Category: Holidays

Joy to the World

Posted on by Staci Mauney

…for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

Joy can be difficult to find during the Christmas season. Perhaps our lives haven’t turned out the way we thought they would. Maybe we’ve lost someone close to us or been rejected by someone.

In Western culture, we equate joy with happiness, but these are two different things. Both are emotions, but happiness is determined by our circumstances. Joy goes much deeper and is one of the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22). The Greek word for joy is chara and is closely related to charis, or grace. Joy is the natural response to the work of God in our lives. Continue reading “Joy to the World” →

Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men

Posted on by Staci Mauney

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. (Isaiah 9:6)

During the second week of Advent, we focus on peace. When you think of peace on earth, what comes to mind? Often, we think about the absence of war or conflict. Peace of mind, peace in relationships—all can be boiled down to the calm that comes when there’s no conflict.

That is one meaning of peace, but the peace mentioned many times over in the Bible is not just the absence of conflict but also the presence of God. Continue reading “Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men” →

Hope of the World

Posted on by Staci Mauney

But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. (Micah 7:7)

Do you celebrate Advent? I hadn’t heard about this celebration until I was an adult. I’d heard about advent calendars and wreaths, but I believed those were only for certain denominations. Then, about 15 years ago, I attended a Baptist church where the pastor lit a candle each week for Advent and told us more about what each candle represented. It was then that I realized Advent was for everyone.

The word advent comes from the Latin adventus, which means “coming.” During Advent, we celebrate that Jesus Christ came to the earth and that his second coming is imminent. Acknowledging Advent allows us to slow down during this busy season and focus on the reason we celebrate: Jesus. Continue reading “Hope of the World” →

Let Freedom Ring

Posted on by Staci Mauney

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:13–14)

Cookouts. Fireworks. Family. I have many good memories of celebrating Independence Day, a holiday when we celebrate the birth of the United States of America and all the freedoms afforded to us because of where we live. Freedoms that men and women (and their families) fought and sacrificed for, from the battlefields to the halls of Congress, from courtrooms to grassroots movements—all starting on the day in 1776 when the US declared it was no longer a colony of England but rather an independent nation. Continue reading “Let Freedom Ring” →

My Dad’s Example

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2 Cor 3:2-3)

From praying before meals when I was a child to demonstrating a strong work ethic, my dad is a man of conviction who leads by example and supports and encourages his family.

When I was growing up, I learned the value of a good education by watching my dad earn multiple degrees and become a teacher. He didn’t need all those degrees to teach, but he enjoyed the process of learning, and he taught me to enjoy it as well. When he attended summer school in Stillwater, he took my brother and me to class with him a few times. It’s an experience I still remember to this day. Continue reading “My Dad’s Example” →