🎄THE TRUE Christmas Gift - JOY Seeks for a Room in you!🎁

💁🏻‍♀️Dear Reader,

We celebrate Christmas. It’s not a ritual, it’s a Revelation! It’s not just a celebration of a ceremony, it’s a celebration of a man and an assignment - It's a revelation! 

Yet a year ago, Christmas was beyond difficult for myself. 

‘Tis the season to be jolly. Right’ 

But I felt anything but jolly. I'd cried until there wasn't possibly any more tears, and still they'd come. I was confused, disappointed – at myself, at the circumstances, at what happened, at the loss of my beloved dad.

Tormenting thoughts screamed, “If only I’d . . . what if I . . . I should have . . .!”

If I could, I’d skip Christmas last year.

Many said, If I allowed joy it seemed a betrayal of my love for my Pappa.

BUT Joy is not happy dear one. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Happy is a feeling of being ecstatic, exhilarated, delighted. It is momentary and an emotion that is dependent on the circumstances.

Joy is different. Joy is deeper. Joy is authentic, soul-satisfying and an emotion that transcends the temporal.

Christmas joy, for one who is in pain, grieving, focuses not on the circumstances of the season, but on the companionship of the Saviour. That's what changed it for me. 

If God was willing to wrap Himself in rags, lay in a manger and be contained in a womb then all questions about His love for you are off the table.

There is no place He will not go. If He is willing to be in a barnyard, then expect Him to be at work anywhere—ANYPLACE.  No place is too common. No person is too hardened. No distance is too far. There is no person He cannot reach. There is no limit to His Love for you. 

And no one better than the apostle Paul, who understood sorrow. Happy was rare for him.

He experienced the horrors of prison, the agony of floggings, beatings with rods, being stoned.

He came close to death more than once. He was shipwrecked, robbed, in danger from the Gentiles and even his own countrymen.

He experienced loss, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness, pressure from his concern for the churches.

And yet, in the face of trouble, he made room on his Journey for Joy.

It was not just an occasional companion, he walked arm-in-arm with joy.

It overwhelmed him, embraced him and anchored him (2 Corinthians 7:4)

So, this Christmas beloved, give your heart a break. Give yourself permission to receive Joy and understand that JOY IS A GIFT , IT is a CHOICE and it's your responsibility to PROTECT it. 
Step gently, but step.
Grab a hold, hang tight to joy.
You will get to the other side of your grief. 
It will not always hurt like it does right now.
For today, fix your eyes on Jesus.

I said it once this way “Joy is having the thought that God is with you and Jesus was born.”

“The joy of the Lord is my strength!” Nehemiah 8:10

Through the birth of a baby (IMMANUEL), a seemingly insignificant event in the world's eyes, the Kingdom of God came down on this world in Grace and Truth. The Prince of Peace destroyed the works of the devil and set the people FREE as a NEW Creation in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9

JESUS CHRIST is the TRUE Christmas gift! His Love and Grace is offered Freely to EVERYONE who receives HIM in Repentance and Faith! 

Which means when Christ was born, so was our hope dear friend. ♥️ AND That’s why I love Christmas. This season invites us to believe the Wildest of Promises: God became one of us so we could become one with Him. He did away with EVERY barrier, fence, sin, bent, debt, and grave. Anything that might keep us from Him was demolished. He only awaits our word to walk through the door.

So,Invite Him in. Let Christ love you! 🥰

This Christmas, I want to encourage you to sow peace in the place of chaos, to choose the gift of being present over the temptation to be distracted by your to-do’s, and to really focus on the why behind the season. We all know that we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7), so what will you be sowing this week? 

For those of you who face this holiday with fear, anxiety, or restlessness I want to encourage you to take some time today and decide what you want to sow in its place. Remember that you have the resources of Heaven at your disposal and that you get to shift atmospheres with the power you carry. Start with focusing on what you’re thankful for and then declare God's light over this week. What are you sowing this week? I’d love to hear that, and what you’re thankful for and celebrating this season. You can send your prayer requests, questions, comments HERE! 

Merry Christmas! I Pray a Joyous and Blessed season for you.💫

Thank you for being part of my life this year. Your comments, feedback and prayers have encouraged me, and it’s been my Privilege to Pray for you and Serve you well. 🙏🏼🥰

May you and your family be Blessed and Full of love!

Remember to think of others first. Forgive, make up and forget past hurts. HEAL, REST, LOVE!!

BE a gift to someone and receive too. 🥳

Let’s look forward gratefully to another year of sharing the Hope of Jesus. Amen. 🫂

Remember the Reason for the Season.🌟

Jesus, the Light of the World. 🙌🏼🤩

Many blessings,

- Dr.Jemi✨