I love to listen to Evie Tornquist — and I especially love to hear Evie sing "Come on, ring those bells".

For those who do not know this beautiful Christmas song, it portrays all the joy and bliss we should take delight in over the Christmas holiday, as we celebrate the birthday of Him who is the King of kings.

Evie sings beautifully about the fact that everyone loves to set aside this special holiday season, spending time together, enjoying their family, and sharing lots of love and happiness as they light the Christmas tree and "ring those bells", remembering that it is Jesus' birthday.

Christians love this blessed season and many enjoy giving and receiving special gifts, gifts that often provide both giver and receiver with the pleasure of knowing that the gift is just what they wanted. Of course, everyone also loves the thrill of eating too much chocolate, fruit cake, and turkey. It truly is a time to ring those bells.

Yet, what really takes place in our lives after the glitter of the Christmas tree lights disappear, the tinsel loses its glow, and families go their separate ways, returning home to face the bills and disappointments that will be part of their everyday living in the coming year? Are we, as Christians, still able to ring those bells, the very same bells that guided us over the Christmas season, bringing joy and bliss into our lives? Are we, as Christians, now able to face the year ahead because we know that the Babe in the manger now sits on the right hand of God the Father and is there to guide us through the unrest, disappointments, and illnesses that will invade our lives in the coming year? Are we, as Christians, able to say, "On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand" as we endure the unknown, remembering the great event that we celebrated, ringing those bells but a few weeks or months earlier?

This is where our faith in the living God comes in — faith in Him Who thought it not demeaning to be born in a manger and give His life for us all — faith in Him who is there to guide and direct our path, if we but call upon His name in the coming year.

Let us always remember that He promises that He is always, always there, whether it be in happy times when we are ringing those bells, or in sad times when we must lean on the everlasting arms.

Prayer: Lord, may You give all those who read this a very blessed new year, remembering Your wonderful promise that You will never leave us nor forsake us. May we continue to ring those bells and live lives "Holy to the Lord" as we enter a new year, and make You the unknown guest in every phase of our lives in this coming year. Amen.

Little did these poor shepherds realize that they would be the first to visit Him who would become the greatest teacher ever known, who would walk on water, heal the sick, cast out demons in tormented souls, and make the lame to walk, the blind to see, and the dead to rise. Little did they know that this Babe in the manger in Bethlehem, wrapped in swaddling cloths, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, the Son of the living God, who would become the gentle, loving, kind Man who would give His life for mankind and indeed be the Saviour of our sin-sick world. But why did God need to become man in order to accomplish that?

For years, I wondered about this question. I would contemplate that there must have been some other way for our Lord to have saved us from our sin. I just could not understand the reasoning behind God sending His Son to earth to become man and die for me.

And then one day, I heard the story of Peter and the Hermit:

In a cabin on a beautiful mountain in Switzerland, high above the village, there lived an old man. The villagers didn't really know him, so they just called him the Hermit. As Christmas approached, Peter, the son of the local pastor, decided to invite him to the Christmas service. However, it took him longer to make the climb than he had thought, so as dusk was approaching, the Hermit invited him to stay the night. When Peter indicated that he had come to invite the Hermit to the Christmas service, he made it quite plain that he would not attend, because it was the celebration of the birth of Jesus, and he did not believe in Him. "Why would God, who is so great and powerful, even become a human being or get involved with such miserable creatures?" he asked.

Suddenly, they heard a flock of birds outside in the snow, lost in the storm, and attracted by the light in the cabin. The Hermit went outside to give them some food, but they flew away, afraid. He couldn't make them understand that he wanted to save them. "I would have to become a bird, too, in order to make them understand," he said to Peter.

Then, the light went on in the old man's mind, and he realized that that was the reason that God sent His Son to earth. God's Son had to become man so that people could understand the message of salvation that He was bringing to the world. He had to become man so that He could minister to those He loved enough to die for. He became man so that we might hear and understand His Word.

The next morning, Peter and the Hermit started down the mountain to attend the Christmas service.

After hearing that wonderful illustration, I never again wondered why God sent Christ to earth to become man. I understood the true meaning of Christmas, and like the shepherds of old, I, too, went to the manger, where I personally met Christ, the Babe born in Bethlehem. If you do not know this wonderful Lord, claim Him today and make Him the true meaning of Christmas in your life. Let us never, never forsake Christ or take Him out of our celebration at Christmas.

Prayer: Eternal Father, how thankful we are that You loved us enough to send Your Son to redeem us through His precious blood. May we never forget the heartache, scorn, and betrayal that He endured, as man, before facing the cross and dying there on our behalf. As we look forward to the Christmas season, may we glorify the name of Christ in all our family and church activities, in all that we do and say. May those who do not know Christ as their Saviour realize by our conduct and attitude that we are faithful followers of that dear Babe. Lord, thank You for the best Christmas gift ever, the gift of Your dear Son! Amen.

Over the years, whenever I would go to see the youthful and exciting presentation of Anne Of Green Gables at the Confederation Centre of the Arts, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, I would be intrigued with a special scene where, as part of the performance, one of the main characters in the presentation comes vivaciously and quite pompously on stage, singing with great enthusiasm and in perfect pitch a little number including the words, "Have you heard? Have you heard?" loudly and clearly, alluding to the fact that she has some information which she considers would be of great interest to all her friends on stage at that time.

Her entrance and energetic attitude soon gains the interest of all, and before long, the group of actors surrounds her, anxiously wanting to know "exactly what she heard and what all the excitement is about", hoping, beyond hope, that she will share this great "news" with them.

Watching this beautiful production, observing the enthusiasm and excitement of our young message-bearer, and noting how anxious she is to tell others her story, I always seem to get lost in my thoughts for a moment or two and wonder why in the world we, as followers of the living God, are not so excited to share the wonderful story of Jesus' love and forgiveness to all who will listen.

We, as God's children, are the bearers of the greatest news the world has ever received, and day in and day out, we so often allow golden opportunities to pass us by without taking the time or effort to share this special event with anyone.

Do we ever consider asking those we meet, Have you heard? Jesus Christ died for sinners like you and me, and because of His death and glorious resurrection, we who commit our lives to Him will inherit a blissful eternity for ever. Do we think to ask, Have you heard? This Jesus can heal the sick, comfort those who mourn, bring joy to those who are sad, restore marriages, cleanse the addicted ones, mend broken hearts, and restore our vision for a bright and wonderful tomorrow when we fall on our knees at Calvary and seek forgiveness for our past mistakes.

Let us obey the request Jesus made in Acts 1:6, and go into Jerusalem (the place we live), Judea (the surrounding areas), and all the world (everywhere) with His message of love and forgiveness. Are we obeying His challenge? Are we asking our lost friends, Have you heard? If not, let today be the day we will stay true to our Lord and spread His tidings of great joy to those we know and love. Don't wait; tomorrow may be too late.

Prayer: Eternal Father, may we not be neglectful of Your desire for us to go into all the world and to tell others of Your loving forgiveness through the shed blood of Your Son. We thank You for Your patience with us, and we seek Your wisdom and guidance as we present Your wonderful message of life eternal to those we meet. Be with us, Lord, and teach us to be diligent and faithful to You, that we may we be strong in Your care. In Jesus' precious name, we pray. Amen.

For two years, many years ago, every Sunday afternoon, we would drive forty-five miles into south Boston to a Mission to be part of a wonderful Sunday School program with lots of Bible teaching, singing, and a light lunch. One rainy afternoon, we were gathered around the piano singing, when suddenly the Mission door flew open and in came an angry young man who was very upset. Although the teachers remained calm and continued singing, the children's eyes were on the intruder, and they were afraid. Then without hesitation, an older gentleman, the Mission Director, stepped forward and very calmly walked over to the intruder, put his arm around his shoulder, whispered a few words into his ear, and led him towards a door at the other end of the room, away from the view of the children. After a short time, they came out of the room. The young intruder was in tears and quietly followed the elderly director into the Mission kitchen, where the two drank tea and talked for a long time.

The following Sunday, the formerly hostile man was back at the Mission, a gentle, kind man, taking time to pass out little hymn books to the children when they arrived.

Many of us would have driven the young man away in order to protect the children. But the older Christian man was a faithful servant for his Lord. He interpreted the intrusion as an opportunity to gently console this young man in his hour of frustration, confront him concerning his hatred, and tell him that there was a Saviour who could wash away his hate and revengeful feelings, a Saviour who could and would make him a new creature, assuring him an eternity of peace and joy forever.

When that young man stands before Christ in eternity, he will be able to say, "Lord, I was upset, and my friend comforted me; I was hungry, and my friend fed me; I was thirsty, and he gave me drink; I was lost, and he led me to Calvary where I met You." And our Saviour will turn to the Mission Director and say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord."

Life is short, and eternity is but a step away. So often, we, who are asked to be faithful servants of the living God, stand by and watch many of our dear friends and loved ones going into a lost eternity, not knowing Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, because we didn't share the old, old story of Jesus and His marvellous gift of salvation with them.

May we, like my friend at the Mission, be as willing to share the wonderful story of God's eternal love that knows no end with those we know who are unhappy, angry, tired, lonely, sick, rejected, physically and mentally abused, and heartsick. Are we good and faithful servants?

Prayer: Eternal Father, giver of every good and perfect gift, we pray that You will teach us, as Christians, to show compassion and kindness to those we know who are spiritually lost and searching for the security, confidence, and stability that only Your love can bring into their lives. Make us humble servants of Yours, ready and willing to tell those in need that You are the One who will bring joy and peace eternally. Amen.

Each spring at "our little church in the Creek", we have a Festival of Faith Conference, and we look forward to the weekend with great anticipation and joy after a long winter of snow and cold in the Maritimes.

This year, I believe, was one of our best Festivals ever. We were blessed and challenged by three exceptional speakers who, each in his own sincere way, shared the old, old story of Jesus' love and forgiveness.

Special music was provided by many of our local friends and included a beautiful male choir presentation and a great bluegrass Christian music celebration for all to enjoy. A great husband-and-wife duet from Newfoundland were our special guests for the weekend and thrilled our hearts with their testimony in song.

Before our Newfoundland friends sang their beautiful rendition of The Lighthouse, the husband explained that he and his wife had grown up, married, and settled on a small, busy island 19 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. He then went on to tell us about one fall day when he and his brother had gone to the mainland, by boat, on business. When returning home, late afternoon, they became aware of the fact that the wind was picking up speed rapidly and steadily, causing both men to become concerned for their safety. The winds blew harder, and the waves grew higher, bouncing the boat and the men up and down, to and fro, for several hours. Darkness soon began to set in, and sometimes they were unable to see the land because of the size of the waves. Realizing that they were becoming quite tired because of the effort it took for them to control the boat in the heavy sea, they began to fear that they might never see land again. Amid all the confusion and turmoil, they had one blessing in their favour: on shore and close to the wharf stood a lighthouse that shone brightly, beaming out a ray of hope for their survival. They worked hard and kept their eye peeled in the direction of the lighthouse, and praise God, with the strength that He continued to provide them with, they were able to reach the harbour, where the waters were calmer. Eventually, with great effort, they made it to shore, thinking to themselves, If it wasn't for the lighthouse, where would our boat (our lives) be?

Arriving home safely, they made their way through the crowds waiting for them on the wharf, humbly thankful for their prayers, the lighthouse, and the blessing of being alive and back home again.

This man of God then went on to explain that, over the years, had it not been for Jesus, the Lighthouse, guiding him in his life, he would never have made it through the storms that he had encountered in his Christian walk.

As I sat there and listened to him tell his story, I was reminded of the very fact that even though their friends and family were so close at hand and loved these young men so much, they were unable to save them from the agony of the angry sea and maybe even death. All their loved ones could do was to make sure that the lighthouse shone brightly to guide them home. It was up to the brothers to follow the beacon.

Isn't this the way it is with salvation? As much as Christians want to provide salvation for those they love, they cannot save them from an eternity without Christ — only He can. Christians can pray for them and point them to the Light, but it is their responsibility to follow the beacon provided by the Holy Spirit, which leads them to the foot of the cross, where they can seek forgiveness for their sins and surrender their lives to Christ. It is only then that they will be assured that He will guide them through the rough waters of hurt and despair and lead them to a safe harbour where they will enjoy still waters with Him forever.

If you have not followed the beacon that Christ offers and met Him face to face, I urge you to accept Him today as your Lord and make this your day of salvation.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are able to walk on the water and calm the raging sea. You are the Lighthouse that leads us to the beautiful, serene, harbour of salvation when we come to You in faith, seeking forgiveness. It is to You that we come today, sincerely asking Your guidance and loving support as we go out into the world, encouraging our loved ones and friends to follow the Light to Calvary, where, at the foot of the cross, they may they claim You as their Lord and Saviour. Amen.

One sunny afternoon in early spring, when the ground was still wet from morning showers, I arrived home from school, threw my books in the back porch, and headed for the horse barn quickly, so that no one would catch me and stop me from riding on a slippery day.

The field looked pretty sloppy, but with my confident, self-assured attitude, Susie and I were soon off to the races, riding as fast as we could, jumping this, jumping that, round and round the field, totally disobeying any rules pertaining to what not to do on wet field days.

Each time I went around the track, I noticed the earth becoming more soggy. During what I had planned to be my last great jump, my horse tumbled, and I was on the ground, remembering nothing until I looked up and saw daddy bending over me.

I was scared to death and a bit shaky, but with daddy there and with the touch of his hard-working but gentle hand, I felt safe and secure. Daddy carried me to the barn, where he checked me over to see if there were any breaks, cuts, or bruises. It was decided that I was as fit as a fiddle, but there was no more riding that day!

Daddy was always a loving father, but after seeing the fear on his face and the tears in his eyes that day, I realized just how deeply daddy truly loved me. I felt a deeper and gentler bonding with daddy, and that moment made me glad that I was his little girl and he was my dad.

Fast-forward three years to a fall Sunday night youth rally and a challenging sermon that ended with an invitation to surrender our lives to Christ and make Him our Saviour and Lord. I felt the strong tug of the Holy Spirit beckoning me to obey this man of God, and that night, in humble adoration, I met my Saviour, to whom I truly committed my life.

Immediately following prayer and commitment, I experienced the same powerful bonding with my heavenly Father that I had felt three years earlier with my dad. This time, I had received the gentle touch of the Master's hand.

As I walked home down the hill that night, the words from He Touched Me played over and over in my mind, and as young as I was, I knew that the heavenly Father's hand had "touched me and made me whole". I was a new person in Christ, and till this day, I never close my eyes at night without taking time to thank God for His goodness in rescuing me at such an early age, and being there to continually guide me and care for me through thick and thin.

Although there are those, for many reasons, who have never felt the warm touch of an earthly father's hand, God is waiting in love and compassion, ready to claim us as His child and provide us with the loving, gentle, and safe touch of the Father's hand that will make us proud to call Him "Father". Such a touch from our heavenly Father, whose love sent His only Son to die on our behalf, is the most precious blessing anyone will ever receive, a blessing that brings hope where there is despair, love where there is hate, joy where there is sorrow, forgiveness where we think forgiveness is impossible, healing where there is no hope for healing, and most importantly, the assurance of the gift of everlasting life and a glorious eternity with Christ.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (NKJV)

Prayer: Eternal God, it is You and You alone who grants us the certainty of an eternity with You through the shed blood of Your beloved Son. It is to You we must turn and say thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit, He who troubles our hearts, causing us to look into the beautiful face of Your Son, claiming victory through His life, death, and resurrection. We pray that those who love You will go forward under the guidance of Your strong and powerful hand, proclaiming Your glorious message and directing others to a victorious life in Christ. Amen.

Early in January, we were blessed by an uplifting and marvellous devotional describing how a plain and ordinary painting the writer was working on soon became so much more vivid and beautiful when touched by the professional hand of his teacher. After reading this message and meditating on it over breakfast, I realized how we Christians would be so ordinary and not nearly so vibrant and alive without experiencing daily "the Touch of the Master's Hand".

When we were first married and very active in youth work in our home church, we had a dear young friend who did not believe in God or the Bible and who would not have anything to do with the church. He thought Christianity was a crutch for the weak who needed a shoulder to lean on, and he was quite confident that he could look after himself. We loved this kid — he was one of our best friends — and over and over again, we would encourage him to come to youth group or even to church with us, but all to no avail.

One Sunday afternoon, I met him on the way home from my parents' home, and I invited him to come to youth group with us. He declined, and after giving me the same old story in great length as to why he did not need God or anything associated with the church, I said to him, "Well, look, why don't you come over to our house for a little visit tonight? I promise that no talk of salvation or church will be on the agenda." To my surprise, he said that he would come over, but I never thought that he would show up. However, around 9:00 p.m., our friend arrived, telling us that he could stay only a few minutes, because he had to go home and listen to some cowboy songs that were coming on the radio at ten o'clock.

When he first arrived, we had a great time small-talking about hit parade songs, fishing, and girls, but somehow, views on the Bible and commitment became part of the conversation. As I sat there and listened to him and my husband chat, I could see the powerful work of the Holy Spirit taking place in his life. I prayed; they talked.

To make a long story short, at approximately two o'clock on Monday morning, this young man surrendered his life to Christ, and like Paul, he became so ashamed of the way he had treated his Christian friends. He, also like Paul, became, and still is, one of the most dedicated and vibrant Christians I have ever known — a life that was changed and transformed because of the wonderful and glorious work of the Holy Spirit and the touch of the Master's hand.

Our Lord is wonderful! Through our years of ministry, we have witnessed the change in lives, the restoration of health, the curing of addiction, the mending of marriages, the reinstatement of respect for others, and the proclamation of the love of God, all because of the touch of the Master's hand. I invite you to reach out, clasp the Master's hand, and allow Jesus to be your Saviour and friend.

Prayer: Eternal God, You who are indeed the author and finisher of every good and perfect gift, we thank You for Your love and concern for us who often fail You in so many ways. We ask that in Your loving mercy, You will touch our lives and make us more dedicated and loving servants of Yours. May folks notice that we have been touched by Your hand because our lives reflect Jesus as our Lord. Amen.