Embrace the Gift of Prayer

How is it December already? We put up our Christmas tree up before Thanksgiving this year. Shh, don’t tell anyone. Now, I am looking forward to making fudge and Christmas cookies with my kids. I love Christmas. I love the Christmas lights turning dark nights into sparkling wonders of joy. 

Christmas lights are like Jesus. When our Savior was born, he brought light into the darkness, changing our lives forever. With the birth of Jesus, we now have eternal life, bringing the ultimate light to darkness.

I have been reading “A Gather’ Round Christmas” with my kids this week. It reminded me that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
—Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV

Christmas is the happiest time of the year, right? Yet, it is not always the happiest time for everyone. It can be a happy time mixed with sparks of sadness from loss, or it can be the saddest time of year for those who have experienced loss. My dad died on Christmas Eve 6 years ago. My mom had a difficult time from Thanksgiving through the New Year. She would spend a few weeks at our house, creating cherished family memories with my children and family, bringing joy from sadness. Last year, my mom died on Christmas day. 

Christmas can be bittersweet. I remember the good memories. My parents loved Christmas, especially my dad. My children love Christmas too. I want to carry on the good memories and happy times and truly celebrate the greatest gift from God, a savior for our world to live again. When the sadness creeps into my heart, I have to pray for the gifts of the Spirit. I pray that God will fill my heart with the Holy Spirit, so I feel all the warm Christmas feelings of comfort, peace and joy. I picture my parents in heaven on Christmas Day. It must be glorious with the angels singing heavenly tunes.

I was reminded that I should pray for those not feeling the Christmas joy this year. Pray for those who have lost loved ones, so the Holy Spirit can turn their sorrow into joy. Prayer is a huge gift. Embrace the gift of prayer to help your friends, neighbors and community feel peace, comfort and joy.