Free Resource From A Shepherd's Heart For Celebrating Advent!

Hello and Merry Christmas! 

I absolutely love Christmas time and incorporating an Advent into the time of celebration can be a fantastic way to help focus our hearts, worship, and celebration on the birth of Christ - The reason we celebrate CHRISTmas in the first place!

I created a Celebrating Advent guide, that is written from a non-denominational Christian perspective, as a simple tool/guide/starting point to help guide you in your observance. 

This resource is perfect to use as an individual, with family and friends or for your local church body as well to celebrate together!

As you'll see, there is practical information about Advent, instructions to guide you each week of Advent including suggested Scriptures and Prayers you can use or you can obviously do your own prayers and dive further into the scriptures as well. 

Download your free copy today via this link:  Celebrating Advent

No matter what, have fun, make it personal as you approach Him with a humble and thankful heart!

Have a great Christmas and Advent celebration as you celebrate the birth of Christ!

Please check out this resource and tell your friends about it as well as we seek to follow Christ and keep Him in the center of our Christmas celebration!

Because He is The reason for the season,

Randolph Koch
     -Founder and Servant-Shepherd of A Shepherd's Heart

P.S. If you haven't heard, excited to share that 2 of my Christmas Devotionals just went live in in the YouVersion Bible App and Website! 

Here are the links to both plans! 
Christmas: The Promise Fulfilled.
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/13399-christmas-the-promise-fulfilled 

The Wonder of Christmas. 
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/13380-the-wonder-of-christmas 

Let your light shine before all mankind!

On a recent family vacation, we were blessed with the use of a friends house situated by a beautiful lake.

Out of the reach of the light pollution from the city lights, typically on a clear night the sky comes alive with the milky way and other constellations visible in a brilliant display of God's creation.

On this trip it just so happened to coincide with a Super Full Moon and because of the additional brightness of the moon, the stars weren't visible as they normally would be out there. It was still a beautiful sight to behold and over the course of the days we vacationed there, the moon shone brightly each night and the reflection off of the water was incredible!

As I gazed at the brilliance of God's handiwork I was reminded of the simple fact that when we look at the moon and see how brightly it reflects the sun, you realize again that the moon wouldn't shine at all without the sun.

Likewise as a follower of Christ, we should strive to reflect The Son brightly in all we do! He is the reason why you and I shine at all!

So my friend...shine brightly for Him because of Him as He is our light and hope and in turn, we can shine His light and hope to an often dark world.

Read Matthew 5:14‭-‬16 ESV and then shine out His light before all mankind!

Blessings in Christ, 
Your Brother and Servant, 

Randolph Koch

Please consider helping this ministry through prayer and other ways! Find out more here:  https://www.ashepherdsheart.org/p/help-a.html

Also, here are a few ideas of how I can serve you: 
https://www.ashepherdsheart.org/p/ministry-service-offerings.html

Your Words Matter!

"A Tongue has no bones but it is strong enough to break a heart. Be careful with your words!" -Unknown

Have you heard that old saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but works may never heart me."? Well, the idea is that words shouldn't hear you but you and I know they do and they are harder to set right and takes longer to heal from than a broken bone!

Here's What James has to say about our tongue/how strong our words really are:
"If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things."

"How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so." -James 3:3-10  (ESV)

 
Our words and actions are powerful and our words have the ability to breathe life or breathe death, they have the power to be a blessing or a curse. 

As people who follow the Lord and are called according to His purpose - we ought to breathe life especially in this often discouraging and dark world. We need to be a light and encouragement to others. Furthermore, we should receive encouragement and not rush past a moment because our schedules stress us out or we perceive it's not of value...

Whatever the case may be, may we seek to share life giving words and not tear ourselves or others down anymore. Amen?!

In Christ,

rlk