Jennifer Saake

It has been just over 14 years since I had to begin re-learning how to communicate, after multiple catastrophic strokes. For the first few years, my memory was so bad that I could not complete a sentence without forgetting what i was trying to say.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  - John 3:16 Next week will mark 5 years since I first watched Susan Heck's  A Call To Scripture Memory  video and started trying long-passage Scripture memory as “brain training” for ongoing stroke recovery. (I clearly know that the date was Dec. 10, because this date marks a landmark related to our first daughter, Noel Alexis, who was born directly from my womb into Heaven back in 1994.) Brain training was only the start. After a decade of infertility with recurrent losses (multiple miscarriage and adoption losses), the failure of the business where we had hoped to raise our children (...

-  Remembering the miracle of God taking on flesh and dwelling among us ( Zechariah 2:10 ; John 1:14 )... - For the purpose of paying the full cost of sin ( Isaiah 53 ; 1 Timothy 1:15-17 ).... - For ALL who call upon His name in repentance ( Psalms 145:18-20 ; John 1:9-12 ; Acts 3:18-19 ; Romans 2:5 ; 2 Corinthians 7:10 ).  May you have a beautiful Christmas focused on Him . Zechariah 2:10 Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” declares Yahweh. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 1 Timothy 1: 15 -17 15 It is a trustworthy saying and deserving full acceptance: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost. 16 Yet for this reason I was shown mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Christ Jesus mig...

Is it OK for Christians to celebrate Hanukkah? Yes! Is it required for Christians to celebrate Hanukkah? (Or Christmas or Easter or the "tinsel and trappings" of any other holiday, according to the traditions and set dates our society associates with these?) Absolutely not. Is it required for a Jew to celebrate the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah)? Surprisingly, also no.  While Hanukkah is the most well-known Jewish holiday in American culture in the year 2021, it is not one of the seven  festivals and feasts  (“appointed times” or “holy convocations”) commanded by God that His people must observe! (See Leviticus 23.) Here is a neat article on how the appointed times each foreshadow the coming of the Messiah. (Since I'll also be referencing some of these holy convocations later in this article, you might wish to hop over and read about the feasts and festivals now.) GotQuestions notes that "Chanukkah [one of several acceptable spel...