Our official family Christmas celebrations are about to begin.  Every year we attend a Christmas Eve service with my family, then have soup and open a few presents.  We have chosen to get together two different times to extend the celebrations, and I LOVE that.  Because of our extended time, that means that Christmas Eve also feels more about Jesus to me.  A birthday cake made in honor of Him is always included in our meal as well.  Although as my husband jokes, that is an interesting plan since He obviously He does not get any of his own cake.

Back in the day when all of my friends were getting married and I had no prospect of that in sight, the holidays were a bit hard.  Loneliness was a real part of my life.  Probably many people can relate to this, and I know for many people today is not a joyous one.  When I was struggling with following God’s plan no matter what, He gave me an important word.  Hope.  No matter what path my steps were going to take, God wanted me to learn to hope in Him.

Almost 15 years and 4 kids later, God did have the path of being a wife and a mother in mind for me.  Yet I have needed to continue to hope in Him as life still has not always been as I have expected it.  Following Him has been worth it even if the way He has directed has not been what I anticipated.  I know that I can live out Jeremiah 29:11 with confidence – He has given me a future and a hope.

Where is the basis of my hope?  In the coming of His son.  My Savior.  The hope in this life, and even more in the life, to come is because of His arrival.  “Hope was born this night!”