Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.  

- Luke 1:35

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

God extends His grace and mercy to us daily. In response to His incredible gift, we are to focus our hearts on His Son, Jesus, who is our salvation and hope.

This holiday season, can you focus on how God reached down to a fallen world, rescuing each of us through the grace of His Son Jesus, who restores us to a right relationship with Him?

Celebrate the birth of Christ, remembering that the baby Jesus is the greatest gift ever given. Give thanks for the blessing of eternal life!

While the birth of the baby Jesus in Bethlehem is why we celebrate Christmas, Jesus didn’t stay in the manger. His coming to earth has eternal implications and consequences, reaching far beyond the season to each day of our lives. Below is a poem about what it must have been like to be Mary, the mother of Jesus. May it encourage you and focus your heart on the love of our incredible Savior.

Love Came Down
She is so young to carry such a One.
The King of heaven, God’s only Son.
Census underway meant “No room in the inn,”
So onward, they traveled on a donkey with Him.
No pillow on which to rest her head,
“No room” meant a barnyard stable instead.

Love so deep; she cries out into the night,
As she gives birth to the One, the Light.

She sighs in relief to behold her child,
Full of wonder, so precious and mild.
She holds his tiny hand and kisses his newborn face.
The King of heaven, come down to this place.

Destined to save us from our evil ways,
Hope is embodied in her tiny babe.
Born to endure such great suffering.
Her child, our Savior, Emmanuel, a King.

As she brushes back her babe’s hair,
With every bit of a mother’s care.
She breathes in the still and quiet of the night.
As Angels tell Shepherds where to behold the sight.

Love lies cooing in a manager now,
Until the day He will lay His own life down.
Angels rejoice with tidings of great joy.
As heaven sings out over this baby boy.

Shepherds followed the star so bright.
To an illuminated stable out in the night
There inside was the babe fast asleep,
As angels sang amid donkeys and sheep.

The Wisemen came with their gifts to bring
To lay at the feet of their Savior and King.

All rejoice over this gift from above,
Who REACHED down below with the sacrifice of love.

Prayer: Jesus, as I draw near to you, please be with me. Be close to my heart, guide my mind, and let me be a witness to your incredible love. Amen.

With Love,
Sherry Shepherd