How can the story of Christmas relate to me in 2020?

The real story of Christmas is not your typical Hallmark card- all quiet, peaceful and perfect.

Jesus was born from a family line of prostitutes, liars, manipulators.

His engaged mother had him from another father- which left his family to probably abandon him and write them off.

Jesus was born in a feeding trough for animals in a stable because there was no room for them anywhere.

A king threatened his life as a small baby - causing the family to flee for their lives and live in a foreign land while one of the greatest genocides in history happened.

When they returned- they had to live in another town in poverty so no one could recognize them.

Jesus faced hardship during his entire life- even unto death. Constantly misunderstood, pushed to the side and looked down on. But still he rose to conquer it all!

That’s why the story of Christmas- even in 2020 can relate to us today. We’ve faced hardship, we’ve had to face poverty. We’ve faced being misunderstood.

But through it all- we’ve had the greatest story of hope to hold onto. Centuries might shift but the story of hope born into the world in the form of a baby will forever give us the strength we need to push past fear and dispair.

Make money outside the classroom: tips for teachers

It’s not unusual for teachers to moonlight to supplement their income and their days. If you’re thinking of taking on a side gig to make a bit of extra scratch from home, and there’s no reason to quit if you choose an online job with the type of flexibility you need to fit in with your full-time passion. Plus, it can be a fulfilling way to spread your wings into new interests and ideas.

So what kind of jobs are we talking about? Cindy Dennis Ministries offers the following suggestions:

Tutor

You’re already good at this, and there’s never been as good a time as now to capitalize on this opportunity as the market is constantly growing with more and more students coming online to better their grades and brighten their futures. All you need to get started is a connection to the Internet, where you’ll find a variety of education companies and job boards just a Google search away.

Writing Coach

Even if you’re not an English teacher, this may still be up your alley as you know your way around a term paper from the college days. You’ll be setting your own rates as well as your own hours, so it can be lucrative if you gain a good reputation among your clientele. Speaking of that, target your audience if you want to make an effective sales pitch. They could be college students looking to write better papers or foreign researchers working on their theses. Get to know what they need and how you can help them.

Editor

You would be overseeing content on websites, and there are plenty of those devoted to education or whatever you teach during the school year. Chances are some of them need editors with a working knowledge of your subject’s terminology to make sure the text is clear and concise. This job doesn’t require any additional credentials other than your bachelor’s degree, according to career experts at The Balance, but you’ll need to have published something online before.

Blogger

And this could be your route to becoming an online editor, or something you stick with for its own merits. So what are those? As First Site Guide says, it allows you to gain expertise on a topic while connecting with new people and writing about something you like. But you’re going to have to put in some work before the money starts rolling in. That includes refining your writing skills and marketing yourself online via search engine optimization.

Consultant

Use your experience to add value to educational institutions across the country. It could be integrating technology into learning programs, sharing best practices in your subject area or reaching out to special-needs students. Much like being a blogger or editor, you’ll have to establish yourself as an expert in whatever you choose to do, and that requires some skills in marketing as well as research into your specialty of choice. Don’t forget writing. It takes practice to convey your ideas effectively.

Test Scorer

There are plenty of opportunities available scoring essays by students from elementary to high school as well as SATs and entry tests for a wide variety of organizations. With the experience that you gain, you can always go back to coaching students for the same test that you once graded for. A bit sneaky, but all’s fair in love and teaching.

Creating Your Business

As you prepare to launch your new business, it's time to select a business type and get it registered with your state. While every business owner has different priorities, an LLC is a common option. Reasons an LLC is often chosen as the legal business entity type include: protection for you; flexibility in running your business how you want to; and relative ease in setting it up. Depending on your state, the process typically involves just five steps. With those behind you, you can move forward with confidence!

Before you begin, remember that although you work from the comfort of your own home, this is a job so a little discipline will go a long way. Keep a proper routine in a home workspace free of distractions. And don’t be afraid to part with a little cash for a quality computer and accessories that won’t crash a minute before deadline. If you finish your work quickly, you can catch a few rays at the beach or relax with your friends and family.

Look to Cindy Dennis Ministries for more information and ideas to inspire your daily walk.

Who is Christ to you this Christmas?

Who is Christ to you this Christmas?

I remember growing up in church as a little girl. The Christmas season was filled with service after service of hymns, programs, living nativities and church plays.

I remember having to open the hymnal and sing Christmas carols with my family- songs like “Messiah”

This song takes most of its words from Isaiah 9

“For to us a Child shall be born, to us a Son shall be given; And the government shall be upon His shoulder, And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:6‬ ‭

We can all hear the chorus in our hearts as we are reading the words above. People have been singing this song for hundreds of years around the world by the millions.

The words tend to wash over us- but I was reading the words now in my context of 2020- they seem to have leapt off the page and gave new meaning to this hopeless and broken world.

🎁Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given-

God’s kingdom is never about force, harsh punishment, or manipulation. It’s about gentleness- wrapping himself in the form of a meek child- given as a gift to us. Our actions and attitude should mirror that of generosity, and going over and above to all that we meet with love and kindness.

🎁The government will be upon HIS shoulders-

I don’t need to tell you about all the political anxiety in upheaval that has happened this year. We must remember that our hope and our faith doesn’t come from a government or political leader- but from the God of the universe.

🎁Wonderful Counselor

How many of us this year needed a counselor to go alongside us and let us know the right thing to do during the midst of a chaotic time? There is so many decisions and had to be made this year:

Where will our children be educated?

What was our job going to look like?

Are we going to be able to stay in our current living situation?

Are we going to have enough food?

There is a Wonderful Counselor that’s filled with all wisdom and knowledge that we can turn to it anytime- all we need to do is take the time and ask!

🎁Mighty God, Everlasting Father

Talking about your father might be a very sensitive topic. Statistics say that most people in this world don’t know their father or have been separated from their father.

We are constantly looking for approval from the world- but what we really need to look for is the approval of our Heavenly Father. He is everlasting- never forsaking us- always a constant companion. We can run to his arms at any time.

🎁Prince of Peace

Raise your hand if you needed peace this year. Raise your hand if there was any moment that you felt anxious or filled with dread. How many of us lost sleep over hypothetical situations?

How many of us we’re too paralyzed by fear to even get out of bed? If we put our peace in our hope in our finances and our career- we learned in 2020 that all of those things can be taken away within an instant. If we put our piece in a political figure or the government- they can disappoint us as well.

But if we put our true peace in the Prince of Peace- we don’t have to worry about anything in this life. We can sleep with peace knowing that our Heavenly Father watches over us and will provide for us our daily bread.

We don’t need to run to a bottle, likes, fame, power or pills- those things will just leave us empty. We need to entrust our life to the Prince of Peace.

🎄So this Christmas-

let God fulfill every single desire in your heart. Let Christ be the beginning, middle and end of your story. I promise that if you do- 2021 will be a year of seeing his grace and his provision in amazing ways.