Daily Christmas Devotions

Wednesday, December 25, 2024 “Merry Christmas Miracles”   Merry Christmas! We’ve made it, and for some of us, that’s quite an accomplishment. We may not look like winners today, but no matter. It’s not about finishing first. It’s about the struggle, right? Those famous words from the creator...

Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24, 2024 “Christmas Eve is for Non-Church People”   If yesterday’s Devotion didn’t get to you, maybe this one will. Christmas Eve has arrived. What are your plans? Are you going to church? I bet you are, or you wouldn’t be reading a devotion. Although Easter...

Monday, Dec 23, 2024 “A Prayer for Two Days Before Christmas” Two days before Christmas is really important for lots of reasons, but especially important for everyone who works in a church. Two days before Christmas means that today is the last day to prepare for Christmas Eve. All the work of the...

Sunday, December 22, 2024 “Christmas Love”   Because God so loves the world, He comes into the world to save it, protect it, nurture it, and bless it. This is a present tense, referring to the reality that God’s work at Christmas is not simply something in the past. It is something that still...

Saturday, December 21, 2024 “Winter Solstice”   Today is the Winter Solstice, representing the shortest amount of daylight and the longest amount of darkness in the year. For those who live in the extreme northern parts of North America, tonight is the night that presents some of the best...

Friday, December 20, 2024 “Christmas Music”   How long have you been listening to Christmas music? Whether it’s a classic, instrumental, modern original, or remake of an oldie and goodie, the airwaves are filled with the tunes. Some of us, like myself, love the music. I’ve been listening to...

Thursday, December 19, 2024 “Mail Is Almost Late”   If we want to mail a Christmas card, we had better do it ASAP. The deadline for regular USPS postage was yesterday to arrive by Christmas. To get mail or packages at their destination in time, we need to do it today and we’ll need to pay a...

Wednesday, December 18, 2024 “Expect A White Christmas”   Is anyone dreaming of a White Christmas? The official definition of a White Christmas is that your location must have at least 1 inch of snow (or ice) on the ground at 7 am local time on Christmas Day. A dusting of snow won’t do it....

Tuesday, December 17, 2024 “Try, Trust, and Focus”   I serve as pastor of the Longboat Island Chapel, located on Longboat Key, Florida. It has become a tradition in the last few years to assemble and stage a massive Holiday display in our adjoining gardens. In addition to the dozens of trees,...

Monday, December 16, 2024 “National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day”   Warning! This is a trap. Don’t fall for it. Today is National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day. Did you already have a craving for chocolate today? I find it interesting that we can fall so easily for something we didn’t know...

Sunday, December 15, 2024 “T Minus Ten Days”   The ten-day countdown has begun! That’s right! In just ten days, we will finally reach that moment that some of us have anticipated for an entire year! What will it be like? What will it feel like? One of my fondest memories of Christmas occurred...

Saturday, December 14, 2024 “Unplanned Holiday Surprises”   Today is the first of two remaining Saturdays for Christmas. There’s not much reason to ask if the traffic will be nightmarish and stores will be packed. We already know it’s true. But so far in these devotions, we’ve been trying to...

Friday, December 13, 2024 “Hit the Panic Button”   Just twelve days to Christmas. Is it time to panic? If you’re a list maker, yes, it’s time to panic. You’re behind. If you’re a procrastinator, no worries. You’re still ahead. At some point during the Holiday Season, it becomes real, doesn’t...

Thursday, December 12, 2024 “Always Ask For Help”   I recently met with a couple who is engaged to be married. Like so many of us, they’ve been there and done that. They have far more experience with marriage than I (which is often the case for counselors and pastors), but they still want to...

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 “Santa and Rudolph: Brought to you by ---”   Thank goodness for commercial advertising. If it weren’t for the deep pockets of major companies like Coca-Cola and Montgomery Ward, we might not know so much about Santa and Rudolph. In 1931, the Coca-Cola company...

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 “Holiday Food”   Just 15 more days to Christmas! Woohoo! It’s time to start thinking about that special food that you wish to enjoy at Christmas. What is it for you? I’m fascinated by food traditions. I’m not daring, so don’t bring me anything unique (such as...

Monday, December 9, 2024 “Christmas Seals”   On December 9, 1907, the American Red Cross sold its’ first Christmas Seal at a US Post Office in Delaware. The original Christmas Seals were not stamps; they held no monetary value. Instead, these stickers were purchased at post offices and placed...

Sunday, December 8, 2024 “Christmas Miracle”   Recently, I was asked by a member of the press if I wouldn’t mind sharing a “Christmas Miracle” that I may have witnessed since my arrival on Longboat Key. I felt that the reporter was hoping I would share a very specific incident that I could...

Saturday, December 7, 2024 “Adventures in Christmastime”   A couple of days ago, I made a trip into town during the middle of the day. As I departed the office, I was in a good mood. After spending a couple of hours in the stores and navigating the traffic, I returned to my office with a poor...

Friday, December 6, 2024 “Invite the Uninvited”   Today is the first Friday of the Christmas Season. It is also the launchpad of the first Holiday parties and gatherings. Are you hosting a party or gathering? If so, I’d like to propose something that might feel uncomfortable. Who are you Not...

Thursday, Dec 5, 2024 “Accident? Coincidence? Nope. Godincidence”   It’s highly unusual that an accidental encounter with someone leads to something big or exciting. However, in one instance a month ago, a chance encounter occurred in the Chapel’s Gardens. Like every year, I was hanging...

Wednesday, Dec 4, 2023 “Three-Week Accomplishments”   What can you do in three weeks? Experts say that doing something every day for three weeks is retained in our subconscious minds, making new actions automatic. Apparently, we can train ourselves to be more productive, meet deadlines,...

Tuesday, Dec 3, 2024 “Holiday Classics”   What is your favorite Holiday Classic? Before you answer that question, you probably want to know what I’m referring to. Am I talking about Holiday Classic films, music, food, or what? For instance, I used to think that my favorite Classic Holiday...

Monday, Dec 2, 2024 “I'm Not Late. Neither Are You!”   It seems late, doesn’t it? Only two days into the Christmas Season and we are already just 23 days away from the big day. Thanksgiving was exceptionally late this year, shortening our Holiday Season by nearly a week. But no matter....

Sunday, Dec 1, 2024 “How High?”   Woohoo! Christmas arrives in just 24 days! Put on your sneakers and tie them tightly. Then, all at once, let’s Jump! Let’s not kid ourselves. Most of us won’t Jump. Our bodies don’t work quite as well as a few years ago. Our backs, knees, ankles, and...