The Greatest Gift

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As we head into the most beautiful weekend of the year, some of you may be feeling more overwhelmed and stressed than blessed.  There are gifts that still need to be wrapped (or even purchased), possibly travel to pack for or meals to be prepared.  It can be easy to lose sight of the true spirit of Christmas.  I’ve mentioned several times how much reading the daily devotional by Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift, has helped me stay focused and today I wanted to just share a few passages to hopefully bless one of you in the way you most need it.
Last year, after finishing the book, I knew my word for 2016 would be receive.  It was a word I had never really considered before or truly felt the power of.  Being able to receive the love and grace God has for you is a gift often hard to fully open up to.  John 3:27 reads “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven”.  Opening your heart to fully feel the gifts presented from heaven in your life and ignore those not meant for you is sometimes hard.
You obviously can fully receive this message so much bigger by reading through the book yourself one day but here are my favorites for you today!

The being with is always the gift, not merely the doing for.  When we think we’re the ones who will have to produce Christmas, we only half-wrap the notion that we think the saving of he world begins with us.

It is more blessed to give than to receive – and it may be more of a struggle to receive than to give.  Christmas humbles:  we are not the givers we long to be.  Nor are we the receivers God woos us to be.

You are most prepared for Christmas when you are done trying to make your performance into the gift and instead revel in His presence as the Gift.

It’s the wavering between the gods of things and the God of everything – that’s what has us flailing and drowning soundless in it all.

Christmas can only be found.  Christmas cannot be bought.  The message of Christmas is that this world’s a mess and we can never save ourselves from ourselves and we need a Messiah.   For unto us a Child is born.  Christmas whispers there is always hope

Peace is belief that exhales.  God gives God.  That is the gift  We only need to slow long enough to unwrap the greatest gift with our time:  time in His Word, time in His presence, time at His feet.

Only when you first unwrap the gifts of blessings to you can you be wrapped up as a gift of blessing to others.  Only when you are overwhelmed with the goodness of God can you overflow with the goodness of God to others.  You will be experienced as a blessing – to the extent you have first experienced yourself as blessed.

Thank you for letting me share today!  I wish for all of you is that you truly receive the gift this season. Merry Christmas!

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16 Comments

  1. You know I think you are beautiful inside and out!! Wrapped in the blessing of others..the BEST pace to be!! Wishing you and your amazing family and Merry Merry Christmas!! Christmas Hugs abound!!

    Reply

  7. This is a wonderful post! Have a very Merry Christmas! I'm looking forward to reading about your adventures in 2017 on your blog.

    Reply

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