Ann Voskamp writes in her book “The Greatest Gift”, “
The solution to fear is the gift of Christmas. ‘Fear not! For behold!’ We have a Savior. Hasn’t He already unequivocally earned trust? You can take your hands off your life — you don’t have to try to save yourself. Behold Him everywhere and be held.”
The solution to fear is the gift of Christmas.
I read and felt those words deeply this morning; the gift of Christmas to me personally. “Fear not! For behold!” I glanced over at my Christmas tree and there are no presents under it yet. I have a few unwrapped presents in the bedroom. The gifts to come and the gifts that will be shared. I’m remembering how it felt as a child to wake up those mornings just before Christmas and there would be a bunch of presents under the tree that mom had wrapped the night before after I’d gone to bed. Then, when we would open our presents either on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, we had a rule that we opened them one by one around the room so that the joy of unwrapping would last longer. Nobody wanted that part to be rushed through or to end. We didn’t want Christmas to be over.
I don’t want Christmas to be over this year either. I think that is why those words ‘the solution to fear is the gift of Christmas’ meant so much to me. After Christmas is over, I fear ‘what next?’ What do I have to look forward to? There are so many things I could be afraid of in this life if I let myself: the economy, the inevitable losses of everyone I love, the bills that never stop coming, a dreaded health scare, an accident, a natural disaster….it can literally paralyze me. But I (we) have been given the GIFT of Christmas and it is the solution to fear!
I had this visual of being given the most beautifully wrapped package I have ever seen and inside is my Savior! And even though I have this gift every day, some days it feels like it did when I would suddenly see all the presents under the tree that weren’t there the night before. I can unwrap this Gift slowly and make it last a lifetime. I’m so happy that my Christmas gift from Him this year is, “Fear not! For behold!”
Darla DenHerder ~ Opening My Heart 
This Christmas I have been given a special gift. One I hadn’t anticipated or expected. I finally came to the understanding of who Jesus is. It is an awesome God that would allow His own creation to treat Him cruelly and kill Him so He could conquer death and say, “forgive them”. WOW! What a gift!
Hallelujah what a Savior! THIS is Christmas!
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Ann Voskamp also points out that the first question in the Old Testament is: Where are you? (God seeking out man) Then, the first question of the New Testament is: Where is He? (Mans search for the Christ.)
Christmas gives us the answer: Emanuel! (God with us)
Merry Christmas Darla!
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Here it is Christmas eve and I finally have a quiet moment to post what has been on my mind this past week. What I am thankful for is you Darla. You have been such a help to me over the past few months . I was thinking of what a wonderful “gift” you have given to us by expressing your thoughts through your blog and allowing others to have a place to express their feeling also. I have been on this journey for a while now, actually I was on it for quite sometime and I didn’t even know it. As you know I made the choice to leave meetings about 5 weeks ago…the hardest thing I have EVER done in my life. Although there feels a bit of a void from not being in meetings, I have been LOVING my time with the Lord through reading and praying and just turning to him and totally learning to trust in his leading. You have stood by me every step of the way……NEVER once was there a word of encouragement to leave the meetings but just a sweetness on your part of understanding what I have been going through. Even a few weeks ago when I was feeling down you said to me..” Becky, you can always go back to meetings if that is where you feel you need to be” that meant so much to me that you were standing by me in all my choices. You have been such a patient listener, and a strong shoulder to lean on. I am finally feeling settled in my feelings of being “outside” now. I know that what I am feeling in the depth of my heart is a peace from God even though my family says I’m being deceived. I just want to learn more and more about Jesus and about his Grace and all he has done for me and is still doing for me. So thank you dear friend for being you, for being honest and being real…have a Merry Christmas! Love you much!
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Becky, my friend, your words of encouragement, thankfulness, friendship and love touched my heart deeply. I have been so honored to get to share in your journey and it has been a joy to see you grow in your peace and understanding. You have helped ME as well with your honesty, openness and questions. I can’t wait until we can get together again and I love the idea of the girls weekend in the New Year! Let’s do it! Merry Christmas to you as well.
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