The after-Christmas story

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Note from Janet

We are privileged to send you a few moments with God’s word each week.

As we wrap up this unique year, would you consider making a tax-deductible gift to help us reach our year end goals before December 31? 

If you are able you can donate here or send a check to the address below postmarked by December 31:

Denison Ministries
17304 Preston Rd.
Suite 1060
Dallas, TX 7525

Thank you for giving and enabling us to send God’s biblical perspective to people around the globe.


It’s time to look forward to a new year. Has there ever been a more anticipated new year? 

As we look forward, there is a story in Scripture that needs to be properly placed in order to grasp its meaning.

The magi probably didn’t see the baby Jesus. They likely met a toddler. Their story is perfect for this last week of 2020. 

There is an after-Christmas story about wise men that provides wisdom for today. 

THE MAGI FOLLOWED A STAR 

Jim and I made sandwiches and hopped in our car. We weren’t following a light; we were trying to get away from it. 

It was December 21, and we wanted to see the Christmas star (which was really two aligned planets) in the sky. We made sandwiches, packed up our dinner, and decided to call the evening “The Wisdom Adventure.” 

We chose to head northeast from our home because that was the shortest distance to darkness. It was the darkness that best enabled us to see the light. 

Doesn’t that sound a lot like our 2020? 

I think most of us will remember the darkness of this year. 

But today, I want to share what we at Denison Ministries will always remember as the light of 2020.

WISE PEOPLE LOOK FOR GOD 

I like to imagine what it was like for the people in the small village of Bethlehem to see the magi and their entire entourage arrive. No one would have missed the commotion created. If social media had existed in that day, millions of people would have viewed the posts. 

But Jesus didn’t enter the world in 2020. He timed his arrival on earth for a simpler time. 

Our ministry began twelve years ago, and we think God’s timing for us was perfect. The internet has made the spread of God’s word “to the ends of the earth” possible. 

We could never have predicted 2020, but God had already prepared us for its arrival. Our ministry had implemented a growth campaign designed to reach a significant percentage of the evangelical population. The events of 2020 accelerated our growth in profound ways. A lot of people found our ministry to be the light of God’s word in the darkness of 2020. 

Our articles, posts, videos, Bible study, and books are designed to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12). Our audience is typically the “front-line” Christian who wants to use his or her life to fulfill God’s kingdom purpose. That is why Denison Ministries exists. 

We want to help wise people search for Jesus until they find him. 

We want to help people worship at his feet. 

We want them to recognize God’s voice so he can send them a “different way” when necessary. 

THEY PRESENTED THE LORD WITH GIFTS 

Every year, I use my last blog post in December to ask my readers to help. 

We are a donor-based ministry, and everything we do is made possible by the people who decide to help us accomplish God’s work. The statistics are there. We are making a difference, and God is using our ministry. 

One example of growth is the Bible study I teach. 

Because of COVID, we created an online study. We have more than 1,500 people who have signed up to receive it, and many of them are using it to teach a group of their own. We continue to add numbers each month. I call it the “Romans 8:28” of 2020. 

We have some donors whom the Lord has called to give large gifts that enable our strategic plan. The vast majority of our donors give because they want to say thank you for what they receive. 

Here is what I know I can ask: Will you pray about giving? 

We would like to receive what the Lord has called you to give. 

God prompted the magi to give gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Those gifts are probably what enabled Joseph to care for his family as they fled to Egypt. God always knows what the future holds. God has led our donors in the past. I’m certain the Lord knows what they should give this year. 

We are a tax-exempt nonprofit, so every dollar you give is deductible. Most importantly, every dollar you give will be used prayerfully and faithfully to serve God’s kingdom purpose. It is our privilege as well as our calling. 

THANK YOU 

Thank you for reading, and thank you for praying about giving to our ministry. The amount isn’t as important as the fact that you want to help. 

God truly loves our “cheerful” donors, and we do too. I like to think about the fact that I have all of eternity to tell you thank you for making this ministry possible. 

You can use the information below to safely and simply make your offering. I hope you will join the group of saints who equip us to help others. 

We are truly grateful as we look forward to all God has planned for 2021. 

May his blessings continue into the coming new year! 


For those of you who have completed the first half of the Foundations of Faith Bible Study, I hope you will join us for the second half of the study

The first lecture (Abraham & Sarah – Lesson 12) will be available on Monday January 4th.  

Each lesson will focus on a person/persons from the Bible who demonstrated faithful obedience to God and will offer insight on how we, too, can live in faithful obedience to Him. 

If you haven’t yet registered for the Bible study, now would be a perfect time to join us.

Posted by Janet Denison

Janet Denison teaches others to live an authentic faith through her writing, speaking, and teaching ministry. She blogs weekly at JanetDenison.org and often at ChristianParenting.org. She is also the author of The Songs Tell the Story and Content to Be Good, Called to Be Godly, among other books. Janet and her husband, Dr. Jim Denison, live in Dallas, Texas. When they’re not writing or ministering to others, they enjoy spending time with their grown children and their four still-growing grandchildren.