How far will we go?

How far will we seek?

What would we sacrifice?

To praise Him.

To serve Him.

To love Him.

To give Him our all.

The cards, the characters, the commercials – they all depict the wise men’s journey as a short trip across a desert, but that’s not really how it played out.

These men left their families. They left their jobs and their friends and everything they knew. They sacrificed it all to follow their King – their calling.

This journey wasn’t short. It wasn’t a day trip. They didn’t have GPS, heat and air, or the convenience of Subway to stop at when it was time to eat.

All they had was faith. And hope. And the belief in a God who would deliver them. They were holding on to the promises spoken by their ancestors.

And the hope that He promised them, He promised us, too.

So this year as we celebrate His birth I challenge you to remember. I challenge you to look up and follow Him.

No matter how far.

No matter how long.

No matter the cost.

Happy birthday, Jesus.

Mary’s Boy.

God’s Son.

My King.

“And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11

My friend Jana McEachern posted this the other day, and I love it.

The last two weeks I have been lucky enough to witness the overflowing of true Christmas spirit.

🎄Families buying for other families.

🎄People making sure children in their community have Christmas.

🎄Lunch bills for students paid off

🎄Monetary donations to help others

🎄Meals paid for

People are good, y’all.

Sometimes we forget that. Sometimes we get so caught up in all the negative around us that there’s no room to see the good. And sometimes God will put everything on pause to remind us of how blessed we really are.

This Christmas week I hope you see the good. I hope you are the good. I hope the spirit of Christmas infiltrates your soul like it never has before.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Your Giants don’t stop you. Your fear of them does.

Your doubts.

Your distrust.

Your lack of faith.

That’s what stops you in your tracks.

God is bigger than any giant that you may face today. Or tomorrow. Or next year.

Don’t forget it.

“Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God;

He created all the world.

He never grows tired or weary.

No one understands his thoughts.

He strengthens those who are weak and tired.”

(Isaiah 40:28-29)

For the past two days the song “Counting Every Blessing” has literally been playing on repeat inside of my head. It’s been a constant reminder of what my focus should be – not merely for the holiday season – but always.

The next week and a half is going to be fast and furious – no doubt.

However.

▪️I refuse to let a to-do list longer than Santa’s steal my joy.

▪️I refuse to run around ninety-to-nothing only to – retrospectively – miss out on all of the holiday memories I’m furiously trying to create.

▪️I refuse to let the seemingly daunting tasks of finishing holiday shopping, wrapping presents, and cooking meal after meal become a burden instead of the true blessing that it is.

▪️I refuse to spend my Savior’s birthday in a flustered state of manic emotions any longer.

Life’s short, y’all.

Christmas only comes once a year. Let’s be intentional this year. Let’s make memories instead of lists. Let’s hold conversations instead of contempt. Let’s laugh and live and love.

Let’s celebrate.

7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Grief has a way of changing you, and with that change comes an array of choices.

I’m choosing reflection over regrets.

How can I be better?

How can I serve better?

How can I love better?

I’m choosing memories over misery.

The good times.

The funny times.

The traditions.

I’m choosing to grab ahold of the past and carry it forward with me.

I’m choosing to embrace more than ever the hope that only the one true Savior can offer us.

“10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

1 Peter 5:10

People have ghosts.

Ghosts from their past that haunt them day in and day out. Ghosts that torment in such an unrelenting way that no one else could ever comprehend the mental anguish they are dealing with.

And the truth is other people’s ghosts aren’t any of our business. Honestly, the only thing that is our business is God’s business.

God’s business is loving people in spite of their ghosts.

God’s business is wrapping people up without asking questions – without casting judgement.

God’s business was modeled perfectly by a man named Jesus. A man that walked this earth loving and serving everyone – regardless of our pasts. Regardless of our ghosts.

Let’s be like Him.

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” 1 John 4:16

The bad stuff.

The good stuff.

It all makes up who you are.

The bad choices.

The good choices.

They are intermingled in an unimaginable way that only a grace giving God could make beautiful.

The bad days.

The good days.

They are all part of your testimony.

Your testimony.

Your story.

Your script.

Keep letting God write.

Don’t give up now.

Somebody needs you.

Somebody needs you to say I’ve been there and done that. Someone needs to know that with the power and grace of an almighty God you are still standing and still smiling.

The good always outweighs the bad because God is the author of this story.

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12

Webster’s Dictionary has two definitions for the word victory.

1. The overcoming of an enemy or antagonist.

2. Achievement of mastery or success in a struggle or endeavor against the odds or difficulties.

The last two weeks have been hard – no doubt. To move forward – to get through the day to day – I hold fast to God’s word. God’s word, embedded with grace and hope and promise of a brighter future.

My sister’s and I cling to praise and worship music – beautiful melodies full of love and triumphs through God’s unfailing love.

There’s been a constant the past few weeks. Every single time I turn the radio on the following song is playing: 🎼I’m gonna see a victory, I’m gonna see a victory, for the battle belongs to you, Lord🎼

God’s amazing like that. He speaks to us all day everyday. If we will slow down and listen to Him, He will whisper sweet truths of His beautiful redemption story straight into our hearts. It’s a story of unimaginable pain and grief intricately woven with endless hope and infinite grace. It’s a story of victory – a victory so immense that you’ll never experience anything like it this side of Heaven.

I don’t know what battle is raging in your life right now, but I can confidently say this to you – the victory belongs to God. You have to believe it. You have to trust Him.

He always wins.

Let Him lead the way.

Let Him fight for you.

▪️Deuteronomy 20:4

▪️1 Corinthians 10:13

▪️John 6:13

▪️James 1:1-5

▪️Ephesians 6:10

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4

Grief is a fog.

It’s a state of forgetfulness.

Why you stood up.

What you were going to get.

Who you were going to text.

It’s crying for no reason.

Because you have to leave your sisters.

Because your husband is going to the dentist.

Because your kid is staying with a friend.

Because you’re stopped at a red light.

Grief doesn’t make sense.

It punches you in the gut.

It’s bittersweet.

Because the good times are now bigger.

But they are a thing of the past.

God is bigger than grief.

God holds you steady.

And in the midst of deep sorrow God still provides a joy unspeakable that is literally bubbling in your soul.

And in the midst of questions and confusion God truly provides a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Don’t do life without God, y’all.

Cling to Him.

Run to Him.

Let Him hold you.

“17The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;

he delivers them from all their troubles.

18The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Psalm 34:17-18

Christianity isn’t complicated. It’s actually pretty simple.

Love God with all your heart.

Love God with all your soul.

Love God with all your mind.

Love God.

Everything else will fall into place.

The words you say and when you say them.

The things you do and how you do them.

God will direct you, guide you, and He will walk right beside you.

Let God infiltrate your soul today. You’ll never have to wonder or wander again.

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” Matthew 22:37