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(Exodus 6:6) "I am God. I will bring you out from under the cruel hard labor of ... [your tyranical addictions]. I will rescue you from slavery [to them]. I will redeem you, intervening with great acts of judgment. I’ll take you as my own people and I’ll be God to you. You’ll know that I am God, your God who brings you out from under the cruel hard labor of ... [your tyranical addictions]."

THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS ...

Reading this reminded me how bad my relationships with those around me had gotten. Not understanding what was happening or who to blame, I blamed everything squarely on my ugly relationship with Jack Daniels (pun intended). Still, the truth was—I actually hated myself for what I had become!

Looking at me, you would have baulked at giving me the ‘Good News!’ I was intensely aggressive, highly cynical and fabulously creative with my put-downs. But all this was a front … I was locked in as a slave and couldn’t see ANY way out – I had no hope!

Then, one day, something in my stomach exploded, and groggily waking up in the hospital after I'd undergone some pretty major surgery with enough tubes to make a porcupine happy, I noticed a young lady doctor come into my room. She began checking my readings from my chart, and as the pain in me exploded again, she sat at the edge of my bed and tried to console me.

She kept consoling me and, at some point, began speaking about GOD and Jesus, but the more she said, the angrier and angrier I became, to the point where I even spat at her! Nonetheless, she just kept praying for me as I drifted in and out of consciousness.

In fact, she never quit, and for 10 days, she consistently loved me enough to put up with my disgusting attitude (and boy, was I giving her plenty)! She had 'Light' emanating from her and kept calling upon GOD to introduce Himself and show me Salvation (which she named Jesus).

For 10 days, she suffered the same battle, and each day, I seemed to get worse in my attitude towards her until one day - 'something' changed in me, and I distinctly remember receiving Power from Above together with the sense of AWESOME FREEDOM...!

Introduce someone to the Gift of Christmas. How? Just love on them.

GOD, who created all our hearts, says, “Stop stressing—My love will guide you. Do your part and trust in Me enough to honour Me.” 

Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve those who are sick amongst us—Sebastian, Nathaniel, Amy, Franca, Daniela, Kristina, Paul, Roger, Alastair, Ian, Alex, Alexander, Lynette, James, Keiron, Samantha, Jay, Liliana, Maria, Susanna, and those you bring to our minds right now… Please grant your healing power to those who minister to all the sick among us so they may be strengthened in their weakness and have confidence in your loving care. We pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen