I encourage you to scroll down and play this song while you read. Usually I would give you an option but this one is a good one...so you have no options :) Trust me....go down, click play and then come back up for a look into what is on my heart during this season... (thank you Megs for playing this in the car yesterday. I have been listening to it ever since....so beautiful)
Things have changed since I was little. I am now able to sleep on Christmas Eve, there is no rush or lack of patience to unwrap presents, that excited feeling is not the same. This year, more than years before, there is more. . . and let me tell you that feeling is even better than when I was little. . .
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. " John 3:16 (NIV)
So, as I sit and think about all of us who run around, trying to make things perfect for Christmas. . . focusing our time and energy on the things we haven't yet bought, the money we have or have not spent, or the food we need to prepare. I am able to look past all of those distractions and lay my eyes upon our amazing God who unselfishly sent His perfect Son to Earth, knowing that Jesus would then die on the cross for our sins. . . what a love. Such a love, that I can not even begin to fathom.
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
I close my eyes and think of baby Jesus in that manger. So innocent, so pure and sweet. To think of the things that were to come in His lifetime. I sit here amazed. All of this for us.
I hope we can all look past the distractions this season and focus on the perfect love that was given to us as a gift. Don't get me wrong, the look on my nephews faces while they open their gifts is something I am looking forward to. To see their little smiles as they unwrap things brings happiness to my heart. All of the gifts, fellowship and time with family is so good, and we are so blessed to be able to do that. But I can honestly tell you all that the only gift I want this season, I already have. I have never imagined that something intangible could give me such pure and honest joy. I hope that with every prayer we pray, that it be of thanks and love to God. I hope that with every gift we give and receive, we think of the real, true reason we are celebrating such a wonderful time of the year. More than anything, I am thankful to our perfect and loving God. Have a blessed and Merry Christmas!
(Okay, since this is the first post I will give you the gist... There will always be some sort of music at the bottom of the blog. I would advise you to listen while reading (a little background music if you will). Or you can listen to it at the end..or not listen to it at all. That's your choice. It's your right to listen, or not listen. :) Anyway....this blog is about things that God has put on my heart. I hope you enjoy...here we go. (now like I said...go to the bottom and click play......) :)
So often, we search for a love we can not find. We look for love from people, we search for happiness from tangible things, these things are where we find our temporary happiness. We desire to be needed, loved, cared for....
Depression sets in when the one we love does not meet our standards. They so frequently let us down and we fall back into the rut. Often thinking "If I only had this, I would be happy..." to find, when we get our hands on it, we long for something more. Something, someone, a love even, that will last forever. I need something to fill me. I used to be there. Looking, longing, searching. Highs, lows, unstable, used, unfilled.I can not begin to describe how my life has been transformed from that dark, empty, broken place. . . to this. . .
There is a love that I can not even begin to describe. Something so sweet, so true. Unfailing. Something, that even when things (or people) in life are disappointing, I can run back to and know that love that we all long for. This one thing is our Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Stick with me for a few minutes. I know what some of you are thinking. Right..this chic is crazy. . . just another Christian telling me to turn to God and it will all be alright. Trust me, I get it. I used to be there. There is not one single thing that anyone could have said or done to make me turn my life around. Not by guilting me into going to church, not by guilting me about going out with my friends, nothing. When people would talk about the love of Christ, it was like a foreign language to me.
It wasn't until I realized how empty my life was. The temporary happiness was not enough for me. Not only this, but I was feeling something strange in my heart. What in the world is this feeling that my life is not right? . .
"Well Hello Holy Spirit." That's what that was. . .God speaking to my heart. Convicting my heart. Once I asked God to come into my heart and into my life, everything changed. Things looked different, people looked different. This feeling, this love, is not something you can make up! This is the real deal. So, how do we know God loves us? How do we know he even cares? Well, one is the Bible, and because it says so.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 (NIV)
That verse has meaning!Go ahead, read it again. How could anyone read that and still have doubts that God loves them? He sent his only son for us! And He died on the cross for us.
And two .... well, you have to know HIM to know IT. "IT" being love,the kind of love I'm speaking of. Like I said, it is indescribable, the love that I feel from Jesus. And you don't know it until you have it.
I love you all and I want to share with you that there is love past the temporary things. I too was looking for love in all the wrong places. I hope that we all can wake up and realize that we are not going to find unconditional love in people or material things. Those things will disappoint us time and time again. But the love of Jesus Christ will fill us.
So, is everything rainbows and sugar plums in my life? No. Everyone and every life has troubles...but I DO find strength in God's unfailing love for me. It is possible to find flowers in the snow.....
