A Christmas Blessing

Dear Readers, you know what kind of year this has been in the United States. It's been rife with emotional ups and downs, with health challenges, with fear, and with courage, with rebellion and obedience, and with social and political unrest.

My heart and spirit grow weary more easily now, especially as Christmas draws closer. So many plans and traditions have been canceled. There are no craft fairs this year, no Lutefisk dinner, no Christmas tea with the ladies at Sons of Norway, and no opportunity to attend the German Christmas Market or the St. Lucia Day celebration in Denver.

When I'm troubled, I tend to clean. Yesterday I rummaged through my nightstand, stacking papers in the shred or throw-away piles, and I found a book that I suspect is going to be a blessing during this December. A very dear friend of mine gave me a copy of When God Calls the Heart at Christmas by Brian Bird & Michelle Cox, a series of devotions from Hope Valley, based on the Hallmark television program When Calls the Heart.

I actually stopped watching this show maybe 2 or 3 years ago for various reasons, but my friend gifted me this little book in Christmas 2018 and I just never got around to reading it, the fate of many books, unfortunately. That is until my cleaning frenzy unearthed it from the depths of my nightstand.

When God Calls the Heart at Christmas has devotions for the 25 days of December leading up to and including Christmas. What are the chances that I would find this book on December 1st? That's what I like to call a Godthing. Instead of simply putting it aside because I don't watch the show anymore, I decided to sit down and spend time reading the devotion for December 1st.

There's nothing quite like being whacked over the head with profound truths that are relevant to how I'm feeling emotionally and to what the world is currently going through with Covid. It was called What is Your Unexpected Storm? and reminded me that that troubled times "can prove difficult, but they can also be blessings in disguise because they cause us to lean on God in ways we wouldn't otherwise." 

Even the prayer was pinpoint accurate, beginning with Dear Lord, I don't like disappointments and difficult circumstances - especially at Christmas. Even though my heart is heavy, remind me of why we celebrate this time each year, of the joy of your amazing gift of ultimate love and redemption for the world.

This little book is truly blessing my heart. I even dragged out my journal so that I could journal out my responses to the two questions asked in each daily devotion. 

I guess what I'm saying is that even though Christmas looks different this year, God is still faithful. And he still works in providential ways. Like my finding this book and the very first devotion being so timely. That's providence.

Maybe I'll even watch When Call the Heart again after being so deeply touched by this little devotional. Thanks, Brian and Michelle, so very much, for this Christmas blessing.

Merry Christmas,

Carissa