Jesus and the cobbler
One of my favorite Christmas stories is about an elderly cobbler who dreamed one Christmas Eve that Jesus would visit him the next day.[[This version was adapted and shor... »
Volume 23.12 | December 2022
The last stocking
Every year at Christmas, my friend Ira and I get together to assemble Christmas stockings for the orphans at two nearby orphanages. It gives us a lot of happiness to do t... »
The birth of Jesus
The story of Jesus’ life begins with the story of His birth, as told in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The Old Testament foretold His coming, revealing specific informa... »
Amazed, treasured, and pondered
[After hearing the angel announce the birth of Christ, the shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had see... »
Finding the purpose of Christmas
After a couple of low-key Christmases in a row, due to health restrictions prompted by the pandemic, many of us have shifted to simpler, more intimate celebrations. Doing... »
Lonely at Christmas?
If you’re feeling lonely this Christmas, you’re not alone. Sad Christmas songs are popular because they strike a responsive chord in many. For a number of people, Christm... »
Occasion to love
For many of us, since we were young children, Christmas has been a special time of celebrating Jesus’ birth, giving and receiving gifts, and spending time with family and... »
Meeting Jesus
What about when Christmas comes along and you’re sad, grieving, or alone—or when, instead of anticipation and excitement, you feel dread and loss? You know this is suppos... »
Between the holidays
When I was a child, I hated the days after Christmas. I’d gotten all my gifts and had nothing to look forward to. Likely, it was a problem with ingratitude. I often thoug... »
Give Me your heart
Everybody knows that money can’t buy happiness, yet people are all too eager to overlook that fact during holidays. It’s so easy to get caught up in the frenzied rush to... »