Is anyone else having a hard time believing the New Year is only a few days away? 2019 has been a year of adventure and pain. Questions and joy. There’s somthing about ending on Christmas that helps settle my heart and prepare for what’s to come in the next year…and decade since we will soon turn the calendar to 2020. As we do, this is my desire and prayer:

Does anyone else need the reminder that who we are and what we can have in a relationship with God is because of Christmas? That Jesus would step out of heaven willingly, take on the cloak and restrictions of humanity, and submit Himself to being fully man and fully God? It’s a challenge to wrap my mind fully around that reality. The truth remains that without Christmas, there would be no Easter. Sobering thought, eh? 

So, I hope your Christmas Eve was filled with carols and a reminder of what Jesus stepped into.

That you had moments with family and friends. We had friends over after the Christmas Eve service for very traditional Christmas enchiladas and games. Then watched White Christmas — the dialouge is soooo good in that one. Followed by learning two new games today as we had a quiet Christmas at home –very different from our usual tradition of spending it with generations in my family.

Maybe you wrapped presents into the wee hours like I did.

But my prayer for each of you is that as 2019 closes out that you will receive the best gift of all. That Jesus would fill the crevices of your heart and assure you He is with you. And that you would enter 2020 with a strong sense of Him in new and fresh ways. May 2020 be a year of new beginnings, strengthening of your faith and pressing it. And may you find a few good books to read while you’re at it. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!