trialsbringjoy.com

It’s a time we prepare to celebrate His birth and acknowledge that we are still waiting for His second coming, when broken will be made new and every tear will be wiped from our eyes. Yet, for those who are in their own waiting season, whether it’s infertility, illness, a heavenly reunion with a child or spouse who’s passed, awaiting adoption placement, financial instability, marital strife, singleness, a wayward child – the holiday season can mix in unanticipated grief. First of all, sweet friend, know that’s okay to come to God’s feet and pray for peace and patience. And I pray fervently, that in this season of waiting and hope, even in the midst of your brokenness, grief and infertility, that your heart can connect with what Christmas is truly about.

If you heard my Instastories yesterday, you know I've been convicted a phrase that popped into my mind - "Don't busy your way through Christmas." I kept praying about this because I can find myself filling time with GOOD, FUN things, but it gives me less capacity for the GREAT things, like my time with Jesus, my family and being present in this holiday season. So, as I was shuffling through my list yesterday, & feeling quite proud of the things I have let drop off my to-do this year, like lit garland on my cabinets & doing Christmas cards (the first time in 13 years! ), I felt God nudging me to drop something else off that I really don't want to .... social media. But God is asking me to call a TIME OUT & use the time I use getting lost in feeds to put towards greater things, like being present with my kids, getting ready to move, actually READING a few of the books from my pile, getting to bed earlier, being more productive in my mornings, & mentally relieving myself of the stress of posting & replying.

And then we had kids and realized there were a few tweaks that we’d like which would make life easier, like not having vaulted ceilings from the living room to the kid’s bedroom door and this little thing called MORE STORAGE. You guys, we signed the offer and got to pick our closing date, and because we are building, they give us flexibility in changing the closing date as it gets closer if the new house isn’t ready yet. (They also have markets in across the country in Phoenix, AZ, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, San Antonio, TX, Las Vegas, NV, Atlanta, GA, Nashville, TN, Charlotte, NC, Raleigh, NC, Orlando, FL, Tampa, FL, Houston, TX, Sacramento, CA, Riverside, CA, Denver, CO, Portland, OR, and Austin, TX. So, I couldn’t help but share with you how God answered another prayer for us in making this move a more simple experience than we could have ever imagined AND giving me the chance to focus on what’s to come with the new digs!

And wanted to start a tradition with the kids where they get 12 books wrapped and under the tree. (You can totally do 24 books, from December 1 – December 24th … I wanted to share with you 12 books we will be wrapping under the tree this year in case it inspires you to pick out any for you and your family (or grandkids … or niece or nephew! ) I highly suggest, if you are going to order, you do it sooner vs. later because prices seem to soar on holiday-related items the closer to Christmas