ExemplifyOnline.com December Issue

8/14/2019 ExemplifyOnline.com December Issue

1/29

Exemplify Magazine

Flu 10

Finding Pea

in Friendsh

Double issue!

heck it out inside.

Bie Study on

Peace Inside

Overcoming CommChristmas Argume

in Marriage

Merry Christmas

from Exemplify!

December 2009

Prince of Peace Issu


2/29

Editors Welcome

ts our story too, you know.Were just like those shepherds heading

ut to another days work. Like us, theyarried with them the responsibility ofheir calling and the weight of their

mistakes.

ome were tired of the wait.

ome didnt think it would ever happen.

ome still dared believe it would.

Like us, they silently wondered whateally mattered and what they were livingor.

Maybe they got into a fight with a lovedne that day.

Or lost someone dear.

Maybe they just gave up and decided itwasnt happening for them.

Perhaps they really didnt want to be

tuck shepherding sheep another day.They dreamed of grander things andxploring the world.

Maybe they wanted to be heard.

Or ached for silence.

m sure at least one shepherd washungry at the time.

Maybe he didnt know for what, butsomething deep inside of him hungered.

Thirsted.

We dont know what was going throughtheir minds or happening in their livesbut we do know they each had a story.

Each had his own life, his own desires, hisown wants, his own let downs, his own

needs.

Yes, to each, his own.

Like us.

And as night fell there in a field, as theywere keeping watch over simple sheep,an angel appeared. Glory shone aroundthem and they were afraid.

But the angel said, Do not be afraibring you good news of great joy thabe for all the people. Today in the towDavid a Savior has been born to you;Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10)

I bring you good news of great joy thwill be for ALL the people.

A Savior has been born to you.

Christ the Lord.

You see its our story too.

As we celebrate the birth of Redemptlet us not forget our night in that field

Let us not forget the moment whenrevelation dawned in the skies and thdeclaration of everything Holy met ohearts.

Let us not forget, today, as we struggwith all of our owns (as perhaps thshepherds did) that Christ the Lord igood news of great joytoday.

Christmas is ours to celebrate all yearround, because, amazingly...

A Savior has been born to you.

And me.

Peace in Friendships

Page 8

He Will Be Their Peace

Page 9

Peace in the Frenz

Page 24

Let us not forget, today, as we struggle

with all of our owns (as perhaps the

shepherds did) that Christ the Lord is still

good news of great joytoday.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you & youfamily,

Kristen Schiffman


3/29

EDITORS PICK

Were expanding our team!

Check out page 10 for details.

conte

nts

features

columns

The Exemplify Team

Finding Peace in Friendships

Well of Creations Giveaway

Sneak Peek: Apologetics

Column

He Will Be Their Peace

Christmas Really Is The Most Wonderful Time of

the Year

How to Let Go of the Superfluous

Bible Study on Peace

The Christmas Sanctuary

Peace in the Frenzy

Jingle Bell Blues

Flu 101

The Peace that Transcends

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8

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17

19

9

12

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24

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Exemplify Magazine


4/29

Check out page 30for our

Christmas SpecialFeature Issue

And be sure to check out our DecemberChristmas events!


5/29

Year End Spotlight OnThe Exemplify Magazine Team

ANDREA MITCHELL

ANDREA MITCHELL IS A COFFEE DRINKING, JESUS-LOVING WIFE AND STAY-AT-HOME MOM OF THREE

CONSTANT SEARCH OF JUST THE RIGHT MUG FOR HER BREW. YOU CAN FIND HER AT HER BLOG,

UNDERGRACEOVERCOFFEE.COM WHERE SHE SHARES THE LOVE SHE HAS FOUND IN JESUS, ALONG WIT

THE CAFFEINE-LADEN RANDOMNESS THAT MAKES UP THE MAJORITY OF HER DAY. GRAB YOUR CUP

AND COME ON OVER!

CHRISTY MCGRAW

HRISTY IS ON A JOURNEY TO BECOMING A WOMAN AFTER GODS OWN HEART. SHE DELIGHTS IN BOOKS,

HOTOGRAPHY, HER FAMILY AND HER FRIENDS. CHRISTY HAS A HEART FOR YOUNG WOMEN AND SINGLE

OMEN. SHE ALSO LOVES EMAILS! [email protected]

TARA RACHEL

TARA RACHEL IS A BORN-AND-BRED SOUTHERN GIRL WHO LOVES SWEET TEA, JESUS, AND FOOTBAND NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER. VISIT HER AT MUSINGS OF A FUTURE PASTOR'S WIFE, W

SHE BLOGS ABOUT HER DAY-TO-DAY LIFE AS THE WIFE OF A SEMINARY STUDENT/YOUTH PASTOR

MOM TO A PRECIOUS TODDLER GIRL, AND THE DAILY TRUTHS THE LORD TEACHES HER.

JUDITH ROBERTS

UDITH ROBERTS HAS BEEN MARRIED TO HER COLLEGE SWEETHEART FOR FOUR YEARS, AND BOTH

HE AND HER HUSBAND ARE ACTIVE IN THEIR CHURCH. SHE IS A COLLEGE INSTRUCTOR PURSUING HER

DOCTORATE AND HOPES TO MIRROR JESUS IN HER EVERYDAY LIFE.

KARA COX

KARA IS A SINGLE, THIRTYSOMETHING FOLLOWER OF CHRIST WHO LOVES TO LAUGH AND MAKE

OTHERS LAUGH IN THE PROCESS. SHE IS DEVOTED TO ALL THINGS AUTUMN AND THINKS THAT

PUMPKINS, FALLEN LEAVES AND FALL TV PREMIERES ARE A HIGHLIGHT OF LIFE. SHE WOULD ALS

LIKE YOU TO KNOW SHE IS THE MOST EXTROVERTED INTROVERT YOU WILL EVER MEET.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


6/29

WENDY MILLER

WENDY MILLER IS A BUTCHER (OF WORDS AS SHE EDITS HER NOVELS), A BAKER (OF

BIRTHDAY CAKES AND TREATS FOR HER BELOVED FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS),

AND A CANDLESTICK MAKER (NOT QUITE, BUT SHE ENJOYS CRAFTS OF ALL KINDS). SHE

APPRECIATES THE OUTDOORS, WRITING AND LAUGHING WITH LOVED ONES. WENDYS

MISSION STATEMENT IS TO A LIVE A PASSIONATE LIFE FILLED WITH COMPASSION,GRATEFUL TO BE CALLED DAUGHTER OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. VISIT WENDY AT

THOUGHTSTHATMOVE.BLOGSPOT.COM/ OR WENDYPAINEMILLER.WORDPRESS.COM/.

VICTORIA JENKINS

VICTORIA BEGAN WRITING FROM SCRIPTURE OUT OF THE SHEER INABILITY TO

KEEP A GOOD THING TO HERSELF--THE EXCEPTION BEING BROWNIES, THOSE

SHE REFUSES TO SHARE. SOON AFTER DELVING INTO HER FIRST BIBLE STUDY, IT

BECAME CLEAR THAT GOD WAS BUILDING A MINISTRY THROUGH THIS NEW-

FOUND LOVE FOR HIS WORD. WHETHER SHE IS HOMESCHOOLING, HOUSEWIFING,OR HIDING FROM THE LAUNDRY HEAP, GOD CONTINUES TO GROW VICTORIA

THROUGH THE MINISTRY HE SET IN MOTION...AND SHE CONTINUES TO HOG ALL

THE BROWNIES.

JENIFER JERNIGAN

JENIFER MAKES HER HOME IN NORTH CAROLINA WITH HER HUSBAND OF TEN YEARS, THREE

CHILDREN, AND ENGLISH BLACK LAB, BELLA. ON A TYPICAL DAY, IF THERE IS SUCH A THING,

YOU WILL FIND HER SIPPING A CUP OF COFFEE, HOME SCHOOLING HER CHILDREN, AND

DIGGING INTO THE WORD. A FORMER PIT-DWELLER WHO HAS BEEN SAVED BY GOD'SAMAZING GRACE, JENIFER HAS A BURNING PASSION TO SHARE WITH WOMEN OF ALL AGES

HIS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, MERCY, GRACE, AND FORGIVENESS.

AMY BAYLISS

AMY IS A TRUE CAJUN PRINCESS WHO IS ON A MISSION TO MINISTER TO

WOMEN VIA THE WORLD WIDE WEB. SHE HAS A HEART FOR

ENCOURAGING AND EQUIPPING WOMEN AND SHE DOES SO BY

UTILIZING MANY DIFFERENT VENUES. WRITING, SPEAKING, BLOGGING,PIONEERING VISIT HER AT AMYBAYLISS.COM.
http://wendypainemiller.wordpress.com/http://wendypainemiller.wordpress.com/http://thoughtsthatmove.blogspot.com/http://thoughtsthatmove.blogspot.com/


7/29

Exemplify welcomesthe new writers featured in this issue:

ALISON HUNT

ALISON IS A TWENTY-SOMETHING SINGLE WOMAN LIVING IN THE NOW AND HOPING FOR THE FUT

BASED IN NORTH FLORIDA, SHE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT BY DAY, AND DREAMER BY NIGHT

(LITERALLY). SHE CAN ALSO BE FOUND READING UNDER TREES, ZUMBA-ING, SPENDING TIME WITH

FAMILY, AND CATCHING UP WITH FRIENDS OVER COFFEE. VISIT HER BLOG AT HTTP://

ALISONLHUNT.BLOGSPOT.COM.

JESSIE JONES

SSIE JONES IS A NEWLYWED MAKING HER WAY THROUGH GRADUATE SCHOOL WITH THE HELP OF AN

MAZING HUSBAND. SHE LOVES READING, COOKING AND WRITING.

Details on the writers

featured in this issuebegin on page 32.
http://alisonlhunt.blogspot.com/http://alisonlhunt.blogspot.com/http://alisonlhunt.blogspot.com/http://alisonlhunt.blogspot.com/


8/29

E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E

Exemplify Mag

Peace on Earth. Its such an interesting topic.

What does that mean in this day and time?

We are a world at war. We live in a country

hat fights constantly, over more things than

care to count.

ut for me, finding peace in my life has been

struggle lately. Going through life changes

ke getting married, having children, or

moving away impact our friendships greatly.As women, we need to find peace on earth in

ur relationships.

As a newlywed, this has been my struggle.

As I sit and stare at my computer screen, I

ave a feeling that Im not the only one. My

riendships are changing. The beautiful

women who stood beside me that day do not

ave near as much in common with me right

now. There have been fading relationships,

fights, and hurt feelings. Ive felt so lost

lately, but I found great advice from our

Father. The words are so simple, as I sit and

stare at them.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother

is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17

A friend loves at all times. That means a

friend loves at every single minute of every

single day. So, even when life changes and

times are hard, we are still called to love one

another constantly. Its such a beautiful thing

to consider, and to live this verse out will

only bring joy to our Father.

I feel like this is my challenge, and our

challenge as women as well. We are mean,

catty, vicious creatures when we are caught

up in the world. I find myself in each of

those categories on a daily basis. Daily I am

learning to live differently, and I am tryi

burn this verse into my heart and soul. I

want to be this kind of friend. I will not b

doormat. I will not enable bad behavior

the women I love. But I will be a true frie

Ive struggled with many of my friendsh

lately. As the first newlywed in our grou

girls, Im dealing with many things they

arent. They are dealing with many thingno longer am. Maintaining these

relationships keeps my life peaceful, and

full. As we approach the Christmas holid

Im struck daily by this verse. It goes han

hand with peace on earth. We are called

one anothers friends in this life, and in t

next. If we will live our lives and deal wi

one another in the spirit of friendship an

love, peace will overwhelm us.

Finding

Peace inFriendships

Written by Jessie Jones


9/29


Exemplify Magazine

t was such a lowly place for therince of Peace to be born. To the

eople passing by, there wasothing extraordinary about theaby wrapped in cloths, nothing toraw them to him.

And yet on this one precious babyaid the fate of the entire world.

ve always looked at the babyesus as a beautiful gift from GodHis gift of salvation for us. Andet these past weeks He hashown me just how much more

He encompassed.

Recently my son was hospitalizedwith appendicitis. My husband

ad taken him in the walk-inlinic near our home because I

was worried over EJs stomachains. Before I knew it, he wasdmitted and on the list for surgeryhe next day.

everal years ago, my daughterHannah was diagnosed with aondition called neutropenia, which

while it turned out to be a benign

case that she outgrew, could havebeen a precursor to something

much more serious, like leukemia.

Both of these incidences saw mecompletely unable to pray. Its notthat I didnt want to pray. I justcouldnt. I was paralyzed with fear.

But once I realized what washappening, I quickly enlisted thehelp of several friends and familymembers, people who were morethan willing to pray fervently formy children (and me!).

I could pretty much tell you theminute people started to pray. I

went from a worrying, frantic messto completely full of peace.

It was during my sons hospital staythat it hit home that peace I knewwithout a doubt was from Jesus.

The Prince of Peace.

Gods peace isnt the same as theworlds idea of peace. The world

believes peace means no war, nopain, no grief. Gods peace doesntpromise the absence of these things.It promises the absence of fear andturmoil in the midst of these things.

Peace I leave with you; my pI give you. I do not give to you

the world gives. Do not let youhearts be troubled and do not bafraid. John 14:27

You will keep in perfect peachim whose mind is steadfast,

because he trusts in you. Isaiah

I could have spent the days ofwaiting for my daughters finadiagnosis, or the days of waitinmy son to be released from thehospital in turmoil and agony. Binstead, God reminded me to fi

eyes on Jesus. To be filled with peace that passes all understan

His reminder?

A tiny little baby. Worshiped anhonored above all men.

And he will be their peac

Micah 5:5

He Will Be Their PeaceBy Andrea Mitchell

And he will be their peace..

Micah 5:5


10/29


0 Exemplify Mag

Practical Home Columnist -xemplify is currently looking for aolumnist to write about practical tips forhe Christian home. Articles on frugality,rganization, time management and theke will be expected. This column will beerfect for someone who enjoys the topicf stewardship and would like to

ncourage other women to honor the Lordwith a life lived in holy balance.

Closet Issues Columnist- Exemplifys currently looking for a columnist to writen overcoming womens issues. Articles onvercoming abusive relationships, eatingisorders, strongholds, etc. will bexpected. This columnist may alsonterview women and write about thessues they have conquered in Christ. Thisolumn will be perfect for someone who

enjoys cheering on those who arevictorious in Christ and have a testimonythey long to share.

In the Kitchen Columnist Exemplify is currently looking for acolumnist to write about kitchen creations!Articles on cooking, baking, cookware andthe like will be expected. This column willbe perfect for someone who enjoys

cooking and is able to write step by stepguidelines with ease.

Fashion Columnist - Exemplify iscurrently looking for a columnist to writeon the topic of beauty and fashion. Articleson current trends, beauty products, tipsand tricks will be expected. This columnwill be perfect for someone who enjoysfashion and beauty with a holy balancebefore the Lord.

Health Columnist- Exemplify iscurrently looking for a columnist to wron the topic of health. Articles on wellbeing, physical fitness, healthy foods,health trends and products will beexpected. This column will be perfect fsomeone who has an informed interesthealth topics.

Moving Toward Holiness Columni

Exemplify is currently looking for acolumnist to write on the topic of movforward in the Christian faith. Articles ohow to pray, set aside devotional time,make the most out of bible study,encourage our children to establish godpatterns now, etc. will be expected. Thcolumn will be perfect for someone whhas a passion for seeing real life faith hthe pavement.

Were

expanding outeam!

Exemplify Magazine is currently looking for the following:


11/29


Exemplify Magazine

Empty Nest Columnist- Exemplify is currentlylooking for a columnist to write on the topic ofempty nest challenges and joys. Articles onadjusting to life without children at home,reconnecting with your spouse, commonchallenges and encouraging anecdotes will beexpected. This column will be perfect forsomeone who has experience with empty nest

challenges and desires to encourage others inthis new phase of life.

Single Parenting Columnist Exemplify iscurrently looking for a columnist to write onthe topic of solo parenting. Articles on dealingwith divorce, raising godly children solo,common challenges and encouragement willbe expected. This column will be perfect forsomeone who has experience in this area andfeels the call to encourage others who arestruggling.

Photographer- Exemplify is currently

looking for photographers who are willing tosubmit their photos for our magazine issues.This position will be perfect for someone whoenjoys life behind the lens!

If you are interested in any of the abovepositions, please send a sample of your writing(or a link to your photography) to the ExemplifyTeam at [email protected] as

well as a quick bio on yourself and why you feelyoud be a good fit for our magazine.

All positions are volunteer based.

We will be considering all the women whoinquire so we ask that you do not contact us

with a second email for at least one month. Weplan to have the new columnists lined up by the

first week of January.

Due to the volume of emails we receive it maynot be possible for us to respond to each andevery email. We apologize for this in advance.

Serious inquiries may be asked to fill out a shortquestionnaire. All new team members will be

asked to read our ministry mission andcommitment. We realize that writing for a

monthly publication is a commitment thereforewe ask these things so that all parties involved

understand their responsibilities.

We look forward to expanding our team!


12/29


2 Exemplify Mag

he knew the conversation would eventuallyappen. Every year since theyve been

married the same issue comes up. Do we goere? Do we go there? Sarah knew thenswer and was hoping this year he wouldoo.

I thought we were spending Christmas daywith MY parents, Andrew said, werent wet your parents house last year!

Andrew, why is it that we have this sameonversation every single year! Christmas day

WILL ALWAYS be spent with MY parents atheir house, because, well thats just the wayt is. We can go to your parents house anotheray. Pick one! There are 364 days to choose

rom, Sarah shouted back as she tidied up theitchen from dinner. And we ARE going toave a real tree this year with ONLY whiteghts and yes, I am listening to Kenny Gs

Christmas CD again!

He stood looking at her in complete silence;umbfounded by how stubborn his wifeould be. This is why I HATE Christmas!

Andrew grimaced as he walked out the dooro the garage, slamming it behind him.

Sarah finished in the kitchen, checked on thekids, then crawled into bed to watch a little

TV until Andrew came in. Andrew tinkered inthe garage for a while, checked on the kids,then grabbed a blanket from the closet andmade the couch his bed for the night.

If he wasnt so stubborn. If she wasnt sostubborn were their thoughts as theynodded off to sleep that night.

Forget about peace on earth, good tidings toall men, fa-la-la-la-la. This couple is indesperate need of some peace and goodtidings for themselves this Christmas season.

Christmas- the celebration of the birth of the

King of Kings. The time of year when weespecially reflect on the peace the babe in themanger came to bring to the hearts of a peoplein turmoil. A time of year when families cometogether to share gifts and meals and makememories that will last a lifetime.

If Christmas is the most wonderful time ofthe year and the hap-happiest season of allthen why do couples like Sarah and Andrewargue every year over whose home they will

be going to for Christmas and what kind oftree they will have and what kind of music

they will listen to ? What can couples do tmake certain Christmas IS wonderful and

happy for both themselves and their fami

God ordained marriage to be a union betwa man and woman who would both leavetheir own families and unite as one makinhome for themselves (Genesis 2:24). Into tmarriage both parties bring ideas, traditioand memories from their childhoods. As tmarriage grows and they begin to create town family traditions and make their ownfamily memories, one very important thinthey must both keep in mind is to remainflexible and remember to listen to their sp

as ideas about traditions are discussed.

My husband is not a Christmas person; I, the other hand, love Christmas. The lightssounds, and smells all hold special memofor me. When we first married we had toreally work hard to make Christmas anenjoyable time of year. Weve had manyconversations about things we would do athings we wouldnt do. Ten years later, wehave our own familys traditions and we mnew precious memories each year.

Christmas ISthe Most

Wonderful

Time of theYear!Written by Jenifer Jer


13/29

Deciding where to spend Christmas. Decide where you will spend ChristmasDay. Decide where you will be spending Christmas Day long beforeChristmas Day arrives and make sure both parties are in agreement.

Because we live away from both sets of parents, each year we spendChristmas Day with my side of the family and then my husbands familycomes to our house the next week. Weve done it this way for years. Itworks for us. Everyone knows months in advance where they will be andwhen they will be there. You and your spouse must be in agreement overwhere you will be so that your hearts and minds are focused on whatChristmas is all about.

e Christmas tree. I always envisioned Christmas music softly playing in thebackground and hot chocolate sitting on the mantel as my husband and I trimmeour tree paying special attention to all the decorations as we strategically hungthem on the tree. Ah yes! What a nice vision that was! My husband will bring thetree in from the storage shed and thats about as far as he goes to trimminganything. He just doesnt get into it like I do. For the first couple of years of ourmarriage it really bothered me that he wouldnt help me decorate the tree. Ivegotten over it and just enjoy him sitting on the couch talking to the kids and me we hang the decorations. Remember ladies, we are decorators. If your husbanddoesnt get into the trimming of the tree or the placing of the manger scenes all

over the house, dont make him do it. Just enjoy him being there with you.

Creating family traditions. My husband and I have made it a point to create a fewspecial traditions for our family. We buy our children three gifts each year tosymbolize the gold, frankincense, and myrrh that were brought to Jesus. Before angifts are opened we read the story of Jesus birth from the Scriptures. Now that ouchildren are getting older, they are beginning to take part in the reading of Christbirth. In recent years weve begun making it a point to give back to others in some

form or fashion so that our children are seeing that Christmas is not all about thembut is, instead, about a Savior who came into the world to give new life to a hurtinand lost people.

Here are a few things weve worked through during our years of marria

Remember this year that Christmas IS the most wonderful time of the year! It is a timto reflect, a time to make memories, and a time to praise God for sending a Redeemeinto the world. I pray this Christmas will be a joyous time for you and your family as ymake memories and worship the King.


14/29

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As a military wife with a toddler at home, Robin foundherself feelingisolated and trappedin her home during hehusband Mike's deployment in 2008. A desperate prayer

oneDecember evening led to miraculous series of eventswhich led to the opening of "Well of Creations" on etsy.Now, in the midst of yet another deployment, GOD iscontinuing to give her direction for her business andshe ispleasedto be able to share her latest renderings.To enter this giveaway visit Robins ship at http://www.etsy.com/shop/wellofcreations and tweet us yourfavorite piece @exemplify.

Winner will be announced December 15th.

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15/29

Doesnt it feel good when you decide todig in your closet and sort through yourclothes?

Im always amazed at how many itemshave collected dust in my closet that Ihavent worn in years. They have no

purpose for being there and they bunch upagainst all the apparel I do wear, makingit more difficult to find that favorite shirtwhen Im in a rush to get dressed.

Our closets arent the only place where weaccumulate and save unneeded things. Mywords and thoughts have the potential tobe infiltrated by unnecessary things. AsChristians, we long to shine the light ofChrist, to make our messages and ourcalling clear. Im convinced that the morewe rid of the cloudy, extra things of life,the brighter our light can shine.

Ive written this how to article a littledifferently this time. I decided to breakpotential superfluous things into threecategories. Synonyms of superfluous areextra, surplus, redundant, excessive,unessential, and unnecessary. These will begood to remember as you read on.

Material Things

Need vs. Want

First, well explore the good ole way ofmeasuring how important something is tous before we buy it or ingest it. Youveheard of need versus want? This is whenyou ask; do I really need this item, thesecond helping of brownies, that overlyexpensive scarf or do I just want it? Imnever surprised to see how well thisworks. Its an excellent mental sifter,helping me to try to make wise decisions.

Its not the daily increase but daily

decrease. Hack away at the unessential.Bruce Lee

Garage Sale, Anyone?

Once youve accumulated more stuff inyour house than you know what to dowith, you may find yourself tripping overtoys thinking, what am I going to do withall of this? Garage sale, anyone? Or ifyoure feeling extra generous, advertise afree garage sale. Or better yet, skip the

work of a garage sale and periodicallythroughout the year, give your stuff away.There are numerous clothing bins andplenty of Goodwills or Salvation Armysaround that know exactly where to putthat toy youve had just about enough of.

When Avoidance is Fruitful

You drive by it on your way home. Itsonly a click away. What is it? Its that storeof gorgeous dresses that always seem to fityou perfectly or its that online site thatpulls you in every time, where you

browse their online catalog for hours onend admiring, then purchasing about halfof the offered items. Normally, wherepeople are concerned, we dont practice

avoidance. Were taught confrontation isgood and avoidance is unhealthy. Not sowith that store or online site. Back to theneed vs. want on this one. What are wereally trying to fill when we desire that

blouse with such fervor? Is that newkitchen utensil really as imperative asweve made it out to be? Are you able totest your ability to be disciplined?

How to Let Go

of the SuperfluousWritten by Wendy Miller


16/29

Words

Needless Advice

This one is much simpler than we make itout to be. We live in a world full of fixers.

Everyone has a problem and everyone elsewants to fix it. Its natural to want to fix. Ittugs on us to lavish advice on a friend inneed of it. But, we need to be extra carefulwith this. Its not always our job. Im willingto guess more often than not, it isnt our jobto lend advice when it hasnt been asked ofus. Just as everyone has problems, we are alllearning. Some are faster learners thanothers. Allow others to go their pace, whileyou focus on your road ahead.

False flattery

This one grates on me. Its manipulation.But it looks pretty. Its still manipulation.Example: a lady glances you over and spotsyou talking with so and so, who happens to

be the very person glance over lady haswanted to befriend, then glance over ladycomes up to you beaming, with highpitched tone telling you how gorgeous youlook, asking how much weight have youlost? when it happens to be a day youhavent brushed a thing on your body,including teeth and hair and youve gainedtwenty pounds since youve last seen glanceover lady. Blech. Save it!

Rambling, Ranting, Venting & Dumping

Writers try very hard to tighten theirsentences, ridding them of any unneeded

adverb or pesky adjective. This is not sowith the spoken word. Women, we arefamous for this. We love to talk. Ask myhusband. He often prods me to a point bysaying, The headlines. I just want theheadlines. Much of what spills out of ourmouths need not. Im all for a long chatwith a good friend, but make it aboutsomething interesting. Talking for hoursabout how cruel Aunt Betty was when shewouldnt let you borrow hairspray to groomyour dogs bouffant tresses does not

constitute as interesting. As a matter of fact,we need to learn to call it what it is.Rambling, ranting, venting and dumping.We all do it, but we need to recognize ourrants so we can work to minimize them.

Take note of this: Everyone should bequick to listen, slow to speak James 1:19

Thoughts

Grudge Check

This is the messiest of the three. We caneliminate our spending, tame our tongues,

but Ive found taking my thoughts captiveto be one of the most difficult aspects offaith. In one of her Bible studies, BethMoore shares that often we hold onto pasthurts as a way to punish the offender and

because it can feel good to nurse a wound.This opened my eyes. Id not viewedholding grudges in that light before. But, asyou know, once the light is turned on, yousee things for what they are. You no longerwalk by darkness. Id stuffed a lot of thingsinto the attic of my brain that Id allowed to

become grudges. Id allowed those things toturn into more than grudges, they markedareas of unforgiveness.

Worry

Having kids exponentially increases thenumber of things you can choose to worryabout. Now you have not only yourself toworry about, but other beings. Worry isfruitless, though. Nothing comes of it.Prayer, howeverprayer is bringing theconcern to the One who has the power to dosomething about it. Heres something toremember, the next time you feel worrycreep in, making your bones hurt with fearor uncertainty, pray. Ask for Godsdirection, decision, or delineation.

Gratitude

A thankful attitude is like a sword toneedless and unhealthy thinking. When you

begin to be flooded by insecurities, tackledby past hurts, or bombarded with pride,establishing a set of things in your life to begrateful for changes the entire focus of yourheart. It moves the compass from pointing

to a dark and desolate location to a muchbrighter and peaceful place instead.

Gratitude is the mother of all virtues.G.K. Chesterton

Perspective

On the heels of developing gratitude isdiscerning perspective. A flat tire seemsmild in light of a cancer diagnosis. Asquabble with the spouse shines dimly inthe light of your neighbors bitter divorce.Grappling the truth that God is in control,that God has blessed you and that God willcontinue to bless you is essential forgrowing in a relationship with Him. Lettinggo of the superfluous enables you to growin that relationship, unencumbered by allthings trying to throw you off course ordistract you from that growth.

To wrap up, materially we can slim down.We dont need as much as we think we do.Our wants tend to dress up and walkaround like needs. Its time we expose themfor what they are: wants. There are plenty oplaces and people that need our things. Itswise for us to learn to give. Also, avoidingsome of those temptation spots will help us

to let go of the material extras in our lives.

With our words, we let go of thesuperfluous by refusing to give needlessadvice or false flattery. Gauging how oftenwe rant and ramble demonstrates that weare consciously trying to let go of unneededwords that have a tendency to crowd andeven water down our conversations.

Finally, letting go of the superfluous in our

thoughts means being willing to let go ofgrudges, turning worry into prayer,establishing an attitude of gratitude andinsisting on understanding perspective.Why do we want to do all of the abovethings? Because when we clear the clutterout, we are able to see more clearly Godsvision and direction for our lives. And whacould be more rewarding than that?


17/29


Exemplify Magazine

Have you ever sat down and flipped through your

V preview channel and counted how many legal

elevision shows there are? Every channel seems toave some version of a courtroom based drama.

here is the Court TV channel, the daytime divorce

ourt shows, and every Lifetime movie has the same

lot structure: 30 minutes of action and an hour and

half of courtroom resolution.

And it doesnt stop with fictional television. John

Grisham is one of the most popular, successful

uthors of all time, thanks to his gripping legal

ramas. Our 24-hour news channels keep us

breast of any legal developments in scandalous

ases of celebrities and politicians.

Were trained to like whodunits from childhood.Nancy Drew, anyone?

We are a generation of defense-loving, problem-

olving people. We like to know all the facts, all the

ieces of the puzzle. And yet, as a generation of

Christians, I wonder how we would respond if we

were asked the following questions, especially by a

tranger or someone we were trying to witness to:

How do you know the Bible hasnt been changed

t some point in history? How do you know you

re really reading Gods Word?

Why do you believe Jesus is God when He never

ctually says the words, I am God?

Why do you believe in the trinity when the word

rinity isnt even in the Bible?

If Jesus is really God, where was He during the

ntire period of the Old Testament?

If God is a good God, then why is there so much

vil in the world?

Tell me why its logically reasonable to believe in

he God of the Bible.

Ill admit, the first time I was faced with these

questions I fell flat on my face.

I knew that I believed certain doctrines of the

Christian faith. I just didnt know why I believed

those doctrines. And I was raised in church. If

anyone should be able to answer questions about

the Bible from the Bible, it should be me.

Unfortunately I found the opposite to be true.

While I had a rock-solid faith, my knowledge was

about Frisbee-deep.

A few months back I emailed our lovely, Jesus-

loving-and-glorifying editor Kristen about a project

the Lord was laying on my heart. We each prayed

about it and sought His direction and each feel Him

leading us to this place. A place where women who

love the Lord can come together and learn the facts

behind our faith. Why we believe what we believe.

I just love the Word of God. I love it in its perfection

and simplicity. I love how God doesnt ask us to

just walk blindly believing what some pastor,

Sunday school teacher, or seminary student says to

believe. He puts it out there for us, perfectly

exposed in His Word and perfectly timed in history.

He doesnt do it for Himself. He certainly doesnt

need anything else to testify about His truthfulness

and in by doing so make Him more truthful. He is

the author of all truth; without Him there would beno truth. He is also a God of promises, a God who

keeps His word. He tells us we can believe in Him

and believe in His Word, and then just like with

His answered prayers, His miracles, and His

involvement in our lives He gives us proof,

tangible proof in His Word and in human history.

Because our God is a God who keeps His word.

There seems to be a postmodern consensus that to

be a Christian you must also be unintelligent or

dimwitted and gullible. I dont think there could be

anything further from the truth! Our magnificent

Creator gave us these amazing organs we call brains

for one purpose so we can use them! And He

left us one awesome treasure map of knowledg

follow!

It is with great excitement that I announce to yo

new column coming January 2010 The Facts

Behind Our Faith, a teaching column on apolog

Digging into His Word and digging into history

really discovering why we believe what we bel

I hope you will join us here at Exemplify for th

exciting journey!

Today the Lord led me to Psalm 119:66, and Im

asking you to come there with me: Teach me

discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Yo

commandments. Notice the order in which th

psalmist prayed: he asks for knowledge becausbelieves in the Lords commandments. The be

already there, but there is much knowledge and

discernment left to discover.

Pray this Scripture with me today. Let us come

before our Lord Jesus and ask Him to bless us w

holy knowledge about Him and His Word. We

stand firm in James 1:5, knowing that He will g

generously to anyone who lacks wisdom but as

for it.

It is my prayer that at the end of this series, you

be able to answer all the questions above and

some.

Are you ready to go on the ultimate treasure hu

Then join us February as we begin to study the

evidence for the greatest defense written in all

history.

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you give the reason for the hope that you have. 1 Peter 3:15

Sneak Peek:

New Apologetics ColumnWritten by Tara Rachel


18/29


8 Exemplify Mag

Book Review: The Christ of

Christmas

by Deborah Boutwell

I love to read, which is good since Ivebeen asked to do some book reviews forExemplify. I truly feel blessed to be ableto share with you some books, fiction andnon-fiction that have touched my heart.My goal over the next few months is topull books off my personal bookshelf andshare with you.

My personal library shelves are full ofbooks from every genre and variousauthors. Some of them may be books thatIve pulled down many times, to journeyagain to a special place, others are brandnew with spines waiting to be crackedand pages ready to be worn. There are

books from every stage of life that Ivebeen led through, most are marked andscored, notes in the margins, tearssmearing the pages. The Christ ofChristmas is one such book that hastouched my heart.

There is one thing that I can always planon and this book touches on it right offthe bat.the sameness of Christmas.The same traditions. The same meals.The same songs. The same story. I haveoften found myself just doing the stuff ofChristmas and forgetting the why ofChristmas.the birth of my Savior.

This little book of 31 daily devotionshelps me to remember the Christ ofChristmas.

Calvin Miller opens the story with ahumorous story line between Michaeland Gabriel (the two most famous angelsof the Bible). They are impatiently

awaiting the moment that the worldstarts keeping up with JesusTime (A.D.), the moment that the angelsare allowed to fill the skies with praise,and when a new star shines down on alittle town.

You will be taken on an eye-openingjourney or maybe its better stated as aheart-opening journey through themonths, days, and years that surroundthe birth of Christ and his childhood.Miller focuses each day on a verse fromone of the Gospels giving wonderful

insight and then offering additionalreadings and a prayer for each day. Whilequickly expanding on those events, hemakes them all relevant to today.

Take for instance John. He was born tobear witness of the light. Millerchallenged me to be like John andproclaim, Here is the Lamb of God! Tostand in an uncaring world and say, See,here is the Christ is a daring act ofcourage. He offers a prayer to notcontinue to walk silently while othersare walking in darkness.

Or Mary and Elizabeth. One too youngand the other too old to be a mother, yet

both chosen by God to fulfill His plan.Both willing to be used. Miller remindedme how wonderful it is to see olderpeople who have loved God all theirlives and still dream of how He can usethem. Ordinary people chosen to dosomething extraordinary.

Dont be afraid. I wonder how manytimes that phrase is repeated throughoutthe Christmas story? Yet, after thatassurance, God sets out to terrify them

with His demands. And they listenedand responded.

A few days into reading this little book, Ibegan to realize that I was beingchallenged, that my heart was beingtouched, and I was beginning to think ofChristmas differently. I wanted to bechosen and used by God. I wanted to beterrified because of the exciting plans Hehad for my life. I wanted to have a

moment-by-moment anticipation owhat and how God was working in tcrazy world of mine. I eagerly turnedpages searching for new insight into familiar story. Who would have thouwould find it in Joseph?

He was chosen, just like Mary, but this no prayer of thanksgiving from himHe was given no advanced warning the miracle taking place. Joseph founhimself in the middle of the miracle,unsure which way to go, who to beliThe woman he is betrothed to (probachosen for the same reasons that Godchose her) shows evidence that she h

been unfaithful or completely lost hemind. Miller calls it the spirit of Josethe ability to have a loving treatmentthe guilty or those that appear to be

guilty. Can I have that kind of spirit?

So many treasures and challenges canfound in the daily walk through this

book and through the Gospels. Milletalks about how God whispered to a that He was in town that night. MosBethlehem didnt know God was intown. Some people there may still noknow it or at least not think much of Who in my town needs to be remindImmanuel is with us?

This charming little book, The ChristChristmas, is a perfect companion duthe busy holiday season. It will help daily with its short devotions, to remcentered in the reason we celebrate agive you excitement to look for His ncoming.


19/29


Exemplify Magazine

During the holiday season stores are

filled with greeting cards and

decorations that read some version of

Peace on Earth. This year it is making

me ask myself, Do I have peace in my

little part of the earth? Do I have peace

in my soul? If I answered honestly, it

would probably be Umsometimes, Ithink? Well, OK, I worry. A lot. Please

tell me Im not the only worry wort!

For the past few years I have been

embarking what I like to call The

Process of Exchange. A friend

introduced me to the theory that we are

living a life of exchange. I sacrifice one

thing to gain more of another. Isaiah

59:2 (NLT) says Its your sins that have

cut you off from God. Even David

cries out to God and says in Psalm

51:12 (NIV) Restore to me the joy of

your salvation and grant me a willing

spirit, to sustain me. David knew that

his sin kept him from the fullness of his

relationship with God and even asked

for a willing spirit to make a change.

Exchanging is not a sacrifice out of

obligation, but a sacrifice out of an

intense love and desperate need to have

more of the Holy Spirit, more of God,

more of Jesus living inside of me.

In Matthew 6 Jesus talks to his disciples

about worry and asks them a very

poignant question; Who of you by

worrying can add a single hour to his

life? I believe Jesus is asking us the

same question today. Now, you should

know something about me. My life

struggle has been anxiety and worry. I

have spent countless minutes, hours

and days rehearsing conversations,

anticipating struggle, wondering how

situations will be resolved, thinkingWhat if or I should have. But I

recently realized that my worry

requires no faith. It gives me an easy

out if things dont turn out like I

thought they would, but when I worry

I also miss out on the peace of God. So,

its time to exchange that anxiety for

true soul filling peace.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say itagain: Rejoice! Let your gentleness beevident to all. The Lord is near. Do not

be anxious about anything, but ineverything, by prayer and petition, withthanksgiving, present your requests toGod. And the peace of God, whichtranscends all understanding, willguard your hearts and your minds inChrist Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7(NIV)

That passage of scripture has been my

lifeline in my process to exchange

anxiety for peace. Let me translate this

into the AAV (Alison Amplified

Version):

Peace on Earthand In My SoulWritten By Alison Hunt


20/29

Alison, rejoice in the Lord in

everything you do! Rejoice!

Do not let your fear and worry

harden your heart. The Lord is

near. Did you hear that? The

Lord is NEAR! There is no

reason to be anxious about

anything, instead through

prayer AND petition , with the

thanksgiving that remembers

everything He has done in the

past, present your requests to

God. This doesnt mean youll

get your answer right away.

Instead, you get to have the

peace of God because you trust

Him. Youll get His

supernatural peace that youcannot even begin to

understand. It will remain even

in times when it seems

ridiculous to be filled with

peace! It is the peace that

guards your heart and mind in

Christ Jesus from the enemy.

I LOVE that the Bible is a

practical tool in growing closer

in relationship with God. Howcan He not increase when we

fill our minds with the Truth?

In Philippians 4:4-7 Paul gave

some very clear directives

about trusting the Lord. He

tells us to Rejoice in everything

that we do. Have you ever

tried to rejoice and worry at the

same time? Its not possible.

Try it. Spend 30 seconds, right

now, praising God with

everything you have and thank

Him for who He is and what

Hes done. I dare you.

Did you worry? I would

venture to say there was no

room for that little worry worm

to dig around your thoughts.

Throughout the rest of that

passage Paul tells us to

remember that the Lord is near.

There is no reason to be

anxious with our Savior rightthere. He tells us to talk to

God, to tell Him our needs,

desires and hopes. Its not that

God doesnt know those things

already, but that the act of

coming to God with everything

is an intimate experience. It

requires you to be honest with

Him about the good, the bad

and the ugly. It brings you to a

point of acknowledging to God

that your will was not lining up

with His will and asking Him

to show you how to correct that

in your life. Its in the place of

true genuine honesty with God

that we make room in our soul

for that transcendental peace

Paul is talking about.

This process of exchange that

Im on to give up my anxiousthoughts for the peace of God

has not necessarily been easy.

To be honest, sometimes it has

been downright painful. When

I asked God to show me what

anxiety has done to my heart

like David did in Psalm 139, He

did.

I wish I could draw you a

picture of what God showedme. What I saw was a princess

imprisoned in a tiny brick cell

with no door to get in or out. In

one corner is a pile of brick and

mortar. In another corner is a

stack of books filled with her

secret desires and hopes. She

never writes anymore, though.

Her ink well dried up years

ago. In another corner is a tall

standing mirror caked in dust

and grime. She is beautiful, but

there is no radiance in her tear

stained cheeks because she has

not seen the sun in a very long

time. She cant remember how

she got inside, but she knows

she wants to get out. As she

walks the border of her room,

she beats the walls looking for

a weak point to escape.

Everyday she walks her room

and each night she draws the

same conclusion that whoever

built these walls spent a lot oftime making sure they would

never come down. At the end

of the vision she went to her

mirror, wiped some of the

grime away, and I saw my face.

God showed me that in my

anxiety and self-protection, I

built myself a room with no

visible escape. But what I saw

next gave me hope. It was apicture of me standing in the

middle of that very same room,

arms held high with my books

in my hands and the walls were

crumbled to the ground. God

is more than able to perform

miracles in each of our lives.

Sometimes all we need to do is

just raise our hands and receive

His peace.


21/29


Exemplify Magazine

shelovmi,shelovmi not

A Bie Study on PeaceToday is one of those days when ourstudy of Gods Word is going to pit ourliteral understanding against theSpiritual understanding with which wemust weigh all things. Complicatedtext is just one of many reasons prayer

should always precede our time on thepages of God-breathed Scripture. Letspetition our Father for the supernaturalwisdom that He is ever gracious todeliver.

Lord,

The enemy often uses apparent contradictionsin Your Word in his attempts to trip us up.Father, we know that with the wisdom You

lend, we can grasp the many levels of Truth inevery word of Scripture. We ask that You willgrow us in wisdom and in understanding as

we seek to become more pleasing in Yoursight. Show us how we might apply Your

precepts as You shape us into a more perfectpicture of Your Perfect Son. Lord, thank Youfor being quick to provide our every need andfaithful to fulfill each promise Youve made to

Your children.

In love we pray,

Amen.

The Christmas season awakens dreamsof sugarplums and the like as it stirsour deepest hopes, however deeply

they may be buried. Miraculously, thebirth of one tiny babe has brought withit the hubbub of holiday while alsoproviding the only real hope forhumanity. Not just any infant, thisswaddling-clothed child is the Son ofGod, the Messiah, the Savior, and thePrince of Peace.

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on hisshoulders.

And he will be calledWonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince ofPeace (Isaiah 9:6, NIV).

More than two thousand years after Hisarrival, teachings, death, resurrection,and ascension, peace still eludes theEarth. Where is the peace we werepromised long before Christ walkedamong us? Every Messianic prophesy

was fulfilled and yet we live in aperpetually war torn world. How canwe reconcile the vow to bring peacewith the stark reality that mankindcontinually battles against itself?

As I prepared for this study, Godfaithfully revealed the direction Hedbe taking us through a simple game ofchildhood. Im sure you recall thedays of plucking petals fromunsuspecting daisies, alternating

between the rise of he loves me andthe fall of he loves me not. Morethan just a catchy title, Shelovmi isthe transliteration of the Hebrew word,shalom, which means peace to you.

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came todivide the world. (Luke 12:51) Whatabout peace on earth?

Shelovmi, shelovmi not?

Speaking to His disciples, Jesusaddressed the fact that the peace Hegives isnt what the world would haveHim give, saying, peace I leave withyou; my peace I give you. I do not givto you as the world gives (from John14:27, NIV). Not on the worlds giftregistry and not given in the fleetingmanner that is all this place has tooffer, Jesus brand of peace is eternaland surpasses our every expectation.

I can remember praying fervently thatGod would deliver me from my onceloveless and painful marriage. Formany years I believed His answer wasno, but with time the Lord revealed

that my rescue would be muchdifferent than what I had in mind.Instead of giving me what I thought Ineeded, God gave me what I neverknew I always wanted. God healedmy broken heart and is continuallyrebuilding my relationship with myhusband. I never imagined it waspossible, and Ill never stop standing iamazement of the way God wentbeyond all that I could think or dreamfor myself. Our Father dreams big forall of His children. Can you name atime in your life when the Lord hasturned what seemed like anunanswered prayer into a blessing thasurpassed your want?

Written by Victoria Jenkins


22/29


2 Exemplify Mag

When the Lords reply to our wantsseems to be a resounding no, we canknow that our Father simply hassomething better in store for us. Wecan find immense encouragement inknowing Jesus brand of peace goesbeyond what we might envision forourselves and it exceeds the limitationsof our fallen world.

How would you describe theexpectations man has concerning theconcept of peace?

In Jeremiah 6:14 and 8:11, God tellsus, they dress the wound of mypeople as though it were not serious.

Peace, peace, they say, when there isno peace.

A state of quiet or tranquility

Freedom from disturbance oragitation

Calm

Repose

Exemption from, or cessation of,war with public enemies

Public quiet, order, andcontentment in obedience to law

Exemption from, or subjection of,agitating passions

Tranquility of mind or conscience

Reconciliation

Agreement after variance

Harmony

Concord

To make or become quiet

To be silent

To stop

Each of these aspects of the worldsdefinition is as good as the last, yetnone are as good as that which Jesusbrings! The world will never be able tooffer the one element that sets thepeace of Christ apart.

As the Prince of Peace, Jesus is rulerover welfare, soundness, peace andcompleteness.

Designed to be with the Lord andripped from His side by our sinfulnature, we are born with a God-shapedhole that leaves our spirits screamingfor the wholeness in which we weremade. Our efforts to fill a void fit for

the King will never bring us thecompleteness we seek. Take heart!The Prince of Peace will live up to Hisname. He will live up to every one ofHis majestic and wonderful names.For no matter how many promisesGod has made, they are Yes inChrist. And so through him the Amenis spoken by us to the glory of God (2Corinthians 1:20, NIV). We can rest inthe fact that the promise of peacebecame a yes in Christ Jesus.

He will stand and shepherd his flockin the strength of the LORD, in themajesty of the name of the LORD hisGod. And they will live securely, forthen his greatness will reach to theends of the earth. And he will be theirpeace (Micah 5:4-5, NIV).

Lets replace their with my in thatlast bit. And He will be my peace. Assilly as it will undoubtedly feel at first, Iwant you to stand up with me rightnow and repeat those words until thesilliness fades.

What does that mean to you in thismoment? We can tell our Father allabout it as we fellowship with Him inprayer right now. The Holy Spirit willintercede and speak those words toorich for us to speak, too deep for us tomine, and too hard for us to admit.

The LORD bless you and keep you;the LORD make his face shine uponyou and be gracious to you; the LORDturn his face toward you and give you

peace.

Numbers 6:24-26, NIV


23/29

The ChristmasSanctuaryChristmas.

The birth of a savior.

Is there anything more joyous in this world than that? Indeed, there is not. So, its no wonder why

Christmas is such a beautiful and magical time. Its truly the most wonderful time of the year a

time that should be celebrated and experienced with all five senses.

The Lord has gifted most of us with five senses through which we experience life. Let us make use

of those senses in our sanctuary to create long lasting memories for our families. Here are a few

ways to do this

Sight:This perhaps is the most obvious, but lets not forget to make Christmas a magical time

for our family by decorating our sanctuary. Now, you dont need to break the bank and erect a

fully decorated Christmas tree in every room, however, try to attempt having a small glimmer of

the Christmas spirit in every room. This can easily be accomplished by simply filling some glass

jars with ornaments, or placing a small wreath on the wall.

Smell: Make sure your family and guests are experiencing the glorious scents of Christmas in all

major areas of your sanctuary. Dust off those holiday scented candles and spread them around

the house. If you live in a cold climate, perhaps you can have a fresh batch of the familys favorite

cider simmering in a crock pot on a regular basis. No scent permeates the sanctuary better than

hot cider!

Hearing:Add extra holiday magic to your sanctuary by playing festive Christmas music as often

as possible. Music has a profound impact on ones spiritual and emotional well-being and has the

power to melt away the stress of a busy day.

Taste: Nothing says Merry Christmas like a platter full of freshly baked treats especially for

children. Endeavor to bake fresh Christmas treats at least once a week. I know this is a lofty goal

and can be quite time consuming, however, Christmas only comes but once a year lavish that

Christmas spirit on your loved ones!

Touch: Encourage and entice your family and friends to experience Christmas with exploring

hands. Add decorative items to your holiday decor that have interesting textures and beckon to

be touched. Grab some boxes in various shapes and sizes and wrap them up like Christmas

presents with sparkling paper and extravagant bows. Spread them around the house and see if

family and friends can keep their hands to themselves! And dont forget about that warm

crackling fire burning in the hearth! If that doesnt invite hands to join the Christmas celebration,

then nothing will.

Written by Christy Klein


24/29

S E Q U O I A C L U B

4 Exemplify Mag

have worked in retail (well, the

ehind the scenes administrative side

f retail mostly) for the last 10 years.

We get ready for Christmas in the

ummer. The buyer is seeing catalogs

or Santas and reindeer in mid-

March. I order music in the early fall

hat will be on a constant loop from

mid-November until the day after

Christmas.

We deck the halls before trick-or-

reaters can make it around the block

nd we are ready for our Christmas

Open House in early November. But

ll the preparation of this blessed time

f year still doesnt prevent the

nsanity that commences the day after

hanksgiving and doesnt let up until

anuary. It is a wild ride in retail, let

me tell you. Fun, but wild. And really,

nything but peaceful.

ou dont have to work in a store like

do to understand the crazy hustle

nd bustle of shoppers. Likely, youre

ne of them. I know that when I

enture outside the walls of my own

tore I am one of them too. You are

ompletely normal as an individual,

ut sometimes you get in a crowd and

he insanity just takes over. At least

hats how it appears from our side of

he counter. Impatience is a given.

mpulsiveness too. I love the men that

come in a day or two before Christmas

(two days if they are a planner)

searching desperately for something,

anything, to give their spouse or

girlfriend for Christmas. They are so

wide-eyed and terrified it just adds to

the insanity of all the last minute

shoppers in a frenzy. They have no

idea what they want but it better be

good. We always have just the thing.Its our job.

But I have to wonder what it would be

like if people put less emphasis on the

gift buying and hoopla of our modern

day festivities and more emphasis on

what is really important at Christmas.

We have made trite the whole Jesus

is the reason for the season but it is

the truth. Our Prince of Peace must

scratch his head and sigh at all our

endless activity. How often is He lost

in the midst of it? How blessed would

we be if we reveled in the peace Hebrings and stepped back from all the

busyness to reflect and worship and

share His good news?

Im not abandoning all tradition this

year. Christmas is hands down my

favorite holiday. I love giving and

receiving gifts. I love the lit up trees

with shiny baubles tinkling around it.

I love watching Its a Wonderful Life

for the five hundredth time in my life

(and dont even get me started on Elf).

I love parties and people and even,

sometimes, work. Ive already told

you I think the hustle and bustle can

be fun.

But there is a stirring in me to want

more than this. To make all the

craziness take a backseat to peace. To

revel in all the unparalleled beautyand wonder that Christmas truly is. To

praise the One who planned

redemption for all mankind through

the birth of a holy perfect Christ child,

born to a poor noble carpenter and his

young wife in a stable. To imagine

what it must have felt like to be a

young shepherd on that hillside when

the company of angels brightened the

night sky startling them with a

proclamation that would forever

change the course of history.

The scene still makes me pause inawe: An angel of the Lord appeared

to them, and the glory of the Lord

shone around them, and they were

terrified. But the angel said to them,

Do not be afraid. I bring you good

news of great joy that will be for all

the people. Today in the town of

David a Savior has been born to you:

he is Christ the Lord. This will be a

sign to you: You will find a baby

wrapped in cloths and lying in a

manger. Suddenly a great company of

the heavenly host appeared with

angel, praising God and saying,

Glory to God in the highest and

earth peace to men on whom his

rests. Luke 2:9-14 NIV.

One of my favorite Christmas alb

is from Sara Groves called O Holy

Night. Do yourself a favor and ch

it out immediately (if for no othe

reason than to hear Saras preciou

son Toby read the birth story of Je

on the song Its True). There is a s

titled Peace, Peace that ministers

me so much during this crazy tim

year. Here are some of its lyrics:

Peace Peace, its hard to find, tro

comes like a wrecking ball, to you

peace of mind and all that worry

cant leave behind you. All your h

and fears, all your hopes and fear

your hopes and fears are met in Htonight. He came to bring a peac

that passes all understanding. A p

that is worth celebrating this time

year, really, all throughout the ye

just because. So if you come into

store I work in this month and se

take a step back, youll know why

dont want to miss it. I hope you

either.

Peacein the

FrenzBy Kara Co


25/29

I adore the Christmas season. Thebirth of our Savior, the decorations,the hustle and bustle of shopping, theparties, the time with friends, and thetime with family. It surrounds me inall of its loveliness. At the same timeevery year I experienced a deeploneliness that at times can crowd thegoodness of everything else.

To be honest, most of the year I amcontent in my singleness. I know at

this season of my life it is where I amsuppose to be. I do have momentswhere my heart wishes for thatspecial someone but most days aregood days. Only two events eachyear cause such loneliness that attimes I think my heart physicallyhurts. My birthday is one of thosetimes. I cannot help but to wishevery year that I had someone specialto share my day with. The other timeis the Christmas season. From theday after Thanksgiving until the newyear I feel so lonely.

The loneliness comes and goes and attimes hits when I least expect it. Iwill be getting ready for work andwish I had someone to share my

bathroom sink. I will be driving inmy car on my way somewhere andwish I was not driving alone. Withloneliness also comes the depression,or the jingle bell blues as I like to callthem. To me if there is anythingworse than loneliness it is depressionand loneliness. A lingering sadnessthat something is missing.

Every Christmas I would wish andpray for the same thing. EveryChristmas that wish and prayer goes

by, unanswered. And I wonderamI doing something wrong, why is itthat I wish and pray and nothingcomes of it? And sooner or later thesame questions would pop into my

head, What is wrong with me? Do Inot deserve happiness? Does Goddislike me so much that He does notsee me as a fit person to be a wife andmother? The questions spin aroundin my mind over and over. At times Ifelt like putting my hands over myears and yelling, stop! Soon I amobsessed with finding fault withmyself and my insecurities startshowing up in big ways. I becomeoverwhelmed.

Last year after my 30th birthday Idecided that cycle had to stop. Istarted a journal specifically aboutmy singleness and my desire to bemarried. I also went to the Word andstarted specifically memorizingverses that told me how much I wasloved. God immediately remindedme of my favorite verse. It was averse that He gave me more than fiveyears ago and it would become one ofmy mantras over the next severalmonths.

The LORD your God is with you,

he is mighty to save. He will take

great delight in you, he will quiet

you with his love, he will rejoice over

you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17(NIV)

Everything I need from Him was inthat verse. In The Message version

God is called a mighty warrior. Ineeded someone to save me from thecycle I was in, He was there. I neededsomeone to delight in me and be myconstant, He was there. I needed toknow someone loved me no matterwhat, and once again He was there.In many ways it was the beginning ofmy journey toward loving Jesus moreand knowing how very much Heloved me.

Other things that helped was thebook of 1 John and several songs thatare still among my favorites. I startedsurrounding myself with remindersof His Love. A cross on my bookshelfas a reminder of His death. Besidethe cross sits a rock to remind me ofHis conquering of death. I startedhaving tea with Him. I would fix acup of tea in a certain cup, shapedlike a heart, and sit down with HisWord and my journal. I became

intentional in my relationship withHim.

From October to December my lifechanged tremendously. I became amore content person in all areas ofmy life. I was not only happy but

joyful. Of course I was very nervousabout Christmas because I was doingso well and I knew if anything would

bring me down Christmas would. Inthe midst of all that God laid a blog

post on my heart about mysingleness. I wrote it but instead ofhitting publish I saved it as a draft.Finally on December 15th I hitpublish. It was during that prayertime the following day that I wasgiven my word for 2009. Journey.That post along with all the othersthings was a first step. A step intolearning and trusting and Journeyingwith Jesus. As I look back over thelast 12 months I cannot help but be inawe of everything He has done in meand in my life. He brought me to a

place of contentment in my singlelife, He brought me some fabulousfriends. He brought me to Exemplifyand then to this column. After thisyear I cannot help but look forwardto the journey 2010 brings!

Jingle Bell BluesWritten By Christy McGraw


26/29

S E Q U O I A C L U B

6 Exemplify Mag

Flu 101Seasonal Flu

easonal influenza is a very contagious virushat affects the respiratory organs. It isunfortunately very common, affecting up to

0% of the population yearly. Symptomsnclude fever, headache, fatigue, dry cough,ore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches,

nd occasionally stomach problems likenausea and diarrhea. If you experience some orll of these symptoms, you should avoidontact with others by staying home from work

or school, and head to the doctors office. Theflu is contagious from person to person even aday before symptoms show up, and a persontays contagious for up to seven days afterymptoms appear.

The best way to prevent yourself from getting orpreading the flu is to get vaccinated with theeasonal flu vaccine. They usually cost about

$25, and some insurances cover them if youget vaccinated at the doctors office. Thevaccine comes in two forms a shot and anasal spray. The flu shot is highlyecommended for children aged 6 months to9 years of age, as well as people 50 years or

older. Pregnant women, those with chroniclnesses, health care workers, and people whore in contact with children are also among

people who should get a flu shot. People whohould not be vaccinated include people withhicken egg allergy, those who have had a badeaction to the flu vaccine in the past, andnfants less than 6 months of age. Also, if you

have a fever, you should wait until you are wellagain to get the flu vaccine.

For more information on the flu vaccine, talk toyour doctor or visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm.

H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)

Im sure that everyone has become aware ofthe so-called swine flu epidemic thatappeared in the U.S. in April of 2009. Althoughit was originally thought to be the same flu thataffects North American pigs, recent studieshave shown the H1N1 virus to be much morecomplex. It actually contains two differentswine flu genes, an avian flu gene, as well as ahuman flu gene. While the symptoms appear tobe nearly identical to seasonal flu symptoms,this virus appears to be targeting a youngercrowd, unlike the seasonal flu. The people whohave been most affected by H1N1 are healthypeople up to the age of 24, pregnant women,and people with underlying health issues.

Unfortunately, complications with H1N1 haveled to many deaths in the United States.

Luckily, an H1N1 vaccine has been madeavailable to the public. However, supplies arelimited. Young children and pregnant womenare among those that are stronglyrecommended to be vaccinated. Many publichealth clinics and some pharmacies have orwill have the H1N1 vaccine available.

If you or someone you know does get sick withthe H1N1 flu, dont panic. There is a very

effective prescription medicine calledTamiflu that has been the preferred drug ftreatment of H1N1 as well as other seriousinfluenza conditions. Tamiflu appears to takcare of H1N1 without any complications if taken early enough.

For more information and updates about the

H1N1 flu as well as the vaccine, visit http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.

General Flu Safety Tips

Wash your hands frequently.

Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use itafter touching things that have been toucby many others, like door knobs or creditcard machine pens.

Avoid touching your mouth, nose, or eyeall when you are out of the house

If you suspect you or your children have fl

like symptoms, get to a doctor as soon aspossible

Although it is easy to become anxious andworried about loved ones and ourselves witscary virus on the loose, we can remain caland find rest in Christ, our King. Jesus said,Who of you by worrying can add a singlehour to his life? He also says that anything need, our Father will provide. Even whentroubles arise, we can find comfort and peain the presence of God.

Tis the season for joy, family,

andthe seasonal flu. This year,

the swine flu, or H1N1 flu, has

become a major concern as well.

Whether you are choosing to

protect yourself through sanitary

methods or by getting vaccinated,

Id like to offer some information

and tips on these two viruses.

Written by Shannon
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/http://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm


27/29

The Peacethat

Transcendslay there, completely still from expended

gy, letting her senses take in everything.

eyes, which had been closed from

austion, cracked open. She could see the

onlight peeking through the rafters.

side the stars twinkled down upon them.

tilted her head to the side. He sat to her

knees raised and arms outstretched over

kneecaps. He smiled weakly.

onder what he is thinking. I wonder how

nge this all is to him. Despite her

austion, despite her weariness, she felt the

curity creeping up inside her. He didnt

for this.

the angel had visited him, too. The angel

intervened when he was considering

orce. He was such a good man; he had no

ice or desire to shame her. He was trying

nd the most discreet way to avoid shame

self.

had helped her during the birth,

saging her stomach, sponging her face,

helping clean the baby. No man should

e to do that, especially not for a child that

nt even his. But if there was one thing

she could say for Joseph, he was a man of

great humility, and his rough carpenters

hands gently caressed the small bundle as

though the boy was his own.

She smiled at him, loving him more than she

ever had in their entire courtship. He reached

out and stroked her hair.

She turned her focus to her ears. The soft

swishing of hay and straw as the animals

lumbered around. The crunching of the

livestock eating the feed Joseph had pitched

out of the manger to make room for the baby.

Nearby a cow lowed softly.

She could smell the hay, fresh and sweet,mixed with the pungent aroma of animal

waste. She could smell her own sweat, and

the sweet scent of fresh skin of new life.

She could still taste the linen fibers from the

rag she clenched between her teeth during the

final contractions.

Finally she shifted her attention to her final

sense. She could still feel the pain throbbing

in her back and abdomen. The sore muscles

from the straining and pushing. She could

feel her hair, soaked with sweat, plastered

against her head. The hard ground of

earth pushed back against her spine. S

loved the warm pressure from Joseph

on her head.

She moved her eyes down, over to the

trough, studying His tiny perfect face.

hair was dark and matted on the back

head. His eyes were swollen closed fr

trauma of being born. His cheeks puff

and out as he rooted his small, rosebud

mouth against his tight linen wrapping

was perfect.

She tested his name. Jesus

He opened His eyes for a fraction of a and she found herself lost in them befo

slowly closed them again.

The LORD saves, Joseph said quietly

beside her.

She nodded, reaching to touch His hai

sighed softly against her chest.

Words from old came back to her, wor

had heard as a girl and young woman

ten by Tara Rachel


28/29

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

though you are small among the clans

of Judah, out of you will come for me

one who will be ruler over Israel,

whose origins are from of old, from

ancient times.

Therefore the Lord himself will give

you a sign: The virgin will be withchild and will give birth to a son, and

will call him Immanuel.

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. Of the increase of his

government and peace there will be

no end. He will reign on Davids

throne and over his kingdom,establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness from

that time on and forever. The zeal of

the LORD Almighty will accomplish

this.

In those days and at that time I will

make a righteous Branch sprout from

Davids line; he will do what is just

and right in the land.

The journey down to Bethlehem had

been incredibly difficult. 96 miles on

foot and by donkey. Joseph had

insisted she ride, afraid that the

weeks of walking would make her go

into labor and they would have the

baby on the side of the road. So she

had heeded his wishes, although the

donkey was not exactly preferable.

By the end of the first day she was

sore, her body swollen and her center

of balance completely distorted. She

had trouble staying on the back of theswaying, trotting animal.

The census could not have come at a

worse time. She had been so

prepared to have a calm, peaceful

birth at home in Nazareth, hopefully

with Elizabeth assisting her. Instead

they had had to pack up and head

south, to Josephs home seat of

Bethlehem, by the decree of Caesar

Augustus via the governor Quirinius.

She was so nervous, traveling so far

and for so long being so close to

delivery. Elizabeth had told her how

many days to count and how to mark

how much time had passed, and she

knew she was closing in on the finish

line.

She had not been prepared for the

crowds in Bethlehem, though

hindsight showed her she should not

have been surprised. Every single

person from the house of David

milled around Bethlehem. Crowds

swarmed the streets. Joseph moved

from inn to inn, trying to find a place

for them to settle, pleading with

innkeepers for the welfare of his

expectant wife.

There was no room to be had. They

would have to sleep on the road,

under the stars. And if she had the

baby out in the open, that was what

she would have to do.

One innkeeper took pity on them,

and offered them the stable. They

accepted gratefully. While it wasnt

exactly a bed with enclosed walls,

there was hay and water. It was

sufficient.

So sufficient that when the

contractions began rolling in that

night, they at least had some privacy.

Mary struggled through the labor,

unsure of the strength in her young,

inexperienced body. But it was as

though the same Holy Spirit who

created the life within her drew Him

out, and she sank back in exhaustion,

amazed at what had just taken place.

When she had regained somestrength, she took Him and wiped

Him down. He whimpered, but did

not wail. She studied His features,

etching them forever into back of her

mind. As she took in the curve of His

cheeks, the roundness of Him tummy,

the length of His toes, Elizabeths

words came back to her, clear as a

ringing bell in a tower.

Blessed is she who has believed that

what the Lord has said to her will be

accomplished.

Blessed indeed, Mary had

whispered, smiling at the memory.

She carefully wrapped Him tightly,

binding His tiny arms and legs to his

body. He stilled as soon as shefinished, relaxing into the wrappings.

He fell right to sleep, and she placed

Him carefully in the manger that

Joseph had so carefully packed with

hay.

Now, in the quiet, the surreality of the

situation descended on her. She

immediately questioned the hygienic

conditions of the barn, wondering if

placing her newborn baby in a trough

that cows ate out of was the wisestdecision.

But then again hes the Son of God.

Is there anywhere on earth that is fit

for Him to lay His head?

She was still trying to wrap her mind

around events if the night. While her

belly grew, it was easy to not dwell

on what was happening inside her

body. There was nothing, except herexpanding waistline, to touch or to

care for.

But now, as this little literal miracle

lay sleeping beside her, she couldnt

avoid letting her mind wonder into

the supernatural, into places she

wasnt sure she was fully capable of

understanding.

This child, she whispered to

Joseph, my Yeshua Hes going to

be our Savior. Hes going to be Lord

of all and reign as king forever. She

looked over at Him, helpless and

sleeping, trying to marry her words

with her vision.


29/29

She was a little unsure of how to treat Him,

how to hold Him. How do you care for the

Son of the Most High God?

She felt insecure, and even Josephs strong

presence did not calm the anxiety. She

wondered if she was qualified. She

wondered if she was capable.

But as she stared at the small, sleeping

baby, she knew it didnt matter whethershe believed she was capable or qualified.

She had received the call from the Lord,

and as she spoke to the angel, she

reaffirmed her commitment. I am the

Lords servant, she said aloud to no one in

particular. And I will begin by serving this

child with all my heart and soul and might

and strength.

She let her mind weave together the words

proclaimed and the events that transpired.

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah out ofyou will come for me one who will be ruler

over Israel

Out of Bethlehem the two of Nazareth

had to travel to Bethlehem for the census,

and right at the time she was supposed to

deliver

whose origins are from of old, from

ancient times

the Holy One to be born will be called

the Son of God

There was no possibility of this child being

Josephs, or anyone elses for that matter.

Joseph, once his fears had been calmed by

the angel, had not so much as laid a finger

on her. And she was merely a child before

becoming engaged.

Davids throne a Branch sprout from

Davids line

Joseph was in the line of David, as was she.

They were both a part of the Davidicgenealogy.

the virgin will be with child

She could scarcely believe how perfect,

how intricate everything had meshed

together, like fibers woven into a perfect

tapestry.

reminder that this was only temporary. He

was not born in a house to dwell

permanently. Instead He came at an inn, a

place where people only pass through.

Where they stay for a time, and then move

on.

And suddenly, like a pane of glass wiped

clean, nothing else mattered.

It didnt matter that people back homecalled her a whore and a harlot.

It didnt matter that Joseph had been

slandered because of her.

It didnt matter that they didnt have a bed

to sleep on.

It didnt matter that politics had changed

the shape of their ancient nation.

It didnt matter that they were forced to

learn the language of the pagans.

It didnt matter that evil men had taken

control of the Temple.

It didnt matter that Jerusalem had been

under siege.

It didnt matter that Rome was spreading,

that their rule was trickling down to even

the most remote areas.

None of it mattered.

She smiled sardonically. Pax Romana. Thepeace of Rome. Rome attempted to spread

peace by rule and power and control.

She reached out and gently lifted the

sleeping infant to her chest. This was

peace. A child, a baby sleeping away

while the world continued to turn around

Him.

She knew deep within her heart that soon

the world would turn because of Him.

Suddenly she could no longer hear the

cows lowing, the drifts of conversations

from late-night crowds in Bethlehem, the

whooshing of the wind over the trees. All

she could see was Him. All she could feel

was Him.

All she knew was Him.

And then a holy chorus rang out shaking

back, closing her eyes, as the angelic voi

rang over her.

Glory to God in the highest, and on ear

peace among men with whom He is

pleased.

Peace.

She didnt know what the future years

would bring. She didnt know if they

would be free of strife or the most difficshe would ever live.

What she did know is that she had

firsthand, eye-witness experience of the

miraculous power of the Lord God

Almighty. And as His son slept away in

His makeshift, humble bed, she knew th

there was hope yet for the nation of God

There was hope. Because God in His glo

cloaked Himself in flesh and came down

earth.

She couldnt completely comprehend ho

the baby beside her was also God. But s

did know one

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