Finding Hope This Holiday Season

With one last decoration piece to go, my Christmas tree of bountiful ornaments would be embellished in beauty.  As I grabbed the heavily tarnished nail ornament in my hand, I stopped and gazed upon it silently in thought.

Previous Christmas’ were not happy ones for me. Shadowed by multiple crises with a hurting child, I didn’t know how to find freedom and peace through my journey of parenting.  

A depressed, suicidal daughter, living rebelliously and acting out with risky behaviors were my fixation during the holidays. How could I celebrate such a joyous occasion when I was struggling myself?

Pondering over the nail which lay in my palm,  I started to comprehend its meaning over my broken family.  Pushing back the tree branches to hang the ornament was like pushing back the curtains of time to Jesus’ birth.  

The Heavenly Father’s gift of His son was so miraculously planned out. He knew how we desperately needed a Savior for a fallen world, even our fallen, sinful, broken child.

As much as I appreciated the Christmas family traditions, buffet holiday foods, and plunder of presents under the tree, it is easy to lose our exuberance in rejoicing that a King, the One who gives salvation, was born for us and for all mankind which includes our hurting child.  Looking at this nail ornament and thinking of what Christ did for me revived my hope. 

What would life be like if I did not have hope of redemption for our family?  Jesus’ life and ultimately his death and resurrection is a lasting testimony of what He did on the cross to give us complete healing for our brokenness. This is something we need to be reminded of daily as we face our family crisis’.  Today I can be thankful for this hope, for this imparts to me a new faith to stay strong during my times of struggle in our parenting, as well as God’s affirmation that He has never forgotten us nor forsaken us. Praise God!   

May God reaffirm His love and devotion to you and your family this holiday season and help you find your joy amidst the difficult times.  

Merry Christmas!

Stacy