I’m Getting Old…Awesome!

January 4, 2018 / Susie Stewart / 4 Comments

I’m not one

to speak much

about getting old

to recite the aches

and pains,

tiredness and slowing

And I guess I got that

from my parents

who still act youthful

never really talking about getting old

and how things don’t work

like they used to

It’s refreshing

and it’s good to be around

elders like that

For getting older

may be tough physically

but what beauty awaits the young!

God tells us

that the longer we walk with Him,

the more rooted we become

The more we take in Him

and His Words,

the more we flourish and grow

What a profound truth!

As we get weaker,

as we bow lower,

we can be stronger

than ever before

Strengthened inwardly

standing taller

grounding deeper

in Truth

Bearing more

and more

fruit

the longer we live

And not focusing

on what is feeble

but on what is strong

and that is

our character

our hope

our perseverance

our relationship with Jesus

who walks with us

And the older we get

the wiser we get

and the closer we get

to eternity’s home

Our graduation

to bliss

and God-awareness

and pure light

Forever

So the temporary aches

and temporary slowing

is just that

temporary

But what is growing

and flourishing

inside

is Forever

Don’t listen to the world

about aging,

Listen to God

– Susie Stewart

But the godly will flourish like palm trees
    and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house.
    They flourish in the courts of our God.
Even in old age they will still produce fruit;
    they will remain vital and green.
They will declare, “The Lord is just!
    He is my rock!
    There is no evil in Him!”

Psalm 92:12-15 (NLT)

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

– 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT)

The glory of young men is their [physical] strength, And the honor of aged men is their gray head [representing wisdom and experience].

– Proverbs 20:29 (AMP)

The silver-haired head is a crown of splendor and glory; It is found in the way of righteousness.

– Proverbs 16:31 (AMP)

Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.

– Job 12:12 (NLT)

Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in His hand who saith, ‘A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!

– Robert Browning

Photos by Susie & Arik Stewart

Grown Children

December 29, 2017December 30, 2017 / Susie Stewart / 3 Comments

I sit across from her

at the coffee shop

and I see a woman

but also a child

And my heart is torn,

for I want to gather her into my arms

and I want her to run away

full speed into life

And maybe you can relate

to my ponderings…

full of my three loves,

my children

For when they become adults

we want them healthy and unattached

But we can’t forget…

painful birth

infant soft

adoption waiting

final decree

first words

wobbly walking

I love yous

living room forts

training wheels

pumpkin carving

zoo trips

TV cuddles

hand-holding

Daddy’s home glee

star gazing

chaotic road trips

sweet kisses

first haircuts

messy picnics

nighttime prayers

voices small and sweet

baking cookies

sandbox buckets

swingset giggles….

and they are treasures

for the heart

I reflect for awhile

but I do not dwell too long

for NOW is my place

and the relationship is precious

at this stage as well

My eyes and my heart

gaze at the beauty before me

in that coffee shop

A place in time

to treasure with my heart

and bring out later

as I reflect on my gifts

my treasures

– Susie Stewart

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For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be His own special treasure.

– Deuteronomy 7:6 (NLT)

I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

– Isaiah 45:3 (NIV)

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.But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

– Luke 2:16-19 (NIV)

Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured all these things in her heart.And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

– Luke 2:50-52 (NIV)

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

– James 1:17 (NLT)

Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from Him.
Children born to a young man
are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.
How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!

– Pslam 127:3-5 (NLT)

Photos by Susie Stewart

Dwell

December 27, 2017 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Where do you dwell?

Not

where do you live?

But

where do you dwell?

Your mind

your spirit

your being

where does it dwell?

The importance of this

awakened me this morning

and I chose

where I would dwell today

You see,

our thoughts

can so easily be taken captive

by negativity

by being offended

by judgment

by hopelessness

by anger

by bitterness

by sin

Instead,

let US take our thoughts

captive

and make them obedient to Christ

Let us shift the focus

to goodness

to beauty

to gratefulness

to healing

to peace

to surrender

to hope

to the power

in His Name

that is ours!

Dwell in His courts

live in His goodness

Always keep coming back

to your Royal dwelling place

– Susie Stewart

Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

– Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

Let us go to His dwelling place,
let us worship at His footstool

– Psalm 132:7 (NIV)

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

– Revelation 21:3 (NIV)

One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek Him in His temple.

– Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.

– Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in Him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into His most excellent harmonies.

– Philippians 4:4-9 (MSG)

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

– 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

– 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

Christmas Week – The Cast: JESUS

December 26, 2017December 26, 2017 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

He was

and is

and is to come

Always God,

never began

Infinitely wise

He,

Father

Son

Holy Spirit

– One together –

chose us

before the beginning of the world

And He knew of the sacrifice

before He even made us

The selfless

and the painful

sacrifice

for we would need rescuing

before all was said and done

And, God,

in relationship with Himself

gave us His Son

and told us He would be called Jesus

for He would be the Salvation

everyone would need

He would save us all

from our sins

And we would not hold Him

in high esteem

nor love Him like we should

He would be introduced into this world

in the humblest way

for that is His nature,

humble of spirit

And the angels who have always known Him

marveled that He would

do this thing

for those such as us

The angels would praise

and glorify

and announce the King who was a child!

And prepare those closest

to this infant

so they would know the gravity

of the appearance of God

But non could have fathomed

the greatness

and boundless love

of this One and only God

made flesh

Before time, His was the earth

as His footstool

His was heaven beautiful

and pure

His was the universe

and everything in it

and yet…

He became nothing,

poured out for all

And so,

He is Jesus

The greatest of The Cast

in this true story

Tiny baby human

completely Divine

But, hear this!

The next cast member

is you!

for you are part of this story as well

the story of humanity in time

seen by an infinite God

What will you do with this Savior

of all mankind?

There is no neutral,

for He came for all

You must choose to accept

or your choice is already made

Choose Jesus’ love,

dear friend

Choose the One

who came for you

– Susie Stewart

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He was conceived.

– Luke 2:1-21 (NIV)

The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.

– Isaiah 9:2 (NIV)

For to us a child is born,
    to us a Son is given,
    and the government will be on His shoulders.
And He will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of His government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over His kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

– Isaiah 9:6,7 (NIV)

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

– John 3:16 (NIV)

Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage;
rather, He made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place
    and gave Him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

– Philippians 2:6-11 (NIV)

He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem.

– Isaiah 53:3 (NIV)

Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.

– Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)

Christmas Week – The Cast: Mary

December 24, 2017 / Susie Stewart / 1 Comment

My mind could barely grasp

the words I was hearing

An angel of God, Gabriel,

stood before me!

his presence overwhelming

bold

and beautiful

His words were like liquid gold

flowing,

“Greetings, you who are highly favored!

The Lord is with you.”

I struggled with his declaration

and I was troubled deep

But the heavenly being assured me

and calmed my fears

And then

the words I will never forget,

“You will conceive

and give birth

to a son

and you are to call Him

Jesus…”

Such confusion filled my head

but I knew in my inmost being

that this was from God

“He will be great

and will be called

the Son of the Most High.

The Lord God

will give Him the throne

of His father David,

and He will reign

over Jacob’s descendants

forever;

His kingdom will never

end.”

So many thoughts

but only one question,

simple and to the point

“How will this be

since I am a virgin?”

Without hesitation

the angel replied,

“The Holy Spirit will come on you,

and the power of the Most High

will overshadow you.

So the Holy One to be born

will be called

the Son of God.”

My Son

would be God’s Son?

I did not understand

but I knew God could be trusted

and I trusted

Gabriel’s parting words were,

“No word from God will ever fail.”

And with a heart full of joy

and a womb blessed,

I replied,

“May your word to me be fulfilled.”

I rushed to my cousin’s home

in the hill country of Judea

for the angel told me my aged relative

had conceived as well!

As I greeted Elizabeth

we both felt pure joy

and a knowing

that this moment

was profound

Baby John leaped in his mother’s womb

as the presence my Jesus was felt

And Elizabeth, too, was filled

with Holy Spirit fire!

The first of many

to worship my Divine

God-conceived

Son

My heart and mind

treasured the moment

Elizabeth shouted these words,

“Blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the child

you will bear!”

She knew!

Without a word from me

and I was humbled

by the exclamation

Elizabeth told me

I was blessed

for I had believed the Lord would fulfill

His promises to me

and I pondered what was said

and hoped

that all women would believe

the Lord’s promises

My spirit soared

and I spoke these words,

“My soul glorifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices

in God my Savior,

for He has been mindful

of the humble state

of His servant.

From now on all generations

will call me blessed,

for the Mighty One

has done great things for me –

holy is His Name.

His mercy extends

to those who fear Him,

from generation

to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds

with His arm;

He has scattered

those who are proud

in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers

from their thrones,

but has lifted up

the humble.

He has filled the hungry

with good things

but has sent the rich away

empty.

He has helped His servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

to Abraham and His descendants

forever,

just as He promised

our ancestors.”

I was at peace

with God’s plan for me

and I stayed with my sweet cousin

for three months

for that support of my relative

would help strengthen my heart

for what was to come

when I returned home…

the ridicule

the scorn

the gossip

the pain…

My betrothed,

so loving and kind,

couldn’t bear the news

that I was with child

without him…

He planned to cut ties with me privately

so as not to disgrace me publicly

But the Lord’s eye never left me

and an angel visited Joseph as well

to confirm the promises made to me

and we became man and wife,

my beloved and I

I treasured the days

of my Son growing inside me

singing lullabies

to God

I rejoiced at my cousin giving birth

to John, my Son’s forerunner and prophet

A census was required

and so

Joseph and I traveled to Bethlehem

the journey long and difficult

While we were there

it came time for our boy to be born

We searched everywhere

for just one room

but there was none

We were ushered into a place

meant for animals

It was unfathomable to me

that God’s Son might be born

in these circumstances

but there was no room

for us anywhere but here

So there,

in humble surroundings,

my child

and God’s child

was born

The pain

the blood spilt

the miracle

I had never seen anyone

so beautiful

I wrapped Him tightly

in clothes

and because there was no bed

I laid Him in an trough for animals

He, nonetheless, radiated light

and joy and glory

yet humility….

I could scarce take it all in

My mother’s heart treasured every moment

even as I lay exhausted from labor

My first experience

with the miracle of birth

was a holy moment

and I looked to the future with my God-Child,

unknowing of what that might look like

yet trusting God knew,

and I was His

– Susie Stewart

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women,and blessed is the child you will bear!But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for He has been mindful
    of the humble state of His servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
    for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is His name.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him,
    from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as He promised our ancestors.”

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

…In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,and she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

– Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-17 (NIV)

Christmas Week – The Cast: Joseph

December 23, 2017December 23, 2017 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

We were pledged to one other,

Mary and I

and we longed for the day

when we would be man and wife

I loved her,

this young girl with dark eyes

and a heart full of God

Mary was my faithful betrothed,

she was the one I could trust

until one day…

She came to me

and, with trembling voice,

told me she was with child

and my heart broke in two

It was beyond my comprehension

that she would make this choice

this choice with so many consequences…

but my love for her

eclipsed my anger and disappointment

I planned to break our engagement,

a divorce of sorts,

so as not to embarrass

or shame the woman I loved

But God has a way

of stopping us just in time,

sometimes

and I heard from Him

in an unimaginable way!

One of God’s magnificent angels

visited me in a dream!

He told me not to be afraid

to take Mary as my wife

and that the baby growing in her

was placed there by the Holy Spirit!

The angel said that it would be a boy

and that I was to name Him Jesus!

because He would save His people

from their sins

As soon as I awoke

I was on my way

I ran immediately to my betrothed

and shared with her my love

and the beautiful message

she already knew in her heart

We would endure

the ridicule

the scorn

the gossip

the accusations

TOGETHER

for we knew that no matter what,

God was for us

I committed to her, and to God,

that we would not truly become husband and wife

in every sense of the word

until our son was born

But to everyone else

she became my wife

We traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem,

for I was of the house of David

and there our son was born,

ours and God’s

I wanted so much more for my small family

but because of the census, so many people flocked to this town

and my precious son was born

and laid in an animal’s trough

for there was no space for us

in a decent room

Surroundings aside,

I could not take my eyes off of this miracle child

and I could not have been more joyful

or more proud of this boy

who was not of my seed,

for God was with us

And I would dedicate myself

to raise this Divine Son along with His siblings

in a way honoring

the deity He was

and is

and is to come

– Susie Stewart

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through His prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’”

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

– Matthew 1:18-25 (NLT)

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. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

– Luke 2:1-7 (NLT)

Christmas Week – The Cast: Magi

December 22, 2017 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

I am considered wise

and knowledgeable

My life has been spent learning,

and handing out advice

I am one of many wise men

who traveled from the east

to see the One born

King of the Jews

We were compelled to see Him,

to worship Him

for a star rose in the sky

and we knew we must follow it

We traveled far,

the weightiness of our mission spurring us on

In time, we were intercepted

by a jealous king

Herod and his people

were afraid and disturbed because of the unkown

We, on the other hand, were filled with joy

and discovery curiosity

King Herod brought together

Jewish priests and teachers

and asked them where

this Messiah was to be born

Bethlehem of course

for that is prophecy’s place

for Messiah’s birth

Summoned then, by this jealous king,

we were asked when the star appeared in the sky

and he sent us on our way

to find this one-of-a-kind child

We did not believe Herod when he said

he wanted to also worship this Messiah

for we could see it in his eyes

that he did not believe in the child’s purpose

My joy grew as I saw the star once again in the sky

and we all knew to follow it

each step anticipating

Immanuel

And there He was in His home

with His mother Mary

I, and the other magi, lay prostrate

before the King of Kings so small

We worshiped Him

And we laid our treasures

at His feet

Gold

Frankincense

Myrrh

Earthly riches

Heavenly child

And we returned to our homes in the east

filled and satisfied

with having witnessed

the Son of God

– Susie Stewart

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship Him.”

King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared.Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find Him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship Him, too!”

After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!They entered the house and saw the child with His mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

– Matthew 2:1-12 (NLT)

Christmas Week – The Cast: A Shepherd

December 21, 2017 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Why would the starry heavens open

to reveal glory

to someone

such as me?

I tell you,

I know not why

But that is what happened

one unforgettable night

just outside of Bethlehem

It was a beautiful, clear night

as we watched our flocks closely

We live out in the wilderness

away from the town and the people

It was just us

and it was just the sheep

But God

noticed

Believe me when I tell you,

He sent angels

lit with His glory and light!

They were as prisms

radiating pure white color

We were overwhelmed

and terrified

and humbled

and awestruck

One of them spoke,

“Do not be afraid!”

This angel of the Lord

spoke to us!

He was bringing us great news

and he said it would bring great joy

for ALL PEOPLE!

Humble shepherds

told this important news

for all the world…

it was more than we could take in

But then I thought…

about how the Scriptures said

that the Lord is the good Shepherd

…The LORD

is the good Shepherd….

and I thought that just maybe

He truly cared about lowly shepherds

and small sheep….

The angel then revealed news

that we could hardly believe

He told us that in David’s home town

of Bethlehem

the Messiah had actually been born!

The Lord!

And he told us how to find Him

Imagine,

the Messiah Lord

being born…

and he was wrapped in swaddling,

just as a baby should be

or a person ready for burial…

But just as we wanted to jump up

and find this small King…

the entire sky lit up

with the glory of many angels!!

So many

we couldn’t count!

We shielded our eyes

but we couldn’t look away

The most beautiful sight

we had ever seen!

They were praising God,

of course they were!

And we bowed low

as we struggled to take it all in

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.”

The most inspiring, true words

I had ever heard

When they left we took a breath,

stunned to our very core

and we got up and ran into David’s town

to see what the Lord had told us

There we found Him,

the infant King just born

and the God of promise

solidified His oath

to bring us the One to save us,

the people of frail earth

And we had to tell all,

for everyone needed to know

about love Divine

Messiah small

Hope for all the world

– Susie Stewart

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!And you will recognize Him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished,but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

– Luke 2:8-20 (NLT)

The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
He leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to His name.
Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.

– Psalm 23:1-6 (NLT)

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

– John 20:11 (NIV)

I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,

– John 10:14 (NLT)

Christmas Week – The Cast: Gabriel

December 19, 2017 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

I stand

in the very presence of God

and my appearance

is light,

overwhelming light

I know heaven

and I know earth

I fight battles unseen

and I bring messages of truth

All tremble at my appearing

for I stand

in the presence of God

Daniel, Zechariah, and Mary

all recorded as God followers who heard my voice

I came with good news

and I came with challenging words

messages from the Maker of heaven and earth!

who I revere

who I adore

who I obey

in whose presence I stand

I am Gabriel

and God is my strength

I do only what He directs

and I am given authority in the spiritual realm

by His gracious hand

I am Gabriel

and I spoke tenderly with the mother of my Lord

I told her of the conception immaculate

and the beautiful name to be given her son

Jesus

He is great and is called the Son of the most High!

His reign and kingdom will have no end!

My eyes

which have seen God

look deep into her

and she who is highly favored

bows to God’s words

She is to be the mother of the Messiah

I am otherworldly and intimidating

but God’s mother listens intently

and she does not doubt

I, Gabriel, stand in the presence of God

and I go to earth to speak His words

to those who also

will stand in His presence

because of Messiah

– Susie Stewart

Then the angel said [to Zechariah], “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was He who sent me to bring you this good news!

– Luke 1:19 (NLT)

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!“

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name Him Jesus.He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David. ³³And He will reign over Israel forever; His Kingdom will never end!”

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God.What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.For the word of God will never fail.”

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

– Luke 1:26-38 (NLT)

As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man stood in front of me. And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision.”

As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified that I fell with my face to the ground. “Son of man,” he said, “you must understand that the events you have seen in your vision relate to the time of the end.”

While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. But Gabriel roused me with a touch and helped me to my feet.

Then he said, “I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time.

– Daniel 8:15-19 (NLT)

The biblical meaning of Gabriel is “God is my strength”.

Christmas Week – The Cast: Elizabeth

December 18, 2017December 18, 2017 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

I have been faithful, Lord,

and my husband

has been faithful

We are obedient

to You

our great YHWH

Descendants of Aaron,

blessed with a priestly heritage

But we were barren

and lived out our married life

childless

It was sad

and it was heartache

but we continued to obey

God, You never lost sight of us

You saw us

and You sent a magnificent stranger…

yet he was familiar…

for we know You, God

An angel from heaven,

Gabriel,

came to visit my mate – Zechariah

Fear gripped him

and he trembled

but the reassurance of heaven came

The angel spoke the words

we longed most to hear,

“Your prayers have been heard.

Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you are to call him John.”

How unbelievable!

And it overwhelmed my husband

He questioned how it could be?

We were aged and we had never seen God work

this way…

Unbelief overtook my man

and he doubted

“I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God.

I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.”

Silence and awe

And that silence continued….

for unbelief had consequences

My husband was struck mute

throughout my miraculous pregnancy

But I rejoiced

and I praised God

and I pondered His goodness

every

single

day

I never doubted

When in my sixth month

a relative came to visit

my cousin Mary!

I was so glad to see my kin

as I had been in seclusion

during most of my pregnancy

Mary walked into my presence

and the baby in my womb leaped for joy!

My precious child was filled with Your Spirit, God,

before he was even born!

My son and I had a miracle encounter

with God’s Son,

so small and growing

within Mary, His mother

And as soon as my baby leaped

I was thoroughly overwhelmed with Your presence, Lord!

I was filled with the Holy Spirit!

My God

had blessed me

with His very presence

and life would never again

be the same

for my son John would be born

as promised,

and he would boldly prepare the way

for His relative,

His cousin,

Jesus —

the Son of God

And I would continue to rejoice

and to believe

that God does

what He says He will do

I would trust His presence

and His promises

– Susie Stewart

When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron.Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.

One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week.As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. ¹²Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him.But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news!But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long.When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.

Wen Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home.Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

…Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.”

– Luke 1:1-25, 39-45 (NLT)