A Year of Visitations, Manifestations and Demonstrations.

Jesus demonstrated His love to our granddaughter by touching her, healing her, and visiting her in the hospital. This was enough to make anyone cry and shout for joy, but there's more.




At Christmas time our family went to see our town Christmas parade. We also went to see our son Johnny play Christmas Carols in a band the same night. To the side of the band was the town Manger. Our town has a tradition of taking the baby Jesus out of the Manger until Christmas Day. 




Hannah was drawn to the Manger because one of her favorite toys in the whole world is her fisher price Mary person, from her own Manger set. Throughout her entire ordeal in the hospital and even at home recovering, she held on to her little Mary as a source of comfort. It's her little pal and friend that Hannah shares everything with, and I mean everything! Hannah takes Mary everywhere she goes, even to the doctors appointments.




It was so adorable watching Hannah looking at the Manger during the Christmas Carols and parade. We had to take some pictures of it. No one else seemed to be as interested in the Manger as Hannah. She stared to the left of where baby Jesus should have been. 




When I got home and looked at the picture more closely, I began to see the image of Christ's face to the left behind one of the shepherds. Even though the traditional baby Jesus was removed, our Jesus was still there! Hannah was "Beholding the Lamb," as He was beholding her and all of us. Jesus was MANIFESTING Himself in an unusual way. This MANIFESTATION was a DEMONSTRATION of the love of Jesus in a simple but profound way that could be so easily missed! 




Many times we can be so busy that we don't slow down enough to notice when God may be trying to speak to us or show us something.




I am so glad that I was able to notice a blessed demonstration of Jesus love through manifesting Himself in the picture with Hannah. It so blessed me that I made it our Christmas card for 2015. (It's the picture at the top of this blog)




Jesus took the time to love and show Himself to our little Hannah, who was in such a time of need. I love how He loves us all so uniquely. Jesus is amazing!




There was another parable that I found to be interesting in the midst of all the trials in the fall. The doctors had to schedule Hannah's milk use within certain time frames. Her milk use had to decrease to a certain amount of ounces per day, and only given an hour after eating solid foods. This allows for vitamin, iron and nutrient absorption.




I have been studying about spiritual maturity the last couple of months. I have been going over the scriptures referring to those that partake only of milk to being babes, and those that eat meat, likened to those becoming mature.




Heb. 5: 13 - 14 - For everyone who partakes ONLY of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. Vs. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, (mature) that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.




It takes the wisdom of God to hear the parables of
life. We must have ears to hear what the Lord is speaking to us individually and corporately.




I never knew that drinking too much milk and not eating enough solids at the right time can actually cause anemia. Milk can block the absorption of iron and nutrients causing anemia. If left untreated, severe anemia can cause premature death!




In the midst of this trial I learned to keep looking to Jesus no matter what the circumstances looked like (Behold the Lamb). I also learned that in order to go on to maturity we need to receive the meat of the Word (truth) and not just milk alone.




Hannah, like all of us, can crave milk as a pain reliever. Milk is creamy, smooth and comforting. It's fine in its place and dosage. Milk is to our bodies, as wanting to hear nice comforting words is to our soul. If all we feed on however, is the milk of what our ears want to hear in being comforted, and we refuse the meat of truth, then we too will become anemic, spiritually speaking.




God in His goodness wants us all to grow up and come into full measure of maturity in Christ. He doesn't want any of us suffering from spiritual anemia or worse, pre-mature death. 




Our development can only take place when we stay rooted in the Word of God, grounded by love in our families, and planted in the Church that God has called us to.




Eph. 4: 11- 16 - And He (Christ) Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying (building up) of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect (mature) man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. 14. That we should no longer be CHILDREN, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of DOCTRINE, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the TRUTH in LOVE, may GROW UP in all things into Him who is the head - Christ. 16 from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its SHARE, causes the GROWTH of the body for the edifying of itself in LOVE.