Download HomeNews - December 2023

I love modern-day Christmas stories that involve children. I hope this one is a blessing to you. The mom expected to hear songs about Santa and snowmen because the school her kindergarten daughter attended had stopped referring to the holiday as Christmas. She was surprised when she learned that the title of her child’s song was “Christmas Love”. The children were dressed in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snow caps. Those in the front row held up large letters one by one to spell out the title of the song. As the class would sing “C is for Christmas”, a child would hold up the letter C. Then, “H is for Happy” and on and on until each child holding up a letter had presented the complete message “Christmas Is Love”.

The performance was going quite well until one little girl put up her letter. She held the letter M. But when she held up her letter, she had it upside down, so it looked like a W. The audience started laughing and the teacher tried to signal for the little girl to turn the letter, but she didn’t realize what was wrong. When the last letter was finally raised, silence filled the room. Instead of reading “Christmas Love” the letters spelled “Christ Was Love”.

In that instant, they understood the reason for the season, who we celebrate with the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos and busyness there is a purpose for all these festivities. The message read loud and clear: Christ Was Love.

That first Christmas was when God’s love left Heaven and came to Earth. We had been told about the Father’s love, but now we had the opportunity to see it with our own eyes. Christmas is about the truth of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son…” The greater truth, of course, is that Jesus loved us all the way to the cross. The real reason we celebrate Christmas is because of Calvary and the empty tomb. Jesus fulfilled His mission of love by dying in our place so we could have a relationship with God.

That’s the Christmas message we communicate to our children at LBCH. Yes, we give the children gifts and have fun activities. But we make sure they know that Christmas is all about God’s love through Jesus.

It is your faithful and generous gifts that make it possible for us to share the true meaning of Christmas with our children. I cannot thank you enough for your incredible support. I wish you could see the positive impact you’re making on their lives every day. They are growing into all God has for them because of your great love and care. Thank you so much.

I do pray that you and your family have a blessed Christmas. May you all feel that special love from God as you celebrate the birth of the Savior.