I have about 5000 weekly readers of these tips, and I know that includes people of all (and of no) faiths. And I respect all of those. But at Christmas, I get to tell you about mine.
Here’s the story of my faith journey.
I was raised in a devout Christian home. My dad was a pastor. My parents and siblings were amazing and wonderful people.
I naturally followed my dad into the “family business.”
I got a degree in religious education, spent a massive amount of time volunteering in the church, and finally became a youth pastor.
I served in that role for seven years, dealing with every kind of problem you could imagine. My last job was performing a funeral for the last of three children in a single family to die as teenagers. Your business problems seem pretty easy to me in comparison with the problems many people face.
I left that job 30ish years ago to pursue the world of business, working with a multinational for another seven years before opening my own business.
While at that multinational, I was responsible for retail stores across Western Canada which meant that I was on the road a lot. Ironically, it was alone in my car listening to teaching tapes where I first grasped God’s deep and abiding love and commitment to me. Although I had been deep inside the religious world keeping the machinery running, I didn’t fully understand what God thought of, and promised to me.
I was under the mistaken impression that it was mostly about my “doing” the right things. I didn’t understand that it was actually about what He did (and does) for me.
Here are some of the promises in the Bible that God gives me because of Jesus coming to earth at Christmas:
“I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Isaiah 41:10)
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)
“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Remember that terrible funeral I had to officiate at? It was for a Christian family, and I talked about a promise of Jesus’s that is my favorite:
“Jesus said (to her) “I am the resurrection and the life., The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” (John 11:25)
That means that though the parents are going through terrible grief now, they’ll meet their children again one day in heaven after this very brief life is over. Death is not final; it’s only a separation. That’s the Christian hope. No need to be afraid of death. It hurts but it’s not the final word.
So that’s what Christmas means to me. Even better than getting an Amazon gift card 🙂
Hope in Jesus is the cornerstone of my life. And much of the advice that I share in these tips is rooted in principles found in the Bible.
But whatever you believe or don’t, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. and a wonderful time of food and celebration with family and friends!
