What Can I Offer?

I'm sitting in my living room, thinking about the upcoming Christmas holiday. I was off work today, which was rare and very appreciated, after working the entire Black Friday weekend. I don't often get a chance to get on here and write as often as I would like, even though there have been many things to write about. But tonight it seemed appropriate to go ahead and take the time to share what's been on my heart these days.

We Have Never Been Alone

As I grew up, moving into adulthood, I couldn't always say with certainty that I was never alone. When the kids were really little, and Kris was in the height of his addiction, and my affair was in full swing, I waivered. Not just in my one on one relationship with God, but with trusting His word as true. I had become so distant and very skeptical. Because of my sin and disappointment and the pain in my life, I questioned whether or not God was good. Whether or not he was faithful. Whether or not he truly could be trusted to keep his promises. What I have learned these last *almost* two years is this:

Until you go through the deepest valley or the hardest circumstance, and God proves himself faithful even then, you don't realize how truly "un-alone" you are.

Another Christmas

Christmas is my favorite time of year. From the music to the tree, to the joy of watching my kids experience what, to them, is still the wonder of Christmas. Christmas is all about hope. It's about that ultimate gift of hope that was given to us 2,000 years ago. In the form of a tiny baby. Jason Gray writes, in his song "Children Again:"

But for every present left under a tree
There are things that we hoped for and never received
And the years and the yearning can make us forget
To be filled with wonder instead of regret