My Soul My Soul Magnifies The Lord!

Merry Christmas to you and my prayer is that God’s blessing and power be your strength and anchor this season.

There is so much to be thankful and joyful about during the Christmas Season. Mary said it best in Luke 1:46 when she said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

How about you? Is your soul glorifying the Lord and is your spirit rejoicing in God your savior?

There is so much to think about in the two questions I just posed and, in your recovery, wholeness and blessings will be the byproduct of saying yes. One more thing to consider; it is available and will be a reality if you choose to think that way.

Yes, you can choose to glorify the Lord and rejoice in God, your savior. And, if you choose to do so, you will be blessed.

These two choices we are faced with unlock the key to God’s healing and blessing on our lives. These choices represent a mindset, or perspective, that is within each of us to choose every day.

This mindset and choice I am talking about is not something we should do just when things are going well but something we must do when the bottom drops out and we enter into a major storm of trouble.

Jesus said in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

So if you think that the Christian life is void of trouble, you are reading the wrong book and have listened to the wrong preacher. Part of the blessed life is to have trouble and allow God to be glorified in your storm.


Greg Laurie recently wrote a devotional entitled, “Safe Passage” about the storms we face in our life:

“Safe Passage”

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side." Mark 4:35

Jesus once said to His disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side." So they boarded their boat and began cruising across the Sea of Galilee, a very large, freshwater lake known for storms that arrive quickly and without warning. And sure enough, a storm came. This one was a doozy, because even the seasoned sailors were despairing of their lives.

Meanwhile, Jesus was asleep in the boat. So the disciples woke Him and said, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" (Mark 4:38). In other words, "Hey, Lord? Are You paying attention? Don't you care that we are going through this? Wake up and do something!" So Jesus rebuked both the storm and His boys. He turned to the storm and said, "Peace, be still!" and it stopped.

But then He turned to His own disciples and said, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" Or literally, "Why are you so timid and fearful?"

Jesus was essentially saying, "Haven't you learned anything? I said, 'Let's cross over to the other side.' I didn't say, 'Let's go to the middle of the Sea of Galilee and drown.' “Jesus didn't promise smooth sailing, but He did promise a safe passage.




It is better to be in a storm with Jesus than to be anywhere else without Him. I would rather be in a fiery furnace with Jesus than in a palace without Him. I would rather be in a lion's den with Jesus, or in a prison, or even shipwrecked, than to be elsewhere without Him. As long as I know Jesus is there, then I can get through it.

God is with you regardless of what storm, or even shipwreck, you are going through right now. You are not alone.


Some of you may know that my wife Carolynn has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. We just found out yesterday. The news hit us like a ton of bricks and shook us hard. No one finds joy from hearing that you have cancer but somehow there was joy yesterday as we entered into a new storm. A storm of many unknowns as we now have to wait to see how serious the cancer is - which is going to take another 4 days or so.

We experienced something yesterday that I want to share with you. In the middle of being rocked by the news of cancer, we walked out of that doctors office, got in my car and the first words out Carolynn’s mouth before we prayed was exactly what Mary said, paraphrased---Carolynn said; “My Soul My Soul Magnifies The Lord For He has Done Great Things For Me.”

All I can tell you is that as we started to Bless God, Glorify the Lord and Rejoice in Jesus, an overwhelming sense of peace, power and grace came upon us. We know God is in control and even in the storm of cancer God is worthy of our Praise!!

Carolynn chose “bless you” instead of “why me.” She chose joy instead of despair. She chose prayer instead of worry and she chose Jesus instead of cancer!

At this time all we are asking is that you keep Carolynn in your prayers. We are trusting and believing that God is going to heal Carolynn completely and be glorified through it all.


Luke 1:49, “For the Mighty One has done great things for me---holy is his name.”

P.S. Last night God woke Carolynn up and God gave her a scripture to read and she read it. Today Carolynn received an email from one of my best friend’s wife (Shirley) who has been struggling with cancer for the past few years who we are very close to. At the end of Shirley’s email, she shared with Carolynn a passage of scripture that has helped her through her storm. It was the same exact passage that God woke Carolynn up with last night and it was:

Isaiah 30:21, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

Be Blessed and Encouraged,

Bill Rieser

A Christmas Message

I hope this message finds you all blessed and well this Christmas season. I am reminded every year and more this year that I am to take some time and personally reflect on what Christmas really means. Consider this; where would we be without the Birth, Life, Resurrection, and Hope of Jesus Christ?
Imagine what life would be like without Jesus Christ as not only Savior of the world but as the lover of your soul and the Hope that lives in you and I.
It is comforting to know that we serve a God who cares for us and all he wants is for us to acknowledge that through a personal relationship with him that is available for anyone who would simply believe and put their trust in Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the best gift I ever received, and that is what makes this deal with God so great. We receive Him as a “Gift”
In addition to Jesus Christ being the best “Gift” I ever received, He has been the best “Gift” I have given away. For example, the best thing I ever did for my wife and daughter was to accept Jesus Christ in my heart and then become a fully devoted follower, loving God with all my heart, mind, and soul. In that pursuit of Him, I experienced healing and transformation that enables me to love my family like never before. My family will be the first to tell you that Jesus Christ is the Best Gift you can give and receive this Christmas Season!!!!
How about you? Short on money, too busy to shop, not sure what to buy? Why not give the best “Gift” that is the only “Gift” that truly keeps on giving!!!! Maybe this Christmas you come home with Jesus and you pass out treats of Kindness, Forgiveness, Commitment, Honor, Hope and Love. You might be surprised by the presents you get back!!
At Celebrate Recovery, we want everyone to experience the Hope and Freedom that comes from the “Gift” of Jesus Christ. Reality for you as you are reading this is the fact that circumstances for you and your family are pretty tough and hard. That is why we put no confidence in our ability to change anyone or their circumstances. We encourage people to accept and open up “Gifts” from Jesus so that you can not only enjoy the presents he has for you but that you can rest and find healing in His “Presence” as well!!
Maybe the best “Present” that you will find this Christmas Season will be to rest in His “Presence” where you can experience “Peace” this Christmas.
When I look at the Christmas story in Luke 2:13-14 and the angel of the Lord says: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests, I find comfort knowing that it is God’s desire that we experience His Peace and find that His favor rests on me.
My prayer for you this Christmas is that you will have His favor upon you and as a result—you will find rest in that.

Be Blessed and Encouraged This Christmas Season!!
Bill Rieser