Thursday, December 23, 2010

The reason why

So I have always enjoyed writing and have contemplated starting a blog and with more free time this Christmas Break, I thought I would start one now. With this being my first post, it may start off a little shaky, ha, but I'm excited to see how God can use my trials, mistakes, and victories to hopefully bless you. We'll see what happens with it :)

This Christmas Break has been such a blessing. Mike and I have had a lot of quality time filled with laughter and fun and I am falling more in love with him everyday. This semester God really started to show me what it looks like for me to serve beyond myself---to serve even when I don't "feel" like it, as awful as that may sound. It can be so easy to get caught up in what I need to take care of in my life and totally forget about the people around me. Being married has challenged me to lean on God and call upon Him for strength everyday to serve my husband; this helped in my other friendships this semester as well. I believe God offers everything we need for that day and when we are aware of that, we get to live with a new freedom and humility that it was never us that was offering to others what they needed but rather God filled us with what we needed so that we can pour it out to others (...if that makes sense). So yeah...where that was leading me to? (ha...maybe this blogging thing could be interesting if people have to follow my thoughts that are bouncing all over the place). But this break has been a great time to see how God has grown our love this semester as we serve and care for each other on top of our full time class load, working part time, and serving on a leadership team with a campus ministry.

Christmas Break also always brings time of reunion with family and friends and it's so wonderful to be able to get together with people that I haven't seen in months and can pick up right where we left off. My friends from high school are some of the greatest. ever.

As I have reflected on this Christmas season, God reminded me of what this season is all about. I mean, I've always known Christmas is the time that we celebrate Jesus' birth, but what God pointed out to me this year was the idea of this season being a season of joy. For many people, Christmas time is a difficult time, but, for many others right when December 1st hits things are different. There is an entirely new atmosphere. People are cheerful and have this refreshed warmth in their hearts. There is a feeling of excitement and anticipation...feelings of joy. As I thought about this more these feelings we have are so valid--we have something big to celebrate, something big to get excited over, something to find joy over and we may not even realize why. But there is a reason why.
Matthew 1:21, 23
Mary will give birth to a son, and he is to be given the name Jesus (the Anointed One), because he will save his people from their sins...He will be called Immanuel, which means God with us.

Do you realize how HUGE that is?! We are celebrating baby that was sent to SAVE us and for God to be WITH us! Christmas time is a time to acknowledge that God is AMONG us. I mean this may seem like a simple truth to some, but it was an amazing reminder to me. Also, the fact that Jesus was sent to save us just blows my mind. All glory belongs to Him! Jesus was born to die...for me...for you.

That is the reason why. That is the reason why we should celebrate, get excited, and find joy at Christmas and even year round. Jesus loves you, he came for you, he has redeemed you.

Merry Christmas! Be Blessed.