December 22, 2024

Whether your year has been difficult or divine, or more than likely, somewhere in between, I hope here at year’s end you are able to pause and reflect. What would you like to be different next year? You’ve chronicled your curses, but have you counted your blessings?

After a particularly trying day at work this past week, I faced bitter defeat at the end of it, my best efforts failing. I finally headed home long after dark. There’d been a song resonating with me all month that I always caught at the end and never got to fully enjoy. It started up from the very beginning when I got in the truck that night, so I turned it up and soaked in the whole thing. A little wink from above. Here’s a sample of it I hope you’ll dwell on.

Is there room in your heart for God to write His story?

… Make room in your heart and trade your dreams for His glory.

(Casting Crowns)

Do my dreams matter? Does it truly matter if we fail or succeed? It sure feels like it. But in truth, way deep down, I know all that matters is that He won so long ago.

I’ve felt foolish at times over the years for writing fantasy–silly, make believe stories. How can I be so passionate about it? Tolkien so eloquently, so powerfully solved this riddle. The world is full of myths and legends, but the gospels, he claimed, contain the only true fairy story. God became a mortal, born of a human, to save humankind from their sin by living sinless among them and being slain by them, and defeated death by dying. And thereby made a bridge for mortals to leave their world and come into His for eternity.

Other fantasy stories point back to this original, true one.

Whatever happened this year, I pray for peace and joy and thankfulness in your heart.

Returning to the journal entries has to wait for next year, my fellow travelers, since I had to make room to honor Him this season.

Merry Christmas,

Fellow Traveler