I expend my days relentlessly attempting to design my life in a manner that is designed to meet the needs in my life. Yet, God did not design life to do that. Rather, He designed life to direct us to Him so that He could do that.

In the absence of faith, our dreams will move from feasible aspirations to implausible fantasy.

Although it pains me, I must admit that I have never found what I ‘need.’ And I am in this place because long ago I took it upon myself to decide what I ‘want’ to need, verses surrendering to what I ‘need’ to need. And thankfully I have realized that God made Christmas everything that I ‘want,’ but more so He made it everything that I ‘need.

After enough failed attempts to rescue myself, I finally realized that I am my own worst first responder.

Christmas embodies everything that I need. However, everything that I need is often made up of a lot of stuff I don’t want.

I am far too weak to help you. But God is not too weak to use me to help you.

Realizing that ‘possession’ is an illusion finally liberates us to possess something that is never an illusion and is always liberating; and that is the reality that we are God’s cherished possession. Therefore, life is not about acquiring possessions. Rather, it’s about being one.

I am thankful that there are those among us who have sacrificed dearly on behalf of us. And I ardently pray to God that I might be less like myself and more like them.

Strength other than that received from God is just hype manufactured by men.