My Grown Up Christmas List

Seriously today I have really been thinking about how blessed we are. Life is not perfect, but it is filled with overwhelming love from God, family, church family, and friends and that truly is the Best Gift and answered prayer a girl could ask for!!! I got to thinking though, “what does my Christmas List look like this year?”  God is faithful to meet our needs and make a way for our desires in His timing regarding material things, so I can’t say that any of that is at the top of my list this year. As a child, my list was very materialistic, but as an adult, it has matured over time and that just doesn’t seem to matter as much anymore. Of course, it’s nice to have cool things, but what is better then what money can buy are the things that only God can provide!!!

I could only describe my heart for this years Christmas and beyond as hopeful for more of God’s peace, love, and presence in mine, my family’s, and church family’s lives, as well as the entire Body of Christ!!! I’m talking the real deal, the genuine, tangible, freedom that could only come from Jesus!!! Prayers are being lifted up that there would not be one that would settle for less than God’s Best in every area of life. May we walk and live FREE in Jesus, so that we would not compromise His word, but hide it in our heart and not sin against Him. Hopes are high that we would wholeheartedly surrender all to Jesus holding nothing back, and be a people that are real, genuine, sincere…..meaning what we say and saying what we mean. Knowing from a personal standpoint how difficult this can be at times, my heart prays and desires that we would be gentle and loving and kindhearted, and not complain even when life gets rough around the edges and tries to attempt to cut into our core. Satan will always try, but as long as we keep Jesus at the Center of it all…..He will never have a place there or be able to wreak havoc upon our lives……Jesus, be our stronghold and refuge.

Yall, FREEDOM is on my list this Christmas!!! Jesus calls us FREE, and that is an incredible truth but unless we walk in it then the words don’t matter much as there is no weight to them. Satan is cool with us knowing that we are free in our head but not accessing that Freedom in our heart. It’s not until we begin to recognize who we are in Christ and begin to take authority over Satan and his schemes that he becomes SCARED!!! So, next on my Christmas List is that we would RECOGNIZE and LIVE our lives as Children of God knowing that we have an inheritance in Jesus and walk in it.

My Hearts prayer this Christmas also is that we as God’s children would not worry so much what our worship looks like to others. Yes, Yes, Yes…..I know, all things in order. God truly is a God of order, but if we feel a shout rising up out of our Spirit or a push to Jump or want to make a LOUD Joyful noise….lift our hands, bow down….whatever the form of worship….then WHY DON’T WE? We worry too much about what man thinks and not enough what He thinks. Listening to the voice of God and being led by His Spirit will never take us astray. God deserves everything that we have to offer and so much more. I don’t want it to be said of me that I sit back and let the rocks cry out in my place. My Daughter came up to me last Sunday and told me that she would love to dance and sing, but she was scared to during worship service because she was worried what others would think. That broke my heart as I found myself repenting for being guilty of feeling the same way at times. What are we in the body of Christ teaching our Children when we come in to warm the pew never stepping out of our comfort zone and into new heights with Jesus? Are we setting the example of a passionate fiery heart for more of Him or one that just wants to go through the motions so that we can go eat lunch? God desires that we be excited about our Praise and Worship to HIM!!! We just recently came back from youth convention and I love going there and to camp, because there is such FREEDOM TO WORSHIP!!! No one is looking at you because we’re all to focused on Jesus to worry ourselves how others are worshiping. That is truly how it should be!!!

As the old song says,
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full, in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace”

Our children learn from us, how we set back so reserved in our seats going through the motions of worship on Sundays without true sincere care for God and who He is in our lives. They see it all. They see when we’re walking in religion and not in a true relationship with Jesus Christ. I know, because sad to say….. I have been there before….and its pure bondage. So another Prayer on my Christmas List is that we would all make our hearts right with God and pray for pure motives. I pray that we would be obedient to His heart in all things as worship truly is a matter of the heart and worship does not just happen in the church house, it happens throughout our days as we live our lives in service to Him!!!

I also pray that we would realize that it truly is and should be ALL ABOUT JESUS!!! My team and I lead worship at church and I tell them all the time that I don’t even have a desire to be on stage if God is not in it, because we can not change peoples hearts. Only God can do that!!! Thank Jesus that He lives inside of us and is a great God!! It’s His anointing that breaks every single yoke of bondage. Any service that we can offer to God or others must involve Him being in the center of it or it is of no effect. He brings the eternal impact on individuals lives.

Another prayer is that we would GO DEEPER into our relationship with God each day. The truth is, the closer we get to God the more our desire of the world begins to fall to the wayside. Often, we Christians, still want to hold onto a little piece of the world, and we make excuses for it because it’s a pleasure of ours when God is calling us to lay it all down at His feet and forsake it all for Him!!! Sometimes Jesus is just a part of our life and not the whole of our life. I pray that we would make Him our whole life from this Christmas Season on.

Another prayer for Christmas is for joy and peace. For many of us, this year has been nothing short of rough, tough, and heartbreaking. I know for my family, we have taken some hard hits, and despite them, we are so thankful and blessed but some peace and joy from the Lord sounds great right about now and that is the benefit of being HIS. He offers these gifts freely. All we have to do is ask. I pray for all of you this Christmas that despite your circumstances or trials of life, you will feel Jesus in Your midst embracing you with His great love, the joy that is our strength, and peace that passes all understanding.

I also pray that my children and yours would be happy and blessed this Christmas season and always, and that they would understand the true meaning of Christmas knowing that the true gift is the greatest giver EVER, Jesus Christ!!! May you all have the merriest Christmas ever knowing that Jesus is in your midst, and He loves you and me beyond what we could fathom in our minds. Believing for joy in EVERY season knowing that He is walking this life out with us!!!! God bless!!!