The First Gift of Christmas

It was the week before Christmas, when the thought struck me, "Maybe I could write a poem in the shape of a Christmas tree!" I laid the idea before the Lord before I took it to the drawing board, and with His help, this is what came together . . .

The First Gift of Christmas
Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we,

being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:

by whose stripes ye were healed.

– I Peter 2:24

A
Baby in
A manger: the
Father’s gift of love;
Sent down
to bring salvation
from heaven up above.
He left His home in glory, to save
us from our sin,
And make His home in
every heart that asks Him to
to come in. His name was called,
“Emmanuel,” God brought down to man:
Chosen by the Father
to complete redemption’s plan.
This first gift of Christmas, was placed
upon a tree, to satisfy God’s righteous wrath
on our iniquity. He bore our sins upon Himself,
and gave His very blood,
To pardon our transgressions and
to bring us back to God. This gift of God’s
redemption, through the death of His dear Son
and His glorious resurrection, over hell the victory won!
This first gift of Christmas was the Father’s love revealed, to
a world of lost and dying men that needed to be healed; restoring
the relationship that was by sin destroyed, and reconciling man to God
through Christ
the crucified.
Now a risen
Savior, Jesus
lives to set us
free, and give
us everlasting
life for all eternity.
© December 2009 by Christine Nicole

By the Grace of God

By the Grace of God
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me

was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I,

but the grace of God which was with me.
– I Corinthians 15:10

By the grace of God I am
What I otherwise couldn’t be.
I am free from condemnation;
Born into God’s family.

By His grace, I am forgiven;
By His blood, I am made clean;
Jesus Christ is now my Saviour,
And the Lord of everything.

By His grace, I have been given
A new name with my new birth,
And a home in heaven’s glory
That contains eternal worth.

Clothed in garments of salvation,
I stand righteous in His sight;
God has made me an inheritor
Among the saints of light.

By His grace, I am His child,
A joint heir with His dear Son,
And united by His Spirit
With the God-head, three in one.

By His grace, no trial too great
That my heart cannot endure;
Not a wound He cannot heal;
Nor a pain He cannot cure.

Though all hell may come against me
And the devil’s darts assail,
Still the grace of God is stronger
And will ardently prevail.

The grace of God can more than match
Whatever foe I face;
I will never fight a battle
That is stronger than God’s grace.

His grace gives me the will to do
All that His Word commands,
And keeps my heart from fainting
‘Neath the strain of life’s demands.

My desire to surrender
And to yield to His control,
Is effected by the grace of God
At work within my soul.

Oh that His grace may have its way
Effectually in me,
And make me more like Jesus
In His love and purity!

And growing in this blessed grace,
May I His likeness find,
Imprinted more completely
On my spirit and my mind;

‘Til the beauty of His holiness
May in my life be seen,
As upon the mighty grace of God
With humble trust I lean.

I have no fear of falling,
When upon His grace I stand;
For it keeps me safely nestled
In the palm of God’s own hand.

© October 3, 2009 by Christine Nicole

Eternal Father, Full of Love

This poem was an early gift from my Father first thing this morning. The words came so quickly that I felt as though I was only a scribe recording what had already been spoken. I pray that God will give me the grace to rest in this eternal love of His, and that this truth will be etched by His finger upon the table of my heart.

Eternal Father, Full of Love
The eternal God is thy refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
– Deuteronomy 33:27a

My Father’s love will never cease
In strife of war or times of peace,
But true and faithful will remain
Until my Saviour comes again.

Though friendship’s joys may come and go
And storms may toss me to and fro,
My Father’s love in vast supply
Will never wane and never die.

Though father, mother, kindred pass
Into the heights of heaven’s bliss,
My Father’s love will hold me tight
And comfort me through death’s dark night.

My Father, who His own doth keep
Through trials sore and sorrows deep,
Will with His boundless love so free
Sustain me through eternity.

Dear Father, while I dwell on earth,
Oh let my life proclaim Thy worth,
And bring Thee glory all my days
In offerings of endless praise.

Subdue my will and mold my clay;
Transform my heart without delay
To bear the image of Thy Son,
And be, with Thee, forever one.

Eternal Father, full of love,
I long to reach Thy courts above;
That I may worship and adore
Thy matchless grace forevermore.

Oh let Thine everlasting arms
Protect me now from all that harms,
And may Thy love from ages past
Transport me safely home at last.

© September 19, 2009 by Christine Nicole

He Giveth His Beloved Sleep

For as long as I can remember, I have always dreamed of having a sleigh bed, and today, God gave me this desire of my heart in a special way that took me quite by surprise.

We had seen this beautiful sleigh bed at our former neighbor's garage sale over a week ago, but at the time, they were not willing to sell it separately from the dresser set.

After placing a call this afternoon to see if they would reconsider, the Boomershine's offered to part with the entire bed, box springs, mattress, and all for only $100! We did not have to think twice to know that this was a good and perfect gift from God.

This is my first bed ever with a headboard and a footboard. The wood is maple, finished in a rich cinnamon color. It is everything I've always wanted and more. As with everything else that comes in the will of God, it was more than worth the wait!

God added to the "bring home" excitement by having Papa swing by just in time to help me carry in the mattress and box springs and share with me in the joy of the moment.

After the initial set up, Mom and I traveled down to Home Again in Goshen for the First Friday Sale, and found this perfectly coordinating maple nightstand made by Ethan Allen. This is a first too! With the drawer on top and the bookshelf beneath, it is more than pretty, it is also very practical.

I'm learning that when God decides to do something, He always does it in a big way!

The only thing that surpasses the beauty of my new bed, is the incredible comfort of it. The mattress feels as soft as a feather pillow and is by far the nicest one I have ever owned.

I did not realize that such a small change could bring so much warmth to my room. It now looks and feels like a bedroom fit for a "princess."

Such amenities are constant reminders of "the place" that Jesus has gone to prepare for me, and for all those that have placed their faith and trust in Him for salvation. As C.S. Lewis has said, "All these are just shadows. Real life has not even begun yet."

"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." ~ John 14:2-3

Springing to Life

My flowers from Papa have really branched out beautifully since I planted them at the beginning of June. After a long week at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair, I was delighted to be greeted by such a vibrant scene during my first full day at home.

What was a symbol of Snuffy's death, has become a memorial of life as I have watched the flowers flourish there each summer for the last two years. This special spot has become a place of grace, where I reflect frequently on God's goodness and the power He has to bring life out of death and create eternal beginnings out of earthly ends.

Nothing better illustrates this divine irony than the cross upon which Jesus died. What was once the greatest symbol of suffering, has been transformed by the grace and power of God into the greatest emblem of joy and hope that the world has ever known. The same cross where Jesus' head once hung when He bore our sin and shame, is the cross that now lifts up our heads to behold His great salvation.

The last verse of my favorite hymn best illustrates this wondrous truth:

O Cross that liftest up my head,

I dare not ask to hide from Thee;

I lay in dust life's glory dead,

And from the ground

there blossoms red

Life that shall

endless be.

Elkhart County 4-H Fair Adult & Family Talent Contest

This was my first year assisting Jill Garris with the Elkhart County 4-H Fair Adult and Family Talent Contest, and I'm not sure who had more fun . . . Jill and me, or the contestants!

From the very beginning, I knew that Jill was, as Anne of Green Gables would put it, a "kindred spirit," but we discovered how much we really do think alike when we showed up wearing the same color the night of the contest. What were the chances? We planned many things together, but this was not one of them!

Working with Jill has been nothing but joy, and I count her one of God's greatest blessings to me during my third and final year as a Member in Training on the Elkhart County 4-H Fair Board. Even beyond all that Jill has taught me, she has become a trusted friend that I will always treasure.

2009 Elkhart County 4-H Fair Senior Queen Pageant

By the grace of God, Grandma was on stage again as a past queen this morning during the 2009 Elkhart County 4-H Fair Senior Queen Pageant. This is the ninth year that God has granted her the strength to make her appearance as the 2000 Elkhart County 4-H Fair Senior Queen, and we rejoice in His great faithfulness.

Of course, Mom also had a significant part in this royal process. It was Mom who rose early to waken the 90 year old sleeping beauty and help her put on her queenly apparel.

I couldn't pass up the once in a lifetime opportunity to get me picture taken with a 90 year old queen, who by God's gracious providence just happens to be my dearly loved grandmother.

Here is Grandma with Miss Katie Sautter, the 2008 Elkhart County 4-H Fair Senior queen, who we had the distinct honor and joy of sponsoring last year. On the far right, is Eileen Martin, our Room 4-U 4-H Club Senior Queen Candidate for this year's Senior Queen Pageant. Miss Eileen was pure grace and elegance and was announced as the second runner up just moments before this picture was taken.

After the crowds and cameras cleared, Grandma was able to have her picture taken with the newly crowned 2009 Elkhart County 4-H Fair Senior Queen, Beverly Earnhart.

Given the physical struggles that Grandma faced leading up to this year's fair, we counted it an extra special blessing and a token of answered prayer to see her strength and stamina throughout the morning. God certainly kept the promise that my dear grandfather used to quote so often: "As thy days are, so shall thy strength be."