25 Fulfilled Promises of Christmas: Advent Reflections for those who Wait, Watch, and Wonder Once More Compiled and composed by Stephen A. Macchia Promise #7 – the Messiah will be our Kinsman-Redeemer (Ruth 4: 4-17 and Luke 1: 50, 58, 68, 72). When Boaz redeemed Ruth from her forlorn circumstances,
25 Fulfilled Promises of Christmas: Advent Reflections for those who Wait, Watch, and Wonder Once More Compiled and composed by Stephen A. Macchia Promise #6 – the Messiah will be a prophet like Moses (Deut. 18: 15-19 and Matthew 13:57; Luke 24: 19). God used Moses as a mouthpiece of
25 Fulfilled Promises of Christmas: Advent Reflections for those who Wait, Watch, and Wonder Once More Compiled and composed by Stephen A. Macchia Promise #5 – the Messiah will be the star coming out of Jacob (Numbers 24:17 and Matthew 2:2). The brightest light in the starry sky would one
25 Fulfilled Promises of Christmas: Advent Reflections for those who Wait, Watch, and Wonder Once More Compiled and composed by Stephen A. Macchia Promise #4 – the Messiah will be the passover lamb (Exodus 12: 1-51 and John 1: 29, 36). Moses’ instructions to the people of God on the
25 Fulfilled Promises of Christmas: Advent Reflections for those who Wait, Watch, and Wonder Once More Compiled and composed by Stephen A. Macchia Promise #3 – the Messiah will be a willing sacrifice (Genesis 22: 1-18 and John 3:16). Take a few moments and sit with Genesis 22, which recounts
25 Fulfilled Promises of Christmas: Advent Reflections for those who Wait, Watch, and Wonder Once More Compiled and composed by Stephen A. Macchia Promise #2 – the Messiah will be the descendant of Abraham through whom all nations will be blessed (Genesis 12:3; 22:18 and Acts 3: 24-26). Abraham embodies
25 Fulfilled Promises of Christmas: Advent Reflections for those who Wait, Watch, and Wonder Once More Compiled and composed by Stephen A. Macchia For the next 25 days we will journey to the manger by way of prophetic promises declared in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the coming
The Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Macchia is founder and president of Leadership Transformations, Inc. (LTI), a ministry serving the spiritual formation, discernment, and renewal of leaders and learners since 2003. For more than 20 years he has been the Director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Doctor of Ministry Program. From 1989-2003 he was the president of Vision New England, the largest regional church renewal association in the country. Earlier in his ministry life, Steve was a member of the pastoral staff of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts for 11 years. He is the author or co-author of 17 books, including The Discerning Life (Zondervan Reflective), and Crafting a Rule of Life, Becoming A Healthy Church (LTI), and Broken and Whole (IVP). He and his wife Ruth live in the Boston (MA) area and are the proud parents of two married children and grandparents to three adorable grandchildren. Steve’s personal website is www.SteveMacchia.com.
“My soul comes alive singing the great hymns of the church and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. I’m in awe of God for fulfilling the dream for LTI that he birthed in my heart, for the team he has assembled, and the transformational impact experienced in the leaders and teams we serve.”
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Mitzi started her professional life as a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband Jerry then served cross-culturally for ten+ years, living abroad first in India and then Kurdistan, N. Iraq. In addition to being a Spiritual Director, she now serves as a Formation and Care pastor in her local church in Houston, TX. She has graduated from LTI’s Selah Spiritual Direction training as well as LTI’s Emmaus Formational Leadership Program.
Mitzi enjoys engaging conversation, reading fiction, doing jigsaw/crossword puzzles, ocean gazing and exploring the world with Jerry through food and travel.
God has two main callings in Mitzi’s life: to care for those who care for others and to be a guide in helping others have a healthy relationship with the Trinity – recognizing God’s loving presence and activity in their lives and how to faithfully respond.
“Selah was a transformative experience for me – allowing the contemplative within to emerge and to beautifully co-exist with my extraverted personality.“
