Quotes from Liz Curtis Higgs

When we experience his grace, we're compelled to tell others so they may praise the Lord with us. In doing so, their faith is bolstered, knowing that God is real, God is powerful, God is sovereign, and God is moving.

and he began to speak, praising God. Luke 1:64 He didn't ask God why he'd been silenced, nor did he bemoan the many conversations he'd missed. Instead, Zechariah "shouted out praises to God

In our darkest moments, when we cry out to God and wonder if He's listening, He sometimes whispers, Wait. It's a hard word to hear yet comforting as well. It means He is there, He is with us, and He has a plan, even if it is not our plan.

Except for some queasiness in the morning or tiredness in the afternoon, Mary may not have noticed any real signs of her pregnancy yet. Elizabeth's words to Mary, then, were a confirmation of God's promise and more powerful than any blood test.

But here's the thing: shepherds were despised. They couldn't keep the ceremonial laws while traveling about the hills, they were often regarded as thieves, and because they were considered unreliable, they were not permitted to give evidence in court. Yet this was whom God chose for his witnesses and entrusted with his good news.

Elizabeth just made her confession of faith, and Jesus wasn't even born yet.

They sought to pummel His pride, not understanding He'd laid it aside at birth, when He gave up heaven and came to earth.

Mrs. Lot was a sandwich-generation woman, not sure what life might hold for her-scared of going forward, frightened of going back.

Not 'I am finished,' but 'it is finished.' His supreme sacrifice was over. His mighty work of redemption was done. He came to earth to do the will of His Father, and He had accomplished that...By His death Jesus abolished the ceremonial Law and all its obligations, stamping them *paid in full*.

In every life story, including our own, decisions are made in haste that determine the course of eternity.

This is how God works: a blessing for one is a blessing for all, and the end result is a greater focus on him. When we experience his grace, we're compelled to tell others so they may praise the Lord with us. In doing so, their faith is bolstered, knowing that God is real, God is powerful, God is sovereign, and God is moving.

He called himself chief among sinners yet proclaimed himself made new in Christ.

There's something wonderful about Jesus the Son being presented to God the Father. Though God is spirit, not flesh, at some level it must have been like looking into a mirror.

For sure, I would much rather look as if I have it all together and never make mistakes. But as the Bible cautions us, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."12

Just as God always knew how the life of his Son would unfold on earth, God knows how our lives will unfold as well. Nothing is a surprise to him. When we stumble, however badly, he stretches out his hands, pulls us to our feet, and draws us into his embrace.

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5

Forgiveness is a gift

But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; …" Luke 1:30 How like the Lord to identify our fears and hasten to ease them. Notice that Gabriel called her by name: "Mary, you have nothing to fear" (MSG). God knew her name just as he knows ours.

It may sound as if Elizabeth and her husband were obedient and so earned God's approval, but, in truth, it was the other way around. God's power and strength at work in their lives made it possible for them to do the right thing in the first place.

His pride was trampled, and his spirit was humbled, yet he knew the way out: praising God. That's our way out, too. Out of sin, out of misery, out of fear. When we start praising God for all the great things he has done, there's little time left for whining or worrying.

No one knows the weight of another's burden. GEORGE HERBERT

Whatever good we accomplish, the Lord is ultimately responsible, and He alone deserves the praise. The whole purpose of our lives is to magnify His fame and "sing the glory of his name."29

My heart's desire is to find more opportunities to give myself away and teach my children the joy of service at the same time.

Laughing together heartily at the same thing forms an instant bond.