Greetings from the Nichols Nest!
 

So much can be said about 2020, but I cannot recall needing Christmas as I do this year. When have the Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love given to us by Immanuel been more needed and more welcomed? How could we have imagined so much when we turned the calendar to 2020? The good news is that none of this surprised our Father—not the events nor the changes.

Christmas at the Nichols’ Nest will be different this year – no big family gathering, no Christmas Eve service, no lovely musical events, and no being out and about to shop and to gather with friends. But perhaps, it will be the most meaningful Christmas of our lives when we are still and quiet and have time to ponder and appreciate the Coming of our Lord to earth and all that means.

We have been using our time at home since February to write, study, and record all my books. Two of my books were released this year: RANSOM FOR A SONG in April and CHRISTMAS WEDDING SONG in late November. All of my books, except the last one, are out as audiobooks. That meant lots of hours together in our make-shift recording studio downstairs in a large closet. And I was able to type THE END on SEARCHING FOR A SONG which will be out next spring. I am so proud of Bill as his second book was released just two weeks ago. DEVOTIONS FOR A HEALTHY FAITH is a follow-up to his HEALTHY FAITH released a couple of years ago.  

We have a Christmas gift for you--a gift that will last. For the last few years, Bill and I have adopted a practice of copying scripture as a part of our daily devotional time, and we have found it so enriching that we wanted you to have the same experience. So, we worked together to create a year-long scripture writing guide that we could give to you. If you would take ten minutes a day to read, meditate upon, and copy these verses from God’s Word, you would be “writing them deep within your heart” as the God’s Word says to do. In the guide, you will find a theme word for each month, a scripture verse for each day of the month, and beautiful images of birds on each page. The images are from some of the Bill’s oil paintings of birds. And please feel free to share it with your friends and family.  This truly is a gift that will keep on giving. Let us hear from you along the way.  Just click on this link for your free download.
Scripture Scratchings – Phyllis Clark Nichols

If you find that you need to just sit and be for a spell, I invite you to listen as I read this year’s Christmas story entitled “Johanna’s First Christmas.” It is a tender story set on the Atlantic Coast of my home state of Georgia, and like Christmas, it has a surprise or two. You might invite your family, especially the children or grandchildren to sit with you and listen to the story, and then have some good old-fashioned conversation about it. Follow this link to my YouTube channel.
Johanna’s First Christmas
https://youtube/2qsILsmqXx0

I leave you with these thoughts that Bill and I have had time to ponder and talk about this year. What kind of gifts would you give to your family if you knew this was your last Christmas? What kind of letter would you write to those you love?  Perhaps we should be living our lives with those kinds of thoughts every day. 

I write this at the risk of sounding a bit morbid, but listen and look for the hope, God’s assurance that all will be well. God came that very first Christmas and said, “I’m here, really here.” He was and is here, present with us for now and eternity.

And the best news ever -- for those of us who know Christ, there is no “last” Christmas.  We know that cross-like shadow cast by the Bethlehem star lights the way to an empty tomb and to the forever kind of life that God offers for those who follow Him.

My prayer is that your Christmas will be filled with God’s best blessings and your time with those you love will reflect His love and goodness.

Merry Christmas from the Nichols’ Nest,
Phyllis