I have to give credit to the title of this blog to my dad. While taking the youth group to New York one year for Choir tour, dad found a shirt with this quote on it, and it has been a favorite saying of ours ever since. Never mind that that same t-shirt ended up shrinking and could only fit a toddler, it serves a great message and I'm finding it to be more true each and every day.
Starting the evening off with the Candlelight Service at Church, The night could not have been any more perfect with a wonderful night of worship, dinner with the family, and a wonderful Christmas morning to come!
Christmas morning soon came, and we had an incredible breakfast, but the memories made will last a lifetime. Cliche' i know, but i really mean it. I've never had such an appreciation for family like i do now. How great the fathers love for each one of us, that he would not only send his son to be born to one day save us, but that same, gracious, limitless, God cares enough to place people into our lives, to encourage and love us, all so that we may see his unfailing love for us.
I'm not saying families are perfect, in fact broken-ness is a part of life, however, there is nothing that the Lord can't redeem. No amount of sin, can make him love you less, or even more, that's the beauty of grace.
This Christmas, i realized I am showered in grace, i am blessed, and I am now more than ever in need of savior!
Although the Christmas season is filled with endless amounts of joy i would be lying if i told you there were not times that i lost that joy, nevertheless it is so great to be reminded that:
When I am prideful- He humbles me
When I am dirty- He is flawless
When I am cranky- He is patient
When I am angry- He is slow to anger
AND WHEN I AM
Broken- He heals me
You may feel content, I did for a while, but unless the Lord surrounds every aspect of your life, you will always desire more. It took me being broken to realize, how much of a mess i truly am, and then and only then, can he begin to heal you, because you finally surrender every part of your life, you have so despereately been longing to complete. He is the only since of Joy there is, no toy, article of clothing, or amount of money will ever fill that void, only Jesus!
I know Christmas has passed, but i encourage you to take away this very message, the God, who sent his son in the form of a baby boy, is the same God who cares for you, and longs to give you unspeakable and undeniable Joy! May we all carry that into the new year!
