~ Good Morning!

Charles Dickens said, “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”

There’s something magical about this time of year. Even if people struggle because of the holiday season, most still have hope that somehow, and in some way, this next year will be different.

The real magic of Christmas is not in the festivities surrounding this sacred holiday, It is in living for something, and someone, beyond ourselves.

The warmth Christmas time brings can remain, we just have to make an effort to be the same people, from January through October, that we find ourselves being in November and December. As we go into January and the following months, we can carry on the warm feelings, and sensations of Christmas, by being intentional. I believe that we can purpose in our hearts to be the warm, sensitive, caring people that the Christmas season seems to bring out of us.

The most powerful thing we can do to keep our hearts warm and alive, thriving and festive, all year round, is to cultivate a heart of gratitude.

The Apostle Paul said, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:18‬ ‭ESV‬).

‬ St. Francis of Assisi said, “It is in giving that we receive.”

We don’t have to wait until the Christmas season to make a difference in someone’s life. When we open our hearts and hands up to Heaven and release the grip on the things we tend to idolize, we become a conduit that God uses to impact others.

What if the blessings we receive on earth were meant to be turned around to bless others?

Every single day of our lives we get a new set of twenty-four hours to be the people that Jesus has called us to be. The people who are kind, generous, thoughtful, thankful, forgiving and fully devoted to following Jesus…all year long.

At Christmas time, we invest in others by the gifts, cards and sentiments that we share. I say, “Let’s Never Stop Investing In Others.”

May the gift of you, keep giving all year long.

Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 ‼️

Sincerely,

— Pastor Gene