Friday Introductions: Trusting God

"Why can't we see God?' my 8-year-old asked.

"Because that's not how God chooses to communicate with us," I said.

"Why not? He could do it," she said.

"You're right, he could. But it doesn't take any faith to trust in what you can see. God wants us to have faith in Him," I said.

When my daughter asked this question the other day, I was reminded of how often we all struggle with trusting God. We trust in things we can't see every day. I don't know how my car's engine works, but I trust that it will start when I turn the key. I can't see the inner workings of my microwave, but when I push start, I trust that it will warm up my food.

Yet when it comes to God, we're often like a child who is scared of going off the diving board. We run up to the edge, look down and run back to safety. God challenges us to step off that diving board, not knowing what's underneath. He promises to catch us, but because we can't see Him, we waver. We think about it. We make lists of the pros and cons of doing what He asks. Instead of jumping, we find reasons not to jump.

God wants us to follow after Him with our whole hearts. Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." God wants us to to trust Him -- even though we can't see Him and don't always know where He's taking us.

If you struggle with trusting God, you definitely want to get a copy of today's Friday Introduction. Trusting God is a 12-week devotional study. Written by Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith and Mary Southerland, Trusting God will walk you through what trusting God looks like and how to let go and simply trust Him. Sharing intimate snapshots of their lives as they go Sharon, Gwen and Mary -- you might know them from the Girlfriends in God daily devotional -- take you on a journey of trust.

The book is set up to be used individually or in a group. Each section ends with a Bible study guide and space for journaling to help you get the most out of the book.

During this season where we celebrate Jesus' birth, take a step toward enjoying all the benefits that a relationship with God brings. When we truly trust God, it opens up a world of possibilities for us and our families. Learning to trust God yourself will help you to teach your children what it really means to jump off the end of that diving board, knowing that God will catch you.

You Never Know

My youngest daughter got a new hat and gloves the other day. She picked them out herself. They are bright pink, and the hat has a cute, little brim on the front of it. She looks adorable, and the color is striking with her black coat.

She wore them to school for the first time on Monday, and some kid decided to make fun of them because they were pink. Personally, I couldn't figure out the insult in making fun of a girl for wearing pink, but it hurt my daughter's feelings. She came home in tears.

Then, two things happened. We went to hockey practice that night, walked into the locker room and the first thing out of our goalie's mouth was "I like your hat." I could have hugged the kid. He had no idea that kids had teased my daughter about her hat. It lifted her spirits and made the day better.

When she came home from school on Tuesday, I asked if anyone had made fun of her hat. She said one little boy did, but it was a joke. This little boy had taken pink gloves from his sister and was hiding his hands in his pockets. He asked Carolyn why she was wearing a pink hat. Then pulled out his pink-clad hands and said "because I think you took my hat."

Both these little boys lifted my daughter's spirits and counteracted the mean words of another child. Our goalie did it without knowing she had been hurt. The other little boy went out of his way to make her feel better.

These boys illustrated the point that our words and actions toward others matter. Proverbs 12:18 says "The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." One recklessly spoken word can do more damage than we know, but one uplifting and kind word can heal hurts we may not even know exist.

The Christmas season is a time when old hurts run close to the surface. Wounds we may not even know about, losses we've never shared and stress we can't see can all cause the people we come into contact with every day to be hurting without us knowing it.

Be cautious with your words all the time, but especially during this season. Look for opportunities to say an encouraging word to others. You never know what that person is going through. Your words might be the difference in their day.

Encourage your kids to offer kind words to their friends. Talk with them about looking for opportunities to lift others up. If you see a child who is upset, encourage your kids to find out what's wrong and offer that child encouragement.

You never know when your words will make a difference. You never know when what you say will be the balm that heals the wounds caused by the piercing words of others. You just never know.

Quiet Acceptance

For about the past year, I've been hearing God tell me to spend more time and energy on this blog and my writing and speaking. But, you know what? I've been comfortable and busy with paying freelance work. I tossed a few things off my plate with the intent of writing more. I've picked up a few speaking engagements at local churches. I even asked God to clear my plate a bit, but I was pretty happy with my life.

Well, in the past month one of my major freelance clients hasn't had much work. It's been frustrating and a little concerning. I've been hunting for new clients, but so far not much has turned up. I know God has a plan, but I really liked my life the way it was. On the plus side, I've been able to put more time into the Everyday Truth blog, I've published Everyday Christmas and I'm working on a new website and some exciting plans for next year. They're all great things, but I can't measure them monetarily.

In studying Mary for this week's blogs, I find I wish I had her spirit. Here's a young girl, probably 15 or so, who is just going about her business one day when an angel shows up. He doesn't just want to tell Mary she's doing a great job. He wants to tell her she's about to become the mother of God's Son. Mary's engaged to Joseph, and she has to know that he's not going to take the news that she's pregnant very well. This was actually a crime punishable by stoning.

Now, I don't know about you, but I probably would have been having a major freak-out session. I would have been scared and worried. I mean, how was she going to tell her parents? No one else saw the angel. But not Mary. She doesn't even ask the angel very many questions. She simply says "I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38).

That's some pretty calm acceptance from someone whose life has just been radically changed. Mary didn't appear worried about the future. She accepted God's will and the blessings that came with it.

Change inevitably comes to our lives. Our children get older and we go from diapers and rattles to soccer balls and hockey sticks to dating and choosing a college. Our professional careers change as well. We may find ourselves jobless for a time or changing direction in our careers. And sometimes we fight that change with all we have. We don't trust God. We get mad because He's taken our comfort zone away.

Yet God has a plan. He has great things for you and me and our kids to do. When we spend our energy fighting His plan, we make it difficult for Him to work through us. It takes us twice as long to get where God wants us to go.

Mary's life probably ended up looking a lot different than what she had planned. Yet, more than 2,000 years later, she is remembered by the world. Her quiet acceptance of God's will earned her a precious place in God's plan.

When God wants to change things up in your life or in your kids' lives, remember that He has a plan. His plan is so much better than what we can do our own. We can reach more people and be more effective when we follow His plan than when we try to walk our own path.

A little of Mary's quiet acceptance goes a long way toward putting us on the path to the amazing things God has in store for us. What is God asking you or your kids to accept today?

Difficult Christmas Visitors

Christmas is a time for family. If you have a wonderful family, your home is probably filled with joy and laughter. You anxiously anticipate the arrival of family members from far-off places. Though your home might feel cramped with the addition of so many bodies, you happily boot the children from their beds and carve out space on the floor for sleeping bags.

If this is the scenario in your home, count yourself blessed. For other families, old wounds and continued slights make the holidays a time of stress. Maybe you have a family member who says hurtful things. Maybe you feel unloved. Maybe one of your family members plays favorites with your kids. All of these things can add up to a feeling of dread when it's time for a family visit.

When it comes to dealing with visitors during the holidays, we should take a page out of Mary's book. Let me set the scene for you. Mary has just given birth in a smelly, dirty stable. As we all know, having a baby isn't a clean process. It's also exhausting. I'm sure she would have simply liked to take a nap afterward. Yet, what happens after she lays Jesus in the manger? Some guys she's never met show up to see the baby. Not only are they strangers, but they smell like sheep. And these guys don't even bring gifts.

Now, I would have been tempted to tell these shepherds to go away and come back at a better time. But, obviously, Mary and Joseph let them into the stable to see Jesus because Luke 2:16-18 says "So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them."

Because Mary was gracious enough to let the shepherds in to see Jesus -- even though it wasn't the ideal time for her -- the shepherds were able to be the first to spread the good news of Jesus. Because of Mary's hospitality, perfect strangers were "amazed." Whether we're dealing with unexpected visitors or planned ones, our attitude toward their visit gives them an impression of God. If we're warm and welcoming, showing them our hospitality, then they can leave having felt the love of God.

I know some people are hard to love, others are high-maintenance visitors, some arrive at inopportune times, but every time we welcome someone into our homes, we are given an opportunity to be a picture of God's love to them. No matter how we feel about someone, God loves them.

Being gracious and doing our best to let God love our difficult family members through us also gives our kids an example of God's love. Our kids can tell from our actions whether we enjoy somone else's company. But we never want our kids to form a poor impression of their relatives because we're hanging onto a grudge or refusing to let God open our eyes to see that person as He sees them. Our attitude toward those who enter our homes during the holidays makes an impression on our kids.

If your kids have trouble getting along with some of your extended family members, remind your kids that God wants us to show love to everyone. Ask them to help you think of ways you can show love to that person while they are in your home. Explain that we won't always receive that love back, but God wants us to love the other person, no matter what their response.

Don't let another person suck the joy out of your holiday season. View a difficult visit as an opportunity for your entire family to be the hands and feet of Christ in showing love to that person. It may be just what they need and they may leave as amazed by the love of God as the shepherds.

Memory Monday: Moments to Treasure (Luke 2:19)

The whirlwind of the Christmas season has started. We've already been to a live nativity and helped with gingerbread house making and cookie decorating. We still have band concerts, parties, shopping and a cookie party to come. All of this on top of our regular regimen of practice, Girl Scouts and music lessons.

It's easy to get so busy simply getting where we need to be somewhere close to the time we need to be there that we forget to stop and treasure the moments. It's easy to go through the motions -- attend church, see a Christmas pageant, read our favorite Christmas books, go caroling and gather with family -- without ever really enjoying the season.

Unfortunately, the most joyous time of the year turns into a time of stress, and sometimes hurt, for many. When our stress level rises, we're less likely to offer grace and patience to family and friends. We're less likely to enjoy the shopping, the baking and the schedule juggling. And we're less likely to savor the precious moments of awe and discovery with our kids.

We took our kids to a live nativity last night. It was actually a walk through the events leading up to Jesus' birth. We heard the story of Adam and Eve from Moses, the prophecies of Christ's birth from David, Isaiah and Micah and saw all of the events involving Mary and Joseph. The highlight was the manger scene, with a real baby and a real cow -- even in the 28-degree weather. The scene was awe-inspiring. It really brought home the reality of a baby born in a stable and what that meant for us.

Watching my kids stand next to the baby, I could see in my mind the shepherds -- some of whom probably weren't that much older than my oldest daughter -- gathered around Mary and Joseph. They had come to see this baby that a host of angels had told them about. And now, I was sharing that moment with my kids. It was a moment to treasure.

Yet, we almost missed that moment. The only time we could get to go to the nativity was nearly at bedtime. It was cold. My youngest was having a tough day. We contemplated staying home or leaving my youngest and daddy at home. I'm so glad we didn't. I'm so glad we decided the moment was more important than our comfort.

This Christmas, do what Mary did when the shepherds came to visit. "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19). Enjoy the moments of awe and discovery with your kids. When you or one of your kids recognizes the awesomeness of Jesus coming to earth, stop and ponder the moment. Share a conversation with your child. Pray together. Sing a song of worship. But stop in the middle of the hustle and bustle and treasure the moment in your heart.

Christmas is a busy time. There's no sense in pretending that we can clear the decks on our schedules and simply ignore the family gatherings, the office parties and the kids' obligations. What we can do is take a moment, just a moment, in the midst of the busyness and treasure the times when we or our kids find Jesus in the season.

Looking for ways to create moments to treasure with your kids? Check out Lori's new e-book Everyday Christmas: Helping your kids find Jesus in the everyday moments of the season. You can find it on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com or as a PDF download at everydaytruth.net.

Friday Introduction: The Bible in Rhyme (and another give-away)

When I was growing up, we would read the story of Jesus' birth from Luke 2 on Christmas Eve. We read it from the King James Version of the Bible. I think I was 8 or 9 years old before I understood that "sore afraid" meant the shepherds were very scared, not in pain.

The Bible can be confusing and hard to understand sometimes, even for adults. Sometimes the language is difficult, and sometimes the way the sentences are structured makes reading it out loud difficult. The Bible is supposed to be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105), but if we can't understand what it says, then we miss out on its illuminating wisdom.

For millennia, the Bible was a shared oral experience. Most people couldn't read, so the priests and scribes would read it out loud. That tradition has been mostly lost, but reading the Bible together as a family is an important way for our kids to learn about God. Unfortunately, the difficulty level of the Bible makes it hard for kids to wrap their minds around what's being said.

That's why I think today's Friday Introduction is such a great tool for families. The Bible in Rhyme is just what it sounds like. It's a paraphrase of the Bible, written entirely in rhyme. It's easy to read and easy to understand. Written by Kyle Holt, The Bible in Rhyme is designed to be read out loud.

This is what Kyle has to say about  it:

"It’s a great tool for parents to share the Bible as a family.  Small children love to hear the rhythm and rhyme.  Older kids can join in the reading.  But this is the whole Bible.  The good, the bad, and the particularly nasty.  So it’s probably a good idea to either know the section you’re about to read, or read it before hand and make sure that you aren’t about to read the story of Lot and his daughters, or something in that vein.

One other point, and it goes back to my No. 1 goal in this.  If you’re a parent who thinks, 'I don’t really know the Bible myself,' then The Bible in Rhyme is perfect for you and your family.  Your children get the stories as well as the rhythm and rhyme, which is great.  And you get a chance to learn the stories yourself without it being super-abridged for little kids, and without it being the extremely HARD to understand full version.  This book is really intended for people who need an easier way into the real Bible.  Get the message and beauty of the Bible in a fun way…then go experience the holy texts themselves with a much clearer understanding."

It took Kyle a year and a half to write The Bible in Rhyme, and he originally thought the task was too large and too difficult. With a background in songwriting and poetry, Kyle chose one style of rhyme for the whole project -- except the Psalms. And it's not just for kids.

"I want this to be something that adults get into.  This is a paraphrase of the whole Bible – it’s not a children’s Bible.  It contains all the bad stuff too, murder, betrayal, incest and hate, and it doesn’t sugarcoat it just because it happens to rhyme.  I’ve had a lot of people tell me that they read a section of The Bible in Rhyme and thought, 'The Bible doesn’t really say that.'  Then they go and look and realize that no matter how many times they read the Bible, they had not understood some passage or section.  I want everyone to get to the heart of the message."

When he's not rhyming the Bible, Kyle is the president and co-founder of U Inc., a software company in Overland Park, Kan. He lives in Overland Park with his wife, Kim, and their three children. He is currently working on a new project to continue his goal of making the Bible more accessible to more people around the world. You can learn more about him on His website.

The Bible in Rhyme is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble in both a paper e-book formats.

Kyle is giving away a copy of The Bible in Rhyme to one of the Everyday Truth blog readers today. All you have to do is head over to his Facebook page, like it, and leave a comment saying you heard about The Bible in Rhyme at Everyday Truth for a chance to win.

This is a fantastic tool for families to use to make the Bible more accessible for everyone. It's not a Bible you want to study from, but it's a great way to get both you and your kids interested in learning more. Check it out and avoid the "sore" shepherds in your Christmas reading this year.

Getting Ready for Christmas (and a give-away)

I flipped the calendar to December yesterday. It's a sea of ink. We have extra band concerts, parties and activities. We have gifts to buy, cookies to bake and traditions to continue. It's an all-our sprint from now to Christmas.

Too often, December flies by and Christmas gets here before I'm ready. Dec. 25 rolls around before I've even had a chance to focus on what the season is all about. In all the activity, I miss the manger. I miss the good news the angels told "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord" (Luke 2:11). And, if I miss focusing on Jesus during December, so does my family. If my focus is on all the things we have to do instead of on the reason we're celebrating, then that's where my kids' focus will be, too.

I know I'm not the only one of us who rushes through the month, thinking I'll have time tomorrow to focus my, and my kids', attention on Jesus. Instead, we need to take advantage of the opportunities God gives us. It takes being intentional and using the moments we have to keep our hearts and minds focused on the important and not the urgent.

Thankfully, Christmas provides us with endless opportunities to talk with our kids about Jesus. We can use the everyday moments of this season, just like we seek out the everyday moments throughout the rest of the year. We can fill up our souls with Jesus, so we can help our kids find reminders of Him through the ordinary trappings of the season -- from lights to wreaths to snow.

But how do we do that? We're going to focus on the Christmas story all this month on the blog. But if you're looking for more, check out my new Christmas devotional e-book, Everyday Christmas: Helping your kids find Jesus in the everyday moments of the season. Right now, it's available for Kindle and as a PDF download. It should be available for Nook soon.

(If you purchase the PDF download, after you finish your PayPal transaction, click on return to ldfairchild@comcast.net, and it will take you to the page where you can download the book.)

Everyday Christmas offers a daily devotional for you that focuses on a common Christmas sight, sound or activity. The devotional is to refresh your soul and get you thinking about the everyday things of Christmas in a different way. Each devotional is followed by a page of conversation starters, verses and activities for you to use with your kids. If you're looking for a way to focus your family's attention on Jesus this Christmas season, check it out.

All month on the Facebook page, we'll be talking about each day's devotional and ideas. Join in, whether you buy the book or not.

Today, I'm giving away a copy of the PDF download for free. All you have to do to win is comment either here or on the Everyday Truth Facebook page.

I'm hoping that this is the Christmas you and your family find Jesus in the everyday.