When a crushing physical or emotional burden has weighed us down long enough, it can eventually rob us of all hope. The joy we once knew gets drowned out by a sense of despair, and the only prayer left in us is a desperate cry for God to make it stop. But true freedom is not merely relief from pain. It is a heart that has learned to love and worship God even when the circumstances refuse to change. The greatest miracle may not be a restored body, but a renewed perspective that treasures Him above every answered prayer.

The Gifts of Christmas
There is no other time of year that we think about gifts more than during the Christmas season. Giving and receiving gifts can certainly bring joy, but gifts can also be the source of stress. What should you buy? Will they like it? In the rush of it all, let’s remember that Christmas is not about the gifts we give and get, but about the gifts that Jesus gave to us by coming into the world. This year, let’s pause, reflect and be thankful for those blessed gifts from above!



