Christmas, a Wonderful Time of Year!

Christmas… what a wonderful time of year! Even though the world has commercialized it, we get to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and be expectant of a wonderful season.

Bright lights, cheerful music, spending time with loved ones and not having school, what more could anyone ask for? Pretty much my favorite time of year!

It’s the only time when we can all just hang around the kitchen and bake cookies, where the pain and heartache we had been through in the past just doesn’t seem to matter because somehow we were strong enough to make it through.

Now we’re here spending it with the ones we love. I find it so amazing that just celebrating the birthday of Jesus can just make the air lighter. Even the hearts of stone can feel the season.

The feeling of love and joy always makes me reflect on the previous year at this time, how I’ve changed and grown. The thing I find most amazing about God is that He’s always so consistent. Everything about Him comes in circles and in patterns. God just allows us to go through things to view it differently and mature us. I mean, ultimately the same things occur to us each year. The heart feels the same pain with different experiences. But God teaches us how to deal with it better, how to let go and how to hold on.

Reflection, celebration, love, and a new year ahead is what this season brings. Have you ever noticed that Jesus died for us and our sins so we can be cleansed and then just days after His birthday celebration all we want to do is make better choices? It’s no coincidence that just being reminded of our Savior’s Birthday we decide to make New Year’s resolutions to better ourselves and though this may not seem like much, it really gives us something to think about.

I hope everyone has an amazing Holiday Season. May you reflect as I did, celebrate, love and think about the better choices you will make for next year!

Talk to you soon!

Love,

Alyssa

Season to Sing

11 See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. 12 Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. Song of Solomon 2. Read more

The Love Dare

New York Times Best-Seller Unconditional love is eagerly promised at weddings, but rarely practiced in real life. As a result, romantic hopes are often replaced with disappointment in the home. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

The Love Dare, as featured in the popular new movie Fireproof (from the makers of Facing the Giants), is a 40-day challenge for husbands and wives to understand and practice unconditional love. Whether your marriage is hanging by a thread or healthy and strong, The Love Dare is a journey you need to take. It’s time to learn the keys to finding true intimacy and developing a dynamic marriage. Take the dare!

About the Author

Alex Kendrick is associate media pastor at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. He helped establish Sherwood Pictures in 2003 and has directed and co-written each of its films: Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof, playing the lead male role in those first two productions. Alex has appeared on ABC, CNN, FOX News, American Family Radio, The Glenn Beck Show, Janet Parshall’s America, and many other national programs to discuss his award-winning work and ministry. He lives in Albany with his wife and five children.

Stephen Kendrick is a senior associate pastor of preaching at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. He helped establish Sherwood Pictures in 2003 and has served as co-writer and producer for each of its films: Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof. Stephen has spoken about his work on ABC World News Tonight and CNN and in The Washington Post and American Profile magazine among others. Currently earning a master of divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, he lives in Albany with his wife and three children.

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