Joy for Every Season

Remembering to Celebrate

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thess. 5:16-18

Sibling in Christ, I want to give you all the permission in the world to celebrate and find joy, laughter, peace and love in this season of Advent and Christmas!!! We are beginning a new church year and it is time to recognize and celebrate all that we accomplished this past year and the joy that we continue to find with each other and in the love and joy of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

I know it might be hard and I know that life remains stressful, uncertain, and filled with anxieties, but there have been many a good moment and good deed as well.  People continue to fall in love, babies are born, baptized, laughter rings through our homes and we can have a song in our heart throughout this season.  I’m not saying it won’t be without its griefs.  We will continue to miss those who are not with us this year. We will carry the fear for those this may be their last holiday season and this season, like those that have come before will not live up to our expectations, it’s the nature of life, but alongside that truth we have God, acting, loving and promising us once again that “unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” And that child will be the undoing of death, despair and destruction. 

No season is fully despair and no season is fully joy, it is always a mixture a wrestling of each. So this Advent and Christmas remember to look for the joy, name it, claim it and celebrate that joy along with the world changing love God has given us in that Christ child born so long ago and today. 

Happy New Year indeed!