Christmas 2021 is almost upon us. Where has this year gone? Everything seems like one big blur and yet, as I reflect, I am more aware this Christmas than ever before of God’s amazing blessings in my life. He truly is “the reason for the season“.

This season I have found myself reminiscing about former Christmas’s. Growing up my family lived overseas, and then as a young adult and raising my own family, we lived in the Midwest of America. Seven years ago my husband and I moved to South Florida. Our kids live in Nebraska and Colorado and have commitments that keep them close to home on most holidays. So being together every holiday is not always possible.

I’ve been trying to pick out some common denominators that have made each Christmas significant to me. As I did this I realized that it hasn’t been the gifts or even where I happened to be. It hasn’t been because certain foods were served or even who was there. Some were in hot climates and some in cold. None of those things added or took away from how special this holiday always was to me and my family.

What makes CHRISTMAS more significant than any other holiday is that we never made it about things or circumstances. Christmas was always all about JESUS whose birth was the whole reason we were celebrating.

Focusing on Jesus causes me to see the many blessings in my life that come from being His child. As you read my list of just a few of the blessings I am remembering this Christmas, I pray it will open your eyes to look around you and see His goodness this season.

• LIFE. And Jesus promises it “more abundantly” John 10:10. Life itself is amazing but abundant life is spectacular. Every morning I get to breath because He gave me life. When you choose to live this life with Him it gives you so much more than the things around us could ever provide.
• HOPE. God’s promises are sure and that gives me the knowledge that even though this life can have loneliness and empitiness and sickness and disappointment, He promises something better in eternity. In Hebrews 6 vs 19 it says “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, …..” And IJohn 2 vs 25 says “And this is the promise that He has promised us–eternal life.”
• PEACE. This peace isn’t anything you can buy. In fact, trying to find fulfillment and peace in this life is futile. True peace can only be found as you place your life in the hands of Jesus and accept Him as your Lord and Savour.

My prayer this Christmas is that MANY will look for Jesus in the manger and find Him and begin to see the many gifts and blessings He has for them. I challenge each of you who have already found Him to give someone that gift and invite them to meet Him this year.