I am ecstatic to be able to share with you an amazing, godly woman who is full of spunk and life and you feel her zeal for life as you read her book. She doesn’t let her age dictate what she can and can’t do. In her Golden Years she stepped out on faith and published this great book for grandparents. I want to be just like her when I grow up. Drum roll please: Marty Norman, author and writer! For her book giveaway all you need to do is Like us or Follow us and you are automatically entered in the drawing.
In this Christmas season, she takes the faithful shepherds role and parallels it to that of grandparenting with the article below. To read more of her work stop by her website.
Shepherds for Christ By Marty Norman
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” Luke 2:8
Shepherds are amazing people. From biblical times to today, they guard the sheep and lambs placed in their care. By day they feed, leading sheep to pasture; by night they guard the entrance to gated pens, protecting the helpless from danger.
Shepherds have a distinct place in kingdom history. They were the first to whom God revealed the good news of the birth of his son. As they stood on a Judean hillside, they watched the heavenly host sing and praise God, proclaiming peace on earth, good will towards man. Without hesitation, these simple men left the sheep to see for themselves the miracle of the baby’s birth.
Today there are many types of shepherds–pastors, preachers, parents, grandparents, teachers and youth leaders. They each have a role in the guarding of the flock. In God’s way, he uses the few to confound the many for he leads with precision those he has called to shepherd his sheep.
As grandmothers, we have the important role of mentoring, teaching and shepherding those precious lambs. As matriarchs, our role, though quiet and invisible, can effect eternity. Our position in the family places us in a unique shepherd role for we are blessed with wisdom and longevity. This is how god made us—to feed by day and guard by night. Opportunities abound. The word gives us the key to shepherding for as grandmothers, we shepherd physically, spiritually and emotionally.
- Physically we provide for our families but we also have financial discretion to give them the fun things we didn’t provide for our own children for lack of funds.
- Emotionally, we offer a place of safety and a heart of unconditional love; we see with our eyes and listen with our hearts. We’re always there when others are preoccupied.
- Spiritually, we show Jesus when we sing hymns of praise, sharing our joy in the Lord. At night we offer protection through prayer. In our quiet time we speak the Word of the Lord over them, providing a canopy of covering.
But there is more to the Christmas story than just shepherds guarding the flock. And there’s more to being a grandmother than taking care of the needs of our baby lambs. Luke 2:17 tells us, ‘When they had 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 shepherds said to them.” This is the heart of the story. First they saw, guarded, protected and watched; then they went and told. 
As 21st century shepherds, are we doing the same, telling our grandchildren and others all that we see and know about Jesus? Are the people who hear amazed at what we tell them? If not, then we are not applying the Christmas story to today.
So our challenge this Christmas is to make a plan. Determine how you will share the gospel that Jesus, the Messiah, has come. Who will you tell about the good news of the baby Jesus? Will you tell or read the story from the Bible? Will you minister to family and neighbors by caroling and gifting scripture in your neighborhoods? Will you start a tradition of an Advent or Jesse tree and explain it to others? Will you sing Christmas carols to your grandchildren that tell the story of salvation?
Start now. Give thanks to God for humble shepherds who guarded the flock by night. But most of all, be an amazing shepherd by asking God to use you to spread the good news of the birth of the savior to all that you see.
Pictures credits: Form A Lines, Community 321
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