Rhonda's Posts

Christmas Day came and went without a tree. I love decorating for Christmas and the tree is my favorite, but I just didn't have time to get one up and decorated. As a matter of fact, there were other decorations that stayed in their boxes in the spare bedroom and that's where they'll stay until next year, hopefully, a better year. 2020 has been very difficult to say the least and I had been looking forward to the Christmas Season to be the bright spot, but it wasn't the Christmas I was planning or hoping for. No parties, baking, shopping (I had to buy everything online) and fewer decorations. It was much more low-key and maybe that's by design. Maybe God stripped away the frivolous to help me focus on what Christmas is really all about; the birth of a child that would bring hope to the world. Jesus wasn't born with a lot of fanfare in a palace to a prominent family, but in a stable to a poor couple who were traveling. But doesn't it seem appropriate that our Shepard was born in a stable? I should have known that 2020 was going to be a challenging year when I started the year with a root canal and it went downhill from there. Plantar fasciitis, a severe reaction to the Shingles vaccination, and surgery to remove my gallbladder among other, non-health, issues. I had to go through the cholecystectomy alone. Because of Covid they wouldn't let my husband in the surgery center. It made me think of all the people having to go through heart surgery alone and how scary and lonely that must be. The day after Thanksgiving I was back in the ER passing a retained stone. Oh holy cow, that was the worst pain I had ever felt in my life! There were several patients in the ER with Covid so it was a little nerve-wracking and sad. I was just beginning to feel normal again when we had to travel to Tennessee because my father-in-law had fallen and broken his hip. The surgery went well but other problems were discovered and we started on a very painful journey that ended with the passing of a much-loved man, just five days before Christmas. So this was the year without a Christmas tree. God took away the distractions so we could get back to basics and put the focus where it should be, on His Son and the miracle of His saving grace. This was the year of deepening faith and strengthening resolve. I will be praying for each of you as you go through your journey and you are welcome to reach out to me anytime if you need someone to talk to or pray with. God bless you all!

Did you know that God tells us in the Bible 365 times not to fear? That's once for every day of the year! My favorite verses are Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." And 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." He wants us to turn to Him and to trust Him. He can do what we cannot!