December 2015 - Jacqueline G Wallace.com

“Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” “Keep Christ in Christmas.”

Who of us has not heard, or as believers, even spoken, these pithy sayings meant to be statements of our belief in what Christmas is all about? Hey, in the face of the world’s co-opting of our most celebrated holy-day, we need to speak up and say what is right! Right?

The rub comes not in our willingness to speak up but in our actual living out those words at Christmas. Here is where our actions truly do speak louder than our words.

Our beliefs do shape our actions. However, even when we say we believe something, it can take a long time to filter down from our heads into our hands and feet, you know, to what we do and where we go.

So when we say “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” and “Keep Christ in Christmas,” how are we doing that in actual practice?

Since gift giving is an integral part of Christmas, and Christmas is Jesus’ birthday, do we consider giving a gift to him?

When our boys were small, my husband began a tradition for our family that he called “Christmas for Christ.” Though we bought a few gifts for our kids (and now grandkids) and a few other loved ones, we made it a point to “buy” something for Jesus comparable in price to the gifts we buy for others.

How do you buy Jesus a birthday present? Well, what does Jesus love? Where is his heart?

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16-17, ESV)[1].

Jesus came into the world (at Christmas!) to do the Father’s will: become the Savior the world needs, that you and I need.

Now Jesus sends us, his people, into the world to love others and tell them about the Savior. Based on things Jesus said, we believe our lives and the resources he’s placed in our hands should be focused on what he wants to do in his world, all year round as well as at Christmas time.

So, in our family we pray about which mission or ministry to send a special monetary gift to at Christmas time. That becomes our birthday gift to Jesus. Then we try to be sure our lifestyle and use of his resources line up with his purposes the rest of the year too. So the struggle to focus on Jesus is not just at Christmas time but all the time.

Sending monetary gifts is only one way to give Jesus a birthday present and keep Christ in Christmas. We can also do it by giving our time and efforts in ministry to others. There are opportunities all around us. We can check out our community’s local ministries to the needy or homeless, to the sick or shut-in, orphans and widows; or look into missions through our church.

What are your traditions for keeping Christmas about Christ? I’d love to hear how you give to Jesus for his birthday.

Share your traditions with me in the comment box. We can learn from each other about how to Keep Christ in Christmas, because truly, Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

Image by Coffee from https://pixabay.com

How do you handle traumatic news? How do you move through each day when it feels like your old familiar world is crumbling around you? Is it possible, and if so how, to live joyfully and confidently while assailed by pain, fear, or devastating loss?

As I contemplated and prayed about what I would say in a book about going through suffering—and getting through it whole and better than when one started the journey—it became clear to me that several principles are of vital importance, both for those who are going through trials and for those who walk alongside them. These principles became the framework upon which I sculpted the body of this book.

So begins the Introduction to Brokenness to Beauty: Transforming Your Brokenness into a Beautiful Life. The book that came out of the blog Jacque’s Journey (www.jacquesjourney.blogspot.com), is now only weeks away from going public. I feel I should type an exclamation mark behind that sentence!

Whereas, I once was beginning this journey of writing–

Now I am in the “Almost” there phase. I can see the Finish line–

Photo from SIS 5K run 2015 — Photo from Bakersfield SIS Advocacy Group 5K Run 2015

My book going public: This is exciting and scary news all at the same time! For me anyway. Are you ready for this book? Am I ready for this book?

For years I heard and read comments from my blog readers that I needed to write a book, that I should tell my story. Maybe this is the book you expected, maybe not. But this is the book that grew out of writing it, praying as I wrote.

Brokenness to Beauty is a five Part, twenty-three chapter book designed with you in mind because, as the end of the Introduction states: Most of our days are filled with activities that pull us in many directions at once; therefore, this book is structured so that it may be read in short sections, easily adapted to a busy lifestyle. It is my hope that I have written these few chapters simply and clearly enough so that those who read it may, as with the vision given to Habakkuk, “read it fluently,” or with understanding, so that they may go on in their life journey stronger for it and in turn share it with others (Habakkuk 2:2).

Are we there yet? Almost! Stay tuned—or keep following this blog—to be among the first to know when Brokenness to Beauty hits the stores!

(And yes, there will be an e-book version as well!)

Month: December 2015

Keeping Christmas

Are We There Yet? Almost!