Taking down Christmas is tough, but the house feels good when it is all put away. Even with the familiarity restored, in the quiet times, there is an emptiness that goes beyond the decorations and the tree. It is not like winter in North Carolina is as oppressive as the Midwest, where I grew up, but the post-Christmas period is my least favorite time of year. However, with each passing day, the sun shines a little longer, the wildlife begins to stir, and the promise of Spring inches a little closer.
As a reminder, Lunch Box Quotes are notes I include in the kids’ lunches every day. Number 1 gets a text, but 2-4 get a handwritten napkin. And we are in 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. I am intermittent fasting with 1 meal per day, no alcohol, and no social media/news after 6 p.m.
Visual credits to: Featured image – @CowboyGospeler Quotes: @howertonjosh
Quotes:
1. “The man on the middle cross said I could come.” – Alister Begg
2. “The man on the middle cross said I could come.” – Alister Begg
3. “The man on the middle cross said I could come.” – Alister Begg
4. “The man on the middle cross said I could come.” – Alister Begg
21 Days of Prayer and Fasting – Day 8
Proverbs 4:20-27; Genesis 3:1-6
Note: (These notes are a combination of the notes from my Bible, the study guide, and my thoughts. Mostly, though, they are the work of others, just rearranged.) Our heart, to a great extent, dictates how we live because we always find time to do what we enjoy. This is dangerous…guard your heart and don’t get sidetracked by sin. To resist temptation, 1) Pray for strength, 2) run away, 3) say no when confronted by what we know is wrong, 4) don’t talk to snakes. Have a mindset of thankfulness. If you count your blessings every day, you’re less likely to go astray…or something like that. Humility is key. Pride, ‘I want to; I believe; I think…’ in a large way, is at the root of all sin. Be humble. Stay in the Word. Guard your heart.
Fasting: If my fasting was limited to food and drink, I could claim success, although I think I have been eating three meals’ worth of food in 1 setting. I don’t think that is how it is supposed to be done. The phone man, the phone.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for our Church and our small group that forms our community. Thank you for our many blessings and this little bubble that we get to call home. Give me the strength to endure this season, the humility to put You first, and guard my heart from the temptations of the world.
-Amen
Sources:
“The man on the middle cross said I could come…”
This might be the best 3-minutes of preaching I’ve *EVER* seen. If you don’t feel this in your soul, you need to check your pulse 😭🙌 pic.twitter.com/P3D7YVED7s
— Josh Howerton (@howertonjosh) January 11, 2026