The Good News of Christmas in Two Boys' Names

 

John Samuel & Noah Emanuel

In reading Matthew & Luke's accounts of the Christmas narrative this year, we see angelic directives to two sets of parents in the naming of their sons. Zach & Elizabeth and Joseph & Mary were directed by heaven to name their respective sons, John & Jesus. Gabriel's imperatives were according to heaven's perspective on these boys' lives long before they drew a breath outside of the womb...

From this observation alone, we could surmise that 'names have power' from heaven's point of view. Neither set of parents could fully comprehend how their sons names respectively would point to the summit of the continental divide between God's old and new covenants with mankind.

As I considered these profoundly prophetic names, I recalled the naming process of my two sons, Sammy & Noah, and I was stunned to see the pieces of the Christmas narrative be unveiled so crisply in high-definition this year. 

As Patricia & I discovered that we were pregnant during the Valentine's Day 2006 season, our families were filled with great joy at this news! Two days later, Patricia & I called my mom to wish her a "happy birthday" and announce our good news by singing 'Happy Birthday Abuela' to her. Not speaking Spanish, my parents asked what that meant... After translation, my parents screamed with excitement and joy on the other end of the phone! What an unforgettably special moment!

Sadly, my dad had a heart-attack two weeks later and passed from this world into the presence of the Lord... cutting short his enthusiastic hope of being Grandpa. Ironically, the sonogram images & news of a grandson were like a healing balm to my mom's grief.

Long before his October arrival, we prayerfully sought the Lord in naming our first-born. Most of our friends & family know him as "Sammy", but we were drawn to the narrative of Zacharias & Elizabeth's little boy... 'You shall call him John'. We named our son John Samuel Brown.

In my recent consideration of Zacharias & Elizabeth's holy moment, I finally began to ask curiously, 'Why did Gabriel give the imperative naming of their son: John?' A simple search uncovered this reality. Google explains: The name John is a theophoric name originating from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן‎ (Yôḥānān), or in its longer form יְהוֹחָנָן‎ (Yəhôḥānān), meaning "YHWH has been gracious".

 Zach & Elizabeth's story... as well as the Brown family... could feel the weighty reasons for God's declaration of His benevolent lovingkindness over their lives... over ours as well! The All Powerful, Self-Existent Creator God Yahweh was declaring His Amazing Grace to a couple of couples... then & now! But more than this!! 

The Brown family, along with the prophetic Zach & Elizabeth, were unknowingly declaring God's Amazing Grace with the Advent (ie. coming) of the forerunner to the Messiah-Servant declared 700 years beforehand to God's People through Isaiah in chapter 40! Handel's Messiah echo's this with his opening words... "Comfort, O comfort My People"... Handel goes on to echo the prophet's words to let her know that someone has come to 'lift every valley' and 'make the crooked places straight'. John later embraces this role as a "voice in the wilderness" to help as a priestly healer of relationship between God & men before the coming Messiah. Though he has been long touted as a harsh prophet, John, in the fullest sense of his name, administered an echo of the prophets that "Yahweh has been and IS Gracious!"

Six months after Zach & Elizabeth were told they were going to have John, the Angel Gabriel was sent from the very presence of Yahweh to a little adolescent girl's home in Nazareth. The virgin Mary was requested to partner with Yahweh to give birth to a son as the prophet Isaiah (chapters 7 & 9) described. Gabriel gives Mary the imperative to name this son Jesus (Luke 1). Mary visits Elizabeth in the hillcountry, but returns to Nazareth 3 months later. Matthew's gospel (Matt 1) records that Joseph was mandated to take Mary as his wife after considering divorcing her quietly... In this same moment, Gabriel directs him to name the son, Jesus "because He will save His people from their sins."

Later Matthew connects this moment with Isaiah's prophecy that 'a virgin will give birth to a son and they will call his name 'Immanuel'... which means "God with us."  

In 2010, Patricia & I discovered that we were going to have another son! It's important to the Brown family to point out that we prayerfully asked the Lord to help us name this boy... We named him Noah Emmanuel.

Aside from all of the many angles of the Christmas narrative, I landed deeply the imperative of these names as well... Jesus & Immanuel. What does Jesus mean? Thank you, Google: The Hebrew name for Jesus is Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ, Yēšūaʿ). Joshua is an equivalent for Jesus which means "the Lord is salvation". 

How is God demonstrating His Amazing Grace... announced by John? God so loved the world that He's providing His only begotten Son, Jesus to demonstrate His deliverance from mankind's greatest foe... 'He will save His people from their sins'! 

What do we see in this year's Christmas consideration? First of all, Yahweh In His nature is gracious! In the middle of darkness, even great darkness, the people have seen a great light. John declares hope & God's grace to a people ravaged by oppression and hopelessness brought on by the complications of sinful, selfish humanity! God echos his hope & grace through John that the Kingdom of God is at hand!

The God of Heaven does not just 'talk' about being gracious and offering hope... He lays down His regalia and humbles Himself to DO SOMETHING about our human mess. Yahweh Incarnate, veiled in flesh His Godhead see...Hail the Incarnate Deity! He came to be WITH US so we could be delivered from our sins and be WITH HIM for eternity if we will receive Him as The Lord is Salvation... our Savior!

John, manifesting the gracious character & plan of God, points to Jesus, "Behold the Lamb of God"... who takes away the sin of the world!

Certainly, John's birth was a great blessing to Zach & Elizabeth... Just as John Samuel Brown was a great demonstration of God's grace to the Browns. But more than this, their names point to the God of All Grace whose First Advent we celebrate and His Second Advent we Await! O Come! O Come Emmanuel!... We long for your appearing even more than ever as the days get darker. With the testimony of Noah Emmanuel, God is the One who doesn't just let us figure life out from a distance like a deistic false-picture of God. 

Thank You Jesus, Our Savior & Immanuel! We can count on your nearness to be with us until the end of the age as you promised and we will continue to give testimony to your amazing grace & salvation until You return.

2024 XA Thanksgiving Treasures

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

Our North Texas XA leader, Dick Herman, asked XA directors recently on our monthly zoom call, 'What are you most thankful for in campus ministry?' Each director's 1-2 minute response would outline a fantastic chapter in a book!

As my turn came, I couldn't help consider the ebbs & flows with highs & lows of my 37th year in campus ministry. Even so, I  effortlessly recalled many precious 'Kingdom treasures' that the Lord has allowed me to have proximity with from here in Austin... students & ministry colleagues alike... Each person's story for Christ emerged with gemstone & precious metal quality! 

We are so grateful for your love & support that positions us to mine for 'treasures' as Chi Alpha missionaries! Your timely messages, generosity & thoughtful gestures fueled our hearts to serve the Lord in 2024 at this strategic missionary assignment. Thank You! 

Enjoy a hot chocolate as this update reflects on a sample of 2024 stories of Longhorn XA friends (old & new Kingdom treasures) who fill our hearts with thanksgiving.

Brent & Anqi

Congratulations to both of these dear brothers who finished doctoral programs at UT in 2024! Brent arrived to Austin five years ago after being heavily involved in XA in MT; Anqi arrived six years ago as an atheist from China. Both became impactful leaders for Christ in our community and will be missed as they transition! (Read More)

We met both men soon after their arrival. Brent quickly began serving selflessly without a title & emerged as a leader in our community. Anqi enjoyed our XA Discover America group & then joined a small group in his first month.

One month later, Anqi began his life-long journey to follow Jesus and was ravenously hungry for the things of heaven... In the following 18 months, he had been baptized in water & the Holy Spirit, read the Bible entirely twice and positioned himself to be small group leader.

Though these men came from two different worlds, I had the joy of watching their love for one another & the XA community grow in my small group. Both men were fruitful small group leaders & elected by peers to represent the community to UT as XA presidents.

Through the past few difficult years in XA, Brent generously shared his home... even with 3 XA guys as housemates! He was a faithful leader who served this community tirelessly... If Brent saw a need, he did something about it! Brent has recently taken an engineering job near Denver, but our hearts are grateful for the deep impact he made for Christ!

Anqi defended his dissertation this month and was offered a job the same day (which he accepted). Anqi moves to CA in January and will be a Post-Doc researcher in an excellent lab at UC Santa Barbara. He feels called to make a difference for Christ in academia among students and with his field of expertise in medical applications.

Congratulations to both Brent & Anqi in their respective new seasons! I am personally grateful for both men. These men are true treasures & are deeply loved by Longhorn XA!

Cici

Cici: A young man involved with XA on another Texas campus had a burden to connect his younger sister studying at UT with us. Cytclaly (Cici) was connected & got serious with her walk with Jesus; she's currently one of our amazing female small group leaders!

On a week long missions trip serving a Denton church, Cici cheerfully did what leaders needed us all to do... She shampoo-ed carpet, removed insulation from a ceiling, and smiled while digging a 100 foot long trench in 100ºF TX summer day. In Longhorn XA, Cici serves her small group girls & her XA community with gladness! Patricia & I are deeply grateful for Cici... She's a precious gem!

Matthew

A little more than 3 years ago, in the middle of significant Longhorn XA transitions, Matthew connected to Longhorn XA. Despite much ministry upheaval in his freshman year, Matthew commited to be a leader in this community and has not looked back... He now senses a call to full-time ministry! I am so grateful for this heavenly "diamond"! Read More...

All who know Matthew... love Matthew! Everyone will eventually see pictures of his beloved nephew in San Antonio; all will hear about the latest San Antonio Spurs news; and, inevitably you will likely be exposed to his favorite movie of all times... wait for it... 'Speed Racer' (insert anti-climatic sound effect). 😂 

How is it possible for Matthew to barely be 20 years old with such high EQ, solid character, deep love for Jesus and sincere care for people?! His heart beats for pleasing Jesus and making a difference with his life and the resources he's been given.

Matthew is extremely smart and exceptionally humble... No wonder he grew so much in his freshman year!! Anqi (mentioned above) was his small group leader! Now, like Brent & Anqi, Matthew is serving as an amazing small group leader and our current Chi Alpha president! 

Matthew will graduate THIS year and from everything that we know at the moment, he intends to position his life toward full-time ministry and plans to attend a Chi Alpha internship program next year... He & I have begun investigating potential CMIT programs that would be a fit for him. Matthew believes that the Lord is calling him to become a Chi Alpha missionary and return to Longhorn Chi Alpha as full-time staff in 2026 after the internship year!

I sure wish there was a way to replicate this young man's hunger for heavenly things, faithfulness, kindness, fun-loving spirit, generosity, Spirit-anointed leadership and desire to find the lost ones for Jesus... Oh wait! There is... Jesus calls us to make disciples who make disciples and Matthew is committed to this for Christ! 

Jada

Jada (Pothina) arrived as a 17 year old freshman at UT. As a National Merit Scholar, she could have attended any college in America. Jada felt equally called by God to UT & to become a missionary. Longhorn XA was blessed to have her as a freshman, student leader & volunteer staff. I am grateful for her Jada's friendship and treasure having had her elite gifts on my staff team as a full-time XA missionary for over a decade. I celebrate that Jada was recently appointed the National Chi Alpha's Cross-Cultural Missions Director.

 

Haley

I want to extend a special thanks to Haley, Denton XA Director, who came with 3 of her amazing leaders as a guest speaker for Thursday night & for a special 3-day Longhorn XA outreach for our ladies in the first week of school (when she could have been reaching her campus)! What a sacrificial treasure! I am most grateful for you & your encouragement to our women!

Dick

Dick & Lisa Herman are longtime friends & the Texas State XA Directors. In his 'spare time', Dick additionally, graciously serves us as our North Texas District XA leader! I am blessed by every chance to spend time around you & most grateful for the treasure of your friendship & leadership in this season!

YOU

As 2024 ministry partners, you helped us impact UT with our weekly efforts to... Make disciple-makers in small groups, gather for worship & inspirational teaching, and "table" to meet new friends.

You helped us with these Fall 2024 special events: Round-up retreat before classes began; XA Girls' weekend; XA Altitude fall retreat; 30th Annual XA TopGolf Fundraiser; Cliffe & Stuart Knechtle week-long outreach; Convoy of Hope's FeedONE banquet & more!

Without you, Longhorn XA could not accomplish its mission at UT to 'Know God. Love People. Change the World.' We treasure YOU... your friendship & partnership!

Patricia & I give thanks to the Lord for the joy of sharing life together in our family! We love having Grammy & Tia (Kelly's mom & sis) only a 10 minutes drive from our home! Please, pray for Patricia's mom as her health & quality of life in Argentina continues to decline.

Noah just turned 14 years old this week and he continues to love playing sports & video games with friends, riding his bike & snuggling with his dog 'Scout'. Noah can't get enough social time with friends!

Sammy is now an 18 year old highschool senior; he voted in his first presidential election; he is college bound in 2025 and proudly taller than Papa. Sammy is tender-hearted, a deep-thinker and continues to enjoy playing tennis and watching Man-City soccer.

Both boys love Jesus & are active in the youth group wanting others to know Him too.

We echo this famous hymn's declaration in this Thanksgiving week, 'All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided... Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!'

Kelly & Patricia Brown
Chi Alpha Missionaries

Weighty XA News & Lessons from A Tree

  We want to inform friends & supporters of the heavy news regarding the sexual allegations and the subsequent arrest of Daniel Savala in Houston. While Mr. Savala was not involved with our Chi Alpha group nor was he an Assemblies of God minister, we mourn with everyone affected by his actions. I again want to clarify that no Longhorn XA staff or students to my knowledge in my 35 years had a relationship connection with Mr. Savala or participated in any of the activities under scrutiny.

  Investigations are ongoing with law enforcement and our A/G leaders (state & national), and we may be unable to address all questions. If you have pertinent information surrounding these matters, please email reports@northtexas.ag and, if appropriate, notify law enforcement.

How does this news impact Kelly’s role?

  With this news, significant XA changes have recently followed since May. Dick Herman now serves as our interim North Texas District XA Director while continuing to be the Texas State U XA Director (San Marcos). I have personally known Dick & his wife Lisa for decades and I am grateful for their godly, steadfast leadership in this difficult hour that demands great humility and integrity.

  The former NTD District XA director who Dick Herman replaced was my overseer for the new XA Church & Marketplace initiative. Dick & other A/G leaders have asked that I continue to develop our Church & Marketplace initiative AND step back into the role as Longhorn XA Director for an interim season. I am filled with faith for both of these roles in this next school year, but plead for prayer support as we aim to make Jesus’ name ‘hallowed’ on campuses this year... “Hallowed be Thy Name!”

Why the Tree Picture?

  Like the centuries-old, majestic ‘Battle Oaks’ that fill the Texas hill-country, this 2,000 year old olive tree that Patricia & I touched on the Mt. of Olives has proverbially “seen it all!” This reality reminds me of Solomon’s life insight, “There is nothing new under the sun.” If only this bi-millennial eye-witness from Gethsemane could talk… or type a blog! I’d subscribe! It might share a happy memory of first-century Passover pilgrims’ children playing hide-n-seek. Or, might it tell of how its young roots quaked with the drops of bloody sweat from the Savior’s brow on the eve of His arrest? 

The Psalms 1 tree tells a story worth heeding in times like these:

  "1 Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, And on His Law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers."

2022-23 Texas XA Church & Marketplace Impact

Our 2022-2023 Texas XA Church & Marketplace Impact

God continues calling XA grads who give a year to internships (CMIT) as they consider vocational ministry. BUT... what about the vast majority of XA grads that He calls as nurses, architects, teachers, engineers, weathermen & more??

  The vision of our new 'XA Church & Marketplace Call' in Texas has become clear in its first year to Love The Church & Transform the Marketplace. Much of my first year's effort has been to to cast vision & create relational bridges for this initiative between healthy churches and the staff & students of our dozen North Texas XA Chapters.

  I offered hours of encouragement to XA staff & pastoral advice to XA grads in phone calls and text threads and in-person meetings in their cities. In two weeks of March, I traveled 1200 miles to 5 different XA communities (4 pics below).

 

  During my long road trip, I met with a young man who was about to graduate after deep connection to his XA group. He interviewed with a large aerospace firm in Texas. We chatted about his future, but the conversation shifted to his "XA & Jesus story". I became aware that he had proximity to Jesus & community but had not fully surrendered to Jesus as King. Our coffee moment transitioned to a makeshift "birthing room" as this young man repented and fully yielded his life to Jesus! What a joy to play an eternally pivotal moment of his life as he transitioned from his XA community!

  Though the process of building this dream is slow, Texas XA grads are catching the vision AND taking faith steps to be connected & mobilized by taking intentional steps to Love the Church & Transform the Marketplace like never before! Some of the most exciting conversations are taking place with sophomores and juniors who are excited to be part of this initiative when they graduate! Ironically, many XA alumni from the past have told me, "I am excited for this initiative & wish there was something like this available when I graduated. I felt that my call to the marketplace was not celebrated like those called into ministry."

  Our 2022 highlighted XA Church & Marketplace teams continue to bear fruit in "featured churches" in Dallas & Austin as young adult leaders, small group leaders, children's ministry leaders & more! While XA grads are catching vision to find jobs near our featured churches, many are asking for help to find a healthy church in other cities where they sense God calling them to live.

  Before graduation, Jen attended a featured church last summer as an intern for TxDOT who offered her a job in December... Now she's the youngest civil engineer on her team and an emerging leader in this church!

  Josue felt family pressure to find work near them after graduation, but turned down a good job because he felt God's call to transform a community... and was rewarded with a better job in THAT community!

  'Santiago' was deeply committed to his XA group for years through grad school, but passionately transitioned to the marketplace with his new bride, who felt drawn to a Texas city... God honored their faith as a major company created a job position in his field of expertise... So, Santiago & his wife now serve as key young adult leaders in their home church.

  "Tre" took steps of faith to commit to stay in Denton to serve a newly featured church & God showered him miraculously with provision & encouragement!

  Will just graduated in May and has felt drawn to join the featured church in Austin for months... He applied this week to Austin's police academy!

  Britton (pic above) just graduated with a meteorology degree and had job offers on the table this month from two TV stations... One in Medford, OR and the other in San Angelo, TX... Why did he choose the dusty west Texas over beautiful Oregon?? Like those names above and others unnamed, Britton is a young man who is eager to Love the Church & Transform the Marketplace with like-minded friends in his generation!Click this LINK to learn about the new XA campus ministry assignment that Kelly is pioneering: the XA Church & Marketplace Mandate. Also, watch our short video testimonial of this initiative.

Watch our 7 min video testimonial HERE!

2021 Christmas Letter: Meet Kelly's Small Group

Meet Kelly's Small Group!

Monday evenings were a blast! These 18-19 year olds came weekly for food & friendship. Laughter turned the heads of those in the Texas Union and C.S. Lewis’s “Mere Christianity'' turned our hearts toward life-change from Jesus! Come meet my guys and hear how Cameron just yielded his life to Christ!

You'll be inspired by unchurched guys' connections & commitment to be together. The guys who grew up in church are serving selflessly & integrating others into the community. Two of these young men are taking our Spring Discipleship Training Class! {Read More!}

Again, UT allowed very few Fall 2020 in-person students. But, four Texas A&M staff guys drove to Austin to join me on UT for a day in October to build relationships with guys. Damion (right) was the first guy we met that day and was looking for a community! After enjoying a guys’ BBQ, he connected in Chris R’s small group last year. In May, I asked Damion to join my small group for the fall.

Jonathan (left) was an incoming freshman and considered going to A&M. His dad met an XA staff member who gave my phone number. We connected throughout the summer and before he’d stepped onto UT for his freshman year, he verbally planned to join my small group and play his keyboard for Chi Alpha & church! By September, a couple guys joined Damion, Jonathan & I in a building community… but Jesus had just begun!

In September, Chi Alpha hosted Cliffe & Stuart (son) Knechtle as open air guests who specialize in "Mars Hill-like" Q&A dialogue. Cliffe was an Inter Varsity campus evangelist many years ago. Both Cliffe & Stuart serve as pastors in Connecticut. Cliffe has traveled to minister on campuses like Stanford, Ohio State & the University of Texas. I’ve known Cliffe’s ministry for every year that I’ve been in Austin. For five days, they engaged UT students in honest, sometimes intense, conversations about world views, morality, science, Jesus… somehow, Fall 2021 felt like it was the most fruitful ever with lasting fruit like Andrew, Jonah & Cam!

A freshman named Andrew popped into a conversation early Monday Day #1 on campus… truth be told, he actually interrupted a conversation and asked Cliffe if he could take a selfie with him b/c he’d followed his videos on YouTube and TikTok (with 500,000 others). Andrew eventually connected with Pedro’s small group and will be taking our Discipleship Training Class this Spring!

Jonah (sitting on cajon) came to engage Cliffe with authentic questions multiple days. I invited Jonah into the community and he has been connected in small group ever since… he too will be taking the Discipleship Training Class this Spring.

Owen (far right) met Damion last year as a freshman and was involved with him in an org called Turning Point. All my guys enjoyed dinner together, but it wasn’t clear if Owen loved the talks around C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity. Owen came for a month and said he had a Physics midterm during our small group. He planned to eat dinner and take the online exam off to the side in the Texas Union before re-joining us! Huh? This is not the usual response I hear during midterms! Owen was also one of my 3 guys who helped us for more than 8 hours to move into our new home! He didn’t want to miss the last small group hosted at our place. He asked, “Kelly, have you connected to Wifi yet? I don’t want to miss our small group, but I’ve got another exam on Monday.” I think he likes small group!  🤠🤣

Cameron’s story continues to encourage my heart. We met Cam (2nd from right) in the opening hours of Cliffe & Stuart’s ministry on Monday. Cam publicly shared his journey with listeners that he had been an antagonistic atheist less than a year ago. But, after soul-searching he felt that there might be Someone out there. “I spent hundreds of hours watching debates and various YouTube videos on the evidence of a Creator and by the summer, I guess I’d become agnostic… I might have come to believe in some Creator.”  

Cam told Cliffe that he’d been impacted by recently reading C.S. Lewis’ “Mere Christianity”... I introduced myself and talked for 45 minutes & informed him that my small group of dudes were just getting started to go through that C.S. Lewis book for the Fall. Cameron spoke with Ona-Lydia for another 1.5 hours that Monday.  I needed to host Cliffe & Stuart’s team for dinner & planned to invite my small group along since we usually met on Mondays 6-8pm… though I seldom leave campus before 10:30pm! I told Cameron, “Let me bribe you with brisket & sausage!” He said yes and hasn’t missed a Monday!

Over the course of two months, Cam shared a story of brokenness and how he did not grow up “churched”. Each Monday evening, Cam engaged in asking questions, but with every week, laughter plowed a path for trust and authentic friendship!

Then, one evening about 3 weeks ago, he asked in all seriousness, “Kelly, can we talk after small group?” After the usual hour of joking, Jonathan, Owen & Damion had to leave. Cam proceeded to share that he had been thinking all weekend prior to his readiness to commit his life to Jesus and planned to talk with me. I pulled Jonah into the moment when Cam exchanged his old life for a new one in Christ! Without any prompting that evening, he voiced that he wants to be baptized soon! We plan to do so on Saturday January 22nd!

Damion has invited officers and members of the UT Turning Point USA into Chi Alpha. Most are now connected to a small group! Many of them are from church backgrounds, but not Marilyn. After months of connection, two supernatural dreams and the work of the Holy Spirit, Marilyn expressed readiness to fully commit her life to Jesus as the semester ended. She is registered to attend Chi Alpha’s South Central SALT Conference with about 2,000 other students from 6 states in our area.

I am grateful for how Jesus brought Damion into our lives last fall. Jonathan came this summer. Owen, Jonah & Cam all connected since September! Two of these guys are positioning themselves to grow in our disciple-making class this spring. I love my small group and cannot wait to see how many more guys’ lives will be forever impacted through lots of food, laughter, brotherhood, learning & late night talks every Monday night in Spring 2022!

Christmas Update 2021: Covid & Snow-vid

In February, Texans found themselves in Covid & Snow-vid! Mask vs No-Mask? Vacc’d or not? Who could have imagined that these subjects would be so polarizing IN His Body? 

UT’s 18 month strict Covid policy resembled West & East Coast views so classes were online or by hybrid & drastically removed campus life. Group gatherings over 10 were forbidden and mask mandates were policed several blocks off campus. Group gatherings were prevented on UT, but our small groups continued to gather: some in person, some via Zoom & others were hybrid. 

How many of us, like most students, are “zoomed-out”? Our worship gatherings met at a local church off campus for the fall of 2020 and Spring 2021, but we moved our gatherings back to campus in September! We continue to offer an online option like many churches. 

Our annual opportunities to meet new UT students within the Covid season was drastically impacted with very few students on campus. In a 4 hour session of “tabling” our XA leaders might see a few dozen students walk past a location that 'usually' sees hundreds pass by. 2021 was supposed to provide hope until covid spiked again. I even “got it” on Feb 1. 

By February 2021, no Texan wanted another mandated shut-down! Anyone care to stop a tall Texan in his boots & tell him to do somethin’ he ain’t wantin’ to do?? 

Then came a week-long, state-wide Snow-Vid, Snow-Maggedon or Texas-sized Snow-Pocalypse. Austin had already had a ‘very large 4” snowfall a month early! On the day I was cleared from the Vid, the boys & I were among the giddy, gleeful 100+ Austinites sledding on the local hill with an amazing 8” of snow! 

While snowflakes of joy fell from the sky, so did the temperatures state-wide. With one-week of statewide record cold and blackouts, Texans were forced to stay inside with a weather-induced quarantine. While it was chaotic, Covid couldn’t spread with Texans in a weather-forced lockdown and thankfully, Covid spiking never returned.

Enjoy the Ride!

Give Him Your Yes & Enjoy the Ride!

For several past Decembers, my devotional reading has emphasized scripture from the first Advent of Christ like Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2, Philippians 2, John 1 Psalms & Prophets… yielding fresh insight into Jesus’ first coming. Two years ago, Pastor Anthony Scoma & I compared insights into the Christmas narratives & he recommended a book by Timothy Keller called, “Hidden Christmas”.

As I read it last December, the author gave insights to Jesus' first advent from familiar characters and texts that brought me under the Holy Spirit’s transformative scalpel. Keller states that preplanned Light has arisen upon a deeply dark world… darkness brought on… not by THOSE PEOPLE… but by EACH OF US by our collective selfishness and self-rule.

One day as Isaiah foretells, “warriors boots and blood-stained army clothes will be obsolete and burned” as God’s Messiah King is installed to dethrone the Herod of human governments forever. The figurative Herod in all of us refuses to let a new King be born who threatens the selfish rulership of our lives and this world. Will we lay down our sword against God and claim Him as King?

Keller’s insight on a 15 year old poor Galilean gal named Mary, betrothed to a poor carpenter was deeply impactful. Let’s examine “Mary’s Yes” in the Christmas narrative and be challenged to “Give Him Your Yes!”

This tiny, three-lettered word Y-E-S can radically impact our lives by positioning us for experiences and encounters with the Lord that can shape eternity for our lives and those around us!

Roll back the clock with me in your own lives. Husbands, how did it feel, moments before you “popped the Question” to your now wife? Anticipation, plans and dreams of a life together… a marriage with your sweetheart. ALL this hinged on the hope & anticipation of her “Yes!” to you. I’m certainly grateful for Patricia’s “Yes!” nearly 19 years ago.

In the Christmas season and all year long, Mary’s Yes instructs and positions us to say YES to Jesus for a lifetime! As we prepare a room in our hearts to welcome the King’s activity & rulership in the adventures of 2022, are you ready to…“Give Him Your Yes?”

Let’s read from Luke’s Gospel Ch 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”

38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Timothy Keller maintains that healthy Biblical faith is a process with:

Measured Incredulity: Being incredulous & having disbelief in the process before giving the YES

Simple Acceptance: Simple Affirmation. The Y-E-S moment!

Wonder-full Worship: Faith expressed from the heart without fully knowing the future details in an overflow of worship… After the YES.

I’d add that faith to say YES depends on the reliability of the character (essence) & capability (ability to “come-through”) of the object of our Faith.

Mary’s Measured Incredulity? Before her YES it’s a process!

Think about it. Mary’s likely about 15 years old & promised in marriage to a hometown honey; her fiance is a hard-working godly man with a royal bloodline named Joseph, though his First Bank of Nazareth account has nothing royal about it.

One normal ho-hum day, Mary is doing her daily routine around town when she’s startled with a confusing authoritative greeting. “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

Is she seeing things? An archangel reveals himself as Gabriel! “What??!” Mary is a godly Jewish girl. This angel revealed himself only one other time in human history to send God’s message through the prophet Daniel 500 years prior. What’s going on now??

Blind Obedience? No!

Incredulity (P 81): No one can accuse Mary of having ‘blind faith’... The word for her pondering in the Greek literally means: “she was auditing the words and the encounter.” Mary was intensely rational about what she was seeing… Just like we would have done!

Inside her incredulity, Mary’s plans are interrupted, threatened & made new.

Her Dreams & Plans are Interrupted

Mary catches her breath. (Luke 1:30-33) And then, Gabriel drops a confusing bomb onto her day!... “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Her Dreams & Plans MIGHT be Put to Death

Mary responds like most of us would have… “What??!! How can this be? I’ve never had sexual relations with a man... Sure, Joseph & I are engaged, but our wedding day is still a long way off! What are you talking about?? If I say YES to this… what happens to my dreams & plans?? She knows a YES means death to her plans.

Then, NEW Dreams & Plans of Heaven are Presented

Unlike Mary’s cousin’s husband Zachariah in Lk 1, Gabriel discerns that Mary’s heart is open & gives more revelation to God’s new plan:(Luke 1:35-37) 35 ...“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”

Let’s examine Zacharias’ incredulity in contrast to Mary’s Incredulity. In Luke Ch 1, Gabriel had come to tell Zacharias & his wife Elizabeth (Mary’s relative) that they're going to have a son… even though they’re old & given up on having kids. Zach expresses doubt as well, but his doubt is met with strong, Divine disapproval & consequences you can read about later. But why?

What’s the difference between Mary & Zach’s responses? Gabriel presented humanly impossible events to both… but how did Zach’s doubt cross the line? What did Mary demonstrate that was so different from Zach?

It seems Zach challenged & questioned the character & capability of God & Gabriel, God’s right-hand messenger! Mary “audited” Gabriel’s words & didn’t fully understand her complex future. Yet, Mary positioned her heart to trust God’s character & capability.

Learn to Position Your Will Over Your Incredulity

Surrender your sword to fight against God’s character, trustworthiness & capability.

Zach wants to maintain control and challenges the character and capability of God & His messenger Gabriel. Lay down your sword Zach against God & His archangel.

Acknowledge your incredulity & choose to trust His character & capability despite doubts

Some say Christians ignore “doubt”... Some Christians feed this by claiming that the struggle to believe some difficult spiritual matter is bad… “Don’t doubt!” Keller says, “What you have in the Bible is neither view.” Some kinds of doubt is a sign of a closed mind (& heart), other doubt is a sign of an open mind (& heart). Some doubt seeks answers while other doubt is a defensive fortress to self-protect against answers that will challenge control of self. Mary has plenty of questions and doubts but clearly is open to truth and “willing to relinquish sovereignty over (her) life.

Position your will to say “Yes”

Mary’s consideration to say “YES” included a roller coaster of internal questions & doubts. Her heart & mind swirl with a thousand thoughts & emotions... imagine these plausible musings from her:

“What will happen with my wedding day with Joseph? Will he still want me… or worse yet, will Joseph have mercy or try me before the court for adultery?”

Even if Joseph has mercy, what will my family and friends in Nazareth say? Their whispering will haunt me forever.

Mary muses, “This is not the LIFE that I HAD dreamed of with Joseph!” Oh God, I don’t know if I can do this?

Mary lifts her head. Her heart grows confident with the glory of Yahweh flashing off Gabriel who waits for her response… Mary doesn’t know what her tomorrow holds, but if God somehow desires to use her life for His glory… then, she will trust Him & surrender her plans and questions into His hands!

Mary’s Simple Acceptance: “Yes. Let it be as You say!”

Let’s look at Mary’s Yes:

With many unanswered questions, Mary gives her willful, available YES… She launches forward into partnership with God’s eternal plan to bless all nations, all peoples, all humans from every era of time… as this baby is God’s promised Messiah who will be Christ the Lord… and of His government there will be no end… and He shall reign forEVER and EVER! Mary’s acceptance was simple… but FAR FROM easy!

With bravery Mary voices to partner with God in a miracle of life not really seen since He spoke life into dirt and Adam became a life-breathing soul. (Luke 1:38) 38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. Essentially, Mary says, “Yes, LORD... Be it unto Me according to your Word.” KJV

My Simple Acceptance is my choice to trust the character and capability of our God!

Mary’s Wonder-full Worship

Mary’s Wonder-full Worship... is visible after her “Yes”. Mary’s Yes put her on a Wonder-filled path of Adventure that erupts in worship!

Mary does not immediately consult with Joseph. Mary goes on a 90 mile road trip to the hill country of Judea to visit her priestly, prophetic family members, Zach & Elizabeth. As Mary walks through the door, Elizabeth is 6-7 months pregnant with John the Baptist and begins to prophesy over Mary: (Luke 1:42-45) 42 ... “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

Gabriel hinted that Mary’s intimate relatives Elizabeth & Zach would hold an important piece of encouragement… So Mary says “YES” to visit them as her next step. Elizabeth is more like an aunt or great aunt. Mary walks through the door and baby John jumps in Elizabeth’s womb by the Spirit’s activity. Elizabeth proceeds to prophesy by the power of the Holy Spirit like the prophets of old. With little or no knowledge of Mary’s encounter with Gabriel, Elizabeth echoes the activity of heaven that Mary is pregnant with God’s Messiah!

(Luke 1:46-49)

Mary’s opening moments with this godly relative causes a cascade of the Holy Spirit’s activity. Mary then prophetically declares in Wonder-filled Worship: “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. 49 For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me."

We know “The Rest of The Story”... but consider Mary’s 90 mile trip back to Nazareth------as she left the birth celebration of Zach & Elizabeth’s son John.

Mary did not know what the “ride of her life” would be like!!!

Mary did not know how Joseph would respond. Mary did not know that God would send another angelic visitation to help Joseph “Say YES”... AFTER he discovered that she was pregnant.

Mary did not know that six months later she’d travel by Rome’s order to Joseph’s family’s ancestral birth-city of Bethlehem… what an awkward trip around Joseph’s family! Mary did not know that she would give birth to her first baby there in a barn!

Mary did not know that eight days afterwards they would agree in their YES together by naming the baby… JESUS, as Gabriel had told both of them SEPARATELY.

Mary did not know that extravagant gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh from wealthy magi would help fund an emergency trip THAT NIGHT as they fled from King Herod to Egypt for a couple years as refugees.

Mary did not know that her Jesus would be beaten, scourged & crucified with national criminals as the Lamb of God for the sin of the world… and, Mary did not know... that He would rise from the dead 3 days later once and for all as our perfect sacrifice... as the Law, the Prophets and Psalms declared.

But Mary gave God her Yes!

There is much that Mary did not know... just like us. When God calls us to partner with His Kingdom activity, He seldom spells out every detail. He only wants our heart to yield a YES with confidence in His character AND His capability.

An Echo from Six Flags Fiesta Texas 

A friend gave me 6 tickets to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, so I invited another dad, his kids & my boys there on the day after Christmas last year!

At every ride… ALL DAY LONG… the Six Flags employees speech was similar: ‘Welcome to Six Flags {on such n such ride}! Please keep hands & feet in {blah blah}….” After every speech, they’d say, “Enjoy the Ride!”

With Covid affecting attendance, we rode all the rides multiple times without lines! I begged all of the kids including my own to ride THIS pictured free-fall ride with me… All day long, I was told “No Way!!” …

TEN minutes before we left the park, Sammy, my oldest son, GAVE ME HIS YES, got in line & rode this giant free-fall ride with me! I’d be completely lying if I told you that he had fun… as seen by his face.

Days after our Six Flags trip, I attended a Chi Alpha Conference for staff. Mary Gautreaux spoke to me and gave encouraging words to Patricia & I. Mary felt that Patricia & I would feel like our lives would be moving fast as on an exciting adventure in 2021. As she walked away, Mary unknowingly echoed the famous words that I had heard all day long at Six Flags days beforehand: “ENJOY THE RIDE!”

Timothy Keller points out that Mary’s famous “Yes” to God was on par with the “Yes” given by her ancestor Abraham to go to a land that God would show later. Her faith was not blind obedience nor naive. Mary experienced: “measured incredulity... simple acceptance... and wonder-filled worship!” Mary exercised faith from her heart ... even with certain death to her reputation & possible bodily death.

Today, let’s position ourselves for the plunge! In 2022, Jesus invites us to join Him into new places of unknown adventures better than a theme park! He calls us to give Him our ‘Yes’ and trust His character & capability!

“Enjoy the Ride!”

The testimony of this teenage, spiritual giant has filled my heart with renewed faith to say YES to heaven’s requests in this New Year… and for the rest of my life… without demanding full understanding or answers to complex questions or concerns. Are you with me??… I urge you… Give Him Your YES!