Advent Devotional - Third Sunday of Advent

Years ago there was a little girl who went  to the Christmas morning worship service with her Mommy, Daddy and two big sisters as was the custom of the family. The little girl was standing on the pew beside her dad and  listening to the minister who intoned in a deep and very preacherly voice "Emanuel, God with us."  He was echoed by the loud, high pitched voice of the little girl, easily heard by the whole congregation,  saying "Emanuel, God with us." The story was repeated by the Daddy, and sometimes by the big sisters, often - too often- over the years on Christmas Day.

Now it's more than 80 years later and the little girl almost remembers the wonderful sureness she felt then.  At some point she felt called to help people as much as she could with God's help. The faith sometimes wobbled dangerously but, despite the wobbles , has continued to grow so that the same little girl as an adult can say with certainty. "Emanuel, God with us."

Ellyn Jones