Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
I want to welcome you to Healing Begins. My name
is Pastor Gail Kock and I have a young lady
named Stephanie on the program.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Say Hi Stephanie, Hi everybody, Hi Pastor Gail.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Great to be here today. This is our Christmas program
and so we want to talk about what Christmas was
like growing up for us. And I've en titled this
the Greatest Gift, and I think that's exactly what Jesus was,
the greatest gift I remember growing up. And by the way,
as we're doing this, we just want to come right
(00:52):
there in the car with you, just you and Stephanie,
and I just want to have a conversation with you.
Whether you're in your car, whether you're in your house,
doesn't matter where you are. Just because we're talking to
each other, we also want to hear from you. So
that's why. See, the thing that we're missing is your
conversation with us. So if you want to send in
(01:12):
your comments, your thoughts, your opinions, it doesn't matter. Send
them in, you can email them to share at Healingbegins
radio dot com. We would really love to hear from you. So, Stephanie,
what was your Christmas like? Growing up.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, so we had five wild and wilie kids. You know.
So you wake up in the morning, you go downstairs,
all the Christmas presents are under the tree, and it's
just an excitement to say, Hm, you know, what are
we doing this year? What's everybody getting? How was this
working out? We'd have a beautiful breakfast and Mom, of
course decorated everything. And one of my favorite gifts that
(01:46):
we used to get, because you know, we were we
didn't have a lot of money, Mom would wrap a
box of sugar cereal for every single one of us
and we look forward to that because we didn't get
sugar cereal all year, but that one day of the
year we got a box of sugar seals and we
loved it. It's one of my favorite memories.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
I remember running through the snow without my coat. I
can just hear my mother say, Gil get your coat on.
And we were out by our old church was built
in eighteen ninety four or something like that, and the
snow's falling down and it's a beautiful night and I
look up and the old church has a seventy foot steeple,
and then on top of the steeple there's a thirty
(02:23):
foot white cross going straight up in the air with
a light that shines on it. So if you were
in our community, it would look like the cross as
in the clouds. I mean, because we were the highest
point of the community. And I remember running as a
young boy looking up, looking up at the clouds, looking
up at the cross. And you know, Stephanie. For those
that are listening by people, by the way, if you're
(02:44):
listening to me and you're listening to stephan I talk,
We're just talking right to you. The audience today is
an audience of one. You're our audience. We're recording this
just for You're here, and I'm hoping and I'm hoping
that something we say well actually spark a hope or
joy in your heart. Well, we know that Christmas is
(03:04):
not always fun for some people, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
That's right. Yeah, Holidays aren't always happy times. Depending on
your circumstances and family dynamics, that can be very difficult.
So we recognize some of you maybe going through a
difficult time right now, you know, feeling a little bit alone,
or remembering things that have been hard, or trying to
figure out how can I have hope in the midst
of something so hard that I've had to come through.
(03:29):
So we want to encourage you today and let you
know that there is hope for this holiday for you.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Yeah, and you know, sometimes people have a level one
that dies on the holidays or a child that dies
on the holidays, and for them, holidays are a triggering
point of a bad memory. And I would just say
to you about that, is that God wants you still
to enjoy your holiday. I know it might be hard,
but you might have to get some healing, or you
(03:57):
might have to sign up or call Spiritual Care and
sign up for an appointment. Yes, we have a phone
number two six ' nine two fight four five seven
five eight. We'd love to hear from you and love
to help you to try to brighten your holidays. So,
but you know, growing up I had we used to
do Christmas caroling, and oh my gosh, we would pile
a whole bunch of us with pile in a line
(04:18):
of cars, and I thought we were just popping in
on people, but obviously these people knew we were coming
in advance, and we would pull up into their yard
and we would sing like hark the Herald Angels sing,
and we'd be singing all these songs, and then they'd
open their door and they had prepared goodies for us,
like chocolate balls, pop corn balls. And then after we
(04:41):
were done singing, we would go in and eat with
the family. And I thought it was what we were
surprising them, but we weren't really surprising them. And then
we'd get into snowball fights too, by the way, you know,
someone whould hit you in the head with the snowball
or but we would do stuff like that. To me,
that was we didn't have a lot of money. But
to me, the greatest and the funnest thing about Christmas
(05:04):
wasn't money. It wasn't about the gifts under the tree.
Our focus was on Jesus. Yeah, you know, was your
Christmas anything like that?
Speaker 2 (05:12):
It wasn't. We were raised in just a different kind
of family. You know, we didn't have much so all
year and then we would see people from the church
come and bring gifts to our home and we watch
them Mom take them out of the trunk and the
deacons would bring them in the house, and a little kids,
we would sit up in the window and just watch
and be so excited and thought, oh, this is going
to be a good year, you know, so those things
(05:33):
meant a lot to us. That love was felt through
the people's giving.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Well, there's a couple of really great charities in Grand Rampas.
I don't know if I want to mention the radio station,
but it's Idiots for Underdogs and Holiday Breakends. Now, if
you guys are listening, you know who I'm talking about.
But they got some really good charities. They help a
lot of people and they do it anonymously. They do
it a lot in Grand Rampas. There's other you know,
(05:58):
there's churches in grands that are reaching out to try
to help people. There's businesses and Grand Ramputs. I say
Grand Rapperts because I know this is listened to on
one of six point nine would FM. So but you know,
you might not be listening to this on wood you
might be later on podcast. You could be in France,
you could be in England. We've got listeners all over
(06:19):
so you could catch us later as a podcast and
you might be saying, what's what if M Well, it's iHeartRadio,
the radio station that I've been on going into my
third season. And so you know, Christmas for us, you know,
we didn't have much have you ever watched a Christmas story?
My favorite A little bit with my house a little bit.
(06:40):
You know, my dad didn't well he didn't have that
bad of a cussing problem, but you know the old
tree and the present say, hmm, what's by the piano
over there? You know that kind of thing. And we
love the Christmas Story. I've watched that several times that
have watched the grids. It's not my favorite, but it
is funny. Yeah. What other memories do you have, Stephanie
(07:02):
of Christmas?
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Yeah? I think just watching my mom, you know, when
we would open those gifts, the relief on her face,
Oh yeah, you know, and the joy of watching us,
you know, because I've always kind of been a thinker.
So to sit back and see that and have that
opportunity to be blessed, and then see my mom be
so encouraged because something was provided for her that really
(07:25):
touched my heart as a young girl.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
The financial pressures of the holidays yeah, is big. Yeah,
because people really do want to go out and do
something nice for their family. Maybe at this time, I
know I normally pray at the end. You know what, Stephanie,
why don't we pause because we know we have people
listening and going about their way in and they're probably
relating to some of this. Why don't you say a
(07:47):
prayer for those that are suffering financially or maybe this
is not a good time for them, Maybe this is
a hard time for them and they don't look forward
to the holidays. So you want to lift up a prayer?
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Yeah, Father, I just lift up that individual that's listening
right now, that's struggling. And I asked that you would
wrap your comfort around them, that you would encourage them
with your love, that you would remind them that you
are still good, and that you would just make a
way where there seems to be no way. You know,
the desires of their heart and the things that are
(08:19):
they hope to do this Christmas for the people that
they love or the people that they have lost that
they're missing and grieving over. And we just asked that
you would bring people alongside them even this week to
begin to answer those prayers, that you would show yourself faithful,
that you would show yourself kind, and that you would
answer the very desires of their heart. And when those
answers come, that they would know that they know that
(08:41):
they know that it was you and you love them
and she'sus name.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Amen, Amen, Stephanie. This is a good point, you know.
One of the things that I'm trying to do on
the programs as introduced music. So why don't we take
a few minutes and just listen to some good Christmas music. Well,
(10:30):
wasn't that great Christmas music?
Speaker 2 (10:32):
I loved it. It brought back such great memories.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Yeah, yeah, you know, I love the old hymns. I
love the old Christmas songs. They are they just bring
a special memory and for others they may not. But
going on more about Christmas, I was thinking, you know,
the title I put on the program is the greatest Gift,
you know, And I can't help but thinking of John
three point sixteen. You want to read that stuff on me?
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Yeah, it says, for God so loved the world, he
gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in
him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Well, what a great scripture, the greatest gift you know.
You know, when I used was a pastor, I'd always
wonder what I would preach you on the holidays. What's
my new title? How many? How many sermons can you
preach on Christmas? You know that's amazing. But the thought
came to me today, the greatest gift and if you
can help your kids know Jesus Christ as their Lord
(11:30):
and savior, that's the greatest gift you could ever give them,
because the minute they accept Jesus, you're giving them eternal
life and a hope that goes on for eternity. And
the other scripture I was thinking of, if you want
to read it, Stephanie, is Isaiah nine, verse six through seven.
This is one of my favorites.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
For unto us, a child is born, to us, a
son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders,
and he will be called Wonderful counselor Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace, of the greatness of his government and peace.
There will be no end. He will reign on David's
(12:13):
throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with
justice and righteousness. From that time on and forever, the
zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Amen. Amen, what a great scripture, Prince of Peace. If
we had to prayer for you right now, what would
be that even though maybe the holidays might not be
a joyful time for you that you had experienced the
Prince of Peace in your Christmas because that's what we
(12:48):
know that Jesus wasn't born in December. We know that,
but it's our day. We don't get caught up with
Christmas trees and all that kind of stuff. I do
like Christmas lights on the things I used to do
with my kids in Battle Creek. We have the Festival
of Lights that's going on right now. Oh yeah, And
I just love walking through the Festival of Lights and
(13:10):
seeing the different displays. I used to take my kids
there every year. We would go down to the Festival
of Lights and someone would be handing out hot chocolate.
And there was a guy down there one time giving
everybody two dollar bills. If he can believe it or not,
he was handing out money at the Festival of Lights,
and I thought, how much fun you know to do that? Well?
Speaker 2 (13:32):
And I love Christmas because it's a season of giving.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Right.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
You get to see God was generous by giving us
his son, his very own life for our salvation and
the salvation of our souls. But you see humanity come
together and say, you know what I want to give.
I want to be generous, and I absolutely love seeing
that occur in neighborhoods, in communities and in schools and
you know, all across really even the mainstream media. You
(13:57):
just get to see the good news.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
And I always love it. We used to always read
the Christmas Story. And that's what I'll have you do next,
Luke Chapter two, verses one through twenty. You know, I
would really encourage you to look up these scriptures, get
out your Bible, look up what we're talking about. But
we would usually always read the Christmas Story every Christmas
(14:21):
because I used to love it. And in church, you
know what we did. We had Christmas programs, the Christmas
oh yeah, and the kids and the shepherds and g yeah.
And the reading of the Christmas Story always was so
much fun. So go ahead, read the Christmas Story.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
So Luke two one through twenty says, in those days,
Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be
taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first
census that took place while Quirinius was governor Roseiria, and
everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph
went up from the town of Nazareth and Galilee, j
(14:58):
Judea and Bethle the town of David, because he belonged
to the house of the line of David. When he
went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to
be married to him, and when it's expecting a child.
While they were there, the time came for the baby
to be born, and she gave birth to her first born,
a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him
(15:21):
in a manger because there was no guest room available
for them, and there were shepherds living out in the
fields near by keeping watch over their flocks. At night,
an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the
glory of the Lord shone all around them, and they
were terrified. But the Angel said to them, do not
be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause
(15:44):
great joy for all the people. Today in the town
of David. A savior has been born to you. He
is the Messiah the Lord. This will be a signed
to you. You will find a baby, wrapped in clothes
and lying in a manger. Suddenly, a great company of
the heavenly hosts appeared with the Angel, praising God and
(16:07):
saying glory to God in the highest heaven and on Earth,
peaced to those on whom his favor rests. When the
angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherd
said to one another, let's go to Bethlehem and see
this thing that has happened which the Lord has told
us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and
Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger.
(16:30):
When they'd seen him, they spread the word concerning what
had been told them about this child, and all who
heard it were amazed at what the shepherd said to them.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them
in her heart. The shepherd's returned glorifying and praising God
for all the things that they had heard and seen,
(16:50):
which were just as they had been told.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
I love that scripture. You know, the shepherds are tending sheep. Right,
Many people don't know that the sheep they were tending
was meant for temple sacrifice. And when the angels come,
I would have loved him be on that hillside, because
they're like ah angels on the hillside, and they're telling
(17:16):
them about a savior that has been born, Jesus Christ,
who would be the ultimate sacrifice. No more raising of lambs,
all right, He was the lamb led to the slaughter.
He was the lamb that was crucified. He was the
lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.
(17:36):
And that's where when people tell me they they saw
an angel, but there was no fear, I tend to
question it because when angels show up and the physical realm,
they'll wipe you out. The glory on them is just overwhelming,
and I just think of it. And then they go
and they see this little baby, which you know it
took the wise men about three years to get there. Yeah,
(17:58):
but they go to see this little baby, the separate
of the world, the savior of the world, announced by angels,
born in a stable. And I just want you to
know that Jesus can relate to your poverty, he can
relate to your heartache, he can relate to the pain
you've been through, and he can relate to your happiness
(18:21):
and enjoying the holidays with family, friends and children.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Yeah you say that, And I'm just thinking about the
circumstances with Mary and Joseph and everything that they went through.
And so many times we look at our circumstances and
we think, oh, my goodness, is God even in this
but I just want to encourage you. He chooses the
weak things of the world to confound the wise, and
he loves to make himself known in the most difficult
of places and bring order out of complete and absolute chaos.
(18:46):
So whatever you're going through, wherever you're at, whatever the
circumstances are in your life, whether rich or poor, whether
you know orderly or disorderly, whether frustrating or happy, whether
you're green or celebrating, God is on the move in
your life. And if you ask him right now, God,
show me where you're working, he will show you where
(19:09):
he's working, and this will be one of the best
holidays you could ever imagine.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Or maybe you just want to whisper this prayer. Jesus
help me, thief on the cross that remember me, Lord,
when you come into your kingdom, can you say that
if you having a hard time, Jesus help me. He'll
be there. Well, I think we need to spend some time.
We got about four minutes left. I think we need
(19:35):
to just spend some time. Lord. We just pray. Yes,
I pray for those that are listening right now in
their car, at home, at work, maybe they're walking down
the road. I don't know what they're doing. But God,
I pray that you would be a manual god with us.
I pray that you would be Jehovah Shama, the God
(19:56):
who is near. And Lord, I pray that you would
be with everybody listening, that you would be near to them,
whether they're having a great, happy Christmas or whether that
it seems like this is a sad year because maybe
there's a chair missing at the table. Yeah, at their house. Lord,
(20:18):
you said you came and save the broken hearted, but
you said you were close to the broken hearted, and
you save those that Christian spirit. And maybe maybe the
prayer that people need to utter today is Jesus or
utter this morning is Jesus help me. So, Lord, I
pray that you bring healing to those that are hurting,
(20:39):
praying strength to those that are weak, bring happiness and
joy to those that are depressed. In the name of Jesus.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Yeah, some Father, I just asked that you would grant
grace for individuals who are listening right now, to remember
the things they can be thankful for, to remember the
things that you've already done, to remember the ways that
you're already fighting for them, for the ways that you've
already brought comfort for the ways that you've brought specific
(21:07):
people in situations and circumstances full circle so that they
could see your goodness, just to open their eyes and
help them to see it and grant them grace to
just thank you and to praise you. It can be
difficult in certain seasons to see clearly the good things
that we have in our life. So I'm asking Holy
Spirit that you would help them to see your goodness
(21:30):
in this hour. In Jesus' name.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
I want to really encourage you to look up on
your phone all Holy night, just google it and listen
to that song, and I think it'll bring I can't
play it right now to you or for you, while
you can look it up later. Shut your eyes, just
turn it on and just be filled with the Christ
(21:54):
of Christmas. I like that the Christ of Christmas to
be in your Christmas. And it doesn't matter what you've done,
where you're at, because here's why He stands at the
door knocks Revelation three twenty, and he wants to be
in your Christmas. We got another minute left. Do you
(22:16):
have anything else there, Sephanie.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
I guess I would just say, you know, whatever's going
on wherever you're at, we are praying that you have
a beautiful Christmas, one of the best Christmases that you've
ever had, because you cried out to the Lord and said, Jesus, help,
Holy Spirit, help me see the things that I have
to be thankful for. And we are believing that right
now Holy Spirit is filling your room, filling your car,
(22:41):
wrapping his love around you, and that you can feel
his tangible presence and know that you are so loved
and that there is a hope and good news for
what's coming for you this holiday season.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Okay, now we're all caroling and we're gonna close out.
We're gonna sing on the radio, which I've been told
not to do, but it's our final song. This is
what we used to sing. Wesh you a merry Christmas.
We wash you a merry Christmas. We wash you a
merry Christmas and a happy New You. Good tidings to
(23:14):
bring to you and your King, good tidings for Christmas
and happy new How's that? Hope you like that? That's
a great way to end the program. Yeah, I don't
like ignog. Oh well, and made Christ always be in
your Christmas. He is the greatest gift. Healing Begins is
(24:02):
brought to you by Spiritual Care Consultants located in Hastings, Michigan.
At the Healing Center, we see children and adults at
no costs. We do virtual and in person sessions. We
invite you to learn more about us by going to
www dot Spiritualcareconsultants dot com. We also value your feedback
and would like to hear from you. You can email
(24:24):
me at Gail G. A. L E. At Spiritualcareconsultants dot com.
We would like to invite you and your family and
friends to go and listen to the past programs by
going to Wood Radio dot com, then click on podcast,
then look for Healing Begins and click on that. Thank
(24:46):
you so much for being a faithful supporter. May God
bless you, keep you, cause us face to shine upon
you and give you peace. Thank you for listening.