First Week of Advent 2014 ~ The Light Is Coming!

Ad-vent: important arrival; Latin - adventus - 'arrival'; coming of the Savior

Arise, Shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the LORD will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.
Isaiah 60:1-2 NASB

Advent brings a message of an 'important arrival' as we wait expectantly! This first week of Advent focuses on the prophecy of the Messiah. The Old Testament uses the Hebrew word kabod to describe the glory of the LORD, to define His Presence with us. God's Glory comes to us full of wonder and mystery, full of wordless splendor, breathtaking and awesome. His glory comes with abundance, divine and righteous, a light that defeats darkness, a holiness that overcomes despair. 

Isaiah the prophet often refers to the glory of the LORD, revealing God's power and holiness. God promises His Presence and Glory to shine on all people, uniting humanity and truth. Hundreds of years later John writes, "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." [John 1:5] From centuries long ago until time to come, some will choose The Light while some will not. Whether kabod in the Hebrew or doxa in the Greek or shekinah in Aramaic or glory in English, God's Holy Light comes to us, comes for us, before and now and again! 

Christians are called people of the Light, and our lives should give voice to the glory of the LORD ~ praising and honoring His goodness and grace. We are to be His light shining in the world's darkness, both a "recipient and a reflector" of Light! Waiting expectantly requires action. Get out of bed...wake up...GOD's bright glory has risen for you. [The Message, Is.60:1-2] Are you waiting expectantly? The Light is coming! ~ dho

For He Is Good! ~ Thanksgiving 2014

God is the LORD,

And He has given us light;

Bind the sacrifices with cords

to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will praise You;

You are my God, I will exalt You.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, 

for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 118:27-29 NKJV

As we pause to celebrate Thanksgiving, let us reflect upon the abundant blessings that fill the moments of life. The heart experiences immense gratitude from unexpected words that whisper love and inside surprises that shout joy and within unspoken thoughtfulness. In between the obvious and outside the margins, threads of possibility weave scenes of goodness and generosity and grace. While grand gestures and catastrophic calamities stand alone and unforgotten, these small and simple pleasures embrace the soul with wordless glimpses of heaven. As silence surrounds, we must bring these most sacred offerings to the His altar with abundant thanksgiving. Within these holy moments, God draws us deeper into His Presence. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. ~dho

Real Rest

Re-post from July, 2009 - dho



"True silence is the rest of the mind;
it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment."
William Penn

The world is full of noise and busyness, all competing at the same time for the same mind! In the world there is little silence; there is not much true rest for the mind.

Jesus tells us, "Come to Me. Get away with Me and you'll recover you life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace ..."(Matthew 11:28-30 The Message)

Jesus lived the example of spending time in prayer ~ away from the crowds ~ alone with the Father.This is how He demonstrated real rest ~ rest for the mind, the body and the spirit ~ rest in the middle of chaos ~ rest in the presence of God ~ rest in the silence. Listen to the words of Jesus; seek Him in the silence ~ learn [His] unforced rhytms of grace. ~dho

More Than We Know

If we don't know how to pray or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves. That is why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. Romans 8:26-28 (The Message) 

Charles E. Poole writes in his book Beyond the Broken Lights, "We have made it through, by the grace and goodness of the One who is always up to more than we know. All those times when God was doing less than we hoped, God must have been doing more than we knew. Amen." 


Holy Father, I've told You the things of my heart ~ my thankfulness for Your unending love, my willingness to be obedient to You, my love for my family and friends. What joy and goodness You have given to me, over and over and over! My soul feels Your ocean of blessings. Your Grace, like the waves, splashes over me, again and again and again. Like the wind, my wordless sighs come to You - unseen, but known. Amen. ~dho

"Keep Making Me"

So often we choose the shorter path, the more worn trail, the smoother way. But in the very long, steep, and rocky experiences God calls to us; His voice teaches us to depend on Him. It is the broken and lonely places we can clearly see the need for God in our lives. In the dark and empty spaces, God waits for us! As you listen to this great music, pray the words! God is listening! ~ dho

"Keep Making Me" by Sidewalk Prophets (click here)

Generosity of Goodness

For the LORD God is a splendid shield;
The LORD will give glorious grace;
No good thing will He withhold 
From those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11

Taccoa, GA ~ by Allison Oswalt

Grace falls like gentle rain, steady and sure, pours over me like rivers of light, faithful and full, floods my heart, spilling over and rushing free. I cannot capture or explain or contain such generous offerings. Yet, every day, I simply find more Grace lavished upon my soul. Gentle Shepherd, Faithful Father, Holy Spirit - You come to me with unmeasured love that is undeserved, and You show me unmerited favor.


My praise whispers Thank You, sincere and simple, shouts Hallelujah and Amen, grateful and rich, overflows "To God be the Glory, great things He has Done". I cannot adequately celebrate or applaud or adore Your Magnificent Power. Yet, every day, You graciously accept meager gratitude scattered throughout my gestures. Everlasting Light, Holy Father, Spirit of the Living God - I come to You with imperfect words that are unworthy, and, still, I find more offerings of Extravagant Grace.


God's glorious grace and my inferior offerings merge with stark contrast. God continually accepts my frail, feeble attempts to praise and worship as He lavishes me with everlasting Grace. Perfect Love chooses me! Splendid shield, I rest in wordless wonder of such glorious grace ~dho