Suffering isn't just possible in this life; it's guaranteed. The person who grounds themselves in the promises of Scripture will be far more prepared when tragedy strikes than the one who fails to stand on the Word of God. As we walk through seasons of trial and tribulation, our lives are a testament to His work in us.

God never ditches us - but we have a tendency to ditch Him when life gets tough. Scripture's full of people who suffered and, like you and me, they often felt that the Lord had abandoned them. But their stories also reveal that in each case, He was actually fulfilling a bigger plan and purpose for their lives. Through their experiences, we can find hope in our own struggles, and faith that God will comfort us through our trials.

When Jesus came as the Savior of the world, God chose to announce His birth in incredible and miraculous ways. But Jesus promised to come back one day, and in the meantime, God uses us to announce that He'll return. While we wait with expectation for that day to come, we have a responsibility to share the Gospel with others so that their lives might be changed by His love, too.

Jesus came to earth in the poorest of conditions. He was born in a stable, and God chose to share the news of the Messiah with smelly, poor shepherds before anyone else. None of the circumstances under which Christ was born were accidental -- they were orchestrated by God as a reminder that Jesus would go on to be the Savior of the whole world, and that He came to rescue all of humanity.

The world would have us believe that there are many religions and names by which we can be saved, but the Bible tells us that it's only through the mighty name of Jesus that we're offered the incredible gift of salvation. We're invited to come to Him as we are, filthy in all our sin, and be washed clean by the power of His blood that was shed for us on the cross.

It's no accident that the King of the universe came to earth in the most humble way possible: born in a barn, surrounded by animals, with His first visitors being simple shepherds of the fields. The very nature of His birth teaches us that whether you're born in a barn or live among nobles, Jesus came for all people -- and we're all equal in our need for His redeeming love.

You don't always see the difference between houses built on solid foundations and houses built on shaky foundations until the storm comes -- and the same is true of how we build our families. When we make Jesus the center of our homes and our lives, no amount of trials or tribulations will be able to shake our foundation. Only He can bring us stability not just for this temporary life, but for eternity.

In John 14, Jesus tells us that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that there is no other way to the Father except through Him. Our job as Christians is to spread that Gospel message. In a world where "truth" seems more subjective every day, are we ready to share the one and only Truth with others when the opportunity presents itself?

Mary wasn't perfect. She wasn't sinless. But she had a heart that was prepared to submit to God's will for her life. When we follow her example and adopt a willingness to obey, Jesus moves in us and uses us to do Kingdom work with eternal impact.

God's love was so clearly displayed when He sent His Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of this world. He loved us enough, even in our sinful state, to make the greatest sacrifice of all on our behalf. He doesn't want anyone to be condemned to hell, but we have to choose to receive the gift He's offered: salvation through Christ alone.

The story of the birth of Jesus is filled not only with THE wise men of the nativity story, but with other wise people who submitted to God's call on their lives. True wisdom comes when a person responds to God's leading with obedience. Only by following Him do we become "wise guys" in the best sense of the word.