Sometimes we experience things in life which unexpectedly fill our hearts with joy. Recently, I had the privilege of witnessing a Christmas miracle. The God who chose to become one of us in Christ Jesus two thousand years ago—born of a Virgin in humble surroundings to save all people from sin—also showed up in the bleakness of a cold December night within the walls of a women’s jail.
He came amidst struggling incarcerated women also living in humble surroundings—another unlikely place where one might expect to find the newborn Savior of the world. But that’s just it, Christ does not come in the grandeur of monetary riches. He arrives daily in the hearts of all unlikely people (like you and me) when we open our hearts to receive his grace and love.
A once drug-dependent woman who had been incarcerated for her addiction had the courage to seek the babe in the manger and in doing so, transformed her shattered life. The child wrapped in swaddling clothes and held lovingly by the Virgin Mother in a dank hovel filled with animals provided her with the grace she needed to seek a new life of health and promise. This woman knows it will not be easy but she is willing to rely on the baby King born on Christmas day because the inbreaking of God into history is the single greatest gift the world has ever seen. Deep in her heart, she knows this. The eternal Son of God (the Word) became fully human in the person of Jesus Christ.
May we all follow her courageous example of faith this Christmas and meet the child in the manger with hope and a willingness to trust him with the deepest struggles in our hearts.
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Beautiful reflection, Jen. Thank you for sharing. I, too, had a bit of a Christmas miracle. I wrote about it here. https://www.cathystenquist.com/post/two-songs-at-the-cemetery. Keep on being wonderful and faithful, you, Jen. You inspire me endlessly in how you choose joy. Hope this will be a wonderful year for you and your family.