The Hope Of His Presence

As we come to the end of another year and stand on the eve of a new one, it’s hard to avoid feeling a bit melancholic. Even for those caught in the rush of the season, rare moments of quietness, bring contemplation of the past year and how it met, exceeded, or fell short of our dreams. The regrets, pain, hurt, sorrow, and stress of the year mix with the joy and the blessings are the ingredients for the all-too-common, holiday blues. This is then an excellent time to intentionally infuse ourselves with the perfect aroma of hope. As life unfolds in expected and unexpected ways, hope is what keeps us from completely losing it. As Dylan’s surprisingly mature expression of the day goes: “without hope, we might as well be dead already.”

We would like to share with you, in the midst of whatever circumstances you find yourself, the hope of the season. Our Hope, the hope we hang on to, is the promise of God’s presence among us…the promise of the Emmanuel, God with Us, whose power, and glory are made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12: 9).

May love, joy, and the spirit of Christmas fill your heart and your home with true Hope today and always.