Apostolic author Paula Nilsen writes about the value of sharing a story this Christmas.
I blew out the pine-scented candle and took one last look at the Christmas tree before unplugging it and heading downstairs to say goodnight to my children. The smell of sugar cookies hung in the air—the oven, still warm. Snow fell, covering my Minnesota home in a blanket of white—a snow globe moment, really.
All was well; all was bright.
A Story of Love
Until I walked into my son’s room and heard a sniffle coming from underneath the covers. I pulled back the covers to find his little eyes wet from tears. “What happened?” I asked, preparing myself for the worst: a broken vase, a fight with his brother or a neighborhood friend. But it was none of the above.
He put his little arms around my neck and whispered, “I don’t want you to die, Mommy,” his wet cheek against mine. This declarative statement took the breath out of me; it was time for heart work.
My response was a resounding, “I’m not going to die; I’m perfectly healthy.”
When I snuggled my son close, the story unfolded. He had heard the song “The Christmas Shoes” and connected on a deep level. The song is about a young boy whose mother is dying. The child wants to buy a new pair of shoes so his mom can look beautiful when she meets Jesus that night. A pocketful of coins won’t buy the little boy much, but that doesn’t deter him from shopping. When he comes up short, he asks the shopper in line behind him to help. The disgruntled shopper has a come-to-Jesus moment and offers to pay for the shoes.
From the little boy’s story, the shopper had a change of heart; from my story, I experienced pure, unadulterated love.
Dear friend, have you ever happened upon a precious moment? Perhaps it is a moment forever seared in your memory like this one is for me. Do you tell your story fondly? Or do you cherish it in your heart privately?
Share His Story
Two thousand years ago, a young lady pondered a precious moment too, treasuring it in her heart. This story changed the world.
Let’s have a look at the Christmas story. We’ll meet an angel, shepherds, two adoring parents, a baby in a manger—God Himself—oh, what a treasure.
After the shepherds heard the good news of Jesus’ birth, “they hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. . . . It was just as the angel had told them” (Luke 2:16–20, NLT). What an astonishing story of awe, wonder, and most importantly, salvation.
Your story might soften a heart and lead a person to Christ. Click To TweetAnd from this little child and the events surrounding His birth (and my own memories of warmth and love from past Christmases), I enjoy a happier Christmas. Today, do some heart work. Dig deep to find treasures, root around in your own memories and stories that have been passed on by a parent or grandparent, or borrow a story from the Book of Luke. Tell a friend, a passerby, a grocer, a child at church. Your story might soften a heart and lead a person to Christ.
Don’t forget the most important story of love; indeed, go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
Resources and Links
To read more by Paula Nilsen, find her book Hello New Life here. She has written for Ladies Ministries: for their various newsletters, Reflections, Ladies Prayer International, and Sisters Military Ministries.