In one year, I will be on the other side of the world, celebrating Christmas with my beloved teammates after nearly four months on the World Race. I would have seen three other countries, I would have lived untold adventures, and I would have had my faith stretched beyond what I could ever have imagined.
To be honest, it's a scary thought to think about what life will be like in one year's time, and yet it's a thought that I relish all the same, because I know that, wherever God leads, He will walk with me, He will never leave me nor forsake me, and He will be faithful to the very end.
This year, the joy of Christmas held new meaning for me as I realized even more about what Christ's birth meant to the world. As the song we so often sing says, "Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room and let heaven and nature sing." Christ's birth brought joy – a lasting, eternal joy that far outweighs the momentary joy we experience when opening our Christmas presents or spending time with our loved ones. This joy has been given not only to those who know Christ – but to the WHOLE WORLD.
That is my prayer for the coming year… that His joy would be made known to the world, and that all of creation would receive her King with open hearts. May every heart prepare room for the King of Kings, and may we all, together with the heavens and all creation, receive our Savior and King with great joy!
