Christmas Day signals the end of Advent season in a culmination of love. When God revealed how much He really loved us all by sending His only Son to a virgin mother and her betrothed. It was, and is, and always will be, the greatest Gift ever given. The ways in which we experience love are as vast as the differences in light and dark, hot and cold… familial love, romantic love, friendship… Sometimes love leaves us feeling fulfilled and joyful; sometimes it leaves us feeling empty and forlorn. How can a single word conjure up such different emotions? We each have a unique perspective and a best way to…

The third week of the Advent season focuses on joy – spiritual joy. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines joy as “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires,” but I disagree with this definition on a spiritual level. Joy isn’t something we can experience just because things are going well for us. We can experience joy even in the midst of heartbreak, betrayal, and a myriad of other emotions. The difference between joy as defined here and spiritual joy is a choice. Even when things are not going according to plan or as a result of “well-being, success, or good fortune,” we can choose joy. Choosing…

Does peace seem elusive this Advent season? Here we are in the season of celebration of Jesus’s birth, and things seem anything but peaceful. There is conflict in our world … division in our nations … unrest in our families … turmoil within ourselves. How do you find peace when everything in and around you seems chaotic? You don’t have to find peace because it isn’t lost. If you choose to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have His peace! Once again, we have to choose what we allow in our hearts and in our minds. Choose to pray and choose to receive God’s peace. Paul advises us, “Do not be…

Are you clinging to hope this Advent season? I know I am, and sometimes it feels like it’s slipping away. There are so many things at odds with feeling hope this year:  A global pandemic that has resulted in so much loss – life, normalcy, jobs, economic stability, travel, plans, celebrations, smiles (hidden behind masks)… In America, where I live, divisions over racism, ideologies, and politics… Increased isolation leading to rises in anxiety, depression, fear, loneliness, child abuse, domestic abuse, and substance abuse… Not to mention a thousand other things in each of our personal lives. All these things make it hard to know how we will ever bounce back.…