“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 E very year, we pause at this time to celebrate one of the most wonderful events in human history. The birth of our Savior, Christ the Lord. There is no biblical record of the date of His birth, and there is no mandate in Scripture for His birth to be celebrated.   We Christians are certain He was born early in the fall of the year. Not in December. Yet, in 336 AD, the Christian Roman Emperor Constantine declared December 25th as the day to celebrate His birth. A few years later, the Catholic Pope, Julius I, ratified that date as “Christmas Day.” And it has been so for Western Christians ever since.  Regardless of the lack of an actual date and the lack of a mandate, it seems right that we stop to remember and celebrate The Day that initiated change into the world. Change did not come immediately, of course. It would be necessary for this child to grow into a man a...

Greetings from Northern California!  W e hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving full of family, laughter and fun.   Joy has been a recurring theme for us in 2017. That theme just continues to be underscored as we move towards 2018. Of course there is joy to be found in this holiday season and in reminding ourselves of the beautiful mystery of the Incarnation. But that is not the joy I’m talking about. This joy specifically is His joy. In ruminating over this idea of His joy, I’ve been struck by the thought that just like God is Love; God is Joy. God is Joy…it’s not some fleeting emotional response to positive circumstances wholly. His joy is endless. It’s boundless. Why? Because joyous, joyful, joy filled is who He is. It’s His nature, His character, an indelible fragrance that surrounds Him and a hallmark that you’ve encountered the one and only true and living God. Joy.  In beginning to look at the subject of His joy from this perspective, I’m once again brou...