On Sunday we looked at Luke 10:38-42 where Mary chooses to sit at Jesus' feet and learn from Him. How do we do this today when Jesus is no longer physically present with us? What particular practices do you find useful that enable you do draw near to Jesus. Please share because it may be that your practice will help someone else to draw closer to Jesus.

Rick Warren, speaking after the tragedy of his son Matthew's suicide, lamented the fact that Christians carry a stigma of somehow being faithless or weak in regards to their trust in the Lord to help them overcome their unbelief. Warren observed, "Your illness is not your identity. Your chemistry is not your character...Everything in this world is broken because of sin...so why is it that if my liver doesn't work perfectly I take a pill for it and there's no shame in that; if my heart doesn't work perfectly, I take a pill for it and there's no shame in that; if my lungs don't work perfectly, I take a pill for it and there's no shame in that, so why is it that if my brain doesn't work perfectly, I'm supposed to hide that?" What do you think? Is the Church guilty of embarrassed silence when it comes to supporting those in its ranks who suffer from mental health issues?

John MacArthur jr observed that "If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: "God with us." We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ. The greater truth of the holiday is His deity. More astonishing than a baby in the manger is the truth that this promised baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth!" What 3 words would you use to describe Christmas?