A Word for the New Year

Paid In Full

A totally unexpected Christmas Story!

My morning began like any other this season. I woke up before dawn to walk dogs, prepare for the day of caregiving for my parents, and share the gospel in whatever way God presented that day.

In order to share about Him, I must spend time in His word and listen to Him, so I always pay great attention to every detail of the morning because God has no limitation on how He speaks. I read His word and sing praises to my favorite worship songs. I journal, and I listen. Yes, I just sit and listen for His whisper. 

This particular Christmas, I woke earlier than my dog, Molly, which is never the case. Her internal clock rings her awake every day at precisely the same time. I am certain that it’s her stomach that wakes her. From the moment I brought her home as a tiny rescue pup, she has been after every bite of kibble she could get. 

What woke me was the sound of my ring doorbell going off. Bleary-eyed and groggy, I attempted to watch the video on my phone to see what had set off the doorbell camera. A neighborhood cat walks across my patio nearly every morning at 3 am. I figured that was what had happened. At first, all I saw was snow swirling in the air. But I saw the most beautiful fox sauntering across our patio at closer inspection. He stopped to stretch and then made his way off-camera. His tail was bushy and long, and he had a beautiful red coat. His legs were sleek and a beautiful ebony black. In a strange way, I was glad he woke me. Seeing such beauty felt like a gift. 

I sat up, Molly bolted out of bed, tail wagging, and her excited kisses suddenly smashed against my face. I swung my feet around to the floor and slipped on my slippers. Molly was already at the bedroom door, patiently waiting for me to join her. 

While she ate breakfast, I pulled on my coat and slipped on some boots, ready for the snow flurries I had seen on the doorbell camera. We made our way outside, and instead of snow, we were met with a dense fog. A bit startled by how still and quiet it was, I felt my shoulders drop and heard my breath slowly leaving my mouth, “It’s so quiet,” I said out loud. “Good morning, God,” I said. “Happy Birthday, Jesus, and thank you, Lord. I know I don’t get everything right, but I am grateful that Jesus came and died for me.” As we walked in the thickly clouded air, I heard a rustling. That same fox jolted past us, and as quickly as I saw him, he was gone. All I really saw was a blur of red in the thick mist. 

A blur of red in the mist. The peaceful, silent atmosphere. Again, my heart ached with gratitude.  “Thank you, Jesus, for coming as a tiny baby only to shed your precious blood for me. Thank you, God, for being the cloud and the pillar surrounding my life.” 

I am not sure I have ever so greatly felt God's grace and love for me as I did in that moment. All week long, I have been discovering new information about the story of Christ's birth. I had been studying the Bible and writing about what I had found. I even created a special episode on my podcast sharing what God had shown me. 

I also came across some amazing videos that other people had shared with new information! It affirms that the word of God has a depth we can never reach. “His word is alive and active. Sharper than a double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit between joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

How filled with awe and wonder I have been this Christmas. And even though parts of this season are difficult and heavy, God is with me, and Jesus came to pay the full price for me to be saved. I am chosen, adopted, and fully loved!

I entered the house in a completely new frame of mind and with a peace in my spirit that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Molly and I headed back upstairs to make my bed and settle in God's word for some time.

There it was as I pulled the sheets and comforter back into place. A bright orange sticker that said “Paid” in bold black letters was staring back at me. It was right where I had been sleeping. And suddenly, not only did I see the sticker, but the pattern of my sheets underneath looked like tons of connected crosses! 

I literally stopped in my tracks. “How did this get here?” I thought. It took a few moments as I stood there dumbfounded to realize that the giant bag of dog food I emptied into the dog food container last night had one of these stickers on it. Somehow, the sticker attached itself to the back of my shirt and ended up on the sheets. 

Almost simultaneously, my mind started trying to figure out what the odds were that could happen and still have the sticker in place when I made the bed. As my mind raced, I heard God speak: “Yes, child, everything is paid in full. Jesus has come, and He will carry out my will. He will love you with an everlasting love. A love so deep that He will pay the price for your sins. It is done. It is finished.” 

I felt the warm tears pooling in my eyes begin to drop and land on my cheeks. Before I knew it, I was on my knees by the bed, ugly, crying. 

You see, I had been struggling with the word of the year that God had given me for the New Year. What I thought I heard Him say was “Resurrected.” Not resurrect, not resurrection, but resurrected. At first, as I do every year, I challenged myself to see if I thought of this word on my own or if it was truly from God. 

I have been going through the process of healing this year. Last year, my words for the year were “Healing” and “Identity”. God has done some of His best work in me this year. Indeed, He has brought me more completely into my identity as His child, and I have healed from the rejection and traumas of relationships with people. He has reminded me continually that His “chosen” is better than a person’s rejection. Funny enough, my word the year before was chosen! God is so wonderful and gentle as He works step by step, piece by piece, restoring us. 

When I saw that paid sticker, I knew God was confirming the word He had given me, “Resurrected.” Already accomplished. Paid in full! 

Quite overwhelmed with His goodness, I gathered my journal, Bible, and pen. Walking towards the couch to sit down, I noticed a copy of the first book I had written years ago sitting on the table. I had randomly gotten a copy out to look over but hadn’t gotten to it yet. I picked it up and opened it. The story I began reading was based on a time when I ministered to the elderly. As I read, it was so strange, as if someone else had written out my memories. Details I had forgotten began to flood my heart, and it was as if I were sent back in time.

I got to this one part of the story where the woman I had been caring for was struggling with syncope, a heart issue. I was walking behind her as she headed to her chair, and she began to shake. I hooked my arms under hers and walked with her. Suddenly, she began to collapse, and I caught her and gently lowered her to the floor. I sat her up against the chair and felt for her pulse. She didn’t have one, nor was she breathing. I had spent a lot of time with hospice patients, but I had never held someone as they were dying before. I pushed the call bell for the nurses to come, and as we waited, I rubbed her hand and gently spoke to her in a calm voice. I told her she was loved and everything was okay. Although I thought she had passed a moment later, I heard the gasp of her breath as it entered her lungs again, and she slowly opened her eyes. What had been a body with no pulse and no breath, three minutes later, was alive! I don’t know how or why, but she had been resurrected. 

The word stood out as distinctly as the bright orange paid sticker had a moment ago. Of all of the stories I had written and the pages in that book, I read the one about from death to life. The chapter title was “He brings the dead to life.” 

If you are reading this right now, I want to challenge you that God is speaking in your situation. He has plans and promises for you. He is not contained. He speaks how He wants to and says exactly what He wants us to hear. 

This Christmas, I pray that you will open your heart to receive even more understanding of God’s love for you. I pray that by sharing this with you, you, too, might hear from God in a new way. That the birth of Jesus won’t be something you only celebrate on Christmas day, but that you will begin to unwrap this precious gift every day of every year of your life. I pray that you will share your special conversations with God with others, too, and fulfill His desire to reach all of the world. 

I pray blessings over you this Christmas Day! Joy to the World, the Lord has come! The Lord is with us, and the Lord is salvation. Happy Birthday, Jesus!