Today I got to sit down with Sherri Hughes-Gragg—author, mom of five, and someone who speaks about God’s heart with beautiful clarity. 

We talked Christmas traditions—the Yanof Family Book Exchange (which started because I refused to let Mike buy himself a full-price book in December), and Sherri’s Santa Soccer, which involved antlers, Santa hats, sugar, and absolute chaos in her yard.

Then we went deep.

Sherri talked about raising five kids, including daughters adopted from Haiti, and how she moved from parenting out of fear and pressure to parenting from Jesus’ simple plumb line:

Love God, love people.

Before judgment.

Before fixing.

Before controlling.

Sherri shared openly about walking through divorce and then receiving a cancer diagnosis literally the next day. And how instead of seeing a harsh God, she began seeing the compassion of Christ more clearly than ever.

She reminded us Jesus moves toward suffering. Like the widow in Scripture whose only son had died—before He raised the son, He comforted her.

As we enter Advent Week 2—PEACE—Sherri offered freedom:

It is not your job to fix the world.

It is your job to love the people in front of you.

Her new devotional, The Compassionate Christ: Draw Near to the Risen Christ, is a beautiful way to begin the new year with a clearer vision of Jesus as gentle, kind, and near.

Such a great conversation—I think you’ll love it.

All things Cynthia 

The Compassionate Christ Devotional 

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