Christmas Time is Here

I get completely swept up in the wonder of Christmas. Admittedly, I am a dreamer and easily enamored. But, I wonder why others aren't as swept up in the joy as I am. There are so many who dread Christmas. If they see Christmas decorations or hear Christmas music at a time which they deem to be "too soon", they get agitated. Why is this? Instead of rejoicing and praising God all month long for the gift of His Son, we stress and obsess over family gift lists and making our homes sparkling-clean for out-of-town guests. Is that really what this season of blessing has come to mean for our society? Christmas is more than just a single day. Why should we restrict our celebration to just December 25th and waste the rest of the month running in and out of shopping malls?

I've been feeling confused and frustrated lately hearing Christians rising up to defend the true meaning of Halloween for the Christian faith and then tearing down the meaning of Christmas. Just because our society has warped Christmas into a consumerism-oriented holiday doesn't mean that we've lost. We need to stand up for Jesus Christ. We need to stand up for this time to praise His coming to this world to free his ransomed people.

Christmas is not just some winter holiday. Political correctness isn't about politics and tolerance, it's a weakening of our determination to stand up for Christ. On Halloween this year Loyal Thurman, pastor of Anchor Church of Baltimore and director of HFTR, spoke about Halloween and of our need as Christians to stand up and fight for what's ours. Halloween is a holiday that has long been forgotten in the Christian faith and even hated by some. Christmas (for the most part) is still ours, but quickly slipping away, and pushed away further by those who have decided it's already a lost cause. We need to reclaim it. It doesn't matter that "Oh Jesus might have been born in September... or was it April?". This is the time that his people have chosen to come together, for one beautiful day of worship and devotion and gratitude for his gift of salvation. This is the day where we stand up and say that Jesus is the way, the ONLY way, the truth and the LIFE.

We need to reclaim this season for Christ. It's a time to celebrate, to worship, to be thankful for the gift of a Savior. We celebrate redemption. We celebrate our Savior who came to live among us and to experience all of our pain and grief. It's not about presents and big holiday dinners. There's a song called "Do They Know It's Christmas?" sung by the group Band Aid, a collection of famous singers from the 80s, written to raise awareness of the the famine in Ethiopia from 1984-1985. It's played on the radio every year and admittedly, it always makes me cry. It's not just some dumb Christmas song, it's a song that reminds us of what Jesus Christ would want us to think about during this time of the year. While we're out buying big screen TVs and iPods for our loved ones, there are children out there who don't even know it's Christmas time. They don't know what it is to experience the beauty of snow or the feeling of an overly stuffed stomach after Christmas dinner. There are people who are low enough and without enough that the joy of knowing Christ would be enough reason to celebrate. We should all be so low and humble.

Our hearts should be in daily worship and communion with our Lord. We can sing the words of Oh Holy Night every day. It bids us to fall on our knees and praise the one who was born and died to give us new life. I can't listen to that line without my soul just crying out. Yes, we should worship and praise every day of the year. But, there's just something so beautiful about the way our hearts are changed and joy is enhanced this time of year, if we let it. People who don't even know the servant heart of our Lord stretch out their hands this time of year to love those in need. Why can't we stretch out ours, even more, to show the true meaning of Christmas and just what kind of love our Lord and Savior represents?

Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere- Jesus Christ is BORN!

Thy Kingdom Come

Unified Underground 2010 is over and it was incredible. We were blessed with amazing speakers, whom we're fortunate enough to also call our friends, as well as a really unforgettable time of worship with Ascend the Hill. The Lord was truly present and we saw Him working through fellowship, prayer, teaching, and worship. We've started looking through the evaluations you filled out and are learning more about what you desire in next year's conference.

We're looking forward to next year as we try to hold on to the knowledge and growth we received this year. It seems as though there is always a period of let down after spirit-filled encounters such as Unified Underground. You reach a spiritual high there and feel so close and wrapped up in the arms of God, then return to regular everyday life. It's back to work and back to busy schedules. But, He is still with us here in the everyday life. We didn't leave Him behind at Riva Trace. He is still in our hearts and souls and still longing to be just as close and intimate with us. We don't have to lose that feeling. We can keep the fire burning. Through worship with Ascend the Hill we claimed that we would spend it all for Him. We offered up our soul, mind, hands, and time to Him. We need to not forget these claims. Every day is a new chance to invite Him in and ask him to take hold of our lives. He tells us that he is with us until the end of time (Matthew 28:20), and our God keeps His word.

It is our hope to help keep the fire going by writing here often and giving encouragement to you all. Please let us know if there is anything you need help with or want to know more about. You can email me at starr@HFTR.org or my husband Lucas at lucas@HFTR.org.

We hope to see you all again next year at Unified Underground: THE END IS NEAR (September 30-October 2, 2011). The promo video will be available online soon as well as mp3s from the speakers at this year's Unified Underground: Thy Kingdom Come. Stay tuned!