As I am writing this there are two weeks until
Christmas. The house is quiet, it’s
early in the morning…everyone is sleeping and the dog is snoring. The house is all aglow in Christmas twinkle…my
favorite time of the year. Coffee in my cup and the slow of everything makes me
smile. Soon the lights will be on and
the house will be filled with laughter and screaming kids—right now is my
favorite time of the day. Calm and
trying to prepare Him room in my heart.
Typically, I am going crazy right about now with trying
to get everything ready. Buying
presents, preparing menus, getting the house ready for company, wrapping
presents, Christmas parties, school activities, and trying to pour Jesus into my kids and myself for what the season
really means. That is what I am usually
like in the month of December…but not
this year. I’m determined NOT to go crazy!
Is
God enough?
I think the enemy wants us to be distracted and in a
crazy emotional state during the Christmas season. If we are…then we are on his team. If we are short tempered and too busy with
trying to bring Christmas to our families and missing Jesus…then we are on the
enemy’s team.
Is
God enough?
Can I really experience all that this season is supposed
to be about without all the stress? Is
it possible to “Be still and know” –
is it possible to lay down my stresses and “approach
God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that [I] may receive mercy and find
grace to help [me] in [my] time of need” ~Heb. 4:16
Is
God enough?
For me…in this time of my life…God is enough. Oh, He didn’t use
to be. But slowly, coming to Him daily,
I have seen just how much He has done for me and how He is with me always…that
through all of my junk…it has brought me to Him. That He comes down to me and waits with me
and for me. To give thanks to Him for it
all…the mistakes, the blindness of seeing Him, the selfishness – all of
it. Is God enough? He is.
The word trust
has been in my head and all around me for months now. “Trust Me Michelle”…is what I feel a
lot. Trusting is hard when you feel like
you can handle it on your own…or even do a better job at trying to fix it. If you don’t know God…trusting is really hard. But God says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths
straight.” ~Prov. 3:5-6
So in the hustle and bustle of this season…when tempers
can flare while we try to “create the perfect Christmas”- now is the time to lean into Him. Let Him be your enough. See Him in the moment. Be His image to others. Pour your love into your family and create
the perfect Christmas with Jesus- the perfect gift.
God is enough and He has given us the best gift
ever. Untie the bow, open the present,
receive the best Gift ever and give thanks this Christmas. He is enough.
“No
personal choice that muddied your life can ever trump the divine choice to wash
your life clean." ~Ann Voskamp
Michelle, Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures and words of peace with us. I love your challenge to " God is enough and He has given us the best gift ever. Untie the bow, open the present, receive the best Gift ever and give thanks this Christmas. He is enough." I join you in declaring God is Enough!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ruth! I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!!
DeleteLove this post Michelle! Brings peace to my heart and challenges me to keep it for the rest of what can be a crazy season. These statements stuck with me: "...right now is my favorite time of the day. Calm and trying to prepare Him room in my heart." Amen to that, me too! And then: "I think the enemy wants us to be distracted and in a crazy emotional state during the Christmas season. If we are…then we are on his team." Ouch, but so true! I do not want to be on his team! Lastly: "in the hustle and bustle of this season…when tempers can flare while we try to “create the perfect Christmas”- now is the time to lean into Him. Let Him be your enough. See Him in the moment. Be His image to others. Pour your love into your family and create the perfect Christmas with Jesus- the perfect gift." Yes, yes, yes!! The challenge I am writing down - the goal - the gift. Thank you for unwrapping this challenge and gift for us all and may God bless you this Christmas!
ReplyDeleteKatrina Wylie (OBS small group leader)
Thank you Katrina! Right there with you on this challenge. :) Merry Christmas!
DeleteYour words, "I think the enemy wants us to be distracted and in a crazy emotional state during the Christmas season. If we are…then we are on his team. If we are short tempered and too busy with trying to bring Christmas to our families and missing Jesus…then we are on the enemy’s team," spoke to me. If I choose to be crazy during this season I am choosing the wrong team. Thank you for your blog today.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jennifer. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDelete