When Hope Was Born
There is one moment every year when I find myself filled with emotion. It begins as the lights are dimmed and we settle into the darkened shadows. The flame of one small candle pierces the unlit room reminding me of the power light has over darkness. That single light multiplies slowly throughout the room casting a soft glow as the music begins. Generation to generation, neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend sharing their light each with the other until the whole room is reflecting the Hope that was born on Christmas night.
Silent night, holy night.
Voices rise up and I hear even those who never lift their voices, choosing to sing this treasured Christmas hymn.
All is calm. All is bright.
And the tears fall almost as if on cue. As the world raged around Mary and Joseph and the baby that was born that night, all was calm and all was bright. Judgement and ridicule, complicated decisions, lengthy travels, and no room, but in the midst the greatest gift to all mankind was born – He was born to give us life.
So hope swells in my heart and pours out in grateful tears.
I sing and the script of my life runs through my mind. The laughter. The love. The chaos. The fears. The good and the bad. I am reminded that He came to make it right. Yes, Hope was born on Christmas night.
I know that the Christmas season is filled with so much. So much that can overwhelm. But so much good. A sweet Mama friend of mine said, “I feel like as Moms, we are in charge of making magical Christmas childhood memories for each of our children. That is a lot of pressure!”
She was right. We have been given the greatest gift of all. The gift of being Mamas to the very unique children God has gifted us. And with a passion to give them all our best, we feel the pressure to create magical childhood memories. It can be so overwhelming.
Unless we bring it back to the heart of the matter.
To the Hope that was born that night.
[bctt tweet=”#Christmas is about the night when #Hope was born. #priority #silentnight” via=”no”]
The gifts, the decorations, and the celebrations are all filled with hope. In the midst of our trials and in a world that often feels an ugly place, for those who believe and call Him King, hope fuels every present wrapped, tree adorned, and moment celebrated.
As Mama, I take charge of making those magical Christmas memories, but my deepest desire is to fill them with hope. So that, as my babies grow, they have learned about the Hope that was born that night. They know that the moments leading up to Christmas night, are possible because we have Hope – a light the darkness cannot override. Because on that night, the light of Christ was born in a stable in the midst of chaos, but yet all was calm and bright.
So, this Christmas, enjoy the memory making, but hold close to your heart the knowledge that Hope long ago released the pressures of getting it just right. When we prioritize, placing Him at the top of our list, His hope will fill our gaps and redeem the moments, making them magical.
[bctt tweet=”When we prioritize,placing Jesus at the top of our list, His hope will fill our gaps and redeem our moments #hopewasborn” via=”no”]
And He will multiply our hope just as the light of one candle multiplies. Multiplied hope will overflow into a dark and lonely world that needs to be pierced by the light of just one flame.
[bctt tweet=”Just one flame of #hope can pierce a dark and lonely world #hopewasborn #christmas” via=”no”]
As I began writing this post, a song came to mind. It captivates me with its tenderness and words that so precisely convey my message today. So, stop, take a deep breath, press play, then close your eyes and soak in the Hope that was born on Christmas Day.
I don’t want to leave you without a gift this Christmas season! May each gift tag remind you and those you love that Hope was born that Christmas night!
Click here to sign up and get full access to the Library of Hope where you will find this printable set of 8 gift tags! (Plus all the other fun resources available there, too!)
Prayer
Dear Jesus, You are our hope. You alone. And on that night so long ago, You were born in the midst of chaos, but yet all was calm and bright. Because, Lord, there will always be peace and hope with You no matter the size of our chaos or our pain.
Lord, I pray for every sweet Mama loving her children so much, that the weight of magical Christmas memories becomes a heavy load to bear. I ask You to reach into each of our responsibilities and our burdens and show us how to prioritize by keeping You at the top of our list. Convict our hearts of the truth that long ago You freed us from having to get it just right.
May our faith be strong and alive as we surrender to the knowledge that You will fill our gaps. I thank you for your hope. I pray it will swell within each of our hearts and overflow into this dark and aching world. In Your precious Name I pray. Amen.
I regularly link up with these encouraging sites.
Me too! I just had my “silent night” fix last night at our singing Christmas tree, and it never gets old does it? Thanks for sharing a reflection of the beauty of hope that stirs our hearts at this time of year.
Thanks for visiting, Michele! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and so glad you got your “silent night” fix! It truly doesn’t get old!
Merry Christmas, Lori, from your next door neighbor over at Kelly’s! I share your heart for those tears at that precise moment … a tender, powerful, deep heart observance of our Savior’s birth.
Beautiful …
Thank you, Linda, for visiting and for sharing my heart. I am so thankful you were blessed by this post!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
So so beautiful! I love this phrase: when hope was born. Thanks for sharing this Tuesday morning!
Thank you, Kelsie, for your kind words and for visiting!
Beautifully written, Lori. Praise God, Hope is alive. Thank you for sharing. (And, thank you for the lovely gift tags. 🙂 ) ((Merry Christmas))
Brenda, Thank you so much for your kind words. I cannot imagine life without His hope! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and gift tags. And a very Merry Christmas to you as well!
Lori, I know when I visit I’ll be filled with hope and the knowing of Christ’s love and grace! This is a most beautiful post, a reminder of the heart of Christmas that I wrote about this week — longing for the heart of Christ this season! Such a gorgeous post, as always! What a blessing to visit!
Oh, Kathy, you blessed me so BiG with those words. That is exactly my prayer for what God might do with my little corner of the blog world! Thank you, sweet friend! I’m heading over to your post now!
“Hope – a light the darkness cannot override.” What a blessing Hope is! Thank you for this encouraging post, Lori. Yes, may we all put Jesus, the greatest Gift of all, first!
Thanks so much, Trudy, for visiting me! I so look forward to your comments! That one flame of light eliminates the darkness. I always love to remember that in my mind when in the midst of difficult situations. His light will over rule that darkness each and every time!
Love this truth, Lori, a truth for this Christmas season but also a truth for all our days. “When we prioritize, placing Him at the top of our list, His hope will fill our gaps and redeem the moments.” Thank you, Lori, for sharing your heart at #IntentionalTuesday. : )
Crystal, I am so glad you found truth here! That is always my prayer – that God would turn my words into something worthwhile that points to Him! Thank you so much for visiting and for hosting Intentional Tuesday!
such a lovely reminder of what the true sense of Christmas is all about. I am a big believer in bringing it back to the simple things and the message of a Saviour being born. Thanks for your lovely post. #WAYWOW
Thank you, Leanne. I love the fun and the glitter and the excitement, but I never want it to replace the hope of our Savior! Thanks so much for visiting!
Thank you for sharing this encouraging message of hope. Grateful that #hopewasborn that night. Visiting from #JoyHopeLIve.
Thank you for visiting, Dr. Bengston! I am thankful you found encouragement here 🙂
One of my favorite newer traditions that we do now is attend a candlelighting service on Christmas Eve… and I get to hear my Mom sing Christmas Carols right next to me – and it brings me to tears every time. I just had another “Silent Night” moment right in the grocery store… the Salvation Army bell ringer was singing acapella O Holy Night and oh my goodness… Hope arises! Great post!
I love this, Karrilee! Isn’t it a precious tradition? And how cute, I can just see the tears in the middle of the grocery store 🙂 This just made me smile so big … thank you!
“Christ was born in a stable in the midst of chaos, yet all was calm and bright!” Amen to that my friend! Isn’t it wonderful that all year long Jesus can be the calm and bright in our lives…even in the midst of chaos? Such a joy to read your post at Women With Intention today!
Hi Valerie, Thank you, my friend for visiting, my friend! I, too, am so thankful for His 24/7 calm and bright 🙂
I always know when I read your posts that I will be captivated by your words. I chose your post as my spotlighted post on #100HappyDays. You can hop on over and grab your spotlight button if you’d like on Thursday. Have a blessed day friend!
What a beautiful song and message! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Brittany, I am so glad you enjoyed it. It’s my new favorite Christmas song this year 🙂
I think this is so important, Lori, especially for women who are mothers to hear. We all want Christmas to be special for our children, but keeping our hope in the Lord and letting everything shine out from Him is the best way we can prepare our children’s (and our) hearts for Christmas. Lovely word here, my friend!
Thanks, Beth! It is so easy to get caught up in the memory making that we forget our Hope! Thank you so much for visiting each week!
I love Christmas Music. We often times flip to the station that plays it 24 hours. It always warms my heart. Thank you for this wonderful post. I would love for you to be a friend at my new Blog Party Called Sitting Among Friends every Wednesday. You can find it here… http://youresewtrendy.blogspot.com
Hi Jaime, Thank you for the invite! I will be there next week!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Yes, every year I try to make the holiday perfect, it goes wrong, but when I just focus on Jesus, the Christmas season is magical for everyone in my family.
#100HappyDays
Hi Marissa 🙂 It sounds like you’ve got it! I love hearing the joy in your words and the fact that you know just where to look 🙂
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
This is so beautiful, Lori. I’m so thankful Hope was born on Christmas night. I’m thankful for the hope that I have and can share with my son. Thank you for sharing with Thankful Thursdays.
Thank you so much, Lori! Thank YOU for hosting each week!
Hope is born!
Jesus is our Hope and that is where our hearts need to be right now, focused on Him and refreshed by the hope He brings into our lives.
God Bless your heart, Lori and thanks for the printables.
Hey friend! Thank you for your kind words. And hope … praising God for the beautiful gift of it. How would we move through each day without it?
Much love,
Lori
What a beautiful and uplifting message! Your words made me remember a quote from the movie “The Shawshank Redemption”: “…hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” And yes, in a lowly manger so many years ago, Hope was born. And though it’s true, that Hope had to die, He rose again so that all of us could receive His salvation, and spend eternity in His presence!!
Now that is the very best HOPE ever!!
GOD BLESS!
(Your neighbor at a couple of places this morning!)
Thank you so much, Sharon, for your kind words! You are right, I think Hope is the best of things! How would we move into tomorrow without hope? right?
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
I love birthdays and this one is the best one ever! Thanks for always keeping us on track, sometimes we get busy and don’t take the time to be thankful and grateful, stopping here always gives me the nudge I need. This gift tag it so pretty, thanks for creating it for us all!!! xx Merry Christmas my friend!
Beautiful message from and incredibly beautiful heart! Lori, you are such a treasure. Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful post. GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂
Wonderful reminder of the hope we have in Christ. We don’t have to have everything perfect. We only need to keep our eyes on Him, trusting Him to lead and to give us wisdom and strength. Blessings to you! I’m visiting from #WeekendWhispers.
This was lovely. I was not raised in a Christian home, nor am I a Christian now, but there is something about Silent NIght that touches me. I cry each year when I hear that song during the holidays. I love how you see Christmas as a time of hope. <3
Lori, what an amazing message for this Christmas season! How blessed we truly are! Thank you for sharing with #SocialButterflySunday! Merry Christmas, and hope you will link up again this week 🙂
Very beautifully written my sweet friend! The hope that shines through this season is the real “magic” of it all and your reminder to help our kids see and feel that is just what I needed. So grateful to know you.
Oh, sweet friend! I’m so thankful to know you as well!!!
What an inspiring and beautiful post for the holidays lovely. Thank you ever so much for linking up to SWM and the amazing linky/blog support last year. It means the world to me that people come back again and again to share their amazing blogs. I hope this year is no different. It’s great to get to know more blogs and I love reading each post every week and sharing them. You have such a lovely blog here. I wish you a huge happy new year!!! #sharewithme
Thank you so much, Jenny! I can’t wait to start 2016 with you!
Lori, here we are. In the month of July and as I read this on this early Saturday morning, the same truth, the same message, the same feeling about love and hope washes over me just like at Christmas time. As moms we are under so much pressure to make Christmas memorable, magical and above all else, teaching the truth of its true meaning to our children. This hope, especially for this past week needs to ring every month to everyone. Thanks for bringing Christmas into our hearts on Party at My Place. I’ll be sharing this on social media. See you next week.
Thank you, Michelle. We truly do need to focus on the Hope that was born that night. He is the only hope we have to come through this devastating time!