When You Feel Like This During Christmas

Christmas is NEXT WEEK. Some of us are totally ready for it. Our gifts are wrapped and under the tree. Our menus are planned, our fridges are stocked with food, and our Christmas cards were mailed out the day after Thanksgiving. Others of us still have presents to purchase, wrap, AND mail out. We haven’t thought much past tomorrow, let alone what we’ll be eating a week from now. We’re just banking on making a last minute run to the store before they close on Christmas Eve. And Christmas cards? We’ll be lucky if New Year’s cards get out this year.

No matter what camp we fall in though, one thing’s certain. Whether we have the capacity to plan ahead or end up doing things last minute, this time of year is CRAZY busy. And when you have kids? You’re in charge of their busyness too. From teacher gifts to Christmas programs to moving Elf On The Shelf each night, it feels like we’re running in circles at light speed.

And as we’re doing all this, we feel this constant voice in the back of our heads. It’s always there, reminding us, nagging us, guilt tripping us, to teach our kids about the REAL reason of the season. We want them to understand that it’s not just about gifts, Santa Claus, and fun pajamas.

But at the same time, we ourselves are distracted and LOVE these things that make this time of year feel merry and bright. We look forward to them and count on them. I mean, the fact that the RED cup came out before Thanksgiving? Moms live for Starbucks and their tasty holiday drinks. How about that Christmas music playing at the mall? It makes me feel so warm and cozy. And don’t even get me started on the holiday section at Target. I could spend HOURS. It’s all just so good.

With all the excitement and Christmas decor and activities, I’ll admit that sitting down as a family to read the Christmas story from the bible can feel like a bit of a buzz kill. Maybe it’s because I’ve heard it more times than I can count. Maybe it’s because I could recite about 90% of it from memory.

Or maybe it’s because I’m viewing it as “A” story and not “MY” story. 

Let me back up a bit.

Underneath the holiday cheer and behind the presents under the trees are people who need more than a story. We are struggling. We are in the middle of the storms of life, unsure of which direction to turn next. We’re hurting. We’re missing loved ones. We’re grieving. We’re depressed. We’re hopeless. More than a nice Christmas story, we need to know that God is going to come through. We need Him to come through in our hearts, in our thinking, in our emotions, in our relationships, in our jobs. We NEED GOD TO SHOW UP.

Well friends, today I want to remind you that Christmas IS so much more than a nice story. The Advent season we’re in right now is a season of expectancy of the fulfillment of the promise of God.

God CAME through. He came through for you, and he came through for me.

The Christmas story is not just a story about Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus. The Christmas story is about YOU. It’s about how God loves YOU so much that He was willing to send his son into the world to show us how to tangibly LOVE Him and to make much of Him.

You know what’s interesting about the Christmas story though? It all happened in God’s timing. He decided when the exact time was right to send His son. It wasn’t Mary and Joseph’s time. After all, they weren’t even married yet! And on top of that, Mary had to travel for days on a donkey while she was super preggo just so they could get in on the census. And then she had to give birth IN A STABLE! Without an epidural or birthing tub. I highly doubt she was super excited about all that. YET, it was while she was being pushed beyond her comfort zone when God leveraged her life and used her to bring the SAVIOR OF MANKIND into the world.

I don’t know what your struggles are today. Like Mary, you may feel like you are being pushed beyond your limits. But from my experience, it’s during the toughest times when we experience God in ways that we’ve never known before.

You may not know how much longer you can make it. You know God has a plan, but you are so curious of His timing. What I’ve learned is that the right time is typically not my time. But I’ve never known God not to be on time. Think about your life. When you think back to the storms you’ve made it through, it seems we can always look back and know that God’s timing was best.

Here’s the thing. Your storm won’t last forever, but the sovereignty of God lasts through eternity.

And so yes, the Christmas story is YOUR story. Shortly after Jesus was born this is what the angels said:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14

Jesus came to bring peace to all mankind, and that includes you.

If this is just a story to you, the Christmas season will come and go and when the music and RED cups and lights disappear, you’ll be left with the post holiday blues. But if you believe in your heart that the Christmas story is YOUR story, you can claim confidence in your chaos. Confidence knowing that God WILL come through for you, and for me. And when we let that penetrate our hearts? We’ll be overflowing with JOY and we won’t be able to stop ourselves from sharing this good news with our kids.

So today, right now, have CONFIDENCE in the middle of your chaos. God is for you, and there really is so much more to the season.

Will you pass on this hope to a friend who might need to hear it today?

XOXO,

Amber

P.S. For more reflections on parenthood and life, follow us on Facebook (Hun Let’s Run) and on Instagram: @ambermariekuiper and @jakekuiper! We’d also love for you to subscribe to our Hun, Let’s Run Podcast! For more info about joining our fitness community as a customer or coach, please email us at amber@mommysmetime.com!