Monday, December 19, 2011

The Gift


“Hail, favored one!” (Luke 1:28)
This is taken from 
I wanted to share it because
it spoke so deeply to me:

"Face-to-face with the mighty angel Gabriel, 
Mary was “greatly troubled” (Luke 1:29). 
Gabriel announced God’s plan for her 
to conceive through the Holy Spirit 
and bear a son who would inherit 
the throne of David and rule forever. 
And Mary, despite not having 
all the answers, was able to say: 
May it be done to me 
according to your word” (1:38).

The words are so simple, so faith-filled, 
that we might miss out on 
what was behind them. 
By saying “yes” to the angel, 
Mary also said “no” to many things. 
She closed the door on 
an alternative life that had its own attractions: 
a life of quiet contemplation, 
out of the limelight, 
surrounded only by friends and fam­ily; 
a life of simple joys and 
everyday challenges. 
And yet with just a few words, 
she put aside all her dreams 
to embrace God’s dreams instead.

We can read this passage
 and marvel at Mary’s faith—
and lament our lack of faith 
in comparison. 
But it’s important to see that 
when he greeted her, 
Gabriel called Mary full of grace
not full of faith. 
Mary’s “yes” to God was 
the result of the grace 
God had given her, 
not the result of her own willpower 
and forceful personality.

This is a 
key point for all of us
For in the final analysis, 
faith is not some­thing 
we drum up on our own. 
It’s a gift given to us by a 
gracious, gen­erous God. 
It’s a grace that he pours into us, 
a potent seed that is wait­ing 
to be plunged into the soil of our hearts. 
We may think we have weak faith, 
but the truth is God has given us 
all the faith we will ever need. 
We just have to learn how to yield 
to this great gift.
So what do you think? 
Can you say “yes” 
to God today? 

Yes, you can. God’s gift of grace guarantees it!
“Father, thank you for the gift of faith. 
Knowing you is the greatest joy of my life.”


To embrace all that God
wants to give us, 
that is saying "yes!"
It is an adventure, a journey,
and we will never know 
where God will take us!
It is not only Mary 
that God wants to use,
that God has a wonderful plan for.
He wants to use each of us,

We all have apart to play
in God's great plan to bring 
His Kingdom here on earth.

This Christmas, we are packing
300 gift bags for our local QC Jail.
In my other blog, Hebrews 13:3,
I recount stories about 
our ministry there.
This is our third year
and we will be giving the loot bags and
having a Christmas party with them
this Friday.

Hebrews 13:3 says:
Remember those in prison
as if you were their fellow prisoners...

Linking with


Christmas Blessings to you
and your family,
Patsy





12 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:23 PM

    Once again, I'm taken to a sunny summer place with your art. Thank you.

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  2. Oh Patsy, you KNOW how important this post is for me to read today, especially in light of what I wrote about Mary and her faith and the darkness in our lives right now. Thank you for this, and for your comment at my place -- you have blessed me with so much hope. Praise God for your mother's continuing triumph over cancer!

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  3. Blessings on your great Christmas outreach! Thanks for sharing with us.

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  4. Wow! This is so beautiful, Patsy. Thanks for sharing this. I love looking at your artwork, it is filled with joy!

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  5. Faith is "a potent seed waiting to be plunged into the soil of our hearts." Love this so much. The artwork is so beautiful!

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  6. yesandamen! beautiful post, beautiful truth! Merry Christmas!

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  7. This: By saying “yes” to the angel,
    Mary also said “no” to many things.

    This, I am holding in my heart today.

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  8. Well I love those flowers especially against those book pages!Thanks for sharing in such a busy week! Hope you have a very festive and wonderfully merry time - see you in 2012! Sarah at 11.

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  9. I have enjoyed your blog and art so much!

    Since starting my new job back in September I haven't had as much time for my art but I wanted to stop by and wish you a WONDER-filled Christmas and a Happy New Year!

    Blessings!

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  10. *sigh* I always leave here filled with beauty.

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  11. I love this so much. Would you consider adding it to my Link Party?

    http://liturgicaltime.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-is-season-not-day-link-up.html

    You were a blessing to me tonight. Merry Christmas!

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  12. Lovely, filling post, so glad I stopped over tonight, as usual. ~Lori

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I am so glad you dropped by! You are a blessing!
:^) Patsy