Advent Love

A few weeks ago, we visited a local botanic garden to walk through their festive Christmas lights display. As usual, I took my phone to take as many pictures as I could to save the memories of our evening. In the car, IronMan and I were talking about how pretty the lights were, and he asked me, "Did you see the tree with the broken branch that was wrapped in lights and hanging on?" I didn't recall the tree, so I decided to look through the pictures on my phone. Sure enough, there it was, a beautiful little tree carefully wrapped in colored lights. The broken branch was hanging down, but still attached securely by the strand of lights. As I started to think about what I wanted to share for the final Sunday of Advent, this sweet tree came to mind. The storms of life come, don't they? We all have storms in some form or another. Some are more quiet and easily survivable, but some are debilitating. Some storms might have fierce winds, hail, pounding rain, and tornadoes. Some storms pass quickly, but some might break you to the point of feeling like you are beyond repair. Some storms keep coming and coming.

Some type of storm came against this little tree at the botanic gardens and completely broke one of its branches. Fortunately, the branch was attached by the light. We, as believers, are attached by the Light, and His Light is LOVE. Any storm that comes against us (maybe there is a storm in your life that you created- we are all human after all), the Light of Love will never, ever let you go. You are wrapped in love and held tight. Even if you don't necessarily feel it, no matter what your circumstance (No! Matter! What!), His love secures you. I won't take time right now to list specific circumstances, but we all know and experience different types of grief, pain, loss, doubt, and trauma. Please just know that if you feel broken and abused by life right now, the Light of Love came against darkness, yours, mine, and all the world's, and holds us fast to His heart. He gave everything to secure us in that Love. Remember that, dear hearts, this Christmas, and may the peace of that truth be the Light by which you are held. 

"Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, He'll calm you with His love and delight you with His songs." Zephaniah 3:17

All is grace...always,
Shanda