We are entering our second Christmas season as a church plant family and I have to tell you, there is nothing like it in the world. As much as we looked forward to Christmas before planting The Cross in Deerfield Beach, it is nothing like looking forward to it now as a growing church family. We start gearing up for it in November and focus the whole month of December on the one named Immanuel, God with us. And this year it will build to a Christmas Eve where we will be having three candlelight services. God’s Christmas Promises It […]

The Christmas season is devoted to the helping others and being kind. In the spirit of giving, here are some baking ideas that can be done solo or with your own little helper. Reindeer Cupcakes Yield: 24 cupcakes Cupcakes ¾ cup unsalted butter 1¾ cups sugar 2 large eggs 2 tsp pure vanilla extract ½ tsp salt 2½ tsp baking powder 2½ cups flour 1¼ cups milk Frosting 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened (but not melted) 3-4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted ½ cup cocoa powder, sifted ¼ tsp salt 1 Tbsp vanilla extract 2-4 Tbsp milk Preheat the oven to 375F. Combine […]

The desired of all nations (Haggai 2:7) has just been wiped clean of amniotic fluid. A proper birth announcement is in order. An angelic messenger, suffused in divine glory brings the news in knee-knocking fashion. The message culminates with a vast throng joining the angel to proclaim, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to men on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). A filmmaker’s fantasy. All manner of special effects employed. It comes with the flare and spectacle deserved of a king. A regal announcement All of this hoo-hah, bombastic and regal, is fitting the occasion. […]

Christmas is a wonderful time of year! It’s the time of year we celebrate the greatest gift of all – Jesus. And since it’s also the time when we give gifts to those we love – or like – the season can be very stressful. Here are a few suggestions for giving gifts this Christmas that will hopefully help make this season bright: First, always make an effort to bless those who can’t give back: the hungry, needy and less fortunate. Keep your eyes and ears open for those around you who may be going through a hard time, be […]

Deck the halls! Be merry! Come on, ring them bells! After all, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! Or, is it? Tinsel and lights, carols and mistletoe don’t always usher in a feeling of good cheer. For many people, the holiday season invites the most unwanted of visitors — loneliness. Christmastime, with its unspoken pressures to be jolly, the expectations of family togetherness, and year-end reflections have a tendency to intensify the heavy, dull ache of loneliness. Look at all the lonely people An interesting aspect of loneliness is its universal nature — ironically, lonely people aren’t alone […]

Christmas is the season for receiving presents, waiting for Santa Claus, singing carols, and decorating your home. Right? For a growing number of Americans, these are “the reasons for the season.” In a recent book by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons entitled Unchristian, the authors share stunning statistics from their recent research on the perceptions of non-Chrisitians. They call these individuals “outsiders” – those viewing the faith from beyond the church walls. This group includes agnostics, atheists, those who identify with another faith other than Christianity (such as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Mormonism, and others), and other unchurched adults who are […]

Have you ever jokingly said that a beautiful dress or gorgeous pair of skinny jeans was “to die for”? Apparently, that statement isn’t far from the truth. Earlier this year, an apparel factory in Bangladesh collapsed, killing almost 1,300 workers and seriously injuring countless others. This factory was responsible for producing “fast fashion” clothing, featured in stores such as H&M and Zara. The lure of fast fashion is being able to buy trendy, attractive clothes at a fraction of the price of high-end stores. However, with the question of worker safety and labor conditions rising so drastically to the forefront […]