Exemplify Magazine December 2009

Prince of Peace Issue

Merry Christmas
from Exemplify!

Finding Peace
in Friendships

Overcoming Common
Christmas Arguments
in Marriage
Double issue!
Check it out inside.

Flu 101
Bie Study on
Peace Inside
 Editor’s Welcome
Merry Christmas!
Peace in Friendships
Page 8
It’s our story too, you know.
We’re just like those shepherds heading
out to another day’s work. Like us, they
carried with them the responsibility of
their calling and the weight of their
mistakes.
Some were tired of the wait.
Some didn’t think it would ever happen.
Some still dared believe it would.
Like us, they silently wondered what
really mattered and what they were living
for.
Maybe they got into a fight with a loved
one that day.
Or lost someone dear.
Maybe they just gave up and decided it
wasn’t happening for them.
Perhaps they really didn’t want to be
stuck shepherding sheep another day.
They dreamed of grander things and
exploring the world.
Maybe they wanted to be heard.
Or ached for silence.
I’m sure at least one shepherd was
hungry at the time.
He Will Be Their Peace
Page 9
Maybe he didn’t know for what, but
something deep inside of him hungered.
Thirsted.
We don’t know what was going through
their minds or happening in their lives
but we do know they each had a story.
Each had his own life, his own desires, his
own wants, his own let downs, his own
Let us not forget, today, as we struggle
with all of our “owns” (as perhaps the
shepherds did) that Christ the Lord is still
“good news of great joy…today.”
needs.
Yes, to each, his own.
Like us.
And as night fell there in a field, as they
were keeping watch over simple sheep,
an angel appeared. Glory shone around
them and they were afraid.
Peace in the Frenzy
Page 24
But the angel said, ”Do not be afraid. I
bring you good news of great joy that will
be for all the people. Today in the town of
David a Savior has been born to you; he is
Christ the Lord…" (Luke 2:10)
I bring you good news of great joy that
will be for ALL the people.
A Savior has been born to you.
Christ the Lord.
You see– it’s our story too.
As we celebrate the birth of Redemption,
let us not forget our night in that field.
Let us not forget the moment when
revelation dawned in the skies and the
declaration of everything Holy met our
hearts.
Let us not forget, today, as we struggle
with all of our “owns” (as perhaps the
shepherds did) that Christ the Lord is still
“good news of great joy…today.”
Christmas is ours to celebrate all year
‘round, because, amazingly...
A Savior has been born to you.
And me.
Merry Christmas to you & your
family,
Kristen Schiffman
contents ED I TOR’ S P I C K

We’re expanding our team!

Check out page 10 for details.

features
The Exemplify Team 5
Finding Peace in Friendships 8
Well of Creations Giveaway 14
Sneak Peek: Apologetics 17
Column 19

columns
9 He Will Be Their Peace
12 Christmas Really Is The Most Wonderful Time of
15 the Year
21 How to Let Go of the Superfluous
Bible Study on Peace
23
The Christmas Sanctuary
24
Peace in the Frenzy
25 Jingle Bell Blues
26 Flu 101
27 The Peace that Transcends

© Exemplify Magazine
Check out page 30
for our
Christmas Special
Feature Issue

And be sure to check out our December

Christmas events!
 Year End Spotlight On
The Exemplify Magazine Team
AN DREA MI T CH EL L

ANDREA MITCHELL IS A COFFEE DRINKING, JESUS-LOVING WIFE AND STAY-AT-HOME MOM OF THREE IN
CONSTANT SEARCH OF JUST THE RIGHT MUG FOR HER BREW. YOU CAN FIND HER AT HER BLOG,
UNDERGRACEOVERCOFFEE.COM WHERE SHE SHARES THE LOVE SHE HAS FOUND IN JESUS, ALONG WITH
THE CAFFEINE-LADEN RANDOMNESS THAT MAKES UP THE MAJORITY OF HER DAY. GRAB YOUR CUP
AND COME ON OVER!

C H R I S T Y MCGRAW

CHRISTY IS ON A JOURNEY TO BECOMING A WOMAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART. SHE DELIGHTS IN BOOKS,
PHOTOGRAPHY, HER FAMILY AND HER FRIENDS. CHRISTY HAS A HEART FOR YOUNG WOMEN AND SINGLE
WOMEN. SHE ALSO LOVES EMAILS! THESINGLEJOURNEY@GMAIL.COM

TARA RACHEL

TARA RACHEL IS A BORN-AND-BRED SOUTHERN GIRL WHO LOVES SWEET TEA, JESUS, AND FOOTBALL -
AND NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER. VISIT HER AT MUSINGS OF A FUTURE PASTOR'S WIFE, WHERE
SHE BLOGS ABOUT HER DAY-TO-DAY LIFE AS THE WIFE OF A SEMINARY STUDENT/YOUTH PASTOR AND
MOM TO A PRECIOUS TODDLER GIRL, AND THE DAILY TRUTHS THE LORD TEACHES HER.

J U D I T H ROBERTS

JUDITH ROBERTS HAS BEEN MARRIED TO HER COLLEGE SWEETHEART FOR FOUR YEARS, AND BOTH
SHE AND HER HUSBAND ARE ACTIVE IN THEIR CHURCH. SHE IS A COLLEGE INSTRUCTOR PURSUING HER
DOCTORATE AND HOPES TO MIRROR JESUS IN HER EVERYDAY LIFE.

KARA COX

KARA IS A SINGLE, THIRTYSOMETHING FOLLOWER OF CHRIST WHO LOVES TO LAUGH AND MAKES
OTHERS LAUGH IN THE PROCESS. SHE IS DEVOTED TO ALL THINGS AUTUMN AND THINKS THAT
PUMPKINS, FALLEN LEAVES AND FALL TV PREMIERES ARE A HIGHLIGHT OF LIFE. SHE WOULD ALSO
LIKE YOU TO KNOW SHE IS THE MOST EXTROVERTED INTROVERT YOU WILL EVER MEET.
 W E N DY MI L L E R

WENDY MILLER IS A BUTCHER (OF WORDS AS SHE EDITS HER NOVELS), A BAKER (OF
BIRTHDAY CAKES AND TREATS FOR HER BELOVED FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS),
AND A CANDLESTICK MAKER (NOT QUITE, BUT SHE ENJOYS CRAFTS OF ALL KINDS). SHE
APPRECIATES THE OUTDOORS, WRITING AND LAUGHING WITH LOVED ONES. WENDY’S
MISSION STATEMENT IS TO A LIVE A PASSIONATE LIFE FILLED WITH COMPASSION,
GRATEFUL TO BE CALLED DAUGHTER OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. VISIT WENDY AT
THOUGHTSTHATMOVE.BLOGSPOT.COM/ OR WENDYPAINEMILLER.WORDPRESS.COM/.

V I CTOR I A J EN KI N S

VICTORIA BEGAN WRITING FROM SCRIPTURE OUT OF THE SHEER INABILITY TO

KEEP A GOOD THING TO HERSELF--THE EXCEPTION BEING BROWNIES, THOSE
SHE REFUSES TO SHARE. SOON AFTER DELVING INTO HER FIRST BIBLE STUDY, IT
BECAME CLEAR THAT GOD WAS BUILDING A MINISTRY THROUGH THIS NEW-
FOUND LOVE FOR HIS WORD. WHETHER SHE IS HOMESCHOOLING, HOUSEWIFING,
OR HIDING FROM THE LAUNDRY HEAP, GOD CONTINUES TO GROW VICTORIA
THROUGH THE MINISTRY HE SET IN MOTION...AND SHE CONTINUES TO HOG ALL
THE BROWNIES.

J E NI F E R J ERN I G AN

JENIFER MAKES HER HOME IN NORTH CAROLINA WITH HER HUSBAND OF TEN YEARS, THREE
CHILDREN, AND ENGLISH BLACK LAB, BELLA. ON A TYPICAL DAY, IF THERE IS SUCH A THING,
YOU WILL FIND HER SIPPING A CUP OF COFFEE, HOME SCHOOLING HER CHILDREN, AND
DIGGING INTO THE WORD. A FORMER PIT-DWELLER WHO HAS BEEN SAVED BY GOD'S
AMAZING GRACE, JENIFER HAS A BURNING PASSION TO SHARE WITH WOMEN OF ALL AGES
HIS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, MERCY, GRACE, AND FORGIVENESS.

AMY B AY L I S S

AMY IS A TRUE CAJUN PRINCESS WHO IS ON A MISSION TO MINISTER TO

WOMEN VIA THE WORLD WIDE WEB. SHE HAS A HEART FOR
ENCOURAGING AND EQUIPPING WOMEN AND SHE DOES SO BY
UTILIZING MANY DIFFERENT VENUES. WRITING, SPEAKING, BLOGGING,
PIONEERING… VISIT HER AT AMYBAYLISS.COM.
 Exemplify welcomes
the new writers featured in this issue:
A L I S ON H U N T

ALISON IS A TWENTY-SOMETHING SINGLE WOMAN LIVING IN THE NOW AND HOPING FOR THE FUTURE.
BASED IN NORTH FLORIDA, SHE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT BY DAY, AND DREAMER BY NIGHT
(LITERALLY). SHE CAN ALSO BE FOUND READING UNDER TREES, ZUMBA-ING, SPENDING TIME WITH
FAMILY, AND CATCHING UP WITH FRIENDS OVER COFFEE. VISIT HER BLOG AT HTTP://
ALISONLHUNT.BLOGSPOT.COM.

J ES S I E J ON ES

JESSIE JONES IS A NEWLYWED MAKING HER WAY THROUGH GRADUATE SCHOOL WITH THE HELP OF AN
AMAZING HUSBAND. SHE LOVES READING, COOKING AND WRITING.

Details on the writers

featured in this issue
begin on page 32.
 E X
Finding
Peace in
Friendships
Written by Jessie Jones
Peace on Earth. It’s such an interesting topic.
What does that mean in this day and time?
We are a world at war. We live in a country
that fights constantly, over more things than
I care to count.
But for me, finding peace in my life has been
a struggle lately. Going through life changes
like getting married, having children, or
moving away impact our friendships greatly.
As women, we need to find peace on earth in
our relationships.
As a newlywed, this has been my struggle.
As I sit and stare at my computer screen, I
have a feeling that I’m not the only one. My
friendships are changing. The beautiful
women who stood beside me that day do not
have near as much in common with me right
now. There have been fading relationships,
8
E M P L I F Y M A G A Z
fights, and hurt feelings. I’ve felt so lost
lately, but I found great advice from our
Father. The words are so simple, as I sit and
stare at them.
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother
is born for adversity.” – Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times. That means a
friend loves at every single minute of every
single day. So, even when life changes and
times are hard, we are still called to love one
another constantly. It’s such a beautiful thing
to consider, and to live this verse out will
only bring joy to our Father.
I feel like this is my challenge, and our
challenge as women as well. We are mean,
catty, vicious creatures when we are caught
up in the world. I find myself in each of
those categories on a daily basis. Daily I am
I N E
learning to live differently, and I am trying to
burn this verse into my heart and soul. I
want to be this kind of friend. I will not be a
doormat. I will not enable bad behavior in
the women I love. But I will be a true friend.
I’ve struggled with many of my friendships
lately. As the first newlywed in our group of
girls, I’m dealing with many things they
aren’t. They are dealing with many things I
no longer am. Maintaining these
relationships keeps my life peaceful, and
full. As we approach the Christmas holidays,
I’m struck daily by this verse. It goes hand in
hand with peace on earth. We are called to be
one another’s friends in this life, and in the
next. If we will live our lives and deal with
one another in the spirit of friendship and
love, peace will overwhelm us.
© Exemplify Magazine

He Will Be Their Peace
By Andrea Mitchell
It was such a lowly place for the
Prince of Peace to be born. To the
people passing by, there was
nothing extraordinary about the
baby wrapped in cloths, nothing to
draw them to him.
And yet on this one precious baby
laid the fate of the entire world.
I’ve always looked at the baby
Jesus as a beautiful gift from God
– His gift of salvation for us. And
yet these past weeks He has
shown me just how much more
He encompassed.
Recently my son was hospitalized
with appendicitis. My husband
had taken him in the walk-in
clinic near our home because I
was worried over EJ’s stomach
pains. Before I knew it, he was
admitted and on the list for surgery
the next day.
Several years ago, my daughter
Hannah was diagnosed with a
condition called neutropenia, which
while it turned out to be a benign
© Exemplify Magazine
E X E M P L I F
case that she outgrew, could have
been a precursor to something
much more serious, like leukemia.
Both of these incidences saw me
completely unable to pray. It’s not
that I didn’t want to pray. I just
couldn’t. I was paralyzed with fear.
“And he will be their peace..”
Micah 5:5
But once I realized what was
happening, I quickly enlisted the
help of several friends and family
members, people who were more
than willing to pray fervently for
my children (and me!).
I could pretty much tell you the
minute people started to pray. I
Y M A G A Z I N
went from a worrying, frantic mess
to completely full of peace.
It was during my son’s hospital stay
that it hit home – that peace I knew
without a doubt was from Jesus.
The Prince of Peace.
God’s peace isn’t the same as the
world’s idea of peace. The world
believes peace means no war, no
pain, no grief. God’s peace doesn’t
promise the absence of these things.
It promises the absence of fear and
turmoil in the midst of these things.
E
Peace I leave with you; my peace
I give you. I do not give to you as
the world gives. Do not let your
hearts be troubled and do not be
afraid. John 14:27
You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3
I could have spent the days of
waiting for my daughter’s final
diagnosis, or the days of waiting for
my son to be released from the
hospital in turmoil and agony. But
instead, God reminded me to fix my
eyes on Jesus. To be filled with His
peace that passes all understanding.
His reminder?
A tiny little baby. Worshiped and
honored above all men.
“And he will be their peace.”
Micah 5:5
9
 E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E

We’re
expanding our
team!

Exemplify Magazine is currently looking for the following:

Practical Home Columnist -
Exemplify is currently looking for a
columnist to write about practical tips for
the Christian home. Articles on frugality,
organization, time management and the
like will be expected. This column will be
perfect for someone who enjoys the topic
of stewardship and would like to
encourage other women to honor the Lord
with a life lived in holy balance.
Closet Issues Columnist- Exemplify
is currently looking for a columnist to write
on overcoming women’s issues. Articles on
overcoming abusive relationships, eating
disorders, strongholds, etc. will be
expected. This columnist may also
interview women and write about the
issues they have conquered in Christ. This
column will be perfect for someone who
enjoys cheering on those who are
victorious in Christ and have a testimony
they long to share.
In the Kitchen Columnist –
Exemplify is currently looking for a
columnist to write about kitchen creations!
Articles on cooking, baking, cookware and
the like will be expected. This column will
be perfect for someone who enjoys
cooking and is able to write step by step
guidelines with ease.
Fashion Columnist - Exemplify is
currently looking for a columnist to write
on the topic of beauty and fashion. Articles
on current trends, beauty products, tips
and tricks will be expected. This column
will be perfect for someone who enjoys
fashion and beauty with a holy balance
before the Lord.
Health Columnist- Exemplify is
currently looking for a columnist to write
on the topic of health. Articles on well
being, physical fitness, healthy foods,
health trends and products will be
expected. This column will be perfect for
someone who has an informed interest on
health topics.
Moving Toward Holiness Columnist –
Exemplify is currently looking for a
columnist to write on the topic of moving
forward in the Christian faith. Articles on
how to pray, set aside devotional time,
make the most out of bible study,
encourage our children to establish godly
patterns now, etc. will be expected. This
column will be perfect for someone who
has a passion for seeing real life faith hit
the pavement.

10
© Exemplify Magazine
 E X E M
Empty Nest Columnist- Exemplify is currently
looking for a columnist to write on the topic of
empty nest challenges and joys. Articles on
adjusting to life without children at home,
reconnecting with your spouse, common
challenges and encouraging anecdotes will be
expected. This column will be perfect for
someone who has experience with empty nest
challenges and desires to encourage others in
this new phase of life.
Single Parenting Columnist – Exemplify is
currently looking for a columnist to write on
the topic of solo parenting. Articles on dealing
with divorce, raising godly children solo,
common challenges and encouragement will
be expected. This column will be perfect for
someone who has experience in this area and
feels the call to encourage others who are
struggling.
Photographer- Exemplify is currently
looking for photographers who are willing to
submit their photos for our magazine issues.
This position will be perfect for someone who
enjoys life behind the lens!
© Exemplify Magazine
P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
If you are interested in any of the above
positions, please send a sample of your writing
(or a link to your photography) to the Exemplify
Team at submissions@exemplifyonline.com as
well as a quick bio on yourself and why you feel
you’d be a good fit for our magazine.
All positions are volunteer based.
We will be considering all the women who
inquire so we ask that you do not contact us
with a second email for at least one month. We
plan to have the new columnists lined up by the
first week of January.
Due to the volume of emails we receive it may
not be possible for us to respond to each and
every email. We apologize for this in advance.
Serious inquiries may be asked to fill out a short
questionnaire. All new team members will be
asked to read our ministry mission and
commitment. We realize that writing for a
monthly publication is a commitment therefore
we ask these things so that all parties involved
understand their responsibilities.
We look forward to expanding our team!
11
 E X
She knew the conversation would eventually
happen. Every year since they’ve been
married the same issue comes up. “Do we go
here? Do we go there?” Sarah knew the
answer and was hoping this year he would
too.
“I thought we were spending Christmas day
with MY parents,” Andrew said, “weren’t we
at your parent’s house last year!”
“Andrew, why is it that we have this same
conversation every single year! Christmas day
WILL ALWAYS be spent with MY parent’s at
their house, because, well… that’s just the way
it is. We can go to your parent’s house another
day. Pick one! There are 364 days to choose
from,” Sarah shouted back as she tidied up the
kitchen from dinner. “And… we ARE going to
have a real tree this year with ONLY white
lights and yes, I am listening to Kenny G’s
Christmas CD again!”
He stood looking at her in complete silence;
dumbfounded by how stubborn his wife
could be. “This is why I HATE Christmas!”
Andrew grimaced as he walked out the door
to the garage, slamming it behind him.
12
E M P L I F Y M A G A Z
Christmas IS
the Most
Wonderful
Time of the
Year!
Sarah finished in the kitchen, checked on the
kids, then crawled into bed to watch a little
TV until Andrew came in. Andrew tinkered in
the garage for a while, checked on the kids,
then grabbed a blanket from the closet and
made the couch his bed for the night.
“If he wasn’t so stubborn….” “If she wasn’t so
stubborn…” were their thoughts as they
nodded off to sleep that night.
Forget about peace on earth, good tidings to
all men, fa-la-la-la-la. This couple is in
desperate need of some peace and good
tidings for themselves this Christmas season.
Christmas- the celebration of the birth of the
King of Kings. The time of year when we
especially reflect on the peace the babe in the
manger came to bring to the hearts of a people
in turmoil. A time of year when families come
together to share gifts and meals and make
memories that will last a lifetime.
If Christmas is “the most wonderful time of
the year” and the “hap-happiest season of all”
then why do couples like Sarah and Andrew
argue every year over whose home they will
be going to for Christmas and what kind of
tree they will have and what kind of music
I N E
Written by Jenifer Jernigan
they will listen to ? What can couples do to
make certain Christmas IS wonderful and
happy for both themselves and their families?
God ordained marriage to be a union between
a man and woman who would both leave
their own families and unite as one making a
home for themselves (Genesis 2:24). Into this
marriage both parties bring ideas, traditions,
and memories from their childhoods. As their
marriage grows and they begin to create their
own family traditions and make their own
family memories, one very important thing
they must both keep in mind is to remain
flexible and remember to listen to their spouse
as ideas about traditions are discussed.
My husband is not a Christmas person; I, on
the other hand, love Christmas. The lights,
sounds, and smells all hold special memories
for me. When we first married we had to
really work hard to make Christmas an
enjoyable time of year. We’ve had many
conversations about things we would do and
things we wouldn’t do. Ten years later, we
have our own family’s traditions and we make
new precious memories each year.
© Exemplify Magazine
Here are a few things we’ve worked through during our years of marriage.

Deciding where to spend Christmas. Decide where you will spend Christmas
Day. Decide where you will be spending Christmas Day long before
Christmas Day arrives and make sure both parties are in agreement.
Because we live away from both sets of parents, each year we spend
Christmas Day with my side of the family and then my husband’s family
comes to our house the next week. We’ve done it this way for years. It
works for us. Everyone knows months in advance where they will be and
when they will be there. You and your spouse must be in agreement over
where you will be so that your hearts and minds are focused on what
Christmas is all about.

e Christmas tree. I always envisioned Christmas music softly playing in the

background and hot chocolate sitting on the mantel as my husband and I trimmed
our tree paying special attention to all the decorations as we strategically hung
them on the tree. Ah yes! What a nice vision that was! My husband will bring the
tree in from the storage shed and that’s about as far as he goes to trimming
anything. He just doesn’t get into it like I do. For the first couple of years of our
marriage it really bothered me that he wouldn’t help me decorate the tree. I’ve
gotten over it and just enjoy him sitting on the couch talking to the kids and me as
we hang the decorations. Remember ladies, we are decorators. If your husband
doesn’t get into the trimming of the tree or the placing of the manger scenes all
over the house, don’t make him do it. Just enjoy him being there with you.

Creating family traditions. My husband and I have made it a point to create a few
special traditions for our family. We buy our children three gifts each year to
symbolize the gold, frankincense, and myrrh that were brought to Jesus. Before any
gifts are opened we read the story of Jesus’ birth from the Scriptures. Now that our
children are getting older, they are beginning to take part in the reading of Christ’s
birth. In recent years we’ve begun making it a point to give back to others in some
form or fashion so that our children are seeing that Christmas is not all about them
but is, instead, about a Savior who came into the world to give new life to a hurting
and lost people.

Remember this year that Christmas IS the most wonderful time of the year! It is a time
to reflect, a time to make memories, and a time to praise God for sending a Redeemer
into the world. I pray this Christmas will be a joyous time for you and your family as you
make memories and worship the King.
 www.etsy.com/shop/wellofcreations

Beautiful Giveaway! You could win a one of a kind hand tote created, crocheted
Win the and hand-stitched by Robin of Well of Creations. 
Waiting...Hoping...Bag With large side panels and the bottom of the bag lined with
cream denim fabric this is a piece that will compliment any
inspired by Psalm 1:1-3 wardrobe!

As a military wife with a toddler at home, Robin found

herself feeling isolated and trapped in her home during her
husband Mike's deployment in 2008.  A desperate prayer
one December evening led to miraculous series of events
which led to the opening of "Well of Creations" on etsy. 
Now, in the midst of yet another deployment, GOD is
continuing to give her direction for her business and she is
pleased to be able to share her latest renderings.

To enter this giveaway visit Robin’s ship at http://

www.etsy.com/shop/wellofcreations and tweet us your
favorite piece @exemplify.

Winner will be announced December 15th.

 How to Let Go
of the Superfluous
Doesn’t it feel good when you decide to
dig in your closet and sort through your
clothes?
I’m always amazed at how many items
have collected dust in my closet that I
haven’t worn in years. They have no
purpose for being there and they bunch up
against all the apparel I do wear, making
it more difficult to find that favorite shirt
when I’m in a rush to get dressed.
Our closets aren’t the only place where we
accumulate and save unneeded things. My
words and thoughts have the potential to
be infiltrated by unnecessary things. As
Christians, we long to shine the light of
Christ, to make our messages and our
calling clear. I’m convinced that the more
we rid of the cloudy, “extra” things of life,
the brighter our light can shine.
I’ve written this how to article a little
differently this time. I decided to break
potential superfluous things into three
categories. Synonyms of superfluous are
extra, surplus, redundant, excessive,
unessential, and unnecessary. These will be
good to remember as you read on.
Written by Wendy Miller
Material Things
Need vs. Want
First, we’ll explore the good ole’ way of
measuring how important something is to
us before we buy it or ingest it. You’ve
heard of need versus want? This is when
you ask; do I really need this item, the
second helping of brownies, that overly
expensive scarf or do I just want it? I’m
never surprised to see how well this
works. It’s an excellent mental sifter,
helping me to try to make wise decisions.
“It’s not the daily increase but daily
decrease. Hack away at the unessential.”
Bruce Lee
Garage Sale, Anyone?
Once you’ve accumulated more stuff in
your house than you know what to do
with, you may find yourself tripping over
toys thinking, what am I going to do with
all of this? Garage sale, anyone? Or if
you’re feeling extra generous, advertise a
free garage sale. Or better yet, skip the
work of a garage sale and periodically
throughout the year, give your stuff away.
There are numerous clothing bins and
plenty of Goodwill’s or Salvation Army’s
around that know exactly where to put
that toy you’ve had just about enough of.
When Avoidance is Fruitful
You drive by it on your way home. It’s
only a click away. What is it? It’s that store
of gorgeous dresses that always seem to fit
you perfectly or it’s that online site that
pulls you in every time, where you
browse their online catalog for hours on
end admiring, then purchasing about half
of the offered items. Normally, where
people are concerned, we don’t practice
avoidance. We’re taught confrontation is
good and avoidance is unhealthy. Not so
with that store or online site. Back to the
need vs. want on this one. What are we
really trying to fill when we desire that
blouse with such fervor? Is that new
kitchen utensil really as imperative as
we’ve made it out to be? Are you able to
test your ability to be disciplined?
 Words
constitute as interesting. As a matter of fact, to a dark and desolate location to a much
we need to learn to call it what it is. brighter and peaceful place instead.
Rambling, ranting, venting and dumping.
We all do it, but we need to recognize our
rants so we can work to minimize them.
Needless Advice “Gratitude is the mother of all virtues.”
G.K. Chesterton
“Take note of this: Everyone should be
This one is much simpler than we make it
quick to listen, slow to speak…” James 1:19
out to be. We live in a world full of fixers.
Everyone has a problem and everyone else Perspective
wants to fix it. It’s natural to want to fix. It

tugs on us to lavish advice on a friend in
need of it. But, we need to be extra careful
with this. It’s not always our job. I’m willing
to guess more often than not, it isn’t our job
to lend advice when it hasn’t been asked of
us. Just as everyone has problems, we are all
learning. Some are faster learners than
others. Allow others to go their pace, while
you focus on your road ahead.
False flattery
This one grates on me. It’s manipulation.
But it looks pretty. It’s still manipulation.
Example: a lady glances you over and spots
you talking with so and so, who happens to
be the very person glance over lady has
wanted to befriend, then glance over lady
comes up to you beaming, with high
pitched tone telling you how gorgeous you
look, asking “how much weight have you
lost?” when it happens to be a day you
haven’t brushed a thing on your body,
including teeth and hair and you’ve gained
twenty pounds since you’ve last seen glance
over lady. Blech. Save it!
Rambling, Ranting, Venting & Dumping
Writers try very hard to tighten their
sentences, ridding them of any unneeded
adverb or pesky adjective. This is not so
with the spoken word. Women, we are
famous for this. We love to talk. Ask my
husband. He often prods me to a point by
saying, “The headlines. I just want the
headlines.” Much of what spills out of our
mouths need not. I’m all for a long chat
with a good friend, but make it about
something interesting. Talking for hours
about how cruel Aunt Betty was when she
wouldn’t let you borrow hairspray to groom
your dog’s bouffant tresses does not
Thoughts
Grudge Check
This is the messiest of the three. We can
eliminate our spending, tame our tongues,
but I’ve found taking my thoughts captive
to be one of the most difficult aspects of
faith. In one of her Bible studies, Beth
Moore shares that often we hold onto past
hurts as a way to punish the offender and
because it can feel good to nurse a wound.
This opened my eyes. I’d not viewed
holding grudges in that light before. But, as
you know, once the light is turned on, you
see things for what they are. You no longer
walk by darkness. I’d stuffed a lot of things
into the attic of my brain that I’d allowed to
become grudges. I’d allowed those things to
turn into more than grudges, they marked
areas of unforgiveness.
Worry
Having kids exponentially increases the
number of things you can choose to worry
about. Now you have not only yourself to
worry about, but other beings. Worry is
fruitless, though. Nothing comes of it.
Prayer, however…prayer is bringing the
concern to the One who has the power to do
something about it. Here’s something to
remember, the next time you feel worry
creep in, making your bones hurt with fear
or uncertainty, pray. Ask for God’s
direction, decision, or delineation.
Gratitude
A thankful attitude is like a sword to
needless and unhealthy thinking. When you things? Because when we clear the clutter
begin to be flooded by insecurities, tackled
by past hurts, or bombarded with pride,
establishing a set of things in your life to be could be more rewarding than that?
grateful for changes the entire focus of your
heart. It moves the compass from pointing
On the heels of developing gratitude is
discerning perspective. A flat tire seems
mild in light of a cancer diagnosis. A
squabble with the spouse shines dimly in
the light of your neighbor’s bitter divorce.
Grappling the truth that God is in control,
that God has blessed you and that God will
continue to bless you is essential for
growing in a relationship with Him. Letting
go of the superfluous enables you to grow
in that relationship, unencumbered by all
things trying to throw you off course or
distract you from that growth.
To wrap up, materially we can slim down.
We don’t need as much as we think we do.
Our wants tend to dress up and walk
around like needs. It’s time we expose them
for what they are: wants. There are plenty of
places and people that need our things. It’s
wise for us to learn to give. Also, avoiding
some of those temptation spots will help us
to let go of the material extras in our lives.
With our words, we let go of the
superfluous by refusing to give needless
advice or false flattery. Gauging how often
we rant and ramble demonstrates that we
are consciously trying to let go of unneeded
words that have a tendency to crowd and
even water down our conversations.
Finally, letting go of the superfluous in our
thoughts means being willing to let go of
grudges, turning worry into prayer,
establishing an attitude of gratitude and
insisting on understanding perspective.
Why do we want to do all of the above
out, we are able to see more clearly God’s
vision and direction for our lives. And what
 E X
Sneak Peek:
New Apologetics Column
“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to
give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Peter 3:15
Have you ever sat down and flipped through your
TV preview channel and counted how many legal
television shows there are? Every channel seems to
have some version of a courtroom based drama.
There is the Court TV channel, the daytime divorce
court shows, and every Lifetime movie has the same
plot structure: 30 minutes of action and an hour and
a half of courtroom resolution.
And it doesn’t stop with fictional television. John
Grisham is one of the most popular, successful
authors of all time, thanks to his gripping legal
dramas. Our 24-hour news channels keep us
abreast of any legal developments in scandalous
cases of celebrities and politicians.
We’re trained to like whodunits from childhood.
Nancy Drew, anyone?
We are a generation of defense-loving, problem-
solving people. We like to know all the facts, all the
pieces of the puzzle. And yet, as a generation of
Christians, I wonder how we would respond if we
were asked the following questions, especially by a
stranger or someone we were trying to witness to:
“How do you know the Bible hasn’t been changed
at some point in history? How do you know you
are really reading God’s Word?”
“Why do you believe Jesus is God when He never
actually says the words, ‘I am God’?”
“Why do you believe in the trinity when the word
‘trinity’ isn’t even in the Bible?”
“If Jesus is really God, where was He during the
entire period of the Old Testament?”
“If God is a good God, then why is there so much
evil in the world?”
“Tell me why it’s logically reasonable to believe in
the God of the Bible.”
© Exemplify Magazine
E M P L I F Y M A G
Written by Tara Rachel
I’ll admit, the first time I was faced with these
questions I fell flat on my face.
I knew that I believed certain doctrines of the
Christian faith. I just didn’t know why I believed
those doctrines. And I was raised in church. If
anyone should be able to answer questions about
the Bible from the Bible, it should be me.
Unfortunately I found the opposite to be true.
While I had a rock-solid faith, my knowledge was
about Frisbee-deep.
A few months back I emailed our lovely, Jesus-
loving-and-glorifying editor Kristen about a project
the Lord was laying on my heart. We each prayed
about it and sought His direction and each feel Him
leading us to this place. A place where women who
love the Lord can come together and learn the facts
behind our faith. Why we believe what we believe.
I just love the Word of God. I love it in its perfection
and simplicity. I love how God doesn’t ask us to
just walk blindly believing what some pastor,
Sunday school teacher, or seminary student says to
believe. He puts it out there for us, perfectly
exposed in His Word and perfectly timed in history.
He doesn’t do it for Himself. He certainly doesn’t
need anything else to testify about His truthfulness
and in by doing so make Him more truthful. He is
the author of all truth; without Him there would be
no truth. He is also a God of promises, a God who
keeps His word. He tells us we can believe in Him
and believe in His Word, and then – just like with
His answered prayers, His miracles, and His
involvement in our lives – He gives us proof,
tangible proof in His Word and in human history.
Because our God is a God who keeps His word.
There seems to be a postmodern consensus that to
be a Christian you must also be unintelligent or
dimwitted and gullible. I don’t think there could be
anything further from the truth! Our magnificent
Creator gave us these amazing organs we call brains
A Z I N E
for one purpose – so we can use them! And He has
left us one awesome treasure map of knowledge to
follow!
It is with great excitement that I announce to you a
new column coming January 2010 – The Facts
Behind Our Faith, a teaching column on apologetics.
Digging into His Word and digging into history and
really discovering why we believe what we believe.
I hope you will join us here at Exemplify for this
exciting journey!
Today the Lord led me to Psalm 119:66, and I’m
asking you to come there with me: “Teach me good
discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your
commandments.” Notice the order in which the
psalmist prayed: he asks for knowledge because he
believes in the Lord’s commandments. The belief is
already there, but there is much knowledge and
discernment left to discover.
Pray this Scripture with me today. Let us come
before our Lord Jesus and ask Him to bless us with
holy knowledge about Him and His Word. We can
stand firm in James 1:5, knowing that He will give
generously to anyone who lacks wisdom but asks
for it.
It is my prayer that at the end of this series, you will
be able to answer all the questions above… and then
some.
Are you ready to go on the ultimate treasure hunt?
Then join us February as we begin to study the
evidence for the greatest defense written in all of
history.
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 E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E

Book Review: The Christ of

Christmas This little book of 31 daily devotions “moment-by-moment anticipation” of
by Deborah Boutwell helps me to remember the Christ of what and how God was working in this
Christmas. crazy world of mine. I eagerly turned the
pages searching for new insight into this
Calvin Miller opens the story with a familiar story. Who would have thought I
humorous story line between Michael would find it in Joseph?
and Gabriel (the two most famous angels
of the Bible). They are impatiently
awaiting the moment that the world
starts keeping up with “Jesus He was chosen, just like Mary, but there
Time” (A.D.), the moment that the angels is no prayer of thanksgiving from him.
are allowed to fill the skies with praise, He was given no advanced warning of
and when a new star shines down on a the miracle taking place. Joseph found
little town. himself in the middle of the miracle,
unsure which way to go, who to believe.
You will be taken on an eye-opening The woman he is betrothed to (probably
journey or maybe it’s better stated as a chosen for the same reasons that God
heart-opening journey through the chose her) shows evidence that she has
months, days, and years that surround been unfaithful or completely lost her
the birth of Christ and his childhood. mind. Miller calls it “the spirit of Joseph”,
Miller focuses each day on a verse from the ability to have a loving treatment of
one of the Gospels giving wonderful the guilty or those that appear to be
insight and then offering additional guilty. Can I have that kind of spirit?
readings and a prayer for each day. While
quickly expanding on those events, he
makes them all relevant to today.
So many treasures and challenges can be
Take for instance John. He was born to found in the daily walk through this
“bear witness of the light.” Miller book and through the Gospels. Miller
I love to read, which is good since I’ve talks about how God whispered to a few
challenged me to be like John and
been asked to do some book reviews for that He was in town that night. “Most of
proclaim, “Here is the Lamb of God!” “To
Exemplify. I truly feel blessed to be able Bethlehem didn’t know God was in
stand in an uncaring world and say, ‘See,
to share with you some books, fiction and town. Some people there may still not
here is the Christ’ is a daring act of
non-fiction that have touched my heart. know it or at least not think much of it.”
courage.” He offers a prayer to not
My goal over the next few months is to Who in my town needs to be reminded
“continue to walk silently while others
pull books off my personal bookshelf and Immanuel is with us?
are walking in darkness.”
share with you.
Or Mary and Elizabeth. One too young
My personal library shelves are full of
and the other too old to be a mother, yet
books from every genre and various This charming little book, The Christ of
both chosen by God to fulfill His plan.
authors. Some of them may be books that Christmas, is a perfect companion during
Both willing to be used. Miller reminded
I’ve pulled down many times, to journey the busy holiday season. It will help you
me how wonderful it is to see older
again to a special place, others are brand daily with it’s short devotions, to remain
people who have loved God all their
new with spines waiting to be cracked centered in the reason we celebrate and
lives and still dream of how He can use
and pages ready to be worn. There are give you excitement to look for His next
them. Ordinary people chosen to do
books from every stage of life that I’ve coming.
something extraordinary.
been led through, most are marked and
scored, notes in the margins, tears “Don’t be afraid.” I wonder how many
smearing the pages. The Christ of times that phrase is repeated throughout
Christmas is one such book that has the Christmas story? Yet, after that
touched my heart. assurance, God sets out to terrify them
with His demands. And they listened
There is one thing that I can always plan
and responded.
on and this book touches on it right off
the bat….the “sameness” of Christmas. A few days into reading this little book, I
“The same traditions. The same meals. began to realize that I was being
The same songs. The same story.” I have challenged, that my heart was being
often found myself just doing the stuff of touched, and I was beginning to think of
Christmas and forgetting the why of Christmas differently. I wanted to be
Christmas….the birth of my Savior. chosen and used by God. I wanted to be
terrified because of the exciting plans He
had for my life. I wanted to have a

18 © Exemplify Magazine
 E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E

Peace on Earth

and In My Soul
Written By Alison Hunt

During the holiday season stores are relationship with God and even asked it’s time to exchange that anxiety for
filled with greeting cards and for a willing spirit to make a change. true soul filling peace.
decorations that read some version of Exchanging is not a sacrifice out of
“Peace on Earth”. This year it is making obligation, but a sacrifice out of an “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it
me ask myself, “Do I have peace in my intense love and desperate need to have again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be
little part of the earth? Do I have peace more of the Holy Spirit, more of God,
evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not
in my soul?” If I answered honestly, it more of Jesus living inside of me.
would probably be “Um…sometimes, I be anxious about anything, but in
In Matthew 6 Jesus talks to his disciples
think? Well, OK, I worry. A lot.” Please everything, by prayer and petition, with
about worry and asks them a very
tell me I’m not the only worry wort!
poignant question; “Who of you by thanksgiving, present your requests to
worrying can add a single hour to his God. And the peace of God, which
For the past few years I have been
life?” I believe Jesus is asking us the transcends all understanding, will
same question today. Now, you should
embarking what I like to call “The
know something about me. My life
guard your hearts and your minds in
Process of Exchange”. A friend
struggle has been anxiety and worry. I Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7
introduced me to the theory that we are
living a life of exchange. I sacrifice one
have spent countless minutes, hours (NIV)
and days rehearsing conversations,
thing to gain more of another. Isaiah
anticipating struggle, wondering how
59:2 (NLT) says “It’s your sins that have
situations will be resolved, thinking
cut you off from God.” Even David That passage of scripture has been my
“What if…” or “I should have…”. But I
cries out to God and says in Psalm lifeline in my process to exchange
recently realized that my worry
51:12 (NIV) “Restore to me the joy of anxiety for peace. Let me translate this
requires no faith. It gives me an easy
your salvation and grant me a willing into the AAV (Alison Amplified
out if things don’t turn out like I
spirit, to sustain me.” David knew that Version):
thought they would, but when I worry
his sin kept him from the fullness of his
I also miss out on the peace of God. So,

© Exemplify Magazine
19
Alison, rejoice in the Lord in
everything you do! Rejoice!
Do not let your fear and worry
harden your heart. The Lord is
near. Did you hear that? The
Lord is NEAR! There is no
reason to be anxious about
anything, instead through
prayer AND petition , with the
thanksgiving that remembers
everything He has done in the
past, present your requests to
God. This doesn’t mean you’ll
get your answer right away.
Instead, you get to have the
peace of God because you trust
Him. You’ll get His
supernatural peace that you
cannot even begin to
understand. It will remain even
in times when it seems
ridiculous to be filled with
peace! It is the peace that
guards your heart and mind in
Christ Jesus from the enemy.
I LOVE that the Bible is a
practical tool in growing closer
in relationship with God. How
can He not increase when we
fill our minds with the Truth?
In Philippians 4:4-7 Paul gave
some very clear directives
about trusting the Lord. He
tells us to Rejoice in everything
that we do. Have you ever
tried to rejoice and worry at the
same time? It’s not possible.
Try it. Spend 30 seconds, right
now, praising God with
everything you have and thank
Him for who He is and what
He’s done. I dare you.
Did you worry? I would
venture to say there was no
room for that little worry worm
to dig around your thoughts.
never writes anymore, though.
Her ink well dried up years
Throughout the rest of that
ago. In another corner is a tall
passage Paul tells us to
standing mirror caked in dust
remember that the Lord is near.
and grime. She is beautiful, but
There is no reason to be
there is no radiance in her tear
anxious with our Savior right
stained cheeks because she has
there. He tells us to talk to
not seen the sun in a very long
God, to tell Him our needs,
time. She can’t remember how
desires and hopes. It’s not that
she got inside, but she knows
God doesn’t know those things
she wants to get out. As she
already, but that the act of
walks the border of her room,
coming to God with everything
she beats the walls looking for
is an intimate experience. It
a weak point to escape.
requires you to be honest with
Everyday she walks her room
Him about the good, the bad
and each night she draws the
and the ugly. It brings you to a
same conclusion that whoever
point of acknowledging to God
built these walls spent a lot of
that your will was not lining up
time making sure they would
with His will and asking Him
never come down. At the end
to show you how to correct that
of the vision she went to her
in your life. It’s in the place of
mirror, wiped some of the
true genuine honesty with God
grime away, and I saw my face.
that we make room in our soul
for that transcendental peace
Paul is talking about.
God showed me that in my
anxiety and self-protection, I
built myself a room with no
This process of exchange that
visible escape. But what I saw
I’m on to give up my anxious
next gave me hope. It was a
thoughts for the peace of God
picture of me standing in the
has not necessarily been easy.
middle of that very same room,
To be honest, sometimes it has
arms held high with my books
been downright painful. When
in my hands and the walls were
I asked God to show me what
crumbled to the ground. God
anxiety has done to my heart
is more than able to perform
like David did in Psalm 139, He
miracles in each of our lives.
did.
Sometimes all we need to do is
just raise our hands and receive
His peace.
I wish I could draw you a
picture of what God showed
me. What I saw was a princess
imprisoned in a tiny brick cell
with no door to get in or out. In
one corner is a pile of brick and
mortar. In another corner is a
stack of books filled with her
secret desires and hopes. She
 E X E M
she•lo•v•mi,
she•lo•v•mi not
A Bie Study on Peace
Today is one of those days when our
study of God’s Word is going to pit our
literal understanding against the
Spiritual understanding with which we
must weigh all things. Complicated
text is just one of many reasons prayer
should always precede our time on the
pages of God-breathed Scripture. Let’s
petition our Father for the supernatural
wisdom that He is ever gracious to
deliver.
Lord,
The enemy often uses apparent contradictions
in Your Word in his attempts to trip us up.
Father, we know that with the wisdom You
lend, we can grasp the many levels of Truth in
every word of Scripture. We ask that You will
grow us in wisdom and in understanding as
we seek to become more pleasing in Your
sight. Show us how we might apply Your
precepts as You shape us into a more perfect
picture of Your Perfect Son. Lord, thank You
for being quick to provide our every need and
faithful to fulfill each promise You’ve made to
Your children.
In love we pray,
Amen.
The Christmas season awakens dreams
of sugarplums and the like as it stirs
our deepest hopes, however deeply
they may be buried. Miraculously, the
birth of one tiny babe has brought with
it the hubbub of holiday while also
providing the only real hope for
humanity. Not just any infant, this
swaddling-clothed child is the Son of
God, the Messiah, the Savior, and the
Prince of Peace.
© Exemplify Magazine
P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
Written by Victoria Jenkins
“For to us a child is born, She•lo•v•mi, she•lo•v•mi not?
to us a son is given, Speaking to His disciples, Jesus
addressed the fact that the peace He
and the government will be on his gives isn’t what the world would have
shoulders.
Him give, saying, “peace I leave with
And he will be called you; my peace I give you. I do not give
to you as the world gives” (from John
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 14:27, NIV). Not on the world’s gift
registry and not given in the fleeting
Everlasting Father, Prince of
manner that is all this place has to
Peace” (Isaiah 9:6, NIV).
offer, Jesus’ brand of peace is eternal
More than two thousand years after His and surpasses our every expectation.
arrival, teachings, death, resurrection,
I can remember praying fervently that
and ascension, peace still eludes the
God would deliver me from my once
Earth. Where is the peace we were
loveless and painful marriage. For
promised long before Christ walked
many years I believed His answer was
among us? Every Messianic prophesy
“no”, but with time the Lord revealed
was fulfilled and yet we live in a
that my rescue would be much
perpetually war torn world. How can
different than what I had in mind.
we reconcile the vow to bring peace
Instead of giving me what I thought I
with the stark reality that mankind
needed, God gave me what I never
continually battles against itself?
knew I always wanted. God healed
As I prepared for this study, God my broken heart and is continually
faithfully revealed the direction He’d rebuilding my relationship with my
be taking us through a simple game of husband. I never imagined it was
childhood. I’m sure you recall the possible, and I’ll never stop standing in
days of plucking petals from amazement of the way God went
unsuspecting daisies, alternating beyond all that I could think or dream
between the rise of “he loves me” and for myself. Our Father dreams big for
the fall of “he loves me not”. More all of His children. Can you name a
than just a catchy title, She•lo•v•mi is time in your life when the Lord has
the transliteration of the Hebrew word, turned what seemed like an
shalom, which means “peace to you”. unanswered prayer into a blessing that
Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to surpassed your want?
divide the world. (Luke 12:51) What
about peace on earth?
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 E X
When the Lord’s reply to our wants
seems to be a resounding “no”, we can
know that our Father simply has
something better in store for us. We
can find immense encouragement in
knowing Jesus’ brand of peace goes
beyond what we might envision for
ourselves and it exceeds the limitations
of our fallen world.
How would you describe the
expectations man has concerning the
concept of peace?
In Jeremiah 6:14 and 8:11, God tells
us, “they dress the wound of my
people as though it were not serious.
“Peace, peace,” they say, when there is
no peace.”
A state of quiet or tranquility
Freedom from disturbance or
agitation
Calm
Repose
Exemption from, or cessation of,
war with public enemies
Public quiet, order, and
contentment in obedience to law
Exemption from, or subjection of,
agitating passions
Tranquility of mind or conscience
Reconciliation
Agreement after variance
Harmony
Concord
To make or become quiet
To be silent
To stop
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E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
Each of these aspects of the world’s What does that mean to you in this
definition is as good as the last, yet moment? We can tell our Father all
none are as good as that which Jesus about it as we fellowship with Him in
brings! The world will never be able to prayer right now. The Holy Spirit will
offer the one element that sets the intercede and speak those words too
peace of Christ apart. rich for us to speak, too deep for us to
mine, and too hard for us to admit.
As the Prince of Peace, Jesus is ruler
over welfare, soundness, peace and “The LORD bless you and keep you;
completeness. the LORD make his face shine upon
you and be gracious to you; the LORD
turn his face toward you and give you
Designed to be with the Lord and peace.”
ripped from His side by our sinful Numbers 6:24-26, NIV
nature, we are born with a God-shaped
hole that leaves our spirits screaming
for the wholeness in which we were
made. Our efforts to fill a void fit for
the King will never bring us the
completeness we seek. Take heart!
The Prince of Peace will live up to His
name. He will live up to every one of
His majestic and wonderful names.
“For no matter how many promises
God has made, they are “Yes” in
Christ. And so through him the “Amen”
is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2
Corinthians 1:20, NIV). We can rest in
the fact that the promise of peace
became a “yes” in Christ Jesus.
“He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the LORD, in the
majesty of the name of the LORD his
God. And they will live securely, for
then his greatness will reach to the
ends of the earth. And he will be their
peace” (Micah 5:4-5, NIV).
Let’s replace “their” with “my” in that
last bit. And He will be my peace. As
silly as it will undoubtedly feel at first, I
want you to stand up with me right
now and repeat those words until the
silliness fades.
© Exemplify Magazine
 The Christmas
Sanctuary Written by Christy Klein

Christmas.
The birth of a savior.

Is there anything more joyous in this world than that? Indeed, there is not. So, it’s no wonder why
Christmas is such a beautiful and magical time. It’s truly the most wonderful time of the year – a
time that should be celebrated and experienced with all five senses.
The Lord has gifted most of us with five senses through which we experience life. Let us make use
of those senses in our sanctuary to create long lasting memories for our families. Here are a few
ways to do this…

• Sight: This perhaps is the most obvious, but let’s not forget to make Christmas a magical time
for our family by decorating our sanctuary. Now, you don’t need to break the bank and erect a
fully decorated Christmas tree in every room, however, try to attempt having a small glimmer of
the Christmas spirit in every room. This can easily be accomplished by simply filling some glass
jars with ornaments, or placing a small wreath on the wall.

• Smell: Make sure your family and guests are experiencing the glorious scents of Christmas in all
major areas of your sanctuary. Dust off those holiday scented candles and spread them around
the house. If you live in a cold climate, perhaps you can have a fresh batch of the family’s favorite
cider simmering in a crock pot on a regular basis. No scent permeates the sanctuary better than
hot cider!

• Hearing: Add extra holiday magic to your sanctuary by playing festive Christmas music as often
as possible. Music has a profound impact on one’s spiritual and emotional well-being and has the
power to melt away the stress of a busy day.

• Taste: Nothing says “Merry Christmas” like a platter full of freshly baked treats… especially for
children. Endeavor to bake fresh Christmas treats at least once a week. I know this is a lofty goal
and can be quite time consuming, however, Christmas only comes but once a year – lavish that
Christmas spirit on your loved ones!

• Touch: Encourage and entice your family and friends to experience Christmas with exploring
hands. Add decorative items to your holiday decor that have interesting textures and beckon to
be touched. Grab some boxes in various shapes and sizes and wrap them up like Christmas
presents with sparkling paper and extravagant bows. Spread them around the house and see if
family and friends can keep their hands to themselves! And don’t forget about that warm
crackling fire burning in the hearth! If that doesn’t invite hands to join the Christmas celebration,
then nothing will.

Peace
in the
Frenzy
I have worked in retail (well, the
behind the scenes administrative side
of retail mostly) for the last 10 years.
We get ready for Christmas in the
summer. The buyer is seeing catalogs
for Santa’s and reindeer in mid-
March. I order music in the early fall
that will be on a constant loop from
mid-November until the day after
Christmas.
We deck the halls before trick-or-
treaters can make it around the block
and we are ready for our Christmas
Open House in early November. But
all the preparation of this blessed time
of year still doesn’t prevent the
insanity that commences the day after
Thanksgiving and doesn’t let up until
January. It is a wild ride in retail, let
me tell you. Fun, but wild. And really,
anything but peaceful.
You don’t have to work in a store like
I do to understand the crazy hustle
and bustle of shoppers. Likely, you’re
one of them. I know that when I
venture outside the walls of my own
store I am one of them too. You are
completely normal as an individual,
but sometimes you get in a crowd and
the insanity just takes over. At least
that’s how it appears from our side of
the counter. Impatience is a given.
Impulsiveness too. I love the men that
24
S E Q U O I
come in a day or two before Christmas
(two days if they are a planner)
searching desperately for something,
anything, to give their spouse or
girlfriend for Christmas. They are so
wide-eyed and terrified it just adds to
the insanity of all the last minute
shoppers in a frenzy. They have no
idea what they want but it better be
good. We always have just the thing.
It’s our job.
But I have to wonder what it would be
like if people put less emphasis on the
gift buying and hoopla of our modern
day festivities and more emphasis on
what is really important at Christmas.
We have made trite the whole “Jesus
is the reason for the season” but it is
the truth. Our Prince of Peace must
scratch his head and sigh at all our
endless activity. How often is He lost
in the midst of it? How blessed would
we be if we reveled in the peace He
brings and stepped back from all the
busyness to reflect and worship and
share His good news?
I’m not abandoning all tradition this
year. Christmas is hands down my
favorite holiday. I love giving and
receiving gifts. I love the lit up trees
with shiny baubles tinkling around it.
I love watching It’s a Wonderful Life
for the five hundredth time in my life
A C L U B
(and don’t even get me started on Elf).
I love parties and people and even,
sometimes, work. I’ve already told
you I think the hustle and bustle can
be fun.
But there is a stirring in me to want
more than this. To make all the
craziness take a backseat to peace. To
revel in all the unparalleled beauty
and wonder that Christmas truly is. To
praise the One who planned
redemption for all mankind through
the birth of a holy perfect Christ child,
born to a poor noble carpenter and his
young wife in a stable. To imagine
what it must have felt like to be a
young shepherd on that hillside when
the company of angels brightened the
night sky startling them with a
proclamation that would forever
change the course of history.
The scene still makes me pause in
awe: “An angel of the Lord appeared
to them, and the glory of the Lord
shone around them, and they were
terrified. But the angel said to them,
‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good
news of great joy that will be for all
the people. Today in the town of
David a Savior has been born to you:
he is Christ the Lord. This will be a
sign to you: You will find a baby
wrapped in cloths and lying in a
manger. Suddenly a great company of
By Kara Cox
the heavenly host appeared with the
angel, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest and on
earth peace to men on whom his favor
rests.’” Luke 2:9-14 NIV.
One of my favorite Christmas albums
is from Sara Groves called O Holy
Night. Do yourself a favor and check
it out immediately (if for no other
reason than to hear Sara’s precious
son Toby read the birth story of Jesus
on the song It’s True). There is a song
titled Peace, Peace that ministers to
me so much during this crazy time of
year. Here are some of it’s lyrics:
“Peace Peace, it’s hard to find, trouble
comes like a wrecking ball, to your
peace of mind and all that worry you
can’t leave behind you. All your hopes
and fears, all your hopes and fears, all
your hopes and fears are met in Him
tonight”. He came to bring a peace
that passes all understanding. A peace
that is worth celebrating this time of
year, really, all throughout the year,
just because. So if you come into the
store I work in this month and see me
take a step back, you’ll know why. I
don’t want to miss it. I hope you don’t
either.
© Exemplify Magazine
Jingle Bell Blues
I adore the Christmas season. The
birth of our Savior, the decorations,
the hustle and bustle of shopping, the
parties, the time with friends, and the
time with family. It surrounds me in
all of it’s loveliness. At the same time
every year I experienced a deep
loneliness that at times can crowd the
goodness of everything else.
To be honest, most of the year I am
content in my singleness. I know at
this season of my life it is where I am
suppose to be. I do have moments
where my heart wishes for that
special someone but most days are
good days. Only two events each
year cause such loneliness that at
times I think my heart physically
hurts. My birthday is one of those
times. I cannot help but to wish
every year that I had someone special
to share my day with. The other time
is the Christmas season. From the
day after Thanksgiving until the new
year I feel so lonely.
The loneliness comes and goes and at
times hits when I least expect it. I
will be getting ready for work and
wish I had someone to share my
bathroom sink. I will be driving in
my car on my way somewhere and
wish I was not driving alone. With
loneliness also comes the depression,
or the jingle bell blues as I like to call
them. To me if there is anything
worse than loneliness it is depression that verse. In The Message version
and loneliness. A lingering sadness
that something is missing.
Every Christmas I would wish and
pray for the same thing. Every
Christmas that wish and prayer goes what, and once again He was there.
by, unanswered. And I wonder…am In many ways it was the beginning of
I doing something wrong, why is it
that I wish and pray and nothing
comes of it? And sooner or later the
same questions would pop into my
head, What is wrong with me? Do I
not deserve happiness? Does God
dislike me so much that He does not
see me as a fit person to be a wife and
mother? The questions spin around
in my mind over and over. At times I
felt like putting my hands over my
ears and yelling, stop! Soon I am
obsessed with finding fault with
myself and my insecurities start
showing up in big ways. I become
overwhelmed.
Last year after my 30th birthday I
decided that cycle had to stop. I
started a journal specifically about
my singleness and my desire to be
married. I also went to the Word and
started specifically memorizing
verses that told me how much I was
loved. God immediately reminded
me of my favorite verse. It was a
verse that He gave me more than five
years ago and it would become one of
my mantra’s over the next several
months.
“The LORD your God is with you, Finally on December 15th I hit
he is mighty to save. He will take
great delight in you, he will quiet
you with his love, he will rejoice over
you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
(NIV)
Everything I need from Him was in
God is called a mighty warrior. I
needed someone to save me from the life, He brought me some fabulous
cycle I was in, He was there. I needed friends. He brought me to Exemplify
someone to delight in me and be my
constant, He was there. I needed to
know someone loved me no matter
my journey toward loving Jesus more
and knowing how very much He
loved me.
Written By Christy McGraw
Other things that helped was the
book of 1 John and several songs that
are still among my favorites. I started
surrounding myself with reminders
of His Love. A cross on my bookshelf
as a reminder of His death. Beside
the cross sits a rock to remind me of
His conquering of death. I started
having tea with Him. I would fix a
cup of tea in a certain cup, shaped
like a heart, and sit down with His
Word and my journal. I became
intentional in my relationship with
Him.
From October to December my life
changed tremendously. I became a
more content person in all areas of
my life. I was not only happy but
joyful. Of course I was very nervous
about Christmas because I was doing
so well and I knew if anything would
bring me down Christmas would. In
the midst of all that God laid a blog
post on my heart about my
singleness. I wrote it but instead of
hitting publish I saved it as a draft.
publish. It was during that prayer
time the following day that I was
given my word for 2009. Journey.
That post along with all the others
things was a first step. A step into
learning and trusting and Journeying
with Jesus. As I look back over the
last 12 months I cannot help but be in
awe of everything He has done in me
and in my life. He brought me to a
place of contentment in my single
and then to this column. After this
year I cannot help but look forward
to the journey 2010 brings!
 S E Q U O I A C L U B

‘Tis the season for joy, family,

and…the seasonal flu. This year,
the swine flu, or H1N1 flu, has
become a major concern as well.
Whether you are choosing to
protect yourself through sanitary
Written by Shannon
methods or by getting vaccinated,
I’d like to offer some information
and tips on these two viruses.

Seasonal Flu

Seasonal influenza is a very contagious virus

Flu 101
have a fever, you should wait until you are well
again to get the flu vaccine.
effective prescription medicine called
“Tamiflu” that has been the preferred drug for
treatment of H1N1 as well as other serious
that affects the respiratory organs. It is For more information on the flu vaccine, talk to influenza conditions. Tamiflu appears to take
unfortunately very common, affecting up to your doctor or visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/ care of H1N1 without any complications if it is
20% of the population yearly. Symptoms index.htm. taken early enough.
include fever, headache, fatigue, dry cough,
sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) For more information and updates about the
and occasionally stomach problems like H1N1 flu as well as the vaccine, visit http://
nausea and diarrhea. If you experience some or I’m sure that everyone has become aware of www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.
all of these symptoms, you should avoid the so-called “swine flu epidemic” that
contact with others by staying home from work appeared in the U.S. in April of 2009. Although General Flu Safety Tips
or school, and head to the doctor’s office. The it was originally thought to be the same flu that
flu is contagious from person to person even a affects North American pigs, recent studies • Wash your hands frequently.
day before symptoms show up, and a person have shown the H1N1 virus to be much more
complex. It actually contains two different • Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use it
stays contagious for up to seven days after after touching things that have been touched
symptoms appear. swine flu genes, an avian flu gene, as well as a
human flu gene. While the symptoms appear to by many others, like door knobs or credit
The best way to prevent yourself from getting or be nearly identical to seasonal flu symptoms, card machine pens.
spreading the flu is to get vaccinated with the this virus appears to be targeting a younger
crowd, unlike the seasonal flu. The people who • Avoid touching your mouth, nose, or eyes at
seasonal flu vaccine. They usually cost about all when you are out of the house
$25, and some insurances cover them if you have been most affected by H1N1 are healthy
get vaccinated at the doctor’s office. The people up to the age of 24, pregnant women,
• If you suspect you or your children have flu-
vaccine comes in two forms – a shot and a and people with underlying health issues. like symptoms, get to a doctor as soon as
nasal spray. The flu shot is highly Unfortunately, complications with H1N1 have possible
recommended for children aged 6 months to led to many deaths in the United States.
19 years of age, as well as people 50 years or Although it is easy to become anxious and
older. Pregnant women, those with chronic Luckily, an H1N1 vaccine has been made worried about loved ones and ourselves with a
illnesses, health care workers, and people who available to the public. However, supplies are scary virus on the loose, we can remain calm
are in contact with children are also among limited. Young children and pregnant women and find rest in Christ, our King. Jesus said,
people who should get a flu shot. People who are among those that are strongly “Who of you by worrying can add a single
should not be vaccinated include people with recommended to be vaccinated. Many public hour to his life?” He also says that anything we
chicken egg allergy, those who have had a bad health clinics and some pharmacies have or need, our Father will provide. Even when
reaction to the flu vaccine in the past, and will have the H1N1 vaccine available. troubles arise, we can find comfort and peace
infants less than 6 months of age. Also, if you If you or someone you know does get sick with in the presence of God.
the H1N1 flu, don’t panic. There is a very

26
© Exemplify Magazine

Written by Tara Rachel
She lay there, completely still from expended
energy, letting her senses take in everything.
Her eyes, which had been closed from
exhaustion, cracked open. She could see the
moonlight peeking through the rafters.
Outside the stars twinkled down upon them.
She tilted her head to the side. He sat to her
left, knees raised and arms outstretched over
his kneecaps. He smiled weakly.
I wonder what he is thinking. I wonder how
strange this all is to him. Despite her
exhaustion, despite her weariness, she felt the
insecurity creeping up inside her. He didn’t
ask for this.
But the angel had visited him, too. The angel
had intervened when he was considering
divorce. He was such a good man; he had no
malice or desire to shame her. He was trying
to find the most discreet way to avoid shame
himself.
He had helped her during the birth,
massaging her stomach, sponging her face,
and helping clean the baby. No man should
have to do that, especially not for a child that
wasn’t even his. But if there was one thing
The Peace
that
Transcends
she could say for Joseph, he was a man of against her head. The hard ground of the
great humility, and his rough carpenter’s earth pushed back against her spine. She
hands gently caressed the small bundle as loved the warm pressure from Joseph’s hand
though the boy was his own. on her head.
She smiled at him, loving him more than she She moved her eyes down, over to the cattle
ever had in their entire courtship. He reached trough, studying His tiny perfect face. His
out and stroked her hair. hair was dark and matted on the back of his
head. His eyes were swollen closed from the
She turned her focus to her ears. The soft
trauma of being born. His cheeks puffed in
swishing of hay and straw as the animals
and out as he rooted his small, rosebud
lumbered around. The crunching of the
mouth against his tight linen wrappings. He
livestock eating the feed Joseph had pitched
was perfect.
out of the manger to make room for the baby.
Nearby a cow lowed softly. She tested his name. “Jesus…”
She could smell the hay, fresh and sweet, He opened His eyes for a fraction of a second,
mixed with the pungent aroma of animal and she found herself lost in them before he
waste. She could smell her own sweat, and slowly closed them again.
the sweet scent of fresh skin of new life.
“The LORD saves,” Joseph said quietly from
She could still taste the linen fibers from the beside her.
rag she clenched between her teeth during the
She nodded, reaching to touch His hair. He
final contractions.
sighed softly against her chest.
Finally she shifted her attention to her final
Words from old came back to her, words she
sense. She could still feel the pain throbbing
had heard as a girl and young woman.
in her back and abdomen. The sore muscles
from the straining and pushing. She could
feel her hair, soaked with sweat, plastered
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans
of Judah, out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old, from
ancient times.”
“Therefore the Lord himself will give
you a sign: The virgin will be with
child and will give birth to a son, and
will call him Immanuel.”
“For to us a child is born, to us a son
is given, and the government will be
on his shoulders. And he will be
called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of
Peace. Of the increase of his
government and peace there will be
no end. He will reign on David’s
throne and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness from
that time on and forever. The zeal of
the LORD Almighty will accomplish
this.”
“In those days and at that time I will
make a righteous Branch sprout from
David’s line; he will do what is just
and right in the land.”
The journey down to Bethlehem had
been incredibly difficult. 96 miles on
foot and by donkey. Joseph had
insisted she ride, afraid that the
weeks of walking would make her go
into labor and they would have the
baby on the side of the road. So she
had heeded his wishes, although the
donkey was not exactly preferable.
By the end of the first day she was
sore, her body swollen and her center
of balance completely distorted. She
had trouble staying on the back of the
swaying, trotting animal.
The census could not have come at a
worse time. She had been so
prepared to have a calm, peaceful
birth at home in Nazareth, hopefully
with Elizabeth assisting her. Instead
they had had to pack up and head
south, to Joseph’s home seat of
Bethlehem, by the decree of Caesar
Augustus via the governor Quirinius.
She was so nervous, traveling so far
and for so long being so close to
delivery. Elizabeth had told her how
many days to count and how to mark
how much time had passed, and she
knew she was closing in on the finish
line.
She had not been prepared for the
crowds in Bethlehem, though
hindsight showed her she should not
have been surprised. Every single
person from the house of David
milled around Bethlehem. Crowds
swarmed the streets. Joseph moved
from inn to inn, trying to find a place
for them to settle, pleading with
innkeepers for the welfare of his
expectant wife.
There was no room to be had. They
would have to sleep on the road,
under the stars. And if she had the
baby out in the open, that was what
she would have to do.
One innkeeper took pity on them,
and offered them the stable. They
accepted gratefully. While it wasn’t
exactly a bed with enclosed walls,
there was hay and water. It was
sufficient.
So sufficient that when the
contractions began rolling in that
night, they at least had some privacy.
Mary struggled through the labor,
unsure of the strength in her young,
inexperienced body. But it was as
though the same Holy Spirit who
created the life within her drew Him
out, and she sank back in exhaustion,
amazed at what had just taken place.
When she had regained some
strength, she took Him and wiped
Him down. He whimpered, but did
not wail. She studied His features,
etching them forever into back of her
mind. As she took in the curve of His
cheeks, the roundness of Him tummy,
the length of His toes, Elizabeth’s
words came back to her, clear as a
ringing bell in a tower.
“Blessed is she who has believed that
what the Lord has said to her will be
accomplished.”
“Blessed indeed,” Mary had
whispered, smiling at the memory.
She carefully wrapped Him tightly,
binding His tiny arms and legs to his
body. He stilled as soon as she
finished, relaxing into the wrappings.
He fell right to sleep, and she placed
Him carefully in the manger that
Joseph had so carefully packed with
hay.
Now, in the quiet, the surreality of the
situation descended on her. She
immediately questioned the hygienic
conditions of the barn, wondering if
placing her newborn baby in a trough
that cows ate out of was the wisest
decision.
But then again… he’s the Son of God.
Is there anywhere on earth that is fit
for Him to lay His head?
She was still trying to wrap her mind
around events if the night. While her
belly grew, it was easy to not dwell
on what was happening inside her
body. There was nothing, except her
expanding waistline, to touch or to
care for.
But now, as this little literal miracle
lay sleeping beside her, she couldn’t
avoid letting her mind wonder into
the supernatural, into places she
wasn’t sure she was fully capable of
understanding.
“This child,” she whispered to
Joseph, “my Yeshua… He’s going to
be our Savior. He’s going to be Lord
of all and reign as king forever.” She
looked over at Him, helpless and
sleeping, trying to marry her words
with her vision.
She was a little unsure of how to treat Him,
how to hold Him. How do you care for the
Son of the Most High God?
She felt insecure, and even Joseph’s strong
presence did not calm the anxiety. She
wondered if she was qualified. She
wondered if she was capable.
But as she stared at the small, sleeping
baby, she knew it didn’t matter whether
she believed she was capable or qualified.
She had received the call from the Lord,
and as she spoke to the angel, she
reaffirmed her commitment. “I am the
Lord’s servant,” she said aloud to no one in
particular. And I will begin by serving this
child with all my heart and soul and might
and strength.
She let her mind weave together the words
proclaimed and the events that transpired.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah… out of
you will come for me one who will be ruler
over Israel…”
Out of Bethlehem… the two of Nazareth
had to travel to Bethlehem for the census,
and right at the time she was supposed to
deliver…
“…whose origins are from of old, from
ancient times…”
“…the Holy One to be born will be called
the Son of God…”
There was no possibility of this child being
Joseph’s, or anyone else’s for that matter.
Joseph, once his fears had been calmed by
the angel, had not so much as laid a finger
on her. And she was merely a child before
becoming engaged.
“… David’s throne… a Branch sprout from
David’s line…”
Joseph was in the line of David, as was she.
They were both a part of the Davidic
genealogy.
“… the virgin will be with child…”
She could scarcely believe how perfect,
how intricate everything had meshed
together, like fibers woven into a perfect
tapestry.
The significance of his birthplace did not
escape her. An inn. A temporary dwelling.
She knew it was a sign to her, a visible
reminder that this was only temporary. He back, closing her eyes, as the angelic voices
was not born in a house to dwell rang over her.
permanently. Instead He came at an inn, a
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth,
place where people only pass through.
peace among men with whom He is
Where they stay for a time, and then move pleased.”
on.
Peace.
And suddenly, like a pane of glass wiped
She didn’t know what the future years
clean, nothing else mattered.
would bring. She didn’t know if they
It didn’t matter that people back home would be free of strife or the most difficult
called her a whore and a harlot. she would ever live.
It didn’t matter that Joseph had been
slandered because of her.
What she did know is that she had
It didn’t matter that they didn’t have a bed firsthand, eye-witness experience of the
to sleep on. miraculous power of the Lord God
Almighty. And as His son slept away in
It didn’t matter that politics had changed
His makeshift, humble bed, she knew that
the shape of their ancient nation.
there was hope yet for the nation of God.
It didn’t matter that they were forced to
learn the language of the pagans.
There was hope. Because God in His glory
It didn’t matter that evil men had taken
cloaked Himself in flesh and came down to
control of the Temple.
earth.
It didn’t matter that Jerusalem had been
under siege.
She couldn’t completely comprehend how
It didn’t matter that Rome was spreading,
the baby beside her was also God. But she
that their rule was trickling down to even
did know one thing: she would believe in
the most remote areas.
and serve Him for the remainder of her
None of it mattered. days. He was the source of her joy, and the
catalyst for her peace.
She smiled sardonically. Pax Romana. The
peace of Rome. Rome attempted to spread
peace by rule and power and control.
She leaned over to kiss His small forehead.
She reached out and gently lifted the “I love You from the depths of my heart.
sleeping infant to her chest. This was My Prince of Peace.” She pulled the
peace. A child, a baby – sleeping away blankets a little tighter around Him and
while the world continued to turn around settled back to rest herself.
Him.
She knew deep within her heart that soon
As she felt herself slipping into the comfort
the world would turn because of Him.
that precedes a deep rest, her heart began
Suddenly she could no longer hear the to sing – praises to the Lord written deep
cows lowing, the drifts of conversations within her soul and etched into her life.
from late-night crowds in Bethlehem, the She drifted off, calm and content.
Completely at peace in a world lost in
whooshing of the wind over the trees. All
she could see was Him. All she could feel chaos.
was Him.
All she knew was Him.
Adapted from Matthew 1, Luke 1-2, Isaiah
And then a holy chorus rang out, shaking 7:14, 9:6-7, Micah 5:2, Jeremiah 33:15
her from her reverence. She carefully © Exemplify Magazine
placed Him back in the manger and sat