Ann Farabee

By Ann Farabee

It was a battle that had gone on way too long.

It had intensified.

Immediate victory was needed.

There was no way to win the battle on my own.

So, I tried one of my favorite strategies — I opened my Bible to a random page and immediately saw this verse from 2 Corinthians 2:11 — “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

I had definitely not seen that verse in a while. I suppose it was not random — for Satan had been trying to get an advantage, but I was not ignorant of his devices!

I stood still for a minute. I listened.

The Holy Spirit spoke to my spirit: Ann, you have a higher power.

I felt the words seep into my soul, and I actually looked around to see who said them.

But I knew — the Lord was reminding me.

Not only did I have a higher power — I had the most high power.

Psalm 7:17 says, “I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness and will sing praise to the Lord most high.”

Psalm 91:9 says, “he who dwells in the shelter of the most high will abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

Psalm 83:18 says, “he alone is the most high over all the earth.”

I heard it clearly.

I knew where my help would come from.

I called on the name of Jesus.

Did my battle end immediately? No.

But — my higher power — the most high power — was fighting it for me.

All I had to do was hold my peace.

Jesus was born in a lowly manger, died on a lonely cross, rose again, and split the skies wide open with his glory, as his majesty was illuminated and he ascended into heaven from that lofty mountain, and he did that for you and me.

The most high power — that’s our higher power — all the way from earth to glory.

Later, I read a different version of 2 Corinthians 2:11 that made me smile: “Satan will not outsmart us. For we know his evil schemes.”

We win! For we have the most high.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at  annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

By Ann Farabee

For many, going to a Christmas play is a holiday tradition that helps us visualize the story of the birth of Jesus, so we can hold it more tightly in our hearts.

As a young teenager, I participated in a Christmas play at church. As an angel, my role was to stand near baby Jesus and hold my arms up in praise — like angels are supposed to do. The lights were off and the sanctuary was totally dark, but a light shone brightly over the manger scene where I stood. That moment is one of the few memories I still have of Christmas plays — and is also a powerful one.

My heart was touched and tears filled my eyes, although at the time, I was not sure why. I am sure words had been spoken, but I do not remember hearing them. I do, however, remember feeling them. That night’s spiritual connection had a lifelong impact. As an “angel” I had been allowed to stand in the only place there was light in the room. I was standing in the light with the light of the world, and everything around me seemed to be in darkness.

I realized that the manger would have been a much darker place as baby Jesus was born than it was portrayed that night. The shepherds would not be as neatly dressed. The sheep would not be pure white — but grayish and dirty. The other animals milling around in the stable surely would have been unsettling.

After I got home from the play, I remember standing in my front yard and looking up at the stars in the sky. That’s when I knew. I believed in Jesus. And maybe the star that was shining down on my life that night was the same star that was shining down on the manger the night Jesus was born.

Look up. The light of the world is with us.

Jesus is the light of the world — and we are his light in the world.

John 1:5 says the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

I don’t know about you, but something about that verse gives me heavenly peace.

Gazing up at those stars became something I did often and I still do, for if the bottom of heaven is that beautiful, how much more beautiful will heaven be?

Lord, may we know that the story of the birth of Jesus is not just a story — but is his-story.  Help us see the light of the world and hold tightly in our hearts. Amen

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at  annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

At my home, we have an abundance of Legos. Christmas means more Legos are coming — if there are some available we do not own yet.

Here is a sample of what we have displayed in our Lego closet. Yes, I said sample. And yes, I said Lego closet.

Taj Mahal: 22,000 laborers worked on building this tomb for the king’s wife. It has 28 different types of jewels.

Roller Coaster: It has twists, turns, mountains, deep valleys, steep climbs, and parts that are smooth — just like life does.

Ferris Wheel: George Ferris wanted to build something better than the Eiffel Tower, so he said, “Make no little plans!”

Empire State Building: 102-floor skyscraper in New York City. It has its own zip code and it lights up at night.

Parisian Restaurant, Bank, Detective’s Office: These are places we go as part of a community. Well, we do not go to the detective’s office that often.

Statue of Liberty: It is a sculpture on Liberty Island in the New York Harbor that was dedicated in 1886.

US Capitol Building: It houses the legislative branches of the federal government. It is where the street numbers start in Washington, D.C. It is used for Sunday church services. Moses, who received the 10 Commandments from God, has a marble relief portrait over the gallery doors.

Ship in a Bottle: 18th century monks in monasteries were the first to build a ship in a bottle.

Great Wall of China: This wall kept out the enemy and was a symbol of strength.

International Space Station: It is a modular space station in low orbit earth. It goes 17,100 mph. It has been visited by more than 200 astronauts or space tourists from 20 different nations.

I have just shown you 26,485 Lego blocks.

What if I took the structures all apart and put them in a big pile? Can you imagine that?

Each Lego block was added one piece at a time. Each Lego structure has a foundation and a framework. That means it has support.

If we were looking at our pile of Legos, we would not think of any of them being real superstar pieces. None of them would be as special individually as they would be when they are together in the place they were meant to be.

It reminds me of how each of us are important and each of us have a role in life that God has just for us to fulfill.

1 Corinthians 3:9-10 says that by God’s grace, we are wise, master builders. We are building our lives and we should build them carefully — by doing the right thing, making the right choices, and allowing Jesus to be the foundation of it all.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at  annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

It was early in my COVID journey. Our family was quarantined. We did not ask for help. But others listened to their hearts, as God placed it in their spirit to help us. They began to emerge in our emergency.

The doorbell rang. Food had been delivered to feed our family of five. The next day the doorbell rang again — food had been delivered. And the next day. It continued for two weeks.

They were my friends, family, church members, coworkers, and sometimes people I barely knew. They had been sending thoughts and prayers our way daily, but decided to physically show up to our door to make sure we had what we needed. The doorbell would ring — and home-cooked food, take out meals, and groceries were waiting for us there — on our porch.

It was a time that I truly experienced the concept of someone being the hands and feet of Jesus, for that is exactly what these doorbell ringers were.

Emerge can mean to come into view. Although they would ring the doorbell and get back in their car, they had chosen to emerge to bless our family at our front door during our time of emergency.

I really did not understand it. I could not explain it. Why would they make that sacrifice of time and money for us? It felt surreal. It felt as if God were right there with us each time the doorbell rang, so that we could know that his presence was not just with us in our home, but surrounding us by those outside our home.

My 13-year-old put it in perspective one day as he said, “It used to be that anytime someone came down our street, we knew they were not coming to our house. Now every car that comes down our street is coming to our house.”

Those words helped me to picture it vividly, for I was still isolated in my room. I only heard the ring of the doorbell daily. I never really saw the people, but I knew they had been sent by the father. It was a beautiful thing for my family to witness.

I have done the same for others at times, but not as often as I should have. Until it was done for me, I am not sure I realized the power of compassion. I am not sure I realized the power of love in action. I am not sure I realized the power of food — or an offer of help, or a flower, or a card, or a prayer, or a phone call, or a message, or the knowledge that anyone I know would have gladly emerged in my emergency to be a help to our family.

Friendships sure do matter. True friends can go for extended lengths of time without talking to or physically seeing one another. But in case of an emergency, you sure can count on them to emerge.

What better way than to emerge with food, right? (I am just kidding. Or am I?) That sure was how we felt every time the doorbell rang.

Love in action.

The hands and feet of Jesus.

Serve him. Serve others.

Ring the doorbell.

Lord, when someone needs us, help us to not just be their friend on social media, in the workplace, in the church, or even at the ballgame, but help us be a friend that will emerge in a time of emergency, bringing help and hope to those around us. May we remember to ring the doorbell. Amen.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at  annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com .