A Season of Love

The Christmas season is stressful. There are presents to buy, parties to plan, and projects to finish before leaving work or school for the Christmas break. With so much going on, it's easy to push aside our faith and our loved ones until we've crossed a few more things off our to-do lists.

It's easy to forget what Christmas is all about—love. Our God loves us so much, He chose to come to this earth to live, to die, and to rise again for us. All this love was given to us to make us His own, so we can live as His children and spend eternity with Him.

Keep that love in mind as you're baking cookies this year. Your gift wrapping can wait while you spend some time sitting peacefully and prayerfully with your heavenly Father. "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). When Christmas shopping stresses you out, remember the most valuable gift you can give your family and friends is your time spent with them. Soon the Christmas things of this world are put away or thrown away, but love lasts forever. Merry Christmas!

Samantha Hoyt, LCMS Lutheran Young Adult Corps Intern St. Louis, MO