Spiritual Sparks
Photo by Rosie Kerr on Unsplash "But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ” Luke 2:10 NKJV Joy in the third week of Advent often tiptoes in wearing fuzzy socks, the air sweet with the smell of sugar cookies, and grandkids giggling their way through the house like caffeinated elves. This is the week your majestic tree twinkles to perfection, as if waiting to audition for a role in the Star of Bethlehem. At some point during the days before Christmas, the family settles onto the floor and couch—a tangle of knees, blankets, pillows, and a myriad of snacks that defy calories. Cookies partner a plate with fudge, trail bologna finds its soulmate in cheese, and coffee collaborates with pie. The infamous Grinch flashes across the TV screen, and a quotes of Cindy Lou Who echo throughout the room. As the movie advances, “You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” is belted out with the gusto of voices who have sung it every year since, well, since forever. And still, it never gets old. Have you noticed how Christmas joy slips quietly into the middle of everything? This slightly chaotic happiness enlarges like the Grinch’s heart until it spills over with laughter, crumbs, and lots of fun-loving giddiness. You see, Jesus holds firm right there through it all. He’s there during the laughter, imperfections, and struggles— never asking for silence or polish. Jesus simply wants us to notice the holiness hiding in plain sight … to see and know He is our “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10 NKJV). Even though joy arrives in fuzzy socks, twinkling trees, or laughter echoing through every corner of the house, the true joy of Christmas is found in a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger—Jesus, our Savior. He was born to bring the world light, love, and lasting joy to all. Heavenly Father, Open my eyes, Lord, to the joy hidden in laughter, crumbs, and chaos. I pray that I always notice and feel the holiness of Your presence. May the gift of Jesus—our eternal hope and joy—grow in the hearts of all the people. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Spiritual Sparks 1. Where have you noticed moments of joy in the midst of this chaotic season? 2. How can you invite Jesus (the true joy of Christmas!) into your holiday routines? 🎄 "Christmas joy simply wants us to notice the holy hiding in plain sight." ~~LM 🎄
Image by Aaron Morgan "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:14 KJV The second week of Advent spotlights peace. We all want peace this time of year. The kind that warms the heart with the first sip of morning coffee or when watching the sun stretch its radiant fingers across the landscape of a snowy field, and who doesn't want the contentment of curling up by the fireplace with a book you’ve been meaning to read for months. But ... before any of that can happen, we must setup the pre-lit Christmas tree. Tis the season, right? Right. Until you plug it in and only the top half glows like the Star of Bethlehem. The bottom half? Well, it looks like it gave up on life sometime in July. Henceforth, the pilgrimage to the store begins. The problem? You can't buy just any lights. You need the exact shade of warm-white LEDs that match the preexisting factory-wired lights from 2017. May the odds be ever in your holiday favor. Breathe in. Breathe out. As you Grinch your way to the shopping center, the drive feels like a traffic jam on ice—no carols, no cheer, and apparently the person in front of you missed the memo that merging is a shared activity. By the time the two-hour light-buying fiasco winds to a close, your husband chimes in with: “We can either buy a new tree or use the colored lights hibernating in the attic for the "irritating tree" we have standing in the living room.” Yes, the man used finger-quotes. B reathe in. Breathe out. So, somewhere between the slushy parking lots and people forgetting how turn signals work, our flocked (non-working pre-lit) Christmas tree twinkles and glows with colored lights. Now, onto setting up the beautiful inherited nativity scene. As I place baby Jesus in His manger, I'm reminded of the angels' words: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men" (Luke 2:14 NKJV). "...and on earth peace..." Jesus' birth was anything but peace. He was born into a world far more chaotic than any kind of Christmas tree or lighting disaster could ever create. My goodness, His peace didn’t hinge on colored lights in an attic. Bethlehem wasn’t neat or cozy as Joseph and Mary arrived. There was no room in the inn, no sterile area to birth a baby, and should I even mention the "lowing" of animals nearby. Our Prince of Peace entered the world inside a stable thick with smelly hay and was gently laid into a feeding trough, something we refer to (in a loving manner) as a manger. Nothing about that night was peaceful or perfect, yet the Heavenly Father slipped His loving peace right into the middle of the holy mess. You see, the same God who pierced the night sky with the Star of Bethlehem, the same God who brought order into the Christmas eve chaos back then, is the same God who breathes peace into our daily life now. So, take a sip of coffee or hot cocoa, eat a marshmallow, let yourself laugh, let yourself sing praises, and if the tree doesn't light, who cares. Remember, peace isn't always found in the absence of chaos. It's found in the beautiful presence of knowing and believing in Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father, Thank You for breathing peace into my daily life. Thank You for sending Jesus (the perfect, beautiful tiny bundle of flesh wrapped in swaddling clothes) into this imperfect and corrupt world. Praise to our Prince of Peace, the Savior of the world. In Jesus' Name. Amen. Spiritual Sparks What chaos are you trying to “fix,” instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to calm your heart? " Peace isn't always found in the absence of chaos. It's found in the presence of Christ." ~~LM
Prayers Under Fire
~~coming soon~~
Dex Hamilton, special ops mercenary, turned his back on God six years ago. He now spends his rogue life living for the government, sidestepping a monotony of red tape, and righting a long-overdue wrong.
Marcee Simmons, small-town preacher’s daughter from Ohio, is forced to drive deep into the Belize jungle with Dex. Her faith is tested as she and Dex dodge a host of armed men, cavort with a freeloading tarantula, and plunge over a makeshift waterfall.
Together they must evade the evil forces of a kingpin who fights to monopolize new smuggling channels for the exploitation of illegal drugs and human trafficking. When a few phenomenal miracles cross their paths, the results become an awakening kaleidoscope of change, making their survival critical, their trust unavoidable, and their love unstoppable.
My Anthologies
Enjoy ten delightful short stories,
including my own,Tinsel-Touched.
It’s such a joy to see this Rom-Com about second chances come to life alongside the eclectic voices of my talented author friends.
I'm so grateful Love at First Drop found a home in this beautiful
anthology. These twelve stories dive into human depths of resilience, humor, and enduring power of love in unexpected places.
Linda Morgan
Linda Morgan resides in Ohio with her husband. She is a flower gardener at heart, a three-aquarium enthusiast, and when time permits she crochets pillows and afghans. As an eclectic book nerd, Linda loves reading her Bible and any devotional she can get her hands on. However, her bookshelf contains everything from Dr. Seuss to Helen Steiner-Rice, YA adventures to espionage thrillers, romantic suspense to clean rom-coms. The latter being her all-time favorite, and as her husband is always quick to point out: “Life’s (more!) better when you’re laughing.” She agrees.
She is a word geek to the extreme and for some quirky reason has an overwhelming impulse to spell words backwards, but only to herself. Not out loud. That would just be weird.
She's written a full-length novel, Prayers Under Fire, which will be released soon. (Spoiler alert: it’s a trilogy, so get ready to meet the Jameson brothers, whose entertaining adventures and swoon-worthy romances bring faith, hope, and love to life.) Linda combines page-turning adventure, intriguing suspense, and a romantic happily-ever-after to her novels. She had a poem published a decade ago, and a few years back, she won first place on two devotions submitted to FaithWriters.com. In July 2025, she's had a short-story published, Love at First Drop, in an anthology titled, DREAMS AND DRIFTWOOD. In November 2025, Tinsel-Touched hit the shelf in a Christmas anthology titled, HOLIDAYS IN THE HEARTLAND.
Above all else, God is number one in her life, and Linda knows she wouldn’t be writing if she didn’t believe this is what He’s called her to do. Please take the time to stop by her devotional page, "Spiritual Sparks." She welcomes your visits and prays her words touch your heart.