Some people are just born gift-givers. They find joy in the hunt for the perfect gift for people they love, and they overflow with giddiness watching those gifts get unwrapped. (And who doesn't love receiving gifts?!) Giving gifts to each other reflects God’s gift to all of us. Jesus didn’t come wrapped in pretty paper with a giant bow; He was born in a simple stable to a simple family.

Christmas is about the greatest gift the world has ever known. The gifts we give to each other are a small reflection of what God did for us.

Joseph isn't the most interesting of that little group huddled around the baby in nativity scenes, living or otherwise, on display around the world every Christmas season.

This time of year, do you find yourself clearing away the turkey and stuffing leftovers and turning your attention to Christmas? The hustle and bustle of the Christmas season bursts into our lives, and for some of us, the only time we slow down to think about the reason for this season is when we place the baby Jesus in the manger of our nativity display.

In our lives, we all have to endure tough times. It’s just the way life works. The Bible even talks about it in James when we are told to consider it pure joy when we endure trials. Not if, but when. It’s so easy to be bowled over when tough times come. It’s easy to focus on the negative. So how do you maintain a heart of thankfulness?

Sometimes it’s hard to believe in the goodness of God. For many, holidays like Thanksgiving are not necessarily a time when it's easy to give thanks, but can be a painful reminder of what is not. For all that Thanksgiving brings with it, there is one fact that remains unchanged year in and year out: God’s goodness.

Prayer is an essential part of our relationship with God. In short, prayer is simply talking to God. And yet for many, prayer can become an area of struggle. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying the power of prayer to change your life and those around you.

When we're little kids, there's plenty things to be afraid of, whether it's a monster under the bed, or the scary ghost stories told around a campfire. Even once we hit adulthood, there are still things that can scare us. The good news is that as Christians we don’t need to be afraid of these things.