"The Most Special Christmas she has had in a Long Time"
GCD Newsletter December 22nd 2023
My two youngest boys (8,9) made signs and put a table in our front yard. They wanted to set up a “shop” to sell gum, homemade ornaments, and Christmas trees. Their “Christmas trees” were merely branches they cut from cedar trees in our yard…perhaps a “Charlie Brown” tree would be a better description.
We live off a state highway that eventually leads to a paper mill, so the highway is busy with 65-mile-an-hour traffic, mostly log trucks. I didn’t want to break their entrepreneurial spirit, so I reluctantly agreed but first warned them that many people may be too busy to stop. Our house sits off the highway a few hundred yards from the road, so I let them setup at a safe distance.
They held up their signs and tried to flag down as many cars as they could. But, their signs were too small and people were too busy to stop.
Eventually, I saw a red jeep pass our house and then slow down. They turned around and made our way to our driveway and I could see the excitement on my boys’ faces. A lady in her 40s got out of the jeep and asked my boys what they were selling, and when they told her “Christmas trees” she began to cry.
Perplexed, I waited to hear her story. Her eight-year-old son died eight years ago in a four-wheeler accident. When she saw my boys, who were the same age, she thought of him, especially since one of my sons wore the same pair of glasses. Since her son’s death, she hadn’t put up a Christmas tree, and here were these two boys selling trees.
My sons ended up making her a whole bag of things needed for a tree decoration, fully equipped with homemade ornaments, lights, and a Charlie Brown tree. They wrote her a card that told her Jesus loved her and that they hope this tree makes her Christmas special. She later left us a note that this is the most special Christmas she has had in a long time.
It amazes me when I see how God orchestrates his sovereign plan to display his love. I don’t think that lady would have bought a tree from anyone except my sons, so God provided a way to bring them together. Even in her deepest grief, God reminded her that he loves her and hasn’t forgotten her. Advent reminds us of God’s love and the depths he’s willing to go to show it. Last week’s articles will help you focus your heart on him this Christmas season.
Last Week at GCDiscipleship.com
Celebrate Advent–Long For It, Too
by Ashley Anthony
“Like a master storyteller, God crafts all of human history to reveal a deep need for his Son. When we see the brokenness of those throughout human history we see a need for a savior. The past doesn’t only anticipate the birth of a baby—it longs for the birth of God’s Son and Messiah.”
The Baby Who Came to Annihilate Death
by Brittany Allen
“What love is this? Only the love of Jesus. Only he would take off his crown and robe, replacing them with human flesh and a crown of thorns. He left glory to save us. The Hope of heaven came down for you.”
In Christ,
James Williams
James Williams serves as associate pastor at FBC Atlanta, TX. James and his wife, Jenny, are blessed with four children and are actively involved in foster care. He is passionate about beholding the beauty of our Lord and helping others do the same. He enjoys writing, running, and gardening. You can follow James Twitter or his blog where he writes regularly.