Advent #6- Laughter, The Best Medicine!

Today, in our advent devotions, we continued reading about the covenant promise that God made to Abraham- that he would be blessed and that through him, blessing would come to all nations.

That promise was for descendants that would number the stars in the sky... and it finally came true in the birth of his son.

What I love about this story is what Abraham and Sarah named their promised baby.  They named him Isaac, which means "he laughs".  The reason they chose this name is because the birth of a baby to Sarah, at 90 years old, was crazy!!!  And Abraham became a father at 100 years old!  Can you even imagine?!  

If you know me, you know how much I LOVE to laugh and make people laugh!

When I think back to when I was little, I remember how my dad would love getting his Reader's Digest each month.  He would sit in his red chair and laugh so hard at one of his favorite sections: Laughter, The Best Medicine. 

 It was FULL of stories that were there for one purpose: to make you laugh!  And it sure worked for my dad :)

Laughter truly is great medicine... and I believe it is a gift from God.  It has the power to help us get through painful times, to help take our minds off of the stresses of life, to help us step back from situations and just enjoy the moment.

So, when was the last time you laughed?  Like really laughed?!  

When we don't stop and take the time to laugh and enjoy life we miss so much!  When stress is bearing down on you and when life seems like its more than you can bear... I encourage you to stop and find a way to laugh.  

As we look back to the story of Abraham and Sarah we can see that God's blessing to them was wrapped up in laughter... in joy... in celebration! 

No matter how busy and crazy the Christmas season can be... make sure that you take the time to laugh... to be filled with joy... and to celebrate the birth of Christ!

Advent Day #5- When I Look at the Stars!

I so wish I could capture the Haiti night sky in a picture for you...

It is beautiful!

Without light pollution, the sky is so much more vivid.  On any given night you can see thousands of stars twinkling in the sky!

Today's advent devotional was about the promise God made to Abram... that his descendants would number the stars in the sky... that he would be blessed and in turn, through him, a blessing would come to ALL people.

When we think about the stars, about counting the thousands of stars in the sky, it can remind us of the thousands of blessings that God has given us.

Last year, our women's Bible study group went through Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts.  It was a great journey through thinking about the many things that we have to be thankful for.

No matter how difficult things can be sometimes we have SO much to thank God for.  This Christmas, as you look to the stars, think about the many things that God has blessed you with and thank Him for them!  

And most importantly... thank Him for His gift to you in Jesus!

Advent Day #4- When the Floods Come...

We all know what its like to endure a flood...

I'm not talking about a physical flood, although some may know what that is like (and we are quite familiar with flooding here in Haiti lately!)...

But... the kind of flooding I am talking about is the flooding that happens because of pain and suffering in this world; the struggle that comes to all of us because of sin and brokenness in the world.

Today's advent devotional was a reminder that God's heart breaks over our broken, fallen world.  When things got so bad, beyond repair, God had to do the most heart-wrenching thing... 

He brought a flood to destroy the Earth.

But He provided a way out of the flood through an ark.  

And He has provided a way out of our floods too...

Through His Son, Jesus. 

"So when those floods of bad things happen, if you lean toward Jesus- if you incline toward Jesus, if you rest in Jesus- you get the Gift of Jesus, like an ark of love, holding you, carrying you, raising you gently up through any flood of sadness that fills the world."1

The Christmas season reminds us of the amazing gift of love that God has shown us through sending Jesus... it reminds us that we don't have to endure these floods alone.  

We have a God who is always here, and ready to carry us through our difficulties...

He has even given us a constant reminder that His promises truly never fail...  

He is faithful through the storm!  

As others struggle through the floods and storms of life, we can encourage them to rest in and rely on Him too. I can think of no better time, no better season, to share the gift of Christ with others!

1 (Advent devotional thoughts are adapted from Ann Voskamp's Unwrapping the Greatest Gift.)

Advent Day #3- Where are you?

Today, as we read our advent devotions, I couldn't help but fill up with tears and feel a sense of awe as we looked at the story of the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden...

After they sinned, God's very first words to them were "Where are you?"
not words of condemnation...
not "why?" or "how could you?"...

but instead, words that imply He desires to be near...

Our natural inclination after we have sinned is to run and hide from God... but that is the last thing God wants us to do.  He knew that Adam and Eve had eaten the fruit, and yet in His great love, He was concerned with finding them and drawing them back to Himself.

Ann Voskamp says, "God refuses to give up on you. Your God looks for you when you're lost. Your God calls out for you when you're ashamed and broken and hurting... He never stops looking for you."

How often do we miss out on the relationship with our heavenly Father because we are running FROM Him instead of TO Him?

What might be keeping you from drawing near to Him; what do you need to walk away FROM so that you can walk TOWARDS Him?

God's love is screaming for you to come to His feet and worship Him, to let go of anything that hinders, and to accept His love in powerful ways this Christmas.

So... are you there, at His feet, this Christmas?  If not, may I ask- because I am CERTAIN He is also asking- "Where are you?"

(Advent devotional thoughts are adapted from Ann Voskamp's Unwrapping the Greatest Gift.)

Advent Day #2- Letting Love Make Us Glad

Today in our advent devotional we looked at Genesis 1and read the story of how God formed the world... the beauty expressed in Creation as He spoke it into being.  We were reminded that God created all of it for us because He loves us!

As I look at the sunrise outside my window each morning, at the rainbows that happen so often here, at the flowers that are so intricate and beautiful...

and today, as I looked at the mountain behind our house...

I was reminded of how I am constantly seeing God's love poured out for us in His Creation. 

Today, it was about the simple reminder- and yet the amazing depth- of His great love and how 

"the greatest gift we can give back to our great God is to let His love make us glad."

When we see His love expressed around us and for us, it should lead us to live joyfully! If we could only stop each day and take it all in, how much richer our lives would be!

This Christmas season, my prayer is that I, that we, wouldn't miss opportunities to see His love around us... that we wouldn't go through Christmas so quickly that we don't take the time to stop and adore Him.

Where did you see His love today?  What can you intentionally do tomorrow, and throughout this Christmas season, to be sure you don't miss Him? 

(Advent devotional thoughts are adapted from Ann Voskamp's Unwrapping the Greatest Gift.)

Advent Day #1- Bearing the Name and Living in Community

Today was our first day of advent devotionals... and what a blessed time it was.  We started off the day reading from Isaiah 11 "Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot..."

From the line of David came hope and redemption for the world.  God loved the world so much that He sent Jesus.  His love reached down to us and enables us to love others.  And Jesus' love showed no boundaries- He loved and cared for the lost, for the lonely, for the "least of these."

No matter where we are, whether it's in Haiti or in America, in our communities or in our homes, we have the opportunity to pour out love.  When we share our very lives with people, when we live out love in tangible ways, we are living as God's children.  As we carry the name of Christ, we have the responsibility to BE Christ to the world.


Today... may we stop and reflect on the areas of our lives that are lacking the image of Christ.


How can we begin to live out Christ's love in our work place? our homes? our community?

How can we show self-sacrificing love to our co-workers? our friends and families? even strangers?

Let us pray and ask God to live through us, by His Spirit... so that this Christmas season we can show that we carry the very image of our Savior, Jesus Christ.


Often times I think we take advantage of community.  It is within community that we have the opportunity to love, laugh, cry, celebrate, forgive, serve, sacrifice... community is the body of Christ in action.  Living in community is such a blessing for our family...

 Today was the start of our Christmas celebrations here in our Emmaus community. The staff vs. students soccer tournament was a great beginning to the festivities!  

 The game ended in a 0-0 tie (which was quite an accomplishment for the staff!)  They fought hard and it is always fun being with our "family" here and celebrating together.

[Lily and Sofie worked hard to keep Pepper off the field... he SO wanted to play soccer today. It seems silly to say but even HE enjoys community and loves to be where the people are!]

Today I am especially thankful for the community that we have here at EBS...  For the Ayars family next door, for our Emmaus family of Haitian brothers and sisters, and for our support family that makes it possible for us to be here!

(Advent devotional thoughts are adapted from Ann Voskamp's Unwrapping the Greatest Gift.)

Where have you been?! (Three months of catching up... and Advent excitement!)

I know that MANY of you are wondering where I have been...

after nearly three months of not writing, I am back... and I have much to share!

Here is a bit of a recap...

In September I had the AWESOME privilege of going to Bosnia to visit my sister Amanda, and to spend 5 days with her in Rome!!!

What an amazing, emotional experience that was for me.  To finally be able to meet all of her Bosnian friends and "family" (after almost 10 years!) was so sweet. And to get to have some really, good quality time with my sister was super special.  I don't think we have ever spent that much time together... it really made me realize how much I miss her!!!  I am SO thankful for the amazing time together and for God's provision to make that a reality!

Before going to Europe, I felt God calling me to go back to school to pursue my Master's degree.  After getting back from the trip (and especially after visiting Rome!), I felt called to specifically pursue a degree in Church History.

So... in October I officially became a full-time student through Liberty University online!  I am two weeks from completing my first semester and loving my classes.  Not only this... my role here at Emmaus is changing too.  I am now a professor and will begin teaching my first class, Pauline Epistles, with our third-year students, in February! I am excited (and super nervous!) about stepping into this new position.  Prayers are MUCH appreciated!

The kids have been doing great in home-schooling.  I can't believe that Haylie is in junior high and Ethan is in high school! They really enjoy what they are learning and I love having them home.

Haylie helps me out every day in the kitchen and with laundry, and is also teaching Lily piano and helping Stacey out in the finance office one day a week. Ethan is working with Phil every afternoon outside in the garden and around the seminary, and learning new skills in the shop with him.  We cherish this time with our kids and are so thankful that they have the opportunity to work alongside of us here. (They are also having lots of fun with their Haitian and missionary friends too!)

Phil has been busy working on all kinds of projects around the campus, from welding to landscaping  to chair making!  It sure is looking BEAUTIFUL around here  :)

We are nearing the end of the semester here at Emmaus, which means its time for soccer tournaments, the talent show and the Christmas party. It is an exciting time!

Christmas is my favorite time of the year!  I love decorating. I love Christmas music.  I love making cookies and wrapping presents.  And I especially love the Advent season and the daily countdown to the celebration of the birth of Jesus!

This year we are doing an extra special Advent devotional time.  We purchased Ann Voskamp's Unwrapping the Greatest Gift (check it out HERE).   Each day, beginning tomorrow, we will be reading a devotional together, adding an ornament to our Jesse Tree, and doing a special activity as a family.  We have been doing lots of preparations in anticipation of our time together and we can't wait to share it with you!

Looking forward to writing more frequently and staying connected throughout the Christmas season!  We would LOVE to hear about what you are planning to do to celebrate Jesus this Christmas.

Stay tuned for lots more Advent excitement!