Christmas is my favorite holiday of all time. I love the music, decorations, parties, excitement, joy, and everything that is Christmas. My husband has forbidden me from getting the decorations out any earlier than the day after thanksgiving, or who knows when I would start!! We do several activities with our kids to be a constant reminder to them of the true meaning of the holiday, but I do love to buy them lots of presents too!  I have read those articles that say you should only give your child four gifts for Christmas- something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. Let’s be clear, I am not that mom. We are blessed. I remember as a kid hearing the stories (or threats) of kids getting coal for Christmas,  I was a typical kid that fought a lot with her brother, but I never once received coal for Christmas. The night before Christmas was the hardest night to fall asleep ever. There was so much anticipation and excitement. You knew good things were coming soon. You didn’t wonder IF it would happen…..you knew it was happening. That is how I have been feeling that past couple of weeks about Christ. We have had some absolutely amazing services not only in our youth group, but in our main service as well. I feel like a little kid – that excitement in the pit of my stomach. This is a new level. I think sometimes we may get caught up in comparing things to how they used to be. We can even get caught up in planning for the future- future growth…. future events. There is nothing wrong with being thankful for the blessings of the past and planning for the future, but God is with us in the present. He doesn’t want to just move in the past or future, He wants to have an impact on our lives today, We have had several guest speakers come into our church in the past few years and have spoken over our church, and our pastor, that we were on the verge of a breakthrough….that God was preparing us for the harvest and that we need to be ready. Maybe I am a little biased, but given that I have been involved in the youth ministry at our church for the past 12 years….I am so excited to see our youth as an active part, and dare I say catalyst for this breakthrough.  We have a youth worship event scheduled for this weekend. We are hosting the night of worship, but have opened it to all ages. People are hungry. I am sure that other churches are having the same type of services as us, because there is a world that is searching for hope and  the truth. We even had parents come all the way to our little Sunday night discipleship group this past week to speak over this event and our ministry. That is an awesome thing. The excitement and anticipation have been at an all time high all week. So, this is why I feel like a little kid on the night before Christmas. I don’t wonder if this event is going to be successful. I know that it is. I know that lives will be changed and that God has a plan. I have that ‘for such a time as this’ feeling in my gut. I am so excited for what God is doing and am even more excited in the anticipation of knowing that He has even more then we could ever imagine for us! What an honor to be alive at this point in time when there is such an outpouring happening!

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
 I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.  – Isaiah 43:19

In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. – Acts 2:17

If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. – Jeremiah 29:13