Im-man-u-el, noun; God With Us
This year, I have personalized this meaning. God with Me. I have been waiting to write this post for awhile now, as I relished my personal "Sun-shine", and was having a hard time explaining it in words to others... I have been so blessed by a wonderful gift for Christmas. It is the gift of a personal walk with my Lord. A deep and intimate relationship. One that has yet to surprise me with little smiles. And one that has filled my soul to the deepest corners with awe-inspiring happiness, joy, peace, and contentment.
I was shocked this year, when I noticed that the little girlie "It's Christmas time" feeling, never fully arrived in my heart. Almost worried about it to a point. I mentioned it to a friend, who shared her deep disappointment that this childlike quality had faded in my life. This caused me to evaluate. I am not unhappy. I am not discouraged. In fact, my heart has been soaring. My childlike wonder is there, but it is geared towards a new amazement. His mighty Hand. I am bewildered at the way that God's mighty Hand moved in my life this year. This time last year, I was a broken woman. I hurt in every possible way one can imagine. I was terrified over what my future held, afraid that I could not fulfill His purpose due to my inadequacies. I was grieving for many lost children. Lost relationships as a whole. I had a hard time getting out of bed some mornings, because I just longed for Heaven. After all...nothing on Earth was good. It was all tainted.
God has brought me to a full 360. I am blessed beyond all words to have Him run after me. To have Him wait for me to fall into His everlasting arms of comfort. To have had Him cover me with His mighty wings, waiting like a patient Father for me to heal and grow once again. He had come to me. He had filled me with that Living Water.
New and more important meaning to Christmas. This is the very first year that all of the "merriment" has taken a second place in my life. I have come to the place that I am almost disappointed when I have to leave my place of personal worship, and enter into merriments of Christmas. I want to stay hidden away, dwelling with my Savior, and hiding it all as a treasure in my heart. Don't get me wrong, I still love all the other things. I adore my lights. I love giving presents to all those sweet little ones in my life. And, I cherish each Christmas song I hear. I desire family time...because they are the earthly blessings that God has chosen to help us live a little happier here on Earth. But, when it all comes down to it...I am so thankful for the Immanuel. For the "God is With ME". And I find it quite fitting that this Christmas is my 25th one as a beliver.
Praying that you all have come to the same little miracle in your own life. And that you truely feel that wonderful, magnificent movement of God Being With You.
---Be sure to scroll down for the past few weeks in pictures...beware, there are a lot!---