If, as described in past posts, my life is a desert, then this month has brought me through the relieving shade of many acacia trees. I come to you today with a word on Christmas joy and several pieces of good news. (Really, I don’t think any of us fully appreciate good news until we’ve endured a seemingly endless torrent of bad news. But that’s a post for another day.)
Found by Joy
As we bustle about preparing for and celebrating Christmas, sometimes I think we feel like we’re responsible for producing the joy. Like the decorations must be bright enough, the music upbeat enough, the food festive enough, the gifts pleasing enough … or the holiday will fall flat.
Basically, in our quest for holiday perfection, we behave like Christmas is on us.
I’m so thankful it’s not. Not only can no one steal Christmas, but no one can fail to make Christmas happen.
Christmas has come. Christ has come. Our reason to celebrate is irrevocable. Instead of relying on our festivities as a means of securing happiness, we’re free to sing and give and commemorate out of the overflow of our gratitude and hope.
Last December, I wrote this in my prayer journal:
Thank You that Christmas is more than family and beauty and giving and cheer and nostalgia, that its joy lies in an event, a fulfilled promise, a sure hope, an unending and unchanging love, an intimate and constant and inescapable presence. Something we welcome rather than supply.
If you haven’t already welcomed the gift of Christ, now’s the perfect time! Believe that Jesus not only came to earth as a baby, but grew up, died on the cross to atone for your sins, was buried, and rose to life on the third day afterward to offer you eternity with God. Confess your sins to God and repent of them. Ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life and Savior of your soul.
This Christmas, celebrate by thanking God for His gift and proclaiming the good news to others. And let the joy flow.
Behind the Screen
The past month has been one of hard work and good news. Hard work as I’ve gotten back into writing and posting. Good news as my mom has continued to make progress—and also as I received some surprise good news of my own (see “A Special Announcement”).
First, my mom: Her throat is doing much better, allowing her to eat more (though still mostly soft food). She’s also walking everywhere, though not seriously long distances, and trying to do more tasks. Her first chemo infusion went very well, with no reactions or major side effects. We’ve been warned that with repeat infusions the side effects can worsen. But she’s off to a great start! Better yet, she received encouraging test results this month that show the cancer is losing its hold, at least in some areas.
Thank you so much for your prayers for her! Please continue to pray for the cancer to vanish and her body to heal, for minimal chemo side effects, and for protection while her immune system is down.
Meanwhile, I’ve been working on Advent posts and book promotion, and getting excited for Christmas. Not just because of much-needed and -anticipated family time—though that’s reason enough for excitement—but also because the winter holidays seem to fuel some of my most productive writing. My soul seems to know it’s the holidays, a time for joy and release from the pressure of productivity, and it responds with a flow of gladness and creativity. Will I pen half a dozen new poems? Finish a fairy tale? Complete the proposal for my next book? God knows, and we’ll find out!
The end of December also means planning for the new year. Please say a prayer for me as I set goals for my writing in 2026 and make plans for achieving them.
Thank you as always for praying and journeying with me. I pray you and your loved ones have a blessed Christmas and a new year full of hope.
A Special Announcement
Last week, I received an email that made me catch my breath—and then check myself. Wait. This could be a mistake. I’d watch and see if I got the promised follow-up message.
The next day, I got the follow-up, complete with personalized graphic, congratulating me: Just Megan has been entered in the 2026 Selah Awards!
Awarded annually at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, the Selah Awards are given to books of various genres within the Christian publishing industry based on excellence. Simply being nominated for one is a privilege.
Thank you so much to the Redemption Press team for believing in me and my message and honoring my book with this nomination. I’m truly humbled.
And now, let the wait for the judges’ verdict begin!
Help others find grace and resilience in the face of the unknown.
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Jesus loves you. Embrace His love and live it out.
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