Icicles and Lambs

And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.…

Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Luke 2:7 Berean Study Bible            John 1:29 ESV

I love all things sparkly! Every year I layer our Christmas tree with an entire package of hand-me-down silvery icicles. I so enjoy the way the Christmas lights reflect off the silvery beauty! As much as I love the sparkle of Christmas decorations, I know this isn’t the real meaning and symbol of Christmas.

The original “Christmas scene” is rich with symbolism and depth of meaning, and definitely no cutesy fairy tale or sterile religious scene as we may accidentally portray it with our graceful Nativity figures. The authentic Nativity is gritty real-life embedded with layers of meaning. And the only sparkle were the stars of heaven. Come with me for a few moments, step away from ribbons and bows or perhaps the grief that some are experiencing this Holy-Day and let us push back the hay, peering into the stable …

The Lamb of God, born alongside smelling, dirty lambs. The Lamb of God, born to take away the sin of the world, birthed alongside animals intended to temporarily cover the sin of the people. John 1:29 Jesus, The Bread of Life, lain in a feeding trough. Beckoning us to feed on the only thing that authentically satisfies the hunger of our soul and deepest longings. Him. John 6:33

His teenager mom,  gave birth in a barn/cave, not because she enjoyed the rustic setting, but because there was no room for them anywhere else. They were not wanted or welcomed or cared for by others. From His first Word-made-flesh-Divine-breath to His crucifixion on Mt. Calvary, He experienced the pains of our humanness. Rejected. Outcast. Sorrow. Misunderstood. As the Holy Spirit spoke through Isaiah the prophet 700 years earlier, “He was a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…. Despised and rejected by men …”

His birth announcement didn’t include a Santa-hat photo in the society pages of Bethlehem but did make the shepherd evening news. Angels arrived during the night-shift of lowest-on-the-totem-pole of that society to proclaim the good news for all the world (Isn’t that just like our God?). “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” Luke 2

Stepping away from the stable and back into my modern-day Charles Dickens-esq Christmas celebrations, I am reminded … that Jesus is the Lamb of God, who came to take away my sins … He is the Bread of Life sent from heaven, the only One who can truly satisfy our needs. He knows our pain of rejection or grief or regret.  And Jesus offers us joy beyond measure as we bow our heart and kneel before the Lord our Maker – a Maker Who came wrapped in swaddling clothes laying in a feeding trough to give His life for us. Astounding.

God became flesh – doing it all in a most unexpected way, in a most unexpected place to a most undeserving people. The world. You. Me.

Whatever the Christmas holiday looks like in your world, from my never-enough-sparkles, to alone in a  prison cell (physical or emotional) or taking in the reality of  a cancer diagnosis, to a military spouse teary-eyed with loneliness, to a new mom holding her own swaddled child. Lean hard into the Lamb of God this Christmas…

“Christ didn’t only come into the world that first Christmas night in Bethlehem, but He wants to come into our lives today, and every day of the year.” – Billy Graham

Billy Graham

Father God, I bow before You in awe of Your faithfulness. Providing the spotless Lamb, Your very own Son … for me … Please show me where I “don’t make room” for You in my life … and enable me to daily recognize the depth of my need for You … as I bask in Your goodness, even as it comes in ways and by means that I did not expect. I love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

So that…

As He passed along, He noticed a man blind from his birth. His disciples asked Him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?  Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.    John 9:1-3 AMPC / NASB

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 1 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

While Jesus took time to actually notice the man born blind, and now begging for a living, His disciples landed on another approach.  Observing the overwhelming trial the man endured, they wanted to know why he was born blind in the first place. “What did he or his family do to deserve this?”, they asked, with an implied assumption. Not exactly empathy in action. Jesus explained, “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in Him.” I’ll be the first to admit, being born blind in that culture isn’t something I would have volunteered for.  And yet, this man was given the honor of being used so that … his life and eventual healing might be used to display God’s glory.

Later, the Apostle Paul tells us that God comforted him, so that he might be able to comfort others with the same comfort he had received. God allowed painful trials into Paul’s life, so that his need would drive him to the God of all comfort. So that … he could authentically comfort others.

Hospital bracelet

Now, let’s get real world. I have a few “so that” scenarios in my own life (I bet you do too). My first-born daughter, Tiffany Anne, died at three days old… Gut-punch excruciating. As I look back at that tragedy, it was through her death that I gave my life to Christ.

So that I might surrender to the Saviour… and glorify God.

Foot prints

Fourteen years later, I gave birth to a still-born son. Yet another horrific ache that words cannot adequately express. I can’t as easily see the “why” of his death, but through such profound loss, God has graced me with authentic empathy and compassion for others who suffer and long to know “why.”

So that I might share the comfort I received… and glorify God.

Heart surgery aftermath

Just over a year ago I suffered a health emergency that nearly took my life, and that included months of rehabilitation. Out of that trial came more empathy and a devotional book (Stony Paths, learning to trust Him on the stony paths of real life) with a message of encouragement for those who walk through their own stony paths

So that I might offer authentic hope… and glorify God.

And of course, the ultimate, so that, is Jesus Christ giving His life as a ransom for us. Living a sinless life, suffering, dying and rising from the dead … so that you and I might have a way to the Father.

Let’s bring it back home. What “so that” situations have been allowed into your life? Think it through. Hold them up to the light. Is there a tragedy or a difficulty that God has graced you with so that….? Allow Him to use your life, and all you’ve endured, as a display of His glory.

We must understand that for God to give “songs in the night,” He must first make it night.

C. H. Spurgeon

Father, Oh how I long to bring glory to Your great name!  I hand You all that has touched my life, use it as an illustration of Your goodness, faithfulness and a display of Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Advent devo suggestion

Confession, I usually find Advent devos to be a bit “religiousy” and not something that draws me in to honoring Jesus’ birth. But this devo is different!

Advent Alphabet

I highly recommend it. You can download a free copy or order a hard copy. It is well worth the cost.

Blessings to you!

Becky White

Christmas Cookies

Christmas Cookies is one of my favorite Christmas devotionals. It’s such a vivid word picture of the ingredients that make up our lives and what the Lord is able to do with those ingredients.  Wrapping the joy of Christmas cookie baking (and eating!) around the real-life pain that each of us walks through at some point in our lives. It describes His ability to take raw staples, added in the right order, mixed together, provide just the right amount of heat, and …. Let’s just read the devo 😉 – Becky White

The LORD of Armies has taken an oath: “It will happen exactly as I’ve intended. It will turn out exactly as I’ve planned.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Isaiah 14:24 GWT    Romans 8:28 KJV

Every December, it’s the same pre-Christmas cookie-baking ritual. I grab large mixing bowls and measuring spoons, along with flour, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs. I spend an entire day mixing, and refrigerating batches of cookie dough.  I’ll spend another whole day baking and decorating (and taste-testing of course!) until our kitchen counters are covered in sugary goodness.  

In the midst of my baking marathon, I stepped back to survey the landscape of my countertop. I noticed that most of what my eyes landed on wouldn’t taste very good as a stand-alone ingredient. Baking soda or a pinch of salt isn’t very tasty all by itself, however, mix each ingredient together in the correct order, add some heat and voila’! You have a mouth-watering, hip-enlarging Christmas cookie! As I mixed and stirred this year’s cookie-dough, I thought a lot about the “ingredients” of my life … of most people’s lives, and how similar it is to my Christmas cookie routine.

On a stand-alone basis, many of the ingredients we encounter are bitter, or even down right painful. Some appear as pointless as baking soda or a pinch of salt. At times were convinced the oven temperature is set on broil…oh the pain of the heat of trials or testing or even natural consequences of our own bad choices.

In my own life, the Lord God has taken “ingredients” like childhood challenges, the death of two of my children, domestic violence, divorce and even my own addictions …. and in the end, brought them all together for my good and His glory.  Ingredients that I thought were unnecessary or an “oven” temperature I thought was too hot or “baking time” I thought was too long… He brought good from them all. Not one ingredient wasted.

Your ingredient list or baking time, may be similar to mine or completely different. Maybe it includes the bitter flavor of COVID or the nastiness of depression-inducing isolation or the uncertainty of our political landscape or financial anxiety. Perhaps your list even includes the bitter ingredient of death or discouragement or cancer …

Wherever you’re at in the cooking process and whatever your ingredient list, let me encourage you today. He sees you. He is aware. I am so sorry for the pain or heartache some of your ingredients have caused. We may not understand “the why” of each ingredient or the cooking process, but we can absolutely trust the Master.

Grab yourself a cup of coffee and a few cookies… and reflect a minute on how He so masterfully used/uses all your life’s ingredients for your good and His glory. Or sip hot cocoa and ask Him to help with your ingredient list that feels so “unnecessary” or an oven temp that seems too high for way too long! Pour out your heart to Him. He is faithful. Of that we can be sure.

“Faith isn’t the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It’s simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step.”   

Joni Erickson Tada

Father, help me view each life ingredient as from Your Sovereign hand. Enable me to trust You with the bitter and the sweet, and in the end stand amazed at Your faithfulness! In Jesus’ name, Amen

 Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Click here for free pdf devotional – Stony Paths. You may also purchase a hard copy at this link.

Shattered Snow-globe

Please forgive the rerun – this devo keeps bubbling up in my heart, so I decided to send it out again. Just a reminder, as followers of Christ, we will walk through the same tragedies, the same pain and the same every-day struggles as other folks. And yet … we are not walking alone. We have no less than God Himself living in us and working through us.  When we suffer, God uses that suffering to bring glory to His name to a watching world. They will see that although we face the same challenges as they, we are more than conquers through Christ who strengthens us, and we have within us, His peace that passes all understanding. Not because we have no difficulties to face, but because He’s with us in the difficulties. – Becky White

The LORD is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope. Psalm 34:18 GNT

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 ESV

You are near, O Lord [nearer to me than my foes] Psalm 119:51a AMPC

Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62: 8 NASB

Wiping away coffee stains and donut crumbs from the outdoor serving tables as she mingled with the guests, it was just another day of urban ministry. A team of volunteers had prepared scrambled eggs, biscuits and sausage, for those without a brick-and-mortar address and some who were just in need of a meal and a caring face – all sprinkled with conversation, prayer and a hug or two.

But on this day… the woman served a guest that she never expected to cross her path in this setting… mingled among the diners who carried all they owned in a knapsack was… Her grown daughter.

Her heart broke at the sight of her “child.” Engulfing her in a momma bear embrace, she listened as her daughter shared details of the past few months. Her momma’s heart ached at the painful scene confronting her. Yet thankful for the foundational knowledge that her daughter was still alive. For another day.

After the meal, she watched as her daughter rolled away and toward the busy city street in the worn-from-use wheel chair, her heart aching at the scene before her.  Though the need for a wheelchair was relatively recent, her daughter’s hands now expertly moved the side wheels while her exposed left foot pushed the chair along the concrete sidewalk. The scene pierced the momma’s heart as her eyes were captured by the sight of the bare, calloused and dirt-stained foot, pushing methodically along. Instantly, she was transported back in time. Hot tears welling as she envisioned her daughter’s tiny, sweet smelling, baby-girl feet with pink satin booties and a delicate ribbon carefully tied in a bow. So perfect. So beautiful.

Lowering her gaze, the momma turned away in emotional ache as the rawness of the scene washed over her…Her daughter… her “baby girl” … now nearing 40, missing a leg, addicted and “contentedly” homeless.

This true story reminds us that being a follower of Jesus Christ doesn’t exempt us from pain. The momma ached; the daughter struggled with addiction. For some, your reality is the death of a child. For others, depression or despair are threatening to engulf you as one who has “lost all hope.” We do not live the Christian life in a snow-globe – always beautiful and delicately protected from adversity. Though no one has been given an exemption-card from the trials of life, He has promised us His very presence as we walk through them…. even as He asks us to trust Him with what we do not understand.

Trace again the words of scripture. Put your finger on each word and speak them out loud. “The LORD is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope. He is near the brokenhearted.” While I have no magic words to wipe away your pain, allow me to lead you to the One Scripture calls “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”. (Isaiah 53:3) Lean into Him as you walk through your own version of a shattered snow-globe situation. He is nearer than all you face.

“If God sends us on stony paths, He provides strong shoes.”

Corrie ten Boom

Father, Your word says that You are the God of all comfort and a Refuge for us. While I admit I would much prefer an exemption-card from difficulty, I realize it’s through trials that I learn to trust You, and Your grace, to carry me. I love You, In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Turkey, Pumpkin Pie and Thankfulness

Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits—

Psalm 103: 1-2 AMPC

Beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Deuteronomy 6:12

How can I repay the LORD for all His goodness to me? Psalm 116:12 BSB

I love all the sights and smells that “Thanksgiving” evokes. The aroma of turkey roasting in the oven, the smell of sage stuffing, and of course, pumpkin pie. I love the beautiful chaos of children, grandchildren and children-in-law, all clamoring and spilling drinks and asking for dessert much too early – all as we drink in the blessings of family and good food. The American Thanksgiving Holiday (That can be celebrated everywhere, of course!). A day purposefully set aside to remember and then give thanks to God for all the blessings He’s given us.

Thanksgiving Day also brings up meaningful memories of serving dinner to our friends at an urban ministry (Columbus Dream Center), many who have none of the trappings I just described. Some with a mere canvas “roof” over their head, a “bed” of cardboard, and only a lap for a table. I (and countless others) have personally experienced challenging holidays, layered with loneliness and financial lack, and the emotional pain of grief or loss. Such challenges can make Thanksgiving Day a little more complicated.

Where do you find yourself today? Are your overwhelmed by His goodness or overwhelmed by grief? Overwhelmed by His faithfulness or overwhelmed by tragic circumstances? Maybe both?

Wherever you find yourself this Thanksgiving season, may I (gently) encourage you to purposefully ask the Lord to bring His good gifts to mind? Every. Single One. It could be that you have a “Thankful” list ready to post on FB or share with your family.  Or maybe it will take deep thought and possibly tears, to pull together a post-it note list. Though I don’t know where you land today, He does. And He is the same faithful God today, that He was last week, last decade or when King David penned the Psalm that reminds us to bless the Lord and forget not one of His benefits.

This year, I am so very thankful that He brought me out of my “land of Egypt” and my own self-created house of bondage. I am forever thankful that He has blessed me with another day of life, and beyond thankful for my amazing family (natural and spiritual) and yes,  I’m even thankful for the trials He’s trusted me with, trials that continue to refine and mold me for His purposes.

Wherever this Thanksgiving Day finds us, let’s turn our minds and hearts to the Lord God and offer thanks to Him.

Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Father God, Faithful Lord, Precious Savoir, I am so very thankful for Your hand of blessing and favor on my life. From my salvation, to a heart that continues to beat, to my favorite Thanksgiving Day foods, to the challenges You’ve walked me through. I bow in awe of Your goodness toward me. Thank You! In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Click here to purchase a hard copy or download a FREE pdf of the devotional, Stony Paths learning to trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life.

You may also purchase Stony Paths, learning to Trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life, by visiting Lulu Publishing or Amazon.

Photo Album of His Goodness

Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits.

1 Thessalonians 5:18, Ephesians 5:20  BSB,   Psalm 103:2 NABS 1995

Are you old enough to remember those old-fashioned photo albums with sticky pages and clear plastic cling? The adhesive worked so well, that if you attempted to remove years’ old photos, you might end up with half a picture of Uncle Fred. One thing’s for sure, you weren’t going to lose your pics in a cloud!

All of us have struggles and seasons of difficulty. Some of us have experienced sharp moments of pain that felt like a piercing of our very soul. Many years ago, as I struggled through seasons of devastating challenge, disappointment and loss, the idea of being thankful left me … well… at a loss. Finding it much easier to spot areas where I felt God had let me down, rather than things to be grateful for. I could count my many disappointments and trials much easier than my blessings. Painfully and embarrassingly honest. 

That’s where the photo album comes in.

I determined to make a record of every little blessing I could think of. A memory album of God’s faithfulness to me. Something tangible I could pull out and look at when ungratefulness crept back into my heart. When life’s difficulties seem to eclipse life’s blessings. I could hold it in my hands. (These decades later, I still have that album). I also reread the auto-biography of Nazi concentration camp survivor, Corrie ten Boom, which gave me a new appreciation for a warm blanket, a cup of hot coffee and my own Bible to read. It was also around this time that I took our oldest son to serve with me at a Salvation Army Thanksgiving give-away, handing out over-flowing dinner baskets to those in need.  (Few knew that we were recipients of one of those baskets).

God asks us to give Him thanks. Period. Empty cupboards and all. Empty chairs and all. Broken-hearts and all.

Becky White

My (glaringly obvious?) point, is that God asks us to give Him thanks. Period. Empty cupboards and all. Empty chairs and all. Broken-hearts and all. Our choice to give thanks in all things, honors Him and reflects a deep level of trust in our Father God, that says, You are good and You are faithful, even if…  It’s a deliberate choice we make. Somedays its so very easy, other days, it’s through tears… That’s okay. Let’s choose to honor Him.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God hath done.

Author: Johnson Oatman, Jr  1856

Now, let’s get your photo album ready…

Father, Thank You for Your many good gifts that I too easily take for granted. Focusing instead on all that I feel is “missing.” Please forgive me. How I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

A little Hebrew:

Give thanks: From eucharistos; to be grateful, i.e. to express gratitude

Forget: From: shâkach, shaw-kakh’; or שָׁכֵחַ shâkêach; a primitive root; to mislay, i.e. to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention:—× at all, (cause to) forget.to forget, ignore, wither (Qal) to cease to care

Free Devotional – Stony Paths

Learning to Trust Him as we walk along STONY PATHS – 09.24.2021Download

Stony Paths – Learning to trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life.

Recently, a friend asked what drew me to write a book on the topic of trusting God. The answer came immediately….

Let me share with you what I told him that day … I was confronted with emergency open heart surgery with no time to think through the seriousness of the situation. The doctors explained that with a near total blockage in what is often referred to as the “widow maker”, I had no time to spare … this was life and death … surgery was needed immediately. While I am no spring chicken and would never be confused for an athlete, I am in decent physical condition, try to eat healthy and exercise, so this news came as a complete shock to my husband and I. Understanding what must be done, we held hands and prayed together, thanking our heavenly Father for His flawless timing and protection on my behalf (and asking Him to help the surgeons of course!).

Days later, as I became fully aware of what had actually happened and how close I came to dying, I was overcome with thankfulness and gratitude to the Lord. So excited to share with nurses, friends, housekeeping staff … anyone who would listen, about how the Lord spared my life. Of how good God is. How loving and faithful. But then it hit me … like being smacked across the face. What if He had said “no” to our prayers of healing? What if God had not caused the blockage to become known and I had died suddenly? What if my husband was planning my funeral rather than planning my home therapy sessions? And what about the people who heard me gush about my near-fatal experience? What if they had a family member who faced the same scenario but their mother or wife or friend had died instead of the miraculous intervention I had experienced?

This question reverberated in my heart – Is God still good and is He still worthy of trust, even when the answer is No? Is my trust in Him total and complete or is it only for particular outcomes?

We trust Him for finances or safety. We trust Him for basic necessities. We trust Him for healing. And we should. But there is a still deeper level of trust that our Father God is calling us to. A trust that stands alone – separate from our hoped-for outcome. To simply trust Him, no matter the outcome. A trust in the goodness of God based on His word that tells us that if He was willing to give the life of His Son for us, is there anything He will withhold? You see, if we look at the Cross of Christ as our backdrop, then we can look the rawest reality in the face with the knowledge that if He has allowed it, I can trust that He has a plan, a purpose and that He knows what is ultimately best for me.

“If God Sends Us On Stony Paths He Provides Strong Shoes.”

Corrie ten Boom


I still share with anyone willing to listen to what the Lord did for me … but I always bring it around to this point: Even if He had called me home that day, He is still good, He is still faithful and I trust Him.

Even when we don’t understand. He is worthy of our trust.

Though I must admit that I have cheated a bit on this whole trusting the Lord thing, you see, He’s given me lots of practice. Maybe He’s done the same for you too. I’ve buried two children; I’ve walked through betrayal as well as financial collapse and as with many folks, childhood brought its own set of challenges. And if that weren’t enough, I made plenty of messes that caused great distress for me and others. Through it all, I have learned by experience that our Father God can be trusted – no matter the outcome and no matter the reason for our mess.

As you read through the devotions in this book, it is my prayer that the Lord will enable you to look your darkest challenge in the face and know with certainty that He loves you. That your Father God is trustworthy. No matter the outcome. He will walk you through this. You are not alone. He loved you enough to send His Son to die for you. With that as your life’s backdrop, be intentional about viewing all you walk through as filtered through His fingers. He’s got this. Let’s trust Him as we walk the stony paths of life.

To purchase a hard copy of Stony Paths, visit the products page or visit Lulu Publishing. It may also be purchased on Amazon.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

When “Giving Thanks” isn’t so Easy

Through Him, therefore, let us at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.    Hebrews 13:15 AMP

In every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 AMP

Recently, our pastor reminded us that the season between Thanksgiving and New Years has the highest rate of depression and suicide attempts. So that means, while many of us are prepping our turkeys, gulping glasses of eggnog, eating way too many cookies or admiring a beautifully lit tree, others among us are drowning in hopelessness and despair.  All the while, watching others around them with seemingly Instagram-perfect lives. (As if that’s reality, but I digress…) Our hearts should ache for those struggling through this season.

I confess that it’s all too easy for me to give thanks when I have the blessings of a warm bed or full belly or good relationships. It takes no sacrifice to give thanks in such scenarios. But I find it does take deliberate effort to be thankful, because my default setting is to take His gifts for granted. To forget that all I have is a gift from His hand. From the breath in my lungs, to my amazing husband and our family, to the heater under our kitchen table (and strategically placed by my feet.) All of it. Gifts from Him.

I have also learned experientially the importance of giving thanks for “gifts” that, at first blush, are more like the proverbial “ugly sweater” gift. When financial challenges engulfed me, He provided and enabled me to give thanks for the few packages of Ramen noodles and can of chicken that became a casserole for five children. Or the times when relational betrayal or the pain of regret for my own bad choices laid me bare and yet He provided forgiveness and healing through my Lord Jesus. And has brought beauty from ashes.

Teaching us the invaluable lesson of giving thanks to Him in all circumstances, not just pleasant circumstances.

Then I think of those celebrating Thanksgiving Day who are behind bars or sitting at a makeshift tent-campsite or those handling funeral arrangements as they simultaneously battle the ache of grief or those coping with an all-encompassing loneliness that this season seems to amplify. When folks in such circumstances give thanks through a whispered prayer of gratitude to the Lord Jesus, it is a priceless “sacrifice of praise” that honors our God. Folks who are purposely giving thanks, even if they must search through the debris of a trial or pain, to do so.

For one moment, let’s step back from our turkey dinners and contemplate the challenges our neighbors might be walking through and consider what a sacrifice it may be for them to utter the words, “Thank you, God.”

Have you ever been there? Are you there now? Is there a person who comes to mind as you read these words? As we celebrate this special day, set aside to give thanks to God for His great blessings, in whatever form they come, let’s remember those struggling this season. Pray. Reach out. Be a blessing. Let’s be His hands and feet to all He puts in our path. There is hope. And it is found in Jesus Christ.

“As a matter of fact, God isn’t asking you to be thankful. He’s asking you to give thanks. There’s a big difference. One response involves emotions, the other your choices, your decisions about a situation, your intent, your ‘step of faith.’”

– Joni Eareckson Tada

Happy Thanksgiving!

Father, I am in awe of the gifts You’ve so freely given. Life. Salvation. Breath. Genuine hope because of Christ. Help me to remember, and not forget, Your good hand of favor on my life. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Click here to purchase a hard copy or download a FREE pdf of the devotional, Stony Paths learning to trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life.

You may also purchase Stony Paths, learning to Trust Him as we walk the Stony Paths of real life, by visiting Lulu Publishing or Amazon.

What’s Your Paper Trail Look Like?

For we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]— 2 Corinthians 5:7 Amplified Bible

For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 Berean Standard Bible

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Psalm 51:17

Cracking eggs on the side of a large metal bowl, the young volunteer and I made small talk as we prepared breakfast for folks in need of a hot meal. Figuring we’d need about 18 dozen to feed everyone, our conversation carried on as we cracked, whipped and then cooked eggs, sausage and biscuits. In the midst of our serving, she mentioned how tired she was, so I asked, “Oh, do you have young children at home?” Assuming little ones were stealing away her night’s sleep.

Laughing out loud, she giggled, “No! I’m only 19!”

Now it was my turn to laugh, as I shared with her that by 19, I had already been married, divorced, had given birth to four children. I had also buried a daughter. That conversation opened the flood gates to share with her, how I came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. Often, when I share quick snippets of my story, I tell folks, “I don’t look good on paper.” By that I mean, if only the black and white facts of my life (paper) are known, it looks like a hot, depressing, , hopeless mess. But God.

But God used the tragedies thrust upon me, as well as those I thrust upon myself, to cause me to recognize my need for Him. And He continues to use the many trials of life to drive home the point that I am to walk by faith and not by sight. To live by faith in Him and His faithfulness, not my fickle emotions. That He is good, even when life hurts. And that the worst-case scenarios can happen simultaneously with Hope in Him flourishing.  In short, trust Him, no matter what things look like. Trust Him no matter the circumstance. Rely on the Truth of His Word rather than what we see with our eyes.

As we will soon prepare to celebrate the literal incarnation of God, through the physical birth of Jesus Christ, I am reminded that things are not always as they appear. Who would have ever thought, God would arrive on the scene in such a way? “On paper,” it appeared that He was born in an animal stable to a poor, unwed couple facing a crisis pregnancy. The world would say, a no body, born to no bodies, in the middle of nowhere. Yet, here we are today, over 2,000 years later, celebrating His birth. His birth that split history in two and sacrificial death that split the veil that separated a holy God from unholy, sinful folks like you and I. Today, He sits at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do you have a paper trail that includes challenges like addiction or abuse or prison or depression or regret?  I understand. Or maybe your paper trail is peppered with college degrees, ministry work, financial wealth or a “moral” life. While some of us are more spit-shined than others, we all stand in need of The Savior.

As I shared that day over a bowl of scrambled eggs – He saved me, and while life will always have challenges, He turned my mess into ministry, and now it’s my greatest honor to serve Him with my life, in whatever way He chooses. He has given me a new paper trail. If He can do it for me, He can do the same for you.

“In perplexities—when we cannot tell what to do, when we cannot understand what is going on around us, let us be calmed and steadied and made patient by the thought that what is hidden from us is not hidden from Him”

 — Frances Ridley Havergal

Father, Thank You for sending Your One and only Son, those 2,000 years ago. My Lord Jesus. Erasing what I had on paper and giving me Your sinless record instead. Astounding. I bow in awe of Your goodness and mercy! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus.

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