From Christmas Cookies to Counting Calories

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10 NKJV

I can do nothing on my own.  John 5:30aESV

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians s 4:13 ESV

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV

You know the New Year is just around the corner when shops and advertisements boomerang from images of whipped cream-topped hot cocoa and a mouthwatering cookie, to aisles of treadmills, ellipticals and tax prep packages. Yep, we’ve turned the corner from “The most wonderful time of the year” to a season of making resolutions of weight loss, getting out of debt or ending a bad habit. A season that’s ripe with determination to try harder, and take advantage of the clean slate in front of us. Yet, before we see Valentine candy on the store shelves, many of us are already filled with despair at our lack of ability or willpower to maintain the desired course corrections.

I promise not to add to your list of what you must do or change or how you must do better in the coming year. No guilt trip here. What I will do is remind both of us of the foundational truth that we are a broken, lost, hot-mess people, unable to change ourselves. Willpower, determination or positive thinking, will not (alone) do the trick, though those are definitely our allies in the process. As with the salvation of our soul, He alone is able to change us from the inside out, and enable us to become all He has planned for us.

That plan may include reevaluating our health (or lack of it), reevaluating relationships or how we spend our resources of time, talent and money. It most certainly includes an honest assessment of our relationship with Jesus Christ, the One who paid our sin debt in full. What it doesn’t include is an end-of-our-rope striving to be better, do better and work harder to be “good” (as if…).

We can do nothing on our own, but we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. We are His workmanship, His masterpiece. And as you see treadmills filling store aisles, refuse to despair. May they be only reminders that you are His workmanship. Rely on His wisdom, strength and ability to put His finger on areas of needed change and provide what’s needed to live out the life He has given you.

If you wait until you feel like taking action, you’ll never make progress.

Don Howe

Father, Please put Your finger on areas of my life that need changed or reevaluated. As I honestly acknowledge them, enable me to make whatever course corrections are necessary as I lean into You as my Strength to accomplish what I cannot. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Stepping Stones

As for you, you meant evil against me but God meant it for good to bring about this present result.

Genesis 50:20 NASB

As the story of Joseph’s life unfolds, we find a young man excited about the future God has for him. From the dreams given, and readily shared with his family, we can see God has a super-sized future in mind for him! But his big brothers weren’t so impressed with their kid brother and his dreams of valor. When their contempt began brimming over for this “little dreamer” as they called him, they hatched a plot to take his life. In the end, rather than kill him, they sold him to traveling merchants. Selling him into a life of slavery.

Maybe you can relate. Have your dreams turned into dashed expectations and a painful new reality?

So much for a God-ordained, super-sized future. So much for dreams of God’s call on his life. He must have misunderstood. He must have heard God all wrong.

Not quite. God often uses the unlikely, the ordinary and the downright painful to bring about His purposes for our lives. Trace out the path God providentially wove – Joseph would have never become prime minister of Egypt if he had not been sold into slavery.

Read the entire story. (See Genesis 37-50) See how again and again, the pain filled, and often unfair, events in Joseph’s life are nothing less than stepping-stones masterfully placed by God to fulfill one man’s destiny. To place him exactly where he’s needed, when he’s needed. Joseph understands this truth as he boldly declares on four occasions, “God sent me here. He sent me ahead of you.” God is in charge. Period. Pain and all.

I trust You to create my life’s story and to give me all I need to fully live out the path You have planned for me. 

Tony Evans

Beloved, who are the “older brothers” in your life? Have you been “sold into slavery” of some kind? Have you been your own pit creator and slave seller?

Has something or someone caused you to believe that God’s promises are for everyone else but you? As if you, and your circumstances, are the one exception? Listen to me dear one, “they” may have meant it for evil but God meant it for good, to bring about His call on your life. Your pain may very well be God’s stepping-stones for the destiny He has planned.

Father, Grant us a stepping-stone mentality on the trials that swirl around us. It’s so easy to feel like we’re the one exception to all You’ve promised. We choose to take one step at a time into the future You have planned for us, knowing that You hold our right hand. Thank You for your great faithfulness!

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for my Lord Jesus

Merry Christmas

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:15

I’m sure your inbox or mail box or social media thread is brimming with Season’s Greetings or Happy Holidays and even a few Merry Christmases. I don’t intend to add to that clutter this Holy Day.

Just a reminder to myself and you dear one, why we celebrate this birthday with such fanfare. While we can debate the exact date of our Saviors birth (I won’t) and we can examine traditions like Santa or Christmas trees and snow (I won’t).

I simply want to land on His Word that encapsulates this Holy Day – “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” Our salvation purchased through the life of this divine babe, the one and only Son of God. Who grew up and was offered as The Lamb of God on Calvary’s Cross. To satisfy, both the payment needed for our sin debt while also satisfying the immense love of God for ones such as you and I.

I bow in adoration, as I look on my sparkly, icicle covered Christmas tree, in silent amazement at the only gift that truly matters and that all of us need. His Son….

Thank You Father, for Your indescribable gift.

Written by Becky White for my Lord Jesus

10 Lessons for the Trials of Life

Becky’s Autobiography

Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure. ISAIAH 46:10 NASB

Dear one, if I could sit down with you at my kitchen table over a hot cup of coffee and open my heart, I would offer you all the nuggets of pure gold He has taught me. But my first words would be to tell you how sorry I am for your pain. No theological explanations. Then I would hug you, offer you something to eat and get out my Bible.

May I pretend that we are sitting across my table now and I’ll share with you some truths I have gleaned over the years? Lessons learned while passing through the furnace of affliction are not soon forgotten; rather they become part of who we are. What I am offering are rock solid, Christ centered truths that infused me with strength to go on one more day in the face of near hopelessness. Truth to counteract the enemy’s lies. Truth that caused me to rise with renewed hope – such Truth that can enable you as well.

I have outlined 10 lessons God kneaded into my soul throughout my years of great difficulty. No – this is not an exhaustive list but rather highlights that I believe can, and will, encourage you as you walk through your rivers of difficulty and your furnace of affliction. May you come forth as gold.

Download the FREE 10 Lessons pdf here

10 LessonsDownload

Every Detail

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.  Psalm 37:23 NLT

“But you, O Bethlehem *Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me One who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Micah 5:2

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. Luke 2:1,6  NLT

“Even when I don’t see it, You’re working.” – Way Maker

It felt so sudden, and certainly, an unnecessary added burden. Just as this young couple was coming to terms with the “unplanned” divine Child growing in her womb, and as they maneuvered the stares and whispers of her “predicament,” the emperor issued his first-time census. Such an inconvenience, not to mention the physical toll it would take on the now, heavily pregnant, Mary. Wasn’t the LORD aware of how this days-long journey would impact Mary and Joseph?  Did this trivial, yet burdensome detail, slip through His Sovereign fingers? And as an added bonus, once the couple arrived at their destination, they were turned away, the only offering was a barn where animals slept. Had God forgotten about them?

Nope. Not even close. The Sovereign One was actually orchestrating these seemingly sudden and unexpected events, to place Mary at just the right moment (nine months pregnant!) in just the right place (Bethlehem in Judea). To give birth to the promised Messiah, in the exact location foretold hundreds of years earlier. (Micah 5:2)

Which made me think of some details in my own life. Details that look so unnecessary and an added burden to challenges already in place.

Are there events and details in your life that appear sudden, unexpected, unwanted or burdensome? Do you secretly question if He even sees you or maybe that He doesn’t concern Himself with “trivial” matters (He is God, after all, that’s a pretty demanding job description)? Does it feel like He has dropped the ball by allowing trials to slip through His divine fingers and into your life?

He has a plan. And every detail is working out His purposes for your life.

Becky White

Nope. Not even close. While there’s no miraculous, divine birth being arranged, there is the story of your life being directed, one step at a time, and His word assures is that He delights in every detail of our lives. Did you catch that? Every detail. According to His word, even events that seem accidental are really ordered by Him. Divinely fitting each piece into the plan, He has purposed. (Job 42:2).

This Christmas, as you think on the events that brought our Savior to earth, consider all the seemingly insignificant details that were exactly what was needed to fulfill the prophesies surrounding Jesus’ physical birth (I’ve only listed a few, there are hundreds). Now think on the events and details He has allowed into your life.  Whatever those events are, trust that He knows what He’s up to. He has a plan. And every detail is working out His purposes for your life.

“Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.”  – Corrie Ten Boom

Father God, I stand amazed that You take ordinary details and trials, and even adversity, to bring about Your purposes. For me. Praise You, O Most High! In Jesus’ name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Click here for a FREE pdf of the devotional, Stony Paths.

Click here to purchase my autobiography, Come Forth as Gold.

*Micah 5:2 makes a couple of predictions. First, the birthplace of this future “ruler of Israel” would be Bethlehem Ephrathah. Since there were two locations known as Bethlehem at the time of Micah’s writing, the addition of Ephrathah is significant. It specifies the Bethlehem in Judah, the portion of Israel in which the capital, Jerusalem, was located. Bethlehem was considered “little,” or insignificant, among the cities of Judah, yet would serve as the birthplace of this future ruler.   GotQuestions.org

Frame Your Circumstances Around Truth

Recently, I was in deep thought about a horrendous tragedy that occurred in a friend’s life, and simultaneously, another friend’s reaction to a relatively minor difficulty. These twin issues caused me to think about modern “Americanized” Christian theology concerning life’s difficulties – which all too often is either a hollow, “Oh, just praise the Lord, honey” or a cynical, “Where’s your God now?” by skeptics. In addition, there are those who simply don’t think Your people have such trials … I’ve lived long enough to know better. Maybe you have too.

Would you allow me to share with you my personal talk with God on the matter? Thank you for listening in …

Father, either Your word is always true, all the time or it’s all a sham. Period. No middle ground. Nazi concentration camps, scrapped knees, cancer, and colds. A life spared and one grievously taken. From glorious “happy endings” to the lonely and despairing.  Again, either Your Word is true all the time or it cannot be relied upon. Period. No middle ground.

I see in Your Word that a man was born blind and then lived blind for decades, when onlookers asked You if the blindness was because of sin he or his parents committed, You answered, “Neither, but that the glory of God would be manifest through his life.” John 9:2. You gave this man the privilege of bringing glory to Your name. But Father, I bet if You were taking volunteers, this isn’t one he would have signed up for. I can think of many ways I would like to be used by You, but I admit decades of blindness wouldn’t be one of them.

Help me frame my circumstances around this truth … if You gave the life of Your Son for me, is there anything I can’t trust You with? 

Becky White

Your Word tells me that you loved me so much that You allowed your Son to endure betrayal, a torturous beating, a corrupt court system conviction and an excruciating death – You even turned Your back on Him. For me?  I can barely type the words … the realization is overwhelming. While I was helpless to help myself, You volunteered to take my place … because You love me. John 3:16. O, Father! Help me frame my circumstances around this truth … if You gave the life of Your Son for me, is there anything I can’t trust You with? 

When you see no present advantage, walk by faith and not by sight. Do God the honor to trust Him when it comes to matters of loss for the sake of principle.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Father, there is so much loss around us, which feels magnified during this holy season of Christmas. When we cannot understand, when we feel forsaken or cannot reconcile what we see with Your Word, enable us to trust You anyway. Even if through tears or clenched teeth. We choose to trust You … We will remember the Cross and cling to You … and offer the only hope there is to a hurting world or neighbor or co-worker. You. Along with a listening ear (and possibly a casserole!).

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

Click here for FREE devotional – Stony Paths

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.  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.

He offers all this to us, beloved.

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

Christmas Socks

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given…

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son,

that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life.

Isaiah 9:6    John 3:16

Christmas. I love the lights, the tinsel, the songs, and the food. I love the cheesy nothing-to-do-with-the-real-meaning-of-Christmas movies. I love baking cookies with the grandkids and watching the excitement in their eyes as they gasp excitedly at Grandpa and Grandma’s covered-in-icicles Christmas tree. And yet – none of those things is really “Christmas” is it? In fact, one of those decades-old movies reminds us that Christmas can, and does, happen even when all those extras are missing.

Old socks turned Christmas socks.  Old socks nailed to the wall as Christmas stockings, plump with fruit and candy, old socks used as mittens for the kid’s snowball fights and old socks turned into bean bag toys and hand puppets. During those trying years, God gave me a heart of thankfulness for such blessings as old socks – while in recent years, I have spent Christmas’ basking in the outward blessings of tinsel, lights, cheesy movies and grandkids – all shared with my gift-from-God husband. But no matter the circumstance, I always had Christmas. Because Christmas isn’t about those outer trappings I so enjoy…

While we could debate the origins of celebrating this set apart Holy Day we call Christmas, or the accuracy of the exact date – let’s land on the meaning of what we are celebrating. God made flesh. Born of a woman. The Creator entering into His creation to save them. No lights or tinsel or cookies or even eggnog needed.  Jesus the Christ, born into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. That is Christmas.

This Christmas may find you comfortably sitting in your favorite chair, sipping hot chocolate and basking in the glow of a tree or alone in a prison cell (physical or emotional), tear-stained face and discouraged beyond words. It may find you missing a now-in-heaven child/parent/spouse/friend… or it may find you feverishly trying to “create” Christmas for family. My prayer is that this Christmas we purposefully remember what we are celebrating – the greatest *gift of all time. The gift of His one and only Son… for you. Amazing.

The very purpose of Christ’s coming into the world was that he might offer up his life as a sacrifice for the sins of men. He came to die. This is the heart of Christmas. –Rev. Billy Graham

Father, I am speechless when I think of what You have given us…Your Son, Your only Son. I bow at Your feet, acknowledging Your goodness, faithfulness and absolute mercy and grace given to one such as I. Thank You Father, thank You. In Jesus’ name, Amen

*(Make sure you have opened this gift or it will do you as much good as those expired gift cards!).

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

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.

Thanksgiving

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

Always giving thanks to God the Father for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

 Ephesians 5:20 AMP

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 

 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. 

For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above all gods.

Psalm 95:1-3 NKJV

For many of us, it isn’t Thanksgiving Day without family encircling a bountiful table, with the smells of turkey and pumpkin pie wafting through the air. For others, good friends and a gourmet meal reflect Thanksgiving Day. Which works out great if we happen to have those blessings this Thanksgiving Day.

As I reflected on God’s word that reminds us to give thanks in all circumstances and for all things … and as I thought deeply of what “all circumstances” might mean … I immediately thought of all the families grieving this Thanksgiving Day. From those in my own family who are around the table even now, with a painfully empty chair, to those impacted by the recent Christmas parade massacre in the state of Wisconsin.  Such profound loss. There may be loss in the form of loneliness this holiday or deep disappointment through dashed expectations.

Some reading this may literally have to sift through the debris of their lives to find something to “give thanks” for. Others need only take a quick glimpse around to be astounded at their great blessings. Whether we have been lavished with a bountiful supply or “celebrating” Thanksgiving living on the land or living in a prison cell … we have much to be thankful for. Today, this day, we have air in our lungs to offer praises to the God who has given us life and sustains us day by day. He has lavished us with salvation and His very presence to sustain us.

So, this Thanksgiving Day, even if it must be done through tears, or a search party is required to find something, whatever it takes, gives thanks to the God of heaven and earth who has given us all things to enjoy!

“God is in control, and therefore in EVERYTHING I can give thanks – not because of the situation but because of the One who directs and rules over it.”

Kay Arthur

Father God, God of all blessings, today we give You thanks for Your goodness and mercy. For the gift of Your Son on our behalf. For life and food and clothing and a bed (if we have one) and for the gift of freedom. We love You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus