More reasons to celebrate!

Hello everyone!

I pray that your Jesus birthday celebration was merry and blessed! The tradition in our family is to make Jesus a birthday cake and sing Him happy birthday and other worship songs on Christmas Eve. This year the cake was a lemon meringue pie. Then we opened our gifts from each other and other family members. On Christmas Day we enjoy our family and think upon our Savior!

Now we are celebrating New Years. It seems 2017 came quickly! Our family has a tradition for New Years as well and I asked my sweet Mama to explain it to you. :)

"I grew up in the Church of God in Christ – we always had Watch Night – praying out the old year and praying in the new one. I’ve kept this tradition in our family – the kids stay up with me. We have our own service with praise and worship, each of us shares a Word from the Bible we received from the Holy Spirit in preparation for the night, in between praise songs and bringing the Word we pray on specific topics about the Old Year, then shortly before midnight we start praying in the New Year. ( : After praying in the New Year we go to our prayer closets – where we like to talk to God and allow him to speak to us – after 15 to 20 minutes we come back together and share what the Lord has said. We close with a praise song and prayer thanking the Lord for speaking to us and looking forward to what he has planned for us in the New Year. ( : I have used Watch Night to train the kids in prayer, on speaking on the Word, and how to hear God. ( :

Watch Night was one of my most favorite memories as a child – on into my early 20’s – praising and praying out the Old Year and rejoicing in prayer ringing in the New Year! Some years afterwards we would have a big breakfast in the church cafeteria. ( :

Oh, that wood frame church would be so cold when we arrived! Burrrr! Folks would be huddle around the two heaters – one on either side of the church; however, when the praise and worship started – with mother and Aunt Ida beating their tambourines sounding as if they were playing drums – it would warm up in there pretty quickly from our body heat. ( :

Sister Tiny would break out in tongue! Mother BY would do her little praise dance going around in a circle and Sister Joe always took off running down the center aisle to the front doors and back – often losing her wig. (lol) I guess my best winter memory is Watch Night Services! ( : "

The Lord is the one who brought us through the Old Year and to the New Year, so it's only fitting to give Him glory and honor this night/day! 

As I look back on my 2016 there are many moments that flash through my mind. Of lessons learned, celebrations, tears, and victories. My relationship with the Lord from January to December made HUGE growth and that is what I am most thankful for! Everything didn't go as planned in 2016 for me. I am still here in grand ole Texas and not Rwanda, but I am still holding onto my promise and doing my Father's work until then.

I pray that your New Year will be amazing, awesome and filled with wonder in the Lord! Go into deeper waters, move those mountains into the sea (Matthew 17:20) and take hold of all Abba Father has for you, dear!

¹⁸ but grow [spiritually mature] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory (honor, majesty, splendor), both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

2 Peter 3:18