Christmas Email

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I just wanted to share a quick Christmas message :)) (ill still send my normal weekly email tomorrow) 

Christmas is the BEST time of the year:)) I love Christmas for SO many reasons: Christmas music, giving & receiving gifts (my love language), family traditions, and especially the overall worldwide focus on Jesus Christ. A focus that definitely should happen all year long, but for many people, mostly happens around significant religious holidays. Jesus Christ is the reason for this season. Jesus Christ, the Savior & Messiah of the whole world, was born in a humble stable to loving parents. Some of the first people to meet Jesus after being born were humble shepherds after being visited by angels. Those Shepherds are great examples to us now about accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior. When they were told about their Lord's birth, they did not delay their receiving but hastened to meet their king. [LUKE 2:16] "Jesus Christ was and is our first & forever gift of Christmas." (Bonnie Cordon) If we've all freely been given the gift of a Savior, why don't we hasten to accept that? Jesus Christ was already born, he already lived and taught, he already suffered and died for us. The gift has already been given. Then why don't some of us accept that? Accept the gift of repentance and use that to try our best to be better? Accept the gospel that Jesus taught us to live by that helps us find our way back to him and God. Accept the atonement (Jesus suffering, dying, and rising again 3 days later) that allows us to have someone who knows exactly what we are going through and what we need. That allows us to live with our families forever, even after we die. Jesus Christ loves me. He loves you. He loves every single person that's ever been on this earth and ever will be. His life is a gift to each of us. This Christmas season, and always, I'd invite you to make changes in your life to better accept his gift to you. They've already been given. All you have to do is accept it. I know that those changes, although sometimes difficult to make, will change your life, your relationships, your happiness, and your entire existence. It will bring more peace in your hard times. It will strengthen & improve your relationships with others. 

I love you all :))

 

Sister Traylor