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The Absolutely Wonderful, Life-Changing Truth About Christmas



Christmas. For many, it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

You know those happy folks: they can’t get enough of the twinkling lights, tree decorating, holiday baking, Hallmark holiday movies, gift giving and general festive merriment.

For others, it’s a sad time. Those who have lost loved ones—through death, divorce, or other means—often find it hard to find joy in the season. They’re feeling lonely or depressed, and can’t wait until it’s all over and the last sprig of mistletoe is packed away for another year.

Single and single again adults sometimes have a tough time during the Christmas season. For help and hope, read How to Survive the Holidays for Singles.

Sure, there are gifts and gatherings, carols and eggnog, decorations and stockings, but the JOY comes from remembering the birth of Christ, the Light of the World. Hope for all Mankind.


An angel appears to a young Mary, engaged to Joseph. Mary becomes pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. A mystery. A virgin birth.

Then, an angel appears to shepherds in the fields tending their sheep at night. That must have been a sight! The dark sky lit up by an angel telling them that the Christ child had been born. And the shepherds hurried to see the new baby.

Later on, kings visit the child and bring gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They followed a bright star and came to pay honor to the King of kings.

Read the story in Luke 2.

The absolutely wonderful, life-changing truth about Christmas is that we can celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ—a baby in a manger who grew up and changed the world forever.


He is our LIGHT in the darkness (of darkened hearts and difficult times)

He is Immanuel, God WITH us. Not distant or far away. Here. With you.

He showed us how to live and LOVE each other.

He is our Savior. Christ died on Cross and rose again from death to life—victorious and alive! Why? To pay the price needed to redeem us (free us) from our sins and enable us to live forgiven and free.

Love came down to Earth to show us the way.

Eternity stepped into time so we could understand—and live forever with God, the One who loves us most. Joy on Earth, and forever in Heaven.

That is a fantastic reason to celebrate: God and sinners reconciled! The best gift ever. Joy to the World! The Lord has come.

The Christ child changed everything.

So take a read of this poem I wrote about the true meaning of Christmas. May it bless you and all you choose to share it with.


What is Christmas?

Christmas is where it all began,
An infant child who became a man.
Eternity came down so we could understand,
The child of Creator, the true Son of Man.

He was not unexpected, for the prophets foretold
The events that had happened would surely unfold.
Four hundred years later the miracle came,
The star over Bethlehem shone where He lay.

They came to attend Him from near and from far,
The shepherds and wise men who followed the star.
All were rejoicing that first Christmas night,
At the child of a virgin, a humbling sight.

So, what is the meaning of that first Christmas night?
Simply, He came to make everything right.
For the Child had a purpose in coming to Earth.
He came as a light and to give us new birth.

He gave us forgiveness and paid with His life.
What kind of love would pay such a price?
For death could not hold Him; He rose from that grave.
And freedom and life were the gifts that He gave.

No longer divided, no longer alone,
Because of His love the wall had come down.
Live free forever! O, what a gift!
Both now here on earth and forever with Him.

Wise men and angels followed Him then.
Wise men still seek Him, again and again.
— Jackie M. Johnson

May you still seek Him—and find the life-giving love, joy and peace of Jesus Christ at Christmas and always.

Merry Christmas!
Jackie

Resource

If you’re stressed or depressed, this book is packed with help and hope and short, relevant prayers you can pray on a variety of topics in tough times: Praying with Power When Life Gets Tough By Jackie M. Johnson




Photo credit (Christmas tree): Jonathan Borba, Pexels


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How to Survive the Holidays for Singles

Hi friends,

This is a holiday favorite blog post, originally posted on my singles blog, Living Single. Enjoy and be blessed!

Ah, the holidays—the time of year when many singles are often more intensely aware of their singleness, especially if they are uncoupled.

If you’re unmarried, most likely you’ve had to dodge that perennial question from prying relatives or friends at holiday gatherings: “So, why are you still single?”

Or, maybe you’ve had to deal with the office party dilemma when you don’t have a date to bring to your company’s Christmas event and the “plus one” on the invitation blinks at you like tree lights gone awry.

For some singles, the Christmas season tends to exaggerate feelings that are simmering all year long. It’s a time to connect with loved ones and you feel anything but connected. Suddenly everyone around you seems to have a significant other or spouse and you feel so very solo.

Solitary.

Alone.

What Others Do

A friend of mine said she misses someone with whom she can share the season—like watching Christmas movies together, ice-skating in the park or going to Christmas parties as a couple.

Another friend said she feels a twinge in her heart when the pastor closes the Christmas Eve service with an admonishment to “Go and spend time with your families.” Yeah, thanks, but I don’t have one.

Of course, some people have their family of origin—their parents and siblings—with whom they gather for the holidays, but for others the cost to travel to points far away is simply unaffordable. Or they don’t get along with their family members.

Recently, a guy I know said that he couldn’t wait until the holidays were over. He’s just trying to endure the next few weeks.

I Feel Your Pain

I get it.

It’s not always easy to see happy couples kissing under the mistletoe or walking arm in arm down a snowy sidewalk—laughing all the way—to who knows where.

Yes, I realize that you may have unrealized dreams of having a spouse and a family, and you wonder: Where’s my husband to snuggle with by the fire or my rosy-cheeked kids to go sledding with on snowy Saturdays?

I hear you.

Enjoy, Not Just Endure?

Is there a way to enjoy the holidays, not just endure them?

I believe there is, and it begins with a change in perspective.

First, it helps to refocus attention away from self and onto our Savior. Christmas is not about us; it’s about the One who loves us most, God, who sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, as a gift. For you. For me. And for all who believe.

Instead of bemoaning your current state of singleness you can make new choices.

You may feel sad, or blue, or any other emotion—you have a right to your emotions. But don’t set up camp there; don’t stay there. Feel the pain, ask God to heal your heart, and then move forward allowing God to heal you in His timing.

Indeed, changes may not happen overnight. Surely, there is a time to grieve or feel miserable. But there is also a time to wipe away the tears, put on your coat and hat, and build some new Christmas memories.

And what do you know? Oftentimes, the joy returns and new hope arises.

You can stay cooped up in your apartment (or house or condo or cabin) alone, or you can get out and meet new people—or rediscover the ones you already know.

Find “family” where you can if yours is not available. My single friend Denise has often hosted a Christmas Day dinner for singles who have no place to go for the holiday.

Giving and serving others brings joy—not only to the people you help but also to you!

You don’t always have to give gifts; sharing a simple smile or a hello with your coffee barista or the clerk at the dry cleaning counter can make a difference. Some folks I know go to a local nursing home to sing Christmas carols or a soup kitchen to serve food and spend time with those who are often forgotten.

The Reason for the Season

Most importantly, draw near to the reason for the season: Jesus Christ. Reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and why we celebrate.

Remember the true story of the Christ child, the Son of God, who came to save the world and teach us how to truly live and love and have a better life. (Read Matthew 1 or Luke 2.)

Discover the love that changes everything. And you just may be amazed at what happens inside of you.

May God invade your heart with JOY—at Christmas and all the year through.

Merry Christmas to you!

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Cupid is a Procrastinator: Making Sense of the Unexpected Single Life

I’ve never met Kate Hurley, but if I did I’d like to think we’d become fast friends. We seem to have a lot in common. We both like dark chocolate. We both quote Henri Nouwen. And we’ve both been single longer than either of us ever anticipated.

Kate Hurley is the author of Cupid is a Procrastinator (Harvest House Publishers). She’s also a singer-songwriter who tours and teaches at women’s retreats and other events.

The single author has been in thirty-three (yes, 33) weddings throughout her life. At one of those weddings, she had a reflective moment while finishing off the last few bites of the wedding cake on her plate:

“This is not the life I imagined.”

The Single Life

In her new book, Kate shares stories about her single life and provides insight and inspiration. Instead of a “here’s what you do” charge, she allows us to peer into her seasons of dating—and not dating. With wit, warmth, and a large dollop of humor she invites us into her adventures and how she handles them.

Like many singles, she has often wondered, “Where’s my love story?”

She is open and authentic, often saying distinctly what most of us try to conceal. Kate was feeling particularly single among all of the dancing couples at one wedding, and wistfully shared these thoughts: 

I don’t want my singleness to be hard for me. I want to be satisfied in who I am as a single woman. But when I look at those pairs dancing, no matter how hard I try to fight it…I feel alone. 

I try to remember that I have a wonderful life, as single lives go. I also try to realize that I have it better than almost any single older woman in any other moment in history had it. If I lived as a single woman in another country or in another time, I would be less worried about being a loser and more worried about being alive…I know that marriage is not the fairytale our culture makes it out to be, but I still want it. (Page 18) 

Be Encouraged

For singles who feel that dating, love or marriage has been a dream deferred, this book brings positive and biblical encouragement. In Cupid is a Procrastinator, Kate shares with refreshing candor her love struggles and offers hope, challenging us to confront our expectations of what love and marriage—“life in covenant”—truly looks like despite what our culture tries to put on us. Here is one example:

If you are like me and have watched 1,246 chick flicks, you have started to think that the boy-meets-girl formula is the answer you’ve been looking for since you were a child. You have believed that the loneliness will be gone when you fall in love and get married, just like it was for Harry and Sally, with their wedding cake that has chocolate sauce on the side. With every story you hear, you have built up more expectation for what your own love story will look like. (Page 61) 

We may love watching romantic comedies. But we have to be cautious about what we’re taking away from them and manage our expectations about love and marriage so they are not unrealistic. We don’t have to buy into the viewpoint that happiness is found solely in a spouse or wait for someday to be happy. We can take a cue from Kate and “start living in my happy today.”

I like what Jesus says about expectations. The author points us to Matthew 6:25-34 where Jesus says, “Do not worry about tomorrow.” Instead of worrying, author Kate encourages us:

Jesus tells us to be present today, grateful for the people in your life at this moment, holding them closely and with love but holding them with open hands. 

OK, so maybe the single life has been a bit unexpected. And, for some of us, love has been on the slow train. Nevertheless, we can find true joy in all of life’s seasons no matter what our marital status.

“Trust God with your future,” says Kate, “without expecting your future to look a certain way.”

You know what I think?

Cupid may be a procrastinator, but God is always on time.Whatever the good Lord has for your future and mine, we can trust Him. 


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Single on Valentine’s Day? 5 Ways to Find Joy

Single on Valentine’s Day?

For some unmarried folks, February 14 (the holiday that celebrates all things love and romance) can be challenging.

I know people in the “uncoupled” stage of life who bemoan their single status and gripe to just about anyone who will listen about what they don’t have. For example,

I just want a boyfriend.

I just want to be married.

Why does she get a second husband when I haven’t had one at all?” 

You probably know singles like that. I know I do.

Then there are the cynical ones who mock the red heart holiday with snide remarks like,

Who cares? It’s just a Hallmark holiday anyway.

On a more positive note, I know a bunch of interesting and intelligent single women who celebrate V-Day with friends—they throw a party and just have fun.

Singles look at this romantic holiday with very different attitudes.

So if you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend right now, and you want to enjoy (not just endure) Valentine’s Day, you have some choices to make about your perspective and your attitude.

Here are five ways singles can find more joy on the love holiday—and the rest of the year: 

1. Know and believe the truth. First, your feelings are valid. It’s OK to be discouraged when you don’t have someone special to love (or like). But don’t set up camp there. Move forward with hope by telling yourself the truth about your identity and your single status.

• God’s Word says you are dearly loved, the “apple of His eye.” He is with you; He is for you. He cares about every area of your life. Yep, even your love life.

• Don’t allow one day of the year, February 14, define your identity. Whether you have a significant other or not, you are worthy and wonderful. 

• You are not “less than” or “not good enough” because you are single. It’s simply not true.

• And here’s a fact: You are not alone. Nearly 50.2 percent of us (or 124.6 million American adults) are single.

2. Surrender. Sometimes we hold on so tightly to what we think we want and how the whole dating/marriage thing is supposed to play out.

I have learned that the way to find peace is to surrender, to yield to the will of One who loves us most, and allow God to reign in this area of my life.

Knowing that God wants the very best for me allows me to trust Him. And be at peace.

In my book, When Love Ends and the Ice Cream Carton Is Empty, I talk about the fact that God is all about love and relationships.

But sometimes we try to fill that desire for lasting love with other things or people, and they leave us feeling empty and alone.

“Often we try to load up our heart and fill the holes with what another person thinks, says, or does when it was meant to be filled by God. He won’t let anyone be our total fulfillment, otherwise we wouldn’t need Him.

It’s not wrong to want a relationship. God is all about relationships…As we put God first in our heart affections, He fills up the emptiness and we are able to receive the love of others, retain it, and give it away.

Perhaps you think because God hasn’t given you someone to love, that He doesn’t care or that He’s forgotten about your desires. God is not forgetful or uncaring. He is constantly at work in the lives of His children, and everything God does is for a reason—even His divine delays.”

3. Prepare. Are you ready to be in a relationship? Maybe it’s time to think about getting rid of the garbage in your head and your heart. You know, the stuff that no longer belongs—like bad attitudes about the opposite sex or a critical spirit.

Think about what you really want in your next relationship and how things can be different next time. Was the last guy you dated too serious and you want someone more playful? Did you have a hard time getting your previous girlfriend to attend church with you when that’s an important part of your life? What do you really want in a dating relationship?

4. Pray. Ask God to show you what needs to change in your own life to prepare for your next relationship.

What areas of your life need work—your spiritual life, physical, social, financial and the like?

Also, pray for your future husband or wife. Pray for the qualities you want in another person and ask God to develop in you the qualities that you need to bring to the table.

5. Choose joy now. Don’t wait to have a man in your life or a woman on your arm to be happy. Sure, it’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air. But you, single friend, can choose to have peace and joy in your life despite your circumstances.

If you get invited to a pity party, don’t RSVP! Make a plan to get together with other single friends. Celebrate love of all kinds and send a card (yep, snail mail) to family members or friends to show you care.

Instead of drowning your sorrows in massive amounts of chocolate this Valentine’s Day, rejoice in who you are—dearly loved, special and chosen by God.

Despite your feelings, you can choose joy today.

Don’t let one candy-infused, heart holiday hijack your hope.

I, for one, choose to be confident and hopeful—on Valentine’s Day and every day of the year.

And you can too.

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