
"Blessed are those who HOPE in the LORD!"
Approaching Christmas day and the blessed event that changed the world forever, I am reminded (again) that without God's love, mercy, forgiveness and grace, I would surely limp along through life with a huge empty space in my heart and soul. With all the pain and sorrow intermingled with the joys and blessings of life her on earth, my heart is turned toward those who may be suffering and/or experiencing sorrow, lonelness and an empty feeling inside
while others are celebrating.
How can anything in this world fill the emptiness of a soul that aches and hungers for what he/she may not yet realize is for God alone? Beauty, fame, fortune, sexual pleasure, food, drugs, alcohol, even the love and blessings of family and friends cannot fill that space that is programmed into our soul by God for God.
After 10 years of accompanying moms who have suffered the loss of a child on their journey through grief, I am very much aware of the heartbreaking reality of what can happen, when we experience feelings of sorrow and emptiness, and we hunger and long for something that we cannot even name, and we may try to fill that emptiness and longing with something or someone other than God. When we choose anything other than God, sadly, the reality is that we will still feel alone and empty.
It seems right somehow that, as we are preparing our hearts and homes to commemorate and celebrate the birth of Christ, that we, as the Green Family, are being reminded by the suffering of a loved one in our family of our NEED of the Redeemer King. It is one thing to celebrate the idea of Christmas and quite another to be more deeply aware of our NEED of the Savior of the world - Jesus the soon and coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
I am hoping and praying for a specific Christmas miracle this year, and I am standing firm with my family with faith, putting our trust in God who for me is not, and has never been a crutch, but rather the anchor of my soul. Time and time again, as I have chosen to put my hope and trust in God no matter my circumstances, He has been faithful to be fully present to me and something good has always come out of what has seemed hopeless.
If you are going through a difficult time this Christmas Season, I want to encourage you to hold onto the anchor of your soul and to join me in proclaiming and rejoicing in the reality that "the anchor holds!"
With Love and HOPE,
Angie "a mom like you"