Is there anything “newer” than a brand new baby the day they are born? Everyone flocks to see them before that freshness wears off. When we see a newborn we see the promise of hope and newness of life.

So it’s seems perfect that when God the Father sent his son, the long awaited Savior, he sent him as a baby.

It was the humblest entrance a king -the King of Kings could make. There were no trumpets blown; no red carpet rolled out. In fact, there was not even a bed for his mother to lie in as she delivered him. Nor was there a crib or beautiful bassinet to place him in.

But there was majesty unimaginable.

Every prophecy about the Savior was finally coming true. And the faithful ones who had been waiting flocked to behold his newness with their own eyes.

A new covenant – the unbreakable promise God had made centuries before was coming forth. The fresh baby lying in the hay was proof – God keeps his promises. He is making all things NEW.

This Christmas we can look back at this fresh baby, our Savior, and be reminded that he’s still in the business of making all things new. The promise was fulfilled when that same baby – Jesus- rose from the grave. When that same baby, now seated in glory, comes back to bring his children to their forever home, he promises to once and for all make all things new.

“And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:5

Are you believing he is in the process of making all things new in your life? If you believe the baby in the manager is your Savior, then his life giving Spirit is living in you, breathing new life into hopeless, hard places. The brand New Year coming is the perfect time to evaluate your walking faith.

Are you walking out the faith you believe about the Savior we are celebrating? Even in the parts of your life that you have chalked up to “living in a fallen world?” Those are the places it’s time to believe he’s in the process of making new again.

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19

As people are gathering to celebrate, you have the opportunity to exercise your walking faith by embracing others in forgiveness and believing in restoration of relationships.

You have the chance to believe he can do anything. He can heal sickness, he can provide financially, he can make an orphan a beloved daughter and he can make absolutely anything NEW.

So what is it you need to see “made NEW” by him?

God, please make _________________________________ NEW.

Fill in the blank and believe he’s working; BECAUSE HE IS. I promise, I’m not challenging you to do anything the Lord hasn’t challenged me to do. A few weeks ago, I stood in front of a room full or people and spoke about a relationship in my life that had been severed because of sin. I told them because I cared about their relationships, and I was urging them to follow God’s plan to keep loving each other well. However, the moment the words left my mouth, I felt the Spirit’s conviction.

“Do you not believe I can restore even that relationship? What little faith you have!”

Sure enough, that person called me this week and we have found restoration because of grace. This is the time friends; he is making all things new. Don’t dismiss what God’s grace can do.

As long as you are still breathing, you have another chance.

In a few short days, after we are filled with the hope of our newborn Savior, we will turn the page of grace into a NEW YEAR. Will you join us here at Refocused Bible Study as we start the year with our eyes fixed on Jesus for the road ahead?

There’s an edition for women in every season (Married with Children, Married with no kids/empty nester, Single Women, Single Moms).

Purchase your copy Here: Refocused Bible Study

The Study starts here December 31st!

Here’s what people are saying: “Every year, I look for ways to continue to grow in my relationship with God. My goals always include finding ways to dig deeper into the Word of God, spend more time with Jesus and refocus my attention on Him.

Amy Terry’s Refocused Study is an amazing way to do just that. The study is written to help women to slow down and fix their eyes on Christ, seeking Him for His plan and purpose for their lives. As I dug into the study, I was refreshed by reading scripture about what God thinks about me. I was reminded that I was created perfectly by Him, formed according to His plan and purpose, and beautifully made.

The coloring pages gave me time to reflect on the verses and to think about what God was saying to me.

The study progressed beautifully, guiding me through the process of seeing myself the way God sees me, as made perfectly in His image but also being stained with sin in my life. I was encouraged to confess sin to Him and keep my relationship with Him at the forefront of my mind.

The study also guided me to think and pray over my marriage, parenting and home, which helped me to plan for each of these areas and bring them before the Lord. I was encouraged to set goals for my life according to God’s plan for me, which was timely as we are going into the new year!

This study is a perfect way for any woman to start her new year with her eyes focused on Christ and His purpose for her life.”

Veronica Anne,

Christian Blogger at Veronicaanne.co

Order your copy today and let’s Refocus on Christ as the calendar turns!

Praying for us all,

Amy

“And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:46-55‬ ‭ESV‬‬

My theme for this month is “deeper in December” as I walk in the word God spoke over me for 2017; DEEPER. Part of this process of going deeper has been diving deeper into His word. However, not just for head knowledge or even for application, but for the sole purpose of  knowing who Jesus really is through his word; to really study his heart.

To know WHO he is at the core.

How deeply he really feels and loves us,  how his love moved him all the way from heaven to earth, and keeps him here among us.

It’s a different dimension and focus to studying his word. For a few years I’ve been structuring my quiet time by using something similar to the SOAP method:

Scripture, Observations, Applications, and Prayer.

But to know Him more deeply, I’ve been lingering at the observation level, with the sole observation being how Jesus loves us. It’s been a beautiful thing to walk through the gospels and see his love on new levels.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been writing down how to live it out and asking him to help me love like he loves. So there’s been application. But it’s a lot more Spirit led and organic, and not so rigid and structured. Studying his word this way has moved me into more relationship and less religion.

Right now I’m in the book of John, the last gospel, and yesterday I saw the story of when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead with new eyes; not the actual resurrection from the dead, but the heart of our Savior in the moments leading up to the miracle.

Jesus Weeps

²⁸ When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”²⁹ And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.³¹ When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.³² Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved^[e] in his spirit and greatly troubled.³⁴ And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.”³⁵ Jesus wept.³⁶ So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”³⁷ But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

Mary, Martha, their family and friends were beside themselves with grief. Their beloved brother had died. They had sent for Jesus, but Jesus didn’t show up until days after Lazarus had taken his last breath. What struck me most was when Jesus called for his beloved Mary, who had “anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair.” When he called for her, she rushed to him and he embraced her in the middle of her grieving, and he grieved with her.

Sweet sister, take this prayer weaved through scripture as your own and know Jesus more like Mary did, hearing him, running to him, pouring out all your cares at his feet and finding comfort there. xoxo

“The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.

The Teacher is here… 

Lord, we thank you for being here. Emmanuel, God with us. You are here with me, always. Always available. Always speaking, always knowing my heart. Always guiding me.

…calling for you..

You are always calling my name- whispering to me which step to take, how to obey you, follow you, trust you. You just want to spend time with me, hold your daughter, delight in me. Be with me- in my joys, in my grief, in my big and small moments. Thank you Jesus for always beckoning me near.

…and when she heard it…

Lord, help me hear your invitation to be comforted by you; to be held by you. In this Christmas season full of deep joy, but also stress and sorrow, help me hear your voice calling. Make all other voices quiet.

She rose quickly and went to Him.

Lord, no matter what condition my heart is in- whether overcome with grief- upset over a prayer not fulfilled the way I had hoped, or if my heart is grumpy and desiring my own way – please, help me rise quickly and go to you. You are my healing. You are my hope. 

…Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him,

she fell at his feet, saying to Him…

Lord, help me pour out my heart to you, like Mary did- acknowledging both your power and soverignty (that you can do anything) but also divulging my disappointments- my emotions do not have to be cleaned up before I fall before you. In fact, my tears are collected at your feet and I find comfort crying them out covered by you.

He was deeply moved…Jesus wept.

You hurt when I hurt. You meet us in our pain and sorrows. You cry with us. Thank you for being a compassionate Savior who cares. You care when we loose loved ones, and you care when everyday stresses and concerns plague our souls. You did not leave us alone. You came. You’re here.

This Christmas season, run to him. Go deeper in December. Study his heart. Pour out yours at His feet. Marvel how love came down and stays here with us.

Amy

Can you believe it’s already December? This year has flown by for me. Maybe it has for you too. Maybe you joined us for the study at the beginning of the year where we wrote down dreams and prayers and plans for the year, and you cannot believe you only have 31 days left to conquer the world! Lol

I am an optimist and a dreamer so I tend to believe God to do the impossible, especially where time is concerned. This is a beautiful gift but also a weakness that keeps me close to Jesus asking him to help me with time management regularly, and using a lot of timers!

As I was looking at my Refocused Bible Study with it’s page of plans for the year ahead, I saw my “Word of the Year” written on the center of the back of the page.

DEEPER.

I wanted deeper intimacy with Jesus, with my husband, with my children, family, and those the Lord would have me minster to.

My verse for that this word and desire were based on was Colossians 2:7

“Let your roots grow down (DEEPER) into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

Colossians 2:7

*My word added (DEEPER) for the emphasis of my vision

With 31 days left, I can say that yes, I have grown deeper in Him in many ways this year. But the year is not over, and I want MORE. I want to know Him more deeply on December 31st than I do today on December 1st. Amen, sister?

So this month I’m sharing my journey into deeper with Jesus.

At our house we are starting 31 days of prayer today, seeking the Father’s face. The first part of that is

Diminishing Distractions.

Oh, Iphone, how you distract me from my Father’s face. You want me to click on Instagram when I’m on my bible app. I scroll mindlessly on Facebook while Jesus is wanting a face to face interaction with me.

But the phone is just a surface level distraction. My heart is distracted from what he would have me focused on.  A deeper level to diminishing distractions to focus on “US” with Jesus is for me to have a greater awareness about the condition of my heart so I can bring that before the Lord and let him help me deal with any anxiety that is there so I can have his peace in all areas.

There is power in verbalizing to the Lord what we are feeling in the moment and letting him shed light on why. Then he can show us what He really desires for us and he will help us move into more freedom and more freedom usually means a deeper relationship with him where we are focused on the things of heaven in light of the things of now.

Documenting His Voice

Another way I’ve grown deeper in my relationship with Jesus this year is by documenting his voice. He is always speaking to His children.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

John 10:27

How does this work? In the morning, I journal out my heart to the Lord. I ask him questions. I tell him things I’m uncertain, uneasy, or need direction or help with. The next morning, I start my quiet time by reading back through the prayer from the day before and I write in the margins any way I saw him move or answers or possible answers which may need more clarity.

The point is, I write the directions He is leading me. I pray and then I write down his answers. Sisters, he answers! If we ask we should be writing down what He says in response because He is always responding to His children. Many times it is not the next day or week or month, but we keep asking and keep watching and documenting so that we can keep walking into deeper and deeper, more meaningful relationship with the one whose depth is immeasurable. His love for us goes to depths that we cannot not reach, but we can let our roots keep growing that way, making us stronger and more fruitful.

I pray that you grown deeper in Him this December!

Amy

It’s Day 34 of the 40 Day Marriage Challenge at Refocused. 

Today’s challenge is short and sweet: 

Day 34 

Today’s Challenge: 

Spend 5 minutes praying for  Jesus to help your husband love you with more of his supernatural love through His Spirit.

His love transforms! Praying for you. I’d love to hear from you. On how I can pray for you or your marriage. God is good. ❤