What a year it has been – I can barely take it all in. It started with a complete upheaval of our lives from top to bottom, leaving all we knew to venture to the unknown 2,000 miles away. Such is how God’s ways are – so we can have the wonderful opportunity to lean on Him and trust Him fully.

After having lived on the East coast for 9 months now, I can say it truly feels like home on every level and we are blown away by God’s orchestration of the details in our lives. Yet this move of God that started nearly three years ago isn’t over but only continuing.

Life with God calling the shots isn’t a destination but a life-long journey. Along the way He calls us to make difficult decisions, take large leaps, step out in faith, let go, and receive – all in confidence knowing our trust is in Him not our human efforts.

The stripping away process is always difficult, but God designs such a route so He can lay a foundation founded in Him alone. It is only for a season as then comes the time of harvest of what we’ve sowed.

The adding to our lives we have see God do this year is monumental and makes it all worthwhile! This spurs me on to continue the race God has set before me and finish well. Whether that’s in my role as a parent, a wife, or as a woman striving to live out God’s purposes ordained for me—I’m excited to continue on God’s path and see what He further adds to our lives in 2013.

May today be a day of reflection of what unfolded this year as well as an excitement and anticipation of living out God’s plan in the year to come!

How easy it is to go on auto pilot during the Christmas season.

*Decorate tree and house – Check

*Play Christmas CDs – Check

*Sing Christmas carols in church – Check

*Participate or attend Christmas programs – Check

*Plan Christmas festivities – Check

*Attend Christmas parties – Check

*Buy and wrap presents not leaving anyone out – Check

*Try to tame concerns about how much money is being spent – Check

*Attend Christmas Eve Service – Check

*Read Christmas story – Check

*Open presents – Check

*Get together for big meals – Check

*Take everything down and put away – Check

Routine. Habits. Traditions. But is that what this season is about? No.

We participate in all these great things during Christmas, many of which may even be very spiritual, but still often miss the opportunity to truly let the real meaning of this season penetrate our hearts.

We can recite the Christmas story like we retell a grocery shopping happening last week. We know all the words to traditional Christmas carols like we know the national anthem. We know Jesus was born to a virgin like we know an acquaintance that had an unexpected baby.

It too often is just rote.

Our Lord Jesus was rich – the eternal Son of God in heaven!! Yet He set aside His glory and became poor. He accepted the restrictions of a baby and was born as an infant in a filthy stable in the lowliest of circumstances. Why? To identify with us, and to be able to truly represent humanity so He could later take the enormous weight of our multitude of sins upon himself, die a gruesome death and rise again—just so we could spend eternity with Him.

He became poor so we could become eternally rich! What sacrifice! What unfathomable love!!

When you sing Christmas carols or attend a Christmas program this year, ponder the lyrics to the familiar carols and let their meaning penetrate your heart. When you read the Christmas story, meditate on the FULL story – the redeeming grace of God, the perfect and everlasting love of Christ, the sacrifice and substitution of Jesus for our sins, the hope we have because of our rich eternal inheritance forevermore as a result of this one Holy Night.

The sun touches my face and the warmth fills my heart. God is near.

A delicate wrestling of branches echo a chorus of movement. The rocking chair sighs a rhythmic tune. Nature speaks.

Golden red hues grace the leaves ushering in a new season. Dry leaves dance across the sidewalk as the wind moves them along. Sounds of change.

A single bird call. Does anyone hear? Yes. They find each other and conversation begins. The call of nature.

Who created the seasons, nature, light … our calling? The One. The Only. God Supreme.

No detail unnoticed. No need overlooked. Sovereign. Matchless. Divine Power.

Stop and listen. Rest in His Holiness. Take in His Splendor. Almighty God is He.