God introduced himself to us through his creation and explained himself to us through Old Testament prophets, but it’s through Jesus Christ that he has made himself known to us. The wonder of Christmas all began when God himself decided to put on flesh to be with us. 

In his hardest, loneliest moments of life, Joseph had the character and integrity to make wise relational decisions. Aim high when life gets hard and allow God to continue writing a good story in you.

Though God is constantly at work orchestrating outcomes, his timing rarely aligns with ours. And so we wait. And wait. And sometimes, wait some more. It’s when we learn to trust in his providence, as Joseph and Mary did, that our waiting sees impatience turn to eagerness and frustration to beautiful anticipation. 

What if there were two simple ways to help people move toward God? And what if these two behaviors were things that absolutely anyone could do? Telling people about Jesus shouldn’t be complicated. After all, God does the converting – we can simply focus on blessing others.

Money loves to lure people in and trap them. The Bible warns about its effects and instructs us to guard our hearts against it. When it comes to people to watch out for, be wary of money-chasers. Before you point fingers in the other direction though, look within first. Has the love of money ensnared you?

We live among peacebreakers who are bent on fighting and defending, but following Jesus means laying down our spears in favor of calm resolution. When you’re under attack, commit to doing the good-hard work of being a peacemaker.

The world is flooded with truth-twisting dishonesty. Watch out for people who distort, omit and exaggerate that which is real by staying grounded in the truth that comes from Jesus and his Word.

When it comes to discerning others’ character, watch out for self-promoters. They can often be found applauding themselves, seeking attention and demanding special treatment. They’re everywhere, but if you happen to see one staring back at you when you look in the mirror, take action: Ask God to help you remove the spotlight from yourself in order to shine it on him.

Joy comes from contentment. Just ask Paul. Whether life is abundant or scarce, he’ll show you that when you trust that God has given you enough for today, joy will follow.

Anxiety and worry are epidemic, but not the answer to the difficult seasons life produces. Through Jesus, JOY can prevail in hard times. Ready to build a resilient spirit that can withstand the storms of life? Look to him.