Christmas Reflections: Gratitude in the Midst of It All

This Christmas could have looked so different.

That thought has been sitting heavy and holy in my heart as we move through this season. The lights are glowing, the tree is standing, our children are laughing, and our home is full of life. But none of that is lost on me. None of it feels ordinary this year.

Because this Christmas, I am deeply aware of how close things came to turning out another way.

Earlier this fall, when we welcomed our baby into the world, there were moments when my life hung in the balance. Moments where fear crept in and questions flooded my mind. Moments where I had no control, no strength of my own to lean on, and no guarantees of what the next hour would bring.

But God.

God chose to spare my life.
God chose to carry us through.
God chose to write a story of redemption, healing, and restoration in a season that could have ended so differently.

And now, here we are.

Our baby is thriving. She is growing, smiling, and filling our home with joy. This is her first Christmas. And not just her first Christmas, but our last first Christmas as parents. That alone feels sacred. Something I don’t want to rush past or take lightly.

I watch her eyes take in the lights. I hold her close and think about how precious life truly is. How fragile and miraculous it all is at the same time.

This year also brought other moments that reminded us just how quickly things can change. Not long ago, our car’s brakes failed while my husband was driving. A situation that could have ended in tragedy but ended up in protection instead. God spared his life too. Another reminder that we are not promised tomorrow, but we are held today.

And because of all of this, gratitude feels different this Christmas.

It’s deeper.
It’s quieter.
It’s more rooted in awe than in abundance.

We are walking into this holiday season with tighter finances and some unknowns ahead. There are things we hoped would look different by now. There are prayers still waiting for answers. But there is also a steady peace, because we know the One who holds our future.

The same God who protected us.
The same God who sustained us.
The same God who gave His own Son for us.

Christmas is not about having everything figured out. It’s about remembering that God already worked out the most important thing.

He sent Jesus.

The King of Kings stepped into our broken world, not wrapped in comfort or wealth, but in humility. Born into uncertainty. Born into a world that needed saving. He came to live among us, to suffer for us, and to ultimately give His life so that we could have eternal hope.

That truth changes everything.

So even when finances feel tight, even when the road ahead feels uncertain, we stand on the promise that God will take care of our needs. Not always how we expect. Not always on our timeline. But always with faithfulness.

This Christmas, my heart is full. Not because everything is perfect, but because God has been so, so good.

We are here.
We are together.
We are breathing.
We are celebrating life, redemption, and the greatest gift ever given.

And that is more than enough.