It’s finally here. The day you’ve been anticipating, preparing for, and thinking about for months has arrived. So before I take the opportunity to wish you and your family a very merry and memorable Christmas, I want to encourage you to simply be still.

Christmas is one of the few times when the world slows down. The hustle and bustle of of the season leads up to a day when things finally stop their frantic pace. Stores and restaurants close and a calm fills the air. So today, I encourage you to embrace this divine peace. In the midst of your celebrations, take some time to reflect and ponder. Remember the blessings and good things from the past year and acknowledge the pain of things that were lost. Then, look forward to what’s to come. No matter where you find yourself, pray and ask Jesus to open your mind and heart so you are able to dream. Think about where you want to be this time next year and invite the Lord into your circumstances. No matter how big the task ahead of you seems, remember that with Him, nothing is impossible! Big things are birthed through pain and difficulty and if you don’t believe it, think about the birth of Jesus…

Friend, God chose an unmarried teenage girl to carry his only Son; so before He was even out of the womb, His life was a scandal. The night of His birth, His parents were in a strange town with no one they knew to help and support them. Better yet, they couldn’t find a bed for Mary as she went through the pain of labor; she only had Joseph, hay, and the company of animals. Then, in the greatest irony in history, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords was born in a barn — no fanfare, no announcement, and no royal escort. In a most bizarre and unexpected way, the Messiah came and the fullness of God was contained in the body of an infant. It was unconventional and unexpected, but it was the pinnacle of the ages, and it changed everything! If the vast Creator could take on human flesh and carry out a mission to save the world, think of what you can do as His child! Since He lives in you, your future is unlimited and every difficulty you face has already been redeemed! Bask in that good news today and enjoy your Christmas. God loves you and so do I!