December draws our hearts toward the wonder and warmth of Emmanuel. God with us. We hear the name in beloved Christmas hymns, see it written in glowing gold on cards, and read it in the ancient promises of Scripture. But Emmanuel is far more than a beautiful word...

God certainly cares about our problems!
He knows the pressures we face, and He doesn’t feel pleasure watching us fight wearily through each day. While we shouldn’t minimize our difficulties, it’s important to remember that God is bigger than any problem we face. Taking our eyes off Jesus to focus on our problems is a tactic from the enemy to keep us from experiencing the abundant life. It’s important to bring our hardships to God, but it’s equally important to thankfully remember all He’s done for us in the past. Acknowledging His past provision reminds us of His good plan to provide for us in the future. 

In our culture, we worship comfort and success. We avoid “hard.” We chase easy. Who wants to feel pain? And yet, you and I both know the ache of wanting to quit when life presses in. It’s universal.
Athletes understand this truth: without training, there is no victory. Muscles only strengthen under resistance. Lungs only expand under strain. And hearts only grow resilient when pushed to their limit.
Life is no different. We will face hardship. The real question is: how will we respond? Will we run toward God, or run from Him?
As believers, we are called to become like Christ in both conduct and character. And that kind of character is forged in the fire of suffering. Not when life feels easy, but when it feels impossibly heavy.

My oldest daughter had lived at eight addresses by the time she started Kindergarten. That’s a lot of boxes, packing tape, and paperwork. It’s a lot of dusting off old things and a lot of finding new things (dentists and banks, and a new favorite donut shop). It’s also a lot of leaving and loss. It’s a lot of transition.