Happy December!!! Christmas has come and gone, and the new year with it's new joys and struggles will be rolling in. One of my favorite things about this Holiday season is the light. 
The physical lights adorning peoples homes, the lights on the trees, the light of celebration and love and giving. The light Jesus gave us all when He chose to be clothed in humility by being born a baby in a manger. The light of Hope He gave us when He made forgiveness, healing, and restoration available to us all.

My most favorite thing about this season though is the build-up of anticipation- The expectation of good things.
That stirring in our hearts, the longing for warmth, and light, and connection. I have had a great need for rest, quiet, and connection in my life as of late. Meanwhile I try to enjoy the chaos and hustle.

Why am I talking about anticipation? Because that expectation ofgood things is closely related to hope. And anticipating good things or expecting good has been more difficult since this summer.

But Jesus gave me a clearer picture this December. The Christmas shopping, decorating, cookie making, cocoa drinking, gift wrapping and merry making all leads up to a huge celebration. A joyous day full of expectation for celebrating, gift giving, and time for slowing down and savoring. 
All December long it's as if Christmas day is the light a the end of the tunnel (or the end of month).
A light that we are all chasing through all the activity and hustle and bustle. 

I was especially inspired this December to Chase Jesus in a new way. He is the light my life so desperately needs. I try to pursue a relationship with God in my daily life though prayer, worship, bible reading, ministry to other, etc.. But more often than not I am miserably failing.
What if I chased the light so readily available in Jesus the same way I chased the celebration of Christmas all December Long?

What if my anticipation and expectation of good things is increased in God everyday the same way it was this December? I pray for myself and anyone reading this blog that in the coming year we can Chase this light in a new way with increased hope and expectation.

Were I to choose one word for 2015 it would be hope. It was what I lost hold of when I got hit too hard too fast and what God has had me on a Journey of recovering. My one word for 2016 would be home. Home is what my family lost and what I pray that God restores to us in the coming year.

I read a truly wonderful quote about light this month. "There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in ". - Leonard Cohen. Reading that inspired me to hope that God could shine a light through all these cracks in my life. 2015 knocked me down hard and I'm still catching my breath, but I pray with Gods help that I can still pursue and believe the best.

I pray that in the coming year our lives would become places of celebration even in the midst of struggles. That we would practice speaking more blessings and cultivating real hope. I pray that as we run after our full identity in Christ we would give others permission to do the same. I pray that we would be able to be honest with and about ourselves and find the amazing Love and grace that awaits.
I pray that Gods light would shine bright through the cracks in our life.

Happy New Year!!!!

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