This morning we had 5 men and 3 women on our prayer walk in the neighborhood around the Salvation Army Magness Potter Center in Nashville -- Kevin and Philip from the ARC rehab where I am chaplain, Peter who has 4 1/2 years clean from drugs, Ashish from India, Linda and Jeanie who been walking since the beginning, and my wife and me.

We started out this morning going toward River Chase Apartments, but wound up on Second Street again (one of the worst drug streets in Nashville). We greeted two men and a woman who seemed very nervous. One of the men had been Kevin's main drug supplier until he came into the rehab two months ago. He seemed shocked to see Kevin with us. We talked with them awhile and we got separated as we talked and prayed with several people.

I wound up saying hello to Johnny who was walking down the middle of the street carrying a gas can. He told me he just was released from jail and wants to get his life together. We talked awhile and I prayed for him.

The other men were praying for several people on down from me. After they would pray for someone, another person would come up and they would pray for him or her.

My wife was talking with a lady who moved to Nashville three years ago and bought a house on Second, not knowing it was a drug and crime area. She said that God must have put her there to be a light, because she didn't plan to live in a rough neighborhood. She told us a lot about what goes on in the neighborhood and seemed to be very concerned that things get better.

On our way back to the center, Peter said that he, Philip, and Kevin want to start a support group for people next Friday after the prayer walk. They said they would invite people to meet the in the Magness Potter Center each Friday and see what God does.

It is exciting to see all the things that God does as we step out in obedience and faith. All it takes is the first step and God shows up. Why not try it in your neighborhood and see what God does?

Several weeks ago my daughter suggested to my wife and me that we all give each other a small gift this Christmas and use the money we save to buy gifts for a needy family. Someone told us about Bernaldo and Blanca, a couple from the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, and their two year old granddaughter, Kimberly, who lives with them. We called them and asked if we could bring them Christmas gifts and they agreed.

Shopping for them was fun, especially for the little girl. We got them all clothes and also toys for Kimberly. We knew very little about them or their situation.

Last Saturday morning we delivered the gifts to their apartment. Bernaldo was working so only Blanca and Kimberly were there. Blanca received us graciously. Kimberly was shy, but after a little encouragement, she began to open her toys.

Blanca said: "Do you know anything about this baby?" We shook our heads. "Let me tell you," she said. "This baby's mother, our daughter, was seven months pregnant and the doctors told her that they were going to have to abort this baby to save her life. The baby had an infection in her stomach. Our daughter called us and we told her not to abort her baby because God will take care of you, and if anything happens to you, we will take the baby."

Blanca continued: "I told my daughter, how can you live with yourself if you abort your baby? So she didn't do it."

I interrupted. "Is your daughter OK?"

"Yes. She is fine. We have the baby because little Kimberley had to have many surgeries, so we took her. I will show you a picture." Blanca left the living room and came back with a picture that showed a black mass as big as my fist on baby Kimberly's stomach.

"Kimberly had many surgeries, but look at her now," Blanca said as she pulled up Kimberly's shirt. There was a small scar where Kimberly's navel should be. "God took care of her."

By now Kimberly was excited about her gifts and hugging a stuffed animal. Blanca opened her gifts and thanked us. We visited for a while and watched Kimberly play. Then we held hands with Blanca and Kimberly and prayed for them and Bernaldo. They hugged us all. We wanted to visit them again, but Blanca said they were moving to another state next week.

Kimberly wanted to go with us. As we walked to our car we saw Kimberly looking out the window at us and waving. We waved to her until we drove off. What an honor to meet such a courageous family and to witness a mighty work of God!

There is no right way to do a wrong thing. There is no guilt free way to do guilt producing behavior. Guilt will "cook your goose" and make your life miserable. Unless you overcome it, guilt will slowly drive you to ever increasing self-destruction

Wonderful, guilt free living is available to you. It involves five steps.

1) Avoid denial. Many guilt-ridden people deny their guilt and try to bury it in activities, noise, socializing, over eating, alcohol, drugs, rationalization, defensiveness, or seeking the approval of others. Buried guilt, however, will continue to eat at you and destroy your happiness.

2) Realize that your guilt is frequently a warning signal from your conscience (or God) that you are doing (or thinking) a wrongful thing (or things). Don't defend your wrong behavior; don't rationalize it; don't call it "right" or "good". Acknowledge that your sinful behavior is morally wrong and sincerely ask God to forgive you.

3) Base your belief in whether or not you are forgiven, on God's promise and not in your feelings. The Bible says: "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9). If you sincerely confess your sins and ask God to forgive you, and you forgive everybody who has offended you (see "The Lord's Prayer), then you are forgiven whether you feel like it or not. So believe that you are forgiven and go ahead and accept that you are clean, not because you deserve it, but because God has forgiven you. You are clean and forgiven because God said you are and He cannot lie.

4) Stop doing or thinking about the wrong behavior. Always admit that the behavior is wrong and refuse to allow it in your life any more. Fight it with all your might and if you should fall into that behavior again, immediately stop it and ask God to forgive you. Every time you do something wrong (even if it is a little thing) ask God to forgive you and stop the sinful behavior.

5) Ask the living Jesus Christ to come into your life. Completely surrender to Him and allow the living Jesus to be your boss (your master, your Lord) from now on. Listen to Him; love Him; follow and obey Him every day. Read the New Testament every single day and begin to do what it says.

Guilt free is truly amazing. You should try it!

Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus. It is sad to me that on the day we choose to call Your birthday, we mainly ignore You. We throw parties with our families, eat a lot, give presents to each other; and all the while we pretend that You are a million miles away.

It must be very difficult for You, being ignored by those You love so much; especially on the day that we make such a big deal about Your birthday. I know I wouldn't want my family and friends to have a party on my birthday and then ignore me. Forgive us, Lord, for putting so much ahead of You on this special day, and also through out the year.

Happy Birthday to You, Lord Jesus. Thank You for talking to me to when I couldn't sleep tonight. Thank You for seeking me out, even when I am inclined to ignore You. You are always so good to me and I love You very much, Jesus. I couldn't make it in life without out You and Your love, support, and strength. Thank You for Your moment-by-moment Presence in my life.

Your will be done today, Christmas Day 2006, as it is in Heaven. May You be exalted, praised, worshiped, and adored; not just by angels, but by human beings on this day we choose to call Your birthday.

All my love, Steve

May you have a wonderful celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. May you see beyond the crowded trappings of the season and be filled with awe as you behold the Lamb of God, Himself -- the Sacrifice for your personal sins, the Savior seeking to save you from self-destruction, despair, and bondage, the One who gave His life for yours.

Behold Him now in all of His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. O come, let us adore Him. Come and behold Him, born the King of angels. Let every heart prepare Him room.

O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend on us we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today. Hail the Heaven born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son of righteousness! Veiled in flesh the God-head see. Hail the incarnate Deity! Shepherds quake at the sight; glories stream from Heaven.

Son of God, love's pure light, radiant beams from Your holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord at Your birth. Jesus, Lord at Your birth.

Look now! For glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing. O rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room. No more let sin and sorrows grow. He comes to make His blessing flow far as the curse is found. Glory to God, all glory in the highest. O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. Angels we have heard on High! Have a glorious Christmas. Sincerely, Steve