From Jesus with Love
Each passing year opens the door for the new, for the things that are to come. Every year brings with it new gifts and treasures, things that you won’t be able to hold in your hands or gain unless you exit through one door and step into the next one.
Christmas is best enjoyed when it isn’t centered on decorations, presents, or festivities, but on My gift of love to the world. Love is the essence of Christmas. Christmas is best celebrated by taking quality time with your family and friends, and cherishing and celebrating the love you share. Sadly, love can get lost amid the Christmas hustle and bustle. Sometimes it’s covered up by the decorations and gifts, the endless shopping, and the Christmas dinner and parties.
Many adults have looked at a child blissfully enjoying playtime, and have, for a moment, wished they were children again. They look so peaceful, so happy, with hardly a care in the world. Children laugh easily, they enjoy what they do, and they get excited about the simplest things. They generally have minor, temporary worries that rarely last more than a few minutes or an hour. They likely spend so much more time than you do just being happy and engaged.
The human body is a very versatile, adaptable, durable, intricate, and highly developed creation, made to encase the yet more beautiful and durable spirit inside. The apostle Paul called your body the “temple of God,”1 and so it is.
Don’t allow yourself to feel sad or discouraged about your imperfections, because you will never be perfect. Instead, be thankful that I am here to help you and support you. Then you won’t be tempted to feel bad when you stumble or fall along the way.
Prayer shows your faith in Me—faith that I will bring the solutions, show you the way, work in people’s lives, and even do the impossible when necessary. It also shows that you are depending on Me, and this pleases Me greatly.
It is a common reaction for people, when faced with a negative situation, to feel justified in complaining and dwelling on the negative. Others have discovered the power of positive thinking and find it beneficial. The power of positive thinking is multiplied when your thoughts are turned into praise for My goodness, protection, supply, and the many blessings in your life.
When you want to target your prayers in order to bring about the best results, try to shut everything else out of your mind. You can do this anywhere, anytime, even in a crowded public place—a busy airport, while riding on the bus or train, anywhere you happen to be. Just stop for a few moments, close your eyes, and concentrate on Me, and I’ll help you to focus your thoughts enough to target your prayers.