Twelve Days of Christmas: Authors' Blog Tour

Celebrating the true meaning of the Christmas season, GRPR is proud to introduce to you the twelve days of Christmas. Twelve inspired devotional thoughts written by some of the best and brightest authors in the Christian industry.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me....

The Gift of Story


God's Gift of Dreams and Story
by Melody Carlson

A dream doesn’t always seem like a gift from God, but sometimes I’ll experience one so vivid and amazing that I can’t help but think God is at work. I remember a dream that woke me in the middle of the night about ten years ago. I was so moved that I felt compelled to write it down. In my dream I saw a sweet angel who was distraught that Jesus was about to leave heaven to be born as a baby on earth. So she volunteered to give up being an angel and God transformed her into a magnificent star to light the night sky for the Big Event. I won’t tell the entire dream, but simply let it be said that the ending surprised everyone—including me. The story became a children’s Christmas book called The Greatest Gift (which is currently out of print). But as a result of that dream, I began to pay even more attention to my dreams. Sometimes I think that God simply uses them to show me things about my own life and sometimes my dreams wind up in my books.

Melody Carlson is the author of Ready to Wed, (Guideposts Books 2007). This story also involves a dream! For more information visit http://www.melodycarlson.com/

The Angels Cried

The Angels Cried
(Alan Jackson with Alison Krauss)

They came from near,they came from far
Following a distance star to where He lay
Not being sure of what it mean,but
Knowing it was their way

And the creatures gathered 'round
And didn't make a sound
And the angels cried

The angels knew what was to come
The reason God had sent His son
From up above
It filled their hearts with joy to see and
Knowing of His destiny
Came tears of love

I've often thought about that night
And wondered if they realized
That star so bright
Was sent to tell all the land
The Son of God would soon become
The Son of Man

And the creatures gathered 'round
And didn't make a sound
And the angels cried

And the Angel Cried
And the Angel Cried
Artist: Jackson Alan

Song: The Angels Cried (Alan Jackson with Alison Krauss)
Album: Honky Tonk Christmas Alan Jackson

Listen on YouTube.

Technorati tags: Christmas, song, The Angels Cried, Holiday

Twelve Days of Christmas: Author's Blog Tour

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me....

The Gift of Unexpected Blessings

God's Gift of Unexpected Blessings
by Angela Hunt

The arrival of our daughter from South Korea wasn’t exactly unexpected—we’d spent years longing for her, and then months praying for that little baby’s safe arrival in our arms.

And as I look back over the experience, I can’t help thinking of Mary, who must have had such mixed feelings when she held the infant Jesus in her arms. Great joy, for the promised child had arrived. Great responsibility for the fragile life in her care. And great dread for the difficulties and sorrows that would arise.

As a young mother, I knew there would be tough times, and I haven’t been disappointed. But through bad times and good, through loving moments and less-than-loving moments, I can see the hand of God’s sovereignty molding me, my husband, and my children into the people he intends us to be.

Christmas shines brightest in the eyes of children. But it resonates most deeply in the hearts of those who love them.

Angela Hunt

Adeste Fideles

Adeste fideles,
Laeti triumphantes;
Venite, venite in Bethlehem;
Natum videte,
Regem Angelorum:

Refrain:
Venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus Dominum!

Deum de Deo,
Lumen de lumine,
Gestant puellae viscera;
Deum verum,
Genitum, non factum:

Refrain

Cantet nunc hymnos
Chorus angelorum,
Cantet nunc aula caelestium:
Gloria, gloria,
In excelsis Deo!

Refrain

Ergo qui natus
Die hodierna,
Jesu tibi sit gloria;
Patris aeterni
Verbum caro factum!

Refrain

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

Refrain

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
Lo, He shuns not the Virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;

Refrain

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

Refrain

See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;

Refrain

Lo! star led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring,
Offer Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
We to the Christ Child bring our hearts’ oblations.

Refrain

Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?

Refrain

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

Refrain

Wordless Wednesday

Swimming in Circles

There are some days that this is what life feels like.

Visit HQ for more Wordless Wednesday

Angels We Have Heard On High

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Refrain

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Refrain

See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.

Refrain

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Authors' Blog Tour

Celebrating the true meaning of the Christmas season, GRPR is proud to introduce to you the twelve days of Christmas. Twelve inspired devotional thoughts written by some of the best and brightest authors in the Christian industry.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me....

The Gift of Uniqueness

God's Gift of Uniqueness
by Tosca Lee

I used to hate my name. “Tosca” was too unusual. “Moon,” my middle name, was just downright embarrassing. “Lee” was all right, though it still set me apart from the rest of the Caucasian kids in my school. In an era when Christy Brinkley graced the cover of every fashion magazine, I did not wish to accentuate my different-ness.

The name I really wanted was Marie--probably because others had it and that meant I could at least buy one of those door plates for my bedroom door or license plates for my bike, which was my litmus test. As it was, they sure didn’t have plates for kids named “Tosca.”

In junior high, my friends called me “Weird Tosca.” I didn’t like that so much.

These days I teach about talent in my work as a consultant. I talk about the strange, quirky things that not only set people apart, but have the potential to make them great. A friend said to me once, “Stars have points.” He’s right. And when we blunt our points, we lose the defining characteristics of our unique mark in and contribution to this world.

Opportunities work much the same. It’s the unique ones that seem to hold the greatest potential impact. When my main character, Clay, bumps up against the opportunity to hear the story of creation from the viewpoint of a Demon, he is terrified--intrigued, but terrified. And so he resists. While his reaction might be in keeping with any sane person’s, it’s also a human reaction to the unusual. But in this case, it’s the unusual that might just might save his soul.

How has God revealed to you your uniquness? And what, most importantly, is He telling you to do with it?

Weird Tosca

“You need to know something more about Elohim: he is the ultimate force of creativity. He is the author of diversity.”
--Lucian, Demon: A Memoir
Tosca Lee is the author of Demon: A Memoir and of the upcoming Havah: The Story of Eve. For more information visit www.demonamemoir.com

Christmas Tour of Homes

We love snow! In theory and in pictures anyway.


And last year thanks to BooMamaI had more fun than watching HGTV by visiting all the homes on her bloggy tour. I have to share that was something I wanted to do. But you can't be part unless you have a blog--so somehow that was one of the motivators for me to start this one.

So welcome! Kick off your shoes and watch out for the cat, who will try to trip you so you might hear his pathetic tale. He says he is starving. The dog will spin circles and show off if I don’t kick her out of the house for the moment. The boys might too—but I will have to let them stay in.

The blog is decorated for Advent. Sunday was Gaudete Sunday, so we are pink this week. And that is remarkable because for those who know me, I am never pink. Pink is as common as tulle around here. But it’s the week of the pink candle. Next week we will be back to purple.

The house is as decorated as it is going to get. The snowmen peer through the debris of daily life. The counters are filled and rearranged when baking is attempted. Hohohoho!!

Here are some of the tchotchkes scattered. And there is tree…I think the maps give us a more “international flair.” Ummm…pretend with me. Please?


If you would like a few more pictures of the tree you can look here.

There are some of my favorite ornaments to be found on this sidebar. My newest snowbear Marvin is there, also some cute mice and skates and a snowman. Those were my mom’s so those hold memories of her.


We have goodies galore. There is a pot of chocolate caramel coffee on and a choice of tea. Would you like Sugar Plum Spice, Candy Cane Lane or Gingerbread Spice? Hot chocolate and apple cider are also available.



The boys liked making these!

The sugar cookies are works of art, let me say.


And my friend just shared the peanut butter cookies. We are going to do a gingerbread house later. Hopefully this year the dog won’t eat it.

This is the Nativity. It is up year round. It is something I really enjoy and can’t bear to put away. The people pieces are Hallmark ornaments.
The camels came courtesy of Wal-Mart. The backdrop from Hobby Lobby. A nice retail contrast I think. One of my little secret dreams is to have the time and funds to visit a ceramic shop like I used to as a child and create a Nativity from the greenware. Maybe someday.

Oh, it’s time to continue on visiting the rest of the participants? I am so glad you stopped by. Have a lovely time with the Christmas Tour of Homes. Thanks BooMama!! I will be around to be a peeping Tom voyeur see all your fabulous decorating soon!

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Author's Blog Tour

Celebrating the true meaning of the Christmas season, GRPR is proud to introduce to you the twelve days of Christmas. Twelve inspired devotional thoughts written by some of the best and brightest authors in the Christian industry.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me....

The Gift of Unconditional Acceptance

God's Gift of Unconditional Acceptance
by Lisa Samson

Clearly God Incarnate wasn't choosy. He wasn't born in a palace, but to a simple peasant woman bearing the stigma of a pregnancy conceived out of the bonds of matrimony. He wasn't even born in his own town, but endured a long ride to Bethlehem in his mother's womb only to be born in a stable among the livestock. Even after his ministry began he owned one robe and proclaimed himself homeless when He said, "Foxes have dens, birds have nest, but the Son of God has no place to lay His head."

If we used some TV preachers' standards today, Jesus clearly wasn't blessed by God. He didn't have the finest clothes, transportation or housing. Even most of His disciples weren't exactly candidates for a PhD. Clearly He must not have had enough faith if that's all He was getting from His Father!

But Christ isn't choosy and that is good news for us. For there isn't a single human being who can impress Him into shining His light of grace upon them. The stockbroker on Wall Street stands level with the illegal immigrant who picks strawberries. The evangelist in fine suits or sparkly dresses looks eye-to-eye with the busdriver. And the homeschool mom stands shoulder to shoulder with the prostitute. His love demands He looks above the good and the bad, and His arms are always open, ready to receive us when we are ready to receive Him. Sometimes we run back into His arms many times in one day and He doesn't care if we've showered or put on the latest fashions, He's only looking for a contrite heart. That's it. A heart that says, "I'm sorry."

This Christmastime, rest in the fact that you can't impress Christ. He doesn't care about our beautiful cookies or the fact that our trees look designer coordinated. He isn't impressed we ran around to ten different stores to find the perfect present for Aunt Sue. He just wants us to love Him, just as we are, for when we do, we incarnate Him in the here and now, and there's no telling what He'll do through us.

Lisa Samson is the author of Hollywood Nobody (NavPress, 2007), For more information visit http://www.lisasamson.com/

Beloved Castaway

Just received a new book from Glass Road Public Relations. Kathleen Y'Barbo recently published Beloved Castaway with Barbour Publishing. This looks to be an exciting book. Once again I get to read historical fiction--a definite favorite.

From the promotional material: Isabelle Gayarre was born of dubious parentage. The illegitimate daughter of a rich white gentleman and his quadroon mistress, she was born into a gilded cage – loved and adored but a slave nonetheless. Her only hope was to secure passage to England aboard The Jude to escape to an English country cottage given to her by her half-sister, Emilie. The cottage—an ocean away from the racist constrains of New Orleans—would give Isabelle a life of freedom.

Yet Isabelle’s flight to freedom is almost over before it begins when fire breaks
out on the docks of New Orleans. Narrowly avoiding destruction, Josiah Carter
captains The Jude through the flames.

The fire, though, has taken its toll and Captain Carter must find medical care for his men. On the way, he finds himself drawn both to Isabelle and her faith as those aboard his ship suffer with their fire-induced injuries.

When still another catastrophe strikes the ship in the Florida Keys, Josiah is
forced to come to terms with his faith—and his love of a slave woman whose
gilded cage bars her forever from the bonds of matrimony.

Does love truly conquer all? Even the racist society of nineteenth century
New Orleans?

About Kathleen Y’Barbo
A mother of three sons and one daughter, lives in the Houston area. An award-winning, bestselling novelist of Christian fiction, Kathleen is a member of various writing groups, speaker on the craft of writing, and teacher of an online creative writing course. For more information, visit www.kathleenybarbo.com