Passover for Gentiles?

As I start to write, I hope to write carefully and gingerly… I don’t want to create aggravation like I promised my friend Patty that I would not do way back in 2005. At that time we each had a 4^th grader, who is now 25 years old and we got to teach their class about the connections between “Passover” and Communion.

Patty is a Messianic Jew and she made sure that we would be reverent and accurate and true to Jewish culture. Since then, I have loved this celebration and had studied it so that we “gentiles” can celebrate it in a way that would honor Hebrew traditions, but also connect to Christ. So yes- it can be for non Jewish people.

Passover 2020 will begin on the evening of Wednesday April 8 and ends on the evening of Thursday April 16. Many people in Israel will eat the special meal, called a “Seder” meal on the first night. In other places people will eat the meal on the first or second night and maybe any night during these days.

The Seder meal is meant to commemorate the first “Passover” that is described in the Bible in Exodus 12:1-20. That first Passover occurred as God emancipated the Israelites from Egypt and gave them the freedom to worship Him as His nation.

I was fortunate to teach this celebration again at school when my daughter was a third grader in 2015. A group of mom’s each prepared one of the traditional items and we let the kiddos sample them. It was an absolute blast and they learned so much about the connection between Communion and Passover.

Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples right before His death and resurrection. This is described in Luke 22:7-22. And ironically in 2020 Passover is a few days before the Easter/Resurrection Celebration which is Sunday April 12.

Because of the corona-virus spread around the world, most of us won’t be at our regular church services…

But I’d like to encourage you to commemorate. Prayerfully you have at home some grape juice or wine along with bread or crackers that are made without yeast. In the original Passover there was no time for the bread to rise because the people were leaving quickly and also in many places in the Bible “yeast” is used as a symbol of sin. It spreads fast and people might not even be aware that it is lurking to take them off path. Hmmm…. sounds like COVID 19, but I digress.

May I encourage you to take communion on Wednesday evening and Sunday morning to celebrate the first Passover of death but also to remember Jesus, who is called “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” in John 1:29.

This Lamb gives us freedom from slavery to sin and gives those who believe in Him adoption into His family and life that is eternal.

If you are interested in learning more about celebrating Passover as a non-Jewish person, please let me know at

https://www.facebook.com/A-Better-Day-A-Better-Life-420286064802994/

One last thing… I read the following this morning in Luke 12:8-9 NLT. Jesus says…

 “I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels.”

I had never connected this passage to the Passover until now. In order to be passed over by the angel who would be delivering God’s judgment, those who sought protection had to make a very public declaration.

They had to place blood from the lamb that was sacrificed and eaten, over the door frame and side posts of their homes.

This would be a show of total dependence on God. It would show humility in that they needed God’s protection and favor. It showed that they would do things His way – even though it didn’t make sense in the non-spiritual realm. It also that they were turning away from the provision and protection of Egypt, a symbol of the world’s power and system.

So as part of my celebration – I am placing some red tulle on my front door as a show that I am trusting Christ for everything. (It’s not sophisticated, I’m using a CHRISTmas wreath holder to secure it.) But my red covering declares that: He will protect and provide for me and my family; He will care for and rebuild our community, city, state, country, world, when the comes; He will heal the sick; He will strengthen and encourage believers all over the world – and He is inviting anyone who wants to come – to come into His Kingdom – by the pathway opened by the Lamb.

Blessings to you and yours-

Kelly

Words for Life

I’m glad that the Creator gave human beings words. I’m glad that I don’t have to chirp like a bird or roar like a lion. Can you imagine texting a chirp conversation to your friends?

It is a wonderful irony to me, that the Bible says God used words to create the heavens and the earth. One of my favorite Bible passages says it like this…

The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. John 1:4 NLT

Reading this a few years back, inspired me to start creating art that uses color, shapes and pattern with Bible verses. These have allowed me to keep God’s Word of encouragement and guidance in front of me eyes and heart in a way that has been a blessing to me – and hopefully others.

About 12 years ago, my two sons were preteens, and they fought all – the – time. They were constantly bickering, picking at one another and even threw and landed real punches on occasion. My husband and I talked to them, lectured, took away their privileges, but these tactics didn’t work.

One day while praying, God showed me a verse and told me to type it into a graphic art picture and ro put it in the playroom where the boys hung out.  The verse was (is) “How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live in harmony! Psalm 133 NCV

I did this and within days – the fighting stopped. I barely mentioned the verse to them; I just put it in a frame on the shelf that housed toys and board games.

Since then, I have done this on other occasions. When I couldn’t sleep, I created art with verses about peace and hung them over our bed. When I needed creative ideas, I put a beautiful verse in my home office.

Please understand, God is NOT a genie, but His Word has great power and it blesses those who believe in Him.

That said… I am creating a line of Bible art postcards. They are 5 x 7 inches. You can frame them and incorporate into your décor for inspiration and encouragement. Or you can give them as gifts or as a card to accompany your gift. The recipients will have your words of affection on the back and God’s powerful Word on the front.

  

You can purchase the first two designs on EBay using these links:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254253000217

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254257560885

I’d love to know what you think.

Coach Kelly

Praise…

The church we attend has a time of praise and worship at the beginning of the service. There’s a lady I love to see there. She is humble and kind and truly depending on God. I’ll just call her Sister-Sister. I noticed Sunday that she was singing with such passion and and love for the Father. She was balancing her Bible in the air as though to offer God her greatest possession, His word. Oh that her example would encourage me and you to seek to give Him the praise He deserves… Because no matter what else, I have salvation… and all the oxygen I need. Do it Sister-Sister!   Kelly

Read it!

“Read it!”

When my now 18-year-old son was about 2 years old, he loved it when my husband and I read to him. He was relentless then and he is a voracious reader now. Sometimes I would be reading to him and then get distracted and stop. He would say very sternly, “Read it!” And if I remained distracted, he would hit me with a chubby hand and say more slowly – reeaad it! (This was during the time of Jerry Seinfeld’s popular TV show, and thus we occasionally called our son, the book Nazi.)

As I think about the arrival of 2015, I want to do more reading this year. I have a number of books already identified (and started). Some of the books on my plan are items that I am reading again. I think this is a mark of a great book. You can read it over and over and get something out of it every time.

My daily Bible is one such book. I came across the “One Year” version in 1999 at a Women of Faith conference. Author and speaker Becky Tirabassi introduced the audience to this product, which allows readers to go through the entire Bible in a year.

There is a set of readings for each day that has a portion of Scripture from the Old Testament, New Testament, a Psalm and verses from Proverbs. This simple layout has been so beneficial to me, allowing me to see connections that I never saw before and giving me a simple process to read. I just brew my coffee and read while enjoying that time with God. My life is immeasurably better.

Another book I am planning to re-read, is called “The Hidden Art of Home Making” by Edith Schaeffer. It is a book that teaches readers the value of running a home and how we can use our homes to serve God and extend His kingdom.

A few weekends ago, I attended an open house CHRISTmas party. While there, I ran into a woman who had read the book that I wrote. She was very kind and said, “I loved the book and have reread portions of it often.” I was surprised… but totally delighted and honored to receive such a gracious compliment.

It is giving me the boldness to throw my book into the ring for your reading consideration this year. Should you take this challenge, I believe you will be inspired to try a number of the tips and most importantly you will have a framework for managing your life. You will be positioned to have an even better life than you have right now.

May you do phenomenal things in 2015!  Hugs- Kelly

You can purchase copies of “A Better Day, A Better Life: How to Thrive, One Day at a Time” at www.betterdaybetterlife.com. Copies of the “One Year Bible” and “The Art of Homemaking” can be secured at www.amazon.com and other booksellers.

Keeping the Thanks in Thanksgiving

I love magazines about decorating and making a home. They are a wonderful source of ideas and inspiration. This year as I have poured over recipes and tips to create the perfect tablescape, it dawned on me that no article has covered the actual topic of giving thanks.

Maybe the writers think it is too obvious to address. But maybe it points to a different issue. Are we so focused on the food and the entertaining that we have forgotten the One to whom we are thankful. So may I offer a few ideas to keep (or put) the thanks into Thanksgiving?

• Instead of place cards, find four to six Bible verses about giving thanks and print them on tent cards. Make enough for all your guests and place one at each setting. 

• Set up an empty glass or fish bowl and place slips of paper and pens nearby. Ask folks to write something or someone they are thankful for and read these during dinner.

• Take a moment to gather around the table or buffet to hold hands and pray thanking Christ for His provision and grace through the last year as well as a blessing over the vittles.

• Savor a private moment, maybe the Wednesday night before the feast to reflect of the first Thanksgiving and how the lessons learned then by God’s grace could be reapplied in your life today.

Thriving One Day at a Time,

Kelly