Merry Christmas! It has been such a JOY to help you find gifts for your family and friends this year with our Holiday Gift Guide. As those gifts are unwrapped this morning, I hope that they feel the love that was put into those planning and purchasing those gifts. That’s what gift-giving is all about in our minds. A love language. In some ways, it is a small reflection of the lavish gift God gave us in sending His Son to be born in a manager 2,000 years ago.
My prayer is that as you give and receive gifts today that you would also know about the perfect gift we have been in given in Jesus’s birth, life, death and resurrection. That our children and grandchildren, who are filled with wonder at the sight of those gifts, would also be filled with wonder of Him. And, finally, I also pray that in this broken world, you and your families will have the thrill of hope in Him.
If you are weary or suffering in this seemingly joyful season, know that you are not alone. I don’t think there’s ever been a Christmas when I haven’t had a tinge of sadness in my heart, if not more. Things are not right in this world.
But dwelling on the truth that the Son of God left His heavenly throne for a lowly manger to be with US brings such comfort to me and I hope to you as well. Even in our suffering we can rejoice when we know Him. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”¹
We can also rejoice because the same Jesus who was humbly born in a stable is coming back to make all things right one final time. We wait in anticipation for when sin and suffering will be no more.
Oh come, Oh come Emmanuel.
¹Psalm 34:18
Photos: Ali Wood Photo
I always appreciate that you are not shy about your Christianity.
Thank you, Amy! And Merry Christmas!