christmas Look Like? by Eleanor Shepherd

             

   I think we are all wondering what Christmas is going to look like for us this year.  It will be different from our usual customs in so many ways because of Covid and the way that it has impacted our lives this year.

                For many of us there will be sadness at the renewed realization that someone we love is no longer with us, snatched from us in a most ungracious manner by this disease or another. We will mourn not only the loss of their presence with us, but also an inadequate opportunity to pay tribute to their life and memory in the way we would have wanted to do. We have not been able to hear about their kind deeds and friendly acts from friends and colleagues in the way we so often do when we meet for a memorial service to honour their memory.

                We will also realize that there are living relatives that we hoped to spend this Christmas with, but because of the isolation imposed upon us by Covid we will not be able to meet together in our usual large family gatherings, because of the risk of us infecting one another and then having to bear the guilt of that particularly if older members of the family become the victims.

                Children and grandchildren will be robbed of time to hear the stories of past Christmases from parents and grandparents and laugh together at some of the fun times that were had and cry together about disappointments experienced. Does that mean that Christmas will be all doom and gloom this year?  

                I don’t think it has to be. We can choose. We can make the most of some of the positive aspects of a Covid Christmas. Are there some? Let’s think about it.

                Covid will force us to keep our gatherings smaller and more manageable and we will not have to run around until the last minute making sure that we have everything just right. Hopefully we have learned during our lockdowns, that we really do not need all that we have. Many of us have spent the time at home profitably in ridding ourselves of acquired goods and chattel that we really do not need. With the peace and calm the lack of clutter has brought into our living spaces, hopefully we can remember that more important than the things we have are those who are with us. Then we can focus more fully on relationship time, instead of trying to impress those who know us so well that we do not fool them. That would take so much of the fuss and bother out of our Christmas preparations. We will be able to enjoy the beauty of simplicity.

                We may also arrive at the day of our Christmas celebration, not bone tired from the obligatory attendance at so many festive events that have filled our calendar. They may have been spectacular and enjoyable but were also exhausting and we often found ourselves running on adrenaline. This year we will be able to watch them on Zoom or YouTube and relax in our homes at the same time with our family or a close friend. 

 

                 Perhaps this year the gift giving frenzy will also be diminished with purchasing just a few things that we think those we love will really appreciate. We have the option of going on line and ordering something for family who cannot be with us and can connect with them electronically to watch them open our gift. Reduced shopping fatigue and careful unhurried selection of gifts will also impact the headaches in January when the bills come in. This will enable us to begin 2021 in a more positive and hopeful frame of mind.

                Hopefully when Christmas is over and we are able to begin receiving the Covid vaccine we will be aware that there have been some significant benefits to this unusual and challenging time. Like most of the difficult experiences we have in life, in choosing to face up to the challenges we will discover within ourselves a new depth of character that makes us people who are more attuned to the needs of others. My hope is that we will realize that this growth was fostered by a divine purpose for our good, in negative circumstances, and we have not gone through this alone. The Christ of Christmas has been with us.