Posts by Brent Clark

An Advent Prayer by Maria Kane We have hung stockings, mailed cards, and decorated the tree,but our hearts remain restless for your coming. We hear the voice of your prophet, O, Lord: Cry out! Prepare the way!How, God, do we prepare for the birth of a king, the Prince of Peace?Do we bow at his feet? Do we hide our faces in the presence of such glory? In a world searching for easy answers and quick fixes, remind us of…

“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.” Isaiah 9:2 (New International Version) Begin praying for who you will ask to join you at one of the two Ashworth Christmas Eve services at 4:30 PM and 6 PM.

If we aren’t careful, Christmas becomes a frantic mess leaving you feeling cheated and unable to enjoy the holiday. Here are some ideas to help you create space to actually enjoy Christmas this year. Make a fun Christmas appointment. Do at least one fun Christmasy thing. Go skating outdoors at the Brenton Skating Plaza. Drive through Jolly Holiday Lights. Tour the Salisbury House. And of course, spend an evening watching the Ashworth Church Celebration of Lights from 5-9 PM. Enjoy…

Listen to the song “Peace Has Come” by Hillsong Worship. Reflect on the lyrics and reflect on an area of your life where you need the peace of Christ to come.

Take a look at this picture and reflect on the following:  The Annunciation was painted by the Italian Renaissance painter Fra Filippo Lippi in the mid-fifteenth century. It pictures two kneeling figures opposite one another. Mary, on the right, is holding a book, symbolizing the Word of God becoming flesh. Gabriel is holding a lily symbolizing purity. Take in the painting. Notice the structure, placement of people and objects, the use of light and shadow.  What catches your attention? What thoughts…

“The incarnation means that for whatever reason God chose to let us fall . . . to suffer, to be subject to sorrows and death—he has nonetheless had the honesty and the courage to take his own medicine. . . . He can exact nothing from man that he has not exacted from himself. He himself has gone through the whole of human experience—from the trivial irritations of family life and the cramping restrictions of hard work and lack of money to the worst horrors of…

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,    and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.2 See, darkness covers the earth    and thick darkness is over the peoples,but the Lord rises upon you    and his glory appears over you.3 Nations will come to your light,    and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” Isaiah 60:1-3 Pray for those who will come to see the lights at Celebration of Lights Sunday evening at 5 PM that they will encounter the Light of the World. 

How’s your soul this week? Do you feel a bit frantic? Hurried? Many things in our lives, like technology, entertainment, or activities can be great tools to be used and enjoyed. But they can quickly become tyrannical masters of our lives if we aren’t careful. What is exerting control over your life right now creating anxiety or hurriedness? If possible, find 5 minutes today to sit in silence, reflect on the birth of Christ, and BREATHE. As you sit in…

Listen to the song “Light of the World” by Lauren Daigle. Reflect on the lyrics especially the name Emmanuel which means God with Us. 

Take a look at this picture and reflect on the following: The Nativity was painted by the seventeenth-century French painter Georges de La Tour. It pictures the Christ child, Mary and Mary’s mother. Take in the painting. Notice the structure, placement of people and objects, the use of light and shadow. What catches your attention? What thoughts and emotions does this image invoke within you? How does this image relate to the passage we read yesterday in Isaiah 9:2? Copied…

Advent is a season of waiting, expecting, and hoping. It is from the Latin word “coming.” The season of waiting gives us the opportunity to prepare our hearts for Christ. Today, read Isaiah 9:2. How has the light of Jesus impacted your life personally and your circle of influence? What areas of your life do you need the light to shine in now? Isaiah 9:2       2 The people walking in darkness          have seen a great…