Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! 

     What a year it has been. I feel like this year has been a roller coaster for me, a lot of ups and downs. Thankfully, I have come out of it a little wiser, stronger and so thankful for the work God has graciously done in my life. I know He still has plenty of chiseling to do, but I will take a moment to bask in the glory of the victories and all the work that He has accomplished in me thus far!

    This Christmas has been different for me than most. I have been far less stressed (for the most part) and exceedingly more thankful for all that the Lord has given me. My life is so rich and full of all the things that truly matter. Despite all the hustle and bustle around me, I am content, I am grateful and I am soaking up the moments I have with the people in my life who matter the most. I feel so blessed by my husband and beautiful children, my family, and my sweet friends. But what has blessed me the most this year is how God has anchored my heart through the storms we faced. I have never felt more grounded, more rooted or more secure than I do now. I have come out of this year with a greater and deeper knowledge of Christ and His Word. I know life's waves will still keep coming, but my heart is anchored like never before and that gives me hope for whatever may come, and a desire to worship through it all. I could not be more grateful.

     This year has made me all the more grateful that God sent His perfect and holy son into this dark world to shine light into the darkness, to save and rescue us from sin and death and to give us hope that only He could deliver. As I look at my babies, I know I would not have the courage to do the same. I do everything in my power to shield them from the darkness, but Jesus was willingly born into it. He was raised by sinners, lived among the broken, experienced life in this fallen world and was hung on a cross, separated from the Father and experienced pain that we only experience a hint of as he bore all our sin and shame so that we could be saved. That is love in it's truest and deepest form and all for you and me. The light of the world came into the darkness, died for us all and then rose from the dead...the light is greater than all the darkness, more powerful then death and continues to shine... What a precious gift born - Jesus the light.

         His light shines today in you and in me, it is still changing this world, just as it did when Jesus was born. The world seems so dark, but in the darkness His light shines brighter, His love reaches deeper and He continues to bring hope to our world. It is the contrast between the light and the dark that has given me such a strong desire to pursue His light, His love and HIM. So, that makes this a very Merry Christmas for me.

        May Jesus bring His light, love and hope into your world this Christmas and always.

 Merry Christmas from the Libby's