1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: Life Audio. You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, 2 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: where we're dedicated to helping moms pray God's word for 3 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: their families in the areas they need at most. I'm 4 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: your host, Nicolette Belle. Over the last decade, we've helped 5 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: thousands of moms make prayer a priority for their families. 6 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: Our mission is to help you do the same. Prayer 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: is not a last resort. It's our first and best 8 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: response to the challenges of parenting, a partnership for the 9 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:39,599 Speaker 1: hearts of our children that God invites us into. Today's 10 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 1: devotion is written by Stacy Thacker, author of ten books, 11 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: including our brand new book, Every Day Prayers for Christmas. 12 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: To learn more about Stacy, or to learn more about 13 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: how you can get involved in the ministry of Million 14 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: Praying Moms, visit today's show notes or Millionprayingmoms dot Com. 15 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: After a word from our sponsors, we'll pray together for 16 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: our children. 17 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 2: Before and after. For at one time you were darkness, 18 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 2: but now you are light, and the Lord walk as 19 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 2: children of light. For the fruit of light is found 20 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 2: and all that is good and right and true Ephesians 21 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 2: five eight through nine. If you're working your way through 22 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 2: this devotional in the month of December, and you have 23 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 2: been able to keep up while baking dozens of cookies, 24 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 2: attending Christmas programs, and shopping for your loved ones. Than 25 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 2: today is Christmas Day, so let me be the first 26 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 2: to say, Merry Christmas. I hope you have a cup 27 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 2: of something warm beside you and a Christmas cookie to enjoy. 28 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 2: Maybe it is early morning and you have tiptoed out 29 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 2: of your bedroom to sit beside the Christmas tree, waiting 30 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 2: for your family to join you. Or maybe the day 31 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 2: was well spent and you were squeezing out a few 32 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 2: more minutes of contemplation before you collapse into bed. I 33 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 2: think we can take a cue from Mary, the mother 34 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 2: of Jesus, who looked around at the simple group of 35 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 2: shepherds on that first Christmas night and took it all in, 36 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 2: Luke said of her. But Mary treasured up all these things, 37 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 2: pondering them in her heart Luke two nineteen. Truthfully, the 38 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 2: older I get, the more Christmas has that treasuring and 39 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 2: pondering effect on me. I can't help but be grateful 40 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 2: for it. The Christmas story means to me in a 41 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 2: very real practical way in my life. Something to think about. 42 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 2: We all love a good makeover, and nothing makes us 43 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 2: happier than a chaotic mess of a house becoming a 44 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 2: wondrous haven. And just so you know, if Joanna Gaines 45 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 2: shows up at my house, you better believe I'm taking 46 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:41,359 Speaker 2: before and after pictures. Paul leans heavily on this side 47 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,119 Speaker 2: of our verse of the day when he says, at 48 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,679 Speaker 2: one time you were darkness, but now you are light. 49 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 2: Did you notice what he said? Not you were in 50 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 2: darkness or darkness was all around you, but you were darkness. 51 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: That's a strong statement. It means that everything that was 52 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 2: true of darkness was true of you. You sat in chaos, 53 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 2: You were empty, You lacked wisdom and understanding. Darkness had 54 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 2: a grip on you and permeated every part of your life. 55 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 2: You were hopeless. But now something has changed. Now you 56 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 2: are light in the Lord. You've been transformed from darkness 57 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 2: to light. Your very identity is characterized by light because 58 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 2: you have been filled with Jesus, the eternal light of 59 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,119 Speaker 2: the world. He came in and turned on his light 60 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 2: in your life, and you have access to His Holy spirit. 61 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 2: He will teach you how to walk in a way 62 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 2: that honors him. What does this look like in our 63 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 2: daily lives? It means that you can clearly see evidence 64 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 2: of goodness, righteousness, truth radiating in and through our lives. 65 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 2: The after pictures are stunning because we look like Jesus. 66 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 2: What does Christmas mean to me? It means that I 67 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 2: was darkness, but now, because of the incarnation of Jesus 68 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: and his gift of salvation, I am light in the 69 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 2: Lord before and after. What a gift to treasure and ponder. 70 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 2: Let's pray, Father, thank you for the incarnation of your son, Jesus, 71 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 2: the Light of the world, who has come into my 72 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 2: life and transformed me from darkness to light. May my 73 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 2: life reflect all that is good, right and true in 74 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 2: Jesus name. Amen. 75 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 1: I hope you're enjoying reading along with us this month 76 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: in our new book, Every Day Prayers for Christmas. Grab 77 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: your copy and a few for gifts wherever books are sold. 78 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 1: If you love the Everyday Prayers podcast, consider joining our 79 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 1: community with a ten dollar monthly donation through Patreon. When 80 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:46,720 Speaker 1: you join, you automatically receive a new downloadable scripture inspired 81 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: prayer calendar every month, plus the devotions and prayers from 82 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,919 Speaker 1: this month in written form, along with an invitation to 83 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:58,280 Speaker 1: our monthly live mom chat. Learn more in today's show 84 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 1: notes or at Million Praying Moms dot com. Until next time, friends, 85 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face 86 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the 87 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 1: Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.