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10th Day of Christmas Giveaways with Micca Campbell
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Welcome to the 10th Day of Christmas Giveaways!!!
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Today my friend Micca Campbell is here to share her post, “Immanuel, God with Us.” She is giving away Ann Voskamp’s book, “The Greatest Gift, Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas.” Micca Campbell is an author of, Untroubled Heart, and a national speaker for Proverbs 31 Ministries. Micca’s passion is to help others Fear Less and Live More of the abundant life in Christ. Connect with her on Facebook, twitter, and her site at miccacampbell.com
To join in on the fun and be entered to win the various prizes, simply leave a comment on the post answering the question of the day. ALSO—one grand prize will be given to one person who comments on all 12 days.
The Grand Prize is a $50 gift certificate to Proverbs 31 Ministries store and a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com!!!
Now here is Micca for today’s post…
Immanuel God With Us
I woke to the cooing of my 8-month-old son in need of a dry diaper and a bottle. By the time I got to his room, I was fully awake to my reality. It was Christmas morning. Sigh. I had dreaded the arrival of this day.
It was the first Christmas after my husband’s death.
Most of my days consisted of loneliness and grief. I knew facing the holidays would be worse. I felt so alone.
My heart was joyless. There was no one to wish a Merry Christmas. No gifts to open. No celebration. For me, it was just another ordinary day of going through the motions. I’d care for my son and try to survive the grief and loneliness.
Have you ever been this lonely? Your situation may not be like mine, but I do know during difficult times God often feels distant. Uncaring. Unresponsive. Unaware. And yet, Psalm 139:7 challenged my feelings that Christmas Day.
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (NIV)
The Psalmist was clear. God is everywhere. There is nowhere I can go that God is not already there.
As I pondered this truth, hope began to rise in my heart. I am never alone because God is with me in every situation, good or bad.
Isn’t this the message of Christmas — God is with us? Isn’t this the essence of our faith — God is with us?
Perhaps this is what inspired Matthew to write: “‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means, ‘God with us.’)” (Matthew 1:23).
That name, Immanuel, holds great significance for you and me.
This Name tells us Christ didn’t come that holy night to say “well done.” He didn’t come to pat us on the back or encourage us for just a time. He came to stay. God came to dwell among us and to reside within us forever.
Sure, God has always been with us, but this truth took on a whole new meaning when Jesus was born. The astounding truth of Christmas is that God put on human flesh and became one of us.
That’s not all. This baby Jesus didn’t come only to walk among us. He came to deliver us and set us right with God. The coming of Jesus meant God the Father had now sent His Son to deliver the world from sin.
What does this mean for you and me? It means no matter the challenge, you are not alone. Whatever your need — deliverance, strength, hope — Immanuel is present. He is not some far-off God. He is right there beside you this very moment.
My days grew brighter as I looked for God’s company amidst my pain. Eventually, I no longer trudged through ordinary days because my extraordinary God met me at my point of need. The secret is this. The more I learned to acknowledge His presence, the more of His presence I experienced. You can, too.
No matter where you are this Christmas Eve, you are not alone.
You may feel alone. It may appear that you are alone. But Christ is there with you. He sees you. He understands. And He can help you.
This year can be different. You can celebrate Christmas morn with new joy because He — God Himself — has come to be with you. In His magnificent company, though you may be down and out, you are not without. You are not without His love or His all-sufficient strength. You are not without His safety. You are not without His care or provision. And you are not without His presence.
This is the best news of all. Immanuel, God is with us!
I recently received a blessing in disguise, when one of my boys was sick and I had to miss a day of work, at busiest time of the year for our company, I was able to rest, recharge, and get our home more organized. I finished the day with almost no anxiety. God truly knew what I was in need of.
God provided when out town / house was flooded in June 2014.
Different from the loneliness of losing a husband, I’ve lost my closest and dearest lady friend/mentor/teacher, my Mom. We just passed the first year mark and last Christmas was the first without Mom’s homey presence, loving on our whole family, but I was still reeling in shock and so this Christmas I almost miss her more. But God was there and very real in that moment of her death and I “survived” the first year. He carried me through the stresses of carrying the work load of two, caring for two places, caring for Dad and the extra stress the adjustments have placed on our marriage at times. I still feel like I’m barely keeping things in control and some days I feel near panic at all there is to do and not enough time to my day, but God has helped me through this first year and I’m confident He will help me juggle the balls in the future too.
I have felt God’s pressence several times, but the most astounding, to me, was while my husband was in the hospital awaiting a heart transplant. We were hundreds of miles from home and we were stuck at the hospital because my husband was so ill that if they took all the IV’s out he would die! I felt that God was helping me to remian calm and have a peaceful spirit. My daughter was freaking out all the time. After a couple of months, December 17, 2012 to be exact, we were told that the perfect heart had been donated!
I felt Gods prescence when my father in law passed away. My husband was grieving and it came out in anger against me and my daughter. But God was there everyday giving us what we needed to make it through the day. My husband did get through his anger and is fine now, thanks to God being with us through that tough time.
My son is 17 now and I have been single all through his life even since the day he was born. God has constantly provided for us. Today at work I was overwhelmed with all that was expected if me to accomplish during my day. At lunch I went and sat in my vehicle and had a chat with God. Please Lord I need you to get me through this day. He did of course..and He has time and time again. I love My Lord and all throughout my life I could share numerous situations where His presence was felt. God bless you Micca and your child….God is good and I’m happy you have such an Awesome God to get you through all the hurt and loneliness our “Daddy” is FaNtAbUlOuS ?
The Christmas my daughter was born with Down Syndrome was the beginning of a new awareness of God’s presence. 22 years later and He has always been there.
Daily. Each morning, His mercies are new. That is when I feel his presence lately.
During all that has went on with my family during the last few months I have felt Him daily. The one day that stands out the most is the day I received the call that my brother had Leukemia. I was reading God’s Word after reading a devotion and I could really hear Him speaking to me. God is with us daily. He wants us to talk with Him and lean on Him.
God helps me face each day. I can’t do this thing called life without him.
I have felt God’s presence many times, but the time that truly sticks out to my was when my stepmom almost died. She crashed not long before we were supposed to be able to see her. On the way home as I sat in the back seat praying, a song came to my heart and I felt someone hug me. I opened my eyes, and my other siblings were asleep. I know it had to be the Holy Spirit that hugged me. She lived. It has been over 10 years ago.
Last Christmas we had nothing. I had been diagnosed with an incurable, progressive disease and could no longer work. Our ministry was stalled, not going anywhere. We were so very discouraged. Yet God was in that dark time with us, and provided what we needed. No, he didn’t heal me. Our ministry didn’t miraculously take off. We still didn’t have enough money for everything. But God was there, and that was enough.
There have been several times when I’ve sat down to read and have found the perfect verse to help me through what I struggling with!
As my grandmother lay dying in the hospital and the doctors said there was no hope I heard a small, still whisper “I am the hope, there is always hope.” I knew then that even though she wouldn’t be healed in the way I wished, she was being made new in the best way possible.
Knowing God’s presence is an magnificent experience. I have experienced this in church services,personal times on my own, and in a dream that I will never forget. My mentor,Liz, who is in heaven now and on earth she helped me to see and know His presence more clearly. I also know first hand that He is the way through difficult situations even you think you can not handle them. Thank you, Jesus
God’s presence has been in my life several times over the years, but I lean on him alot this time of year as I miss my beloved daddy who passed away five years ago. The holidays have not been the same since that time. Also, I have seen Him bless my boyfriend in alot of ways over the past five monrhs because He led us together and helped him find another job. God is so good all the time. Merry Christmss and Happy New Year!
I have felt God’s presence many times but one in particular was when my first son was born 22 yrs ago. He was born on 12/18/93 with a heart defect and was told he might not make it. At that moment I thought if he dies I want to too. BUT GOD intervened and he is okay just may have to have a new valve when he’s around age 40-50. In the 2 weeks we were with him in the hospital I felt His presence with me through this time. God is so good!
I’ve seen God’s provision in some many little and big ways.
The more I am in His word the more I feel and can discern His presence. I have spent many times feeling lonely, but I am getting stronger in acknowledging the truth that God is in everything everywhere.
Have a Very Merry Christmas!
The day we adopted our oldest son
I felt God’s presence when my second son was born and had breathing complications then an infection that had him hospitalized for 2 weeks.
I so much identify with the post today. This’ll be the first Christmas without my husband as well. He passed away in February at the age of 29 due to muscular dystrophy. While I have had some very deep dark moments, through them all, I have felt God with me, and that gives me strength, joy, peace, and hope to face each day.
I felt God’s very tangible presence days before my husband passed away. It was like I was enveloped in a white down comforter – very weighty but comforting. It wasn’t long after that, when I was led to Psalm 91:4 – “He will cover you with his feathers & under his wings you will find refuge. His faithfulness is your shield & rampart.” That verse & the memory of feeling safe & protected are what got me through the season of grief that followed.
God continues to show His mercy in all areas of my life.
I have both seen and felt the Lord’s presence so much the last year. I’ve had to deal with chronic health issues for the last 11 years and weren’t sure how much longer I was going to be here. Everything it seems was falling apart in life. I’m beyond grateful that He has heard the prayers of some many people and that I’ve slowly been getting better! I still have a long ways to go, but I’ve gained so much more than I’ve lost!!