1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 2: You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, where 3 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:13,400 Speaker 2: we're dedicated to helping moms pray God's word for their 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 2: families in the areas they need it most. I'm your host, 5 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 2: Nicolette Bell. Over the last decade, we've helped thousands of 6 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 2: moms make prayer a priority for their families, and our 7 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 2: mission is to help you do the same. Prayer is 8 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 2: not a last resort. It's our first and best response 9 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 2: to the challenges of parenting, a partnership for the hearts 10 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:39,560 Speaker 2: of our children that God invites us into. Today's devotion 11 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 2: is written and read by Gina Smith, author of Everyday 12 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 2: Prayers for Joy. To learn more about Gina, or to 13 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 2: learn more about how you can get involved in the 14 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 2: ministry of Million Praying Moms, visit Today's show notes or 15 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 2: Millionprayingmoms dot Com. This week, our advent focus is Joy, 16 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 2: so Gina will kick us off on Monday, and then 17 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 2: we'll spend the week with Stacy Thacker and our new book, 18 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 2: Every Day Prayers for Christmas. After a brief word from 19 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 2: our sponsors, will pray together for our children. 20 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: Joy has come the light that cannot be overtaken. John 21 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: one to five. The light shines in the darkness, and 22 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: the darkness has not overcome it. Christmas lights are already 23 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: beginning to glow, hanging from rooftops, wrapped around trees, twinkling 24 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: in windows. There's something exciting and joyful about them, everywhere, 25 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: lighting up the evening. I love, love, love Christmas lights. 26 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: But for some Christmas doesn't automatically feel joyful. Some are 27 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,039 Speaker 1: carrying grief into the season, maybe an empty chair at 28 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 1: the table, a memory that won't let go. Some are 29 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: weighed down by anxiety, exhaustion, or unmet expectations. Some feel 30 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: the ache of loneliness even in a full room of people. 31 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: It is season that celebrates joy, many feel anything but joyful. 32 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: And into this very real human experience, God scent light, 33 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 1: not a distraction, not a seasonal escape. He sent a person, 34 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 1: one who steps into the dark places of our lives, 35 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:12,519 Speaker 1: shining with a joy that isn't fragile or fake. Joy 36 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 1: is a person. Joy isn't something we manufacture by turning 37 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: up holiday music or icing cookies or forcing ourselves to 38 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 1: be cheerful. Joy is Jesus, God with us, his birth 39 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: declared something life changing. We are not alone. God is 40 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: not distanced. Darkness doesn't have the final word. When the 41 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: angels appeared to shepherds on that quiet night, they didn't 42 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 1: say I bring you slightly encouraging news, or be happy 43 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: things will eventually get better. No, they said I bring 44 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: you good news of great joy, not temporary joy, not 45 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: convenient joy, great joy. Joy is powerful. Joy is so 46 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: powerful it has echoed for over two thousand years. And 47 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,679 Speaker 1: that joy has a name. Jesus. He is the light 48 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 1: that seeks us out. Darkness does not frighten Jesus. He 49 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: doesn't wait for us to get our act together before 50 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: he draws near. He doesn't need us to pretend we're okay. 51 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: He comes into the darkness, into the difficult and painful places, 52 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,119 Speaker 1: the fearful places, the parts of our story we don't 53 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: want to think about. That's what the Manger tells us. 54 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: He is the light who came close the creator, the 55 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: one who spoke galaxies into existence, chose to enter the 56 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: world as a small baby in a small town to 57 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,519 Speaker 1: show us his heart for small broken people. Says in 58 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: Isaiah nine to two, the people who walked in darkness 59 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: have seen a great light. The great light has a 60 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: mission to shine on every shadow of fear, shame, sorrow, 61 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: and sin until joy has the final say. This year 62 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 1: might seem heavy for you. Your heart might feel tired, 63 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: your soul may feel dim. Even so Christmas still sings 64 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: a thrill of hope. The weary world rejoices, we don't 65 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: need to pretend everything is perfect. We just need to 66 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: make room for the one who is. Maybe joy feels 67 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: small right now, like a tiny light struggling to shine. 68 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 1: Remember this, a light doesn't have to be large to 69 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: break darkness. It just has to be present. And if 70 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:22,359 Speaker 1: Jesus is present, joy is possible. The world says joy 71 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: is based on what we feel if everything goes right, 72 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 1: if relationships are easy, if finances are comfortable, if plans 73 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: go as expected. But Christmas reminds us that joy is 74 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 1: based on who God is, not on what life looks like. 75 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,719 Speaker 1: Jesus didn't come to remove all hardship. It came to 76 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: defeat the hopelessness that hardship brings. He came so that 77 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: even in sorrow we can say Christmas joy is not fragile. 78 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,359 Speaker 1: It is rooted in eternity. Not the joy of the season, 79 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: but the joy of the Savior. So how do we 80 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,919 Speaker 1: enter into the joy God offers. Sometimes joy begins with 81 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: the smallest steps, like pausing to notice a simple grace 82 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: from God. God whispering thank you before we open our 83 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,600 Speaker 1: eyes in the morning, sitting still long enough to recognize 84 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 1: his presence, reading his word by the glow of the 85 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: tree lights, lighting a candle, and remembering Jesus is here. 86 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 1: Joy grows every time we choose to look for the 87 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 1: light instead of staring at the darkness. The same baby 88 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: who filled a manger has filled our hearts with his spirit. 89 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 1: We are never without access to joy this Christmas. May 90 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: your heart rest in his truth. Jesus is joy. He 91 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:37,280 Speaker 1: has come to stay. He is joy when circumstances don't change. 92 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: He is joy when the future feels uncertain. He is 93 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: joy when tears fall. He is joy when laughter fills 94 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 1: the room. He is joy because he is light, and 95 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 1: his light cannot be overcome. This year, as you see 96 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: Christmas lights glowing all around you, let them remind you 97 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,559 Speaker 1: the light is come and because he has come, Joy 98 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: is yours. Father. Thank you for stepping into our darkness 99 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: to bring everlasting joy. Thank you that your presence is light, unchanging, unfading, unstoppable. 100 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,839 Speaker 1: Help me not to chase temporary happiness, but to cling 101 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:14,279 Speaker 1: to you my joy and my hope. Amen. 102 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 2: I hope you're enjoying reading along with us this month 103 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 2: in our new book, every Day Prayers for Christmas. Grab 104 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 2: your copy in a few for gifts wherever books are sold. 105 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 2: If you love the Everyday Prayers podcast, consider joining our 106 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 2: community with a ten dollar monthly donation through Patreon. When 107 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 2: you join, you automatically receive a new downloadable scripture inspired 108 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 2: prayer calendar every month, plus the devotions and prayers from 109 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 2: this month in written form, along with an invitation to 110 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 2: our monthly live mom chat. Learn more in today's show 111 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 2: notes or at Million Prayingmoms dot com. Until next time, friends, 112 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 2: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face 113 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 2: shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the 114 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 2: Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.