From my heart to yours, Merry Christmas. 
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. -John 3:16-17 NKJV
“It is nearly impossible to believe God shrinking down to the size of a zygote, implanted in the soft lining of a woman’s womb. God growing fingers and toes. God kicking and hiccupping in utero. God inching down the birth canal and entering this world covered in blood, perhaps into the steady, waiting arms of a midwife. God crying out in hunger. God reaching for his mother’s breasts. God totally relaxed, eyes closed, his chubby little arms raised over his head in a posture of complete trust. God resting in his mother’s lap…” -Rachel Held Evans
Over 2,000 years ago, He came meekly perfuming wells of mercy as our representative, the Son of Man, our Passover (sacrificial) Lamb, the One who died in our place, the One who came to serve, seek and save the lost. He is the One who came to heal the broken-hearted and the sick, the One who came to be touched with the feelings of our troubles and humanness and offer the deepest empathy and compassion 
:
When God gives a gift…the blessings never end…they go into eternity 
! The gift of Jesus is grandeur than the expanse of the cosmos. His life is more costly than all the jewels and treasures in the world 
.
I will praise God forever for the gift of Jesus and the peace-giving gift of forgiveness and reconciliation He purchased for us all
!
I thank God for the gift of relationship with Jesus that brings endless abundance and life 
!
God becoming human just amazes me time and time again.
I very often read and see things related to Jesus that cause my heart to leap forth in adoration, worship and excitement. Sometimes I feel like a child for how pure and sporadic my soul can leap into praise like someone lighting a match. Praise comes sparking out of me like fireworks crackling through a starry night. I react to the goodness of God with as much (if not more) glee and bliss as someone who has seen the most beautiful, wonderful thing. If you’ve ever been taken aback in awe and wonder at a sight, like a coming gasp at seeing the greatness of the Grand Canyon, then you understand my reactionary worship-born spirit.
“The first time He came, there was no room for Him. The next time He comes the whole world won’t be able to contain His glory.” -John MacArthur
Over two years ago, my heart sang when I saw this post quoting John MacArthur (the picture above)! I could feel first love fire 
inside of me breaking forth in spontaneous worship 
!
The words below began to gush forth from within me in reactionary praise:
“Oh, how I love Him and delight to worship Him.
I excitedly look forward to the day of His return and to worship before Him as never before where my body will never tire to pour out adoration, and praise, and tears of joy and gratitude and passion for this One great, glorious Man who is Truth, Light, Salvation, Love, and everything good we were created for. We came forth from Him. In Him God has rebirthed us and every leader comes from Him. Our only Life. Our High Priest. In Him, through Him, by Him, for Him!!
Hallelujah to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Faithful and True is His name. Hosanna in the highest heaven 
!
I look forward to that day when His glory rises over the darkness like the sun’s stunningly, blinding rays pierces the irises of dimmed eyes. May glimmering rays of His glory be seen like shafts of lightning and flickers of candlelight in the hearts of born-again men/women on earth …those who have surrendered to His amazing love and Lordship and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth .
Oh, for the glory of His name! There is no One so beautiful and magnificent or good than Him 
!”
Below is one of my favorite Christmas songs. It beautifully captures the finer details of the incarnation of Christ and how natural, yet supernatural His appearing was. How closely He relates to us:
Lyrics:
It’s still a mystery to me
That the hands of God could be so small
How tiny fingers reaching in the night
Were the very hands that measured the sky
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven’s love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah, son of God, servant King
Here with us, You’re here with us
It’s still a mystery to me
How His infant eyes have seen the dawn of time
How His ears have heard an angel’s symphony
But still Mary had to rock her Savior to sleep
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven’s love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah, son of God, servant King
Here with us, You’re here with us
You’re here with us
Jesus, the Christ, born in Bethlehem
A baby born to save, to save the souls of man
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven’s love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah, son of God, servant King
Here with us
Oh, hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven’s love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah, son of God, servant King
Here with us, You’re here with us
You’re here with us
Songwriters: Joy Elizabeth Williams, Jason Ingram, Ben Glover. For non-commercial use only. (I own no rights to the music or lyrics of this amazing song)
Always remember that He is with you, no matter how you’re feeling or where you are. He is with you, and He loves you. Because you have Him, you have hope.
Have a blessed Merry Christmas 
xoxo
If you enjoy reading devotionals full of worship, praise, and modern psalms, you will most likely love my book, Visions of Celestial Love (An Invitation into Healing Intimacy):
“Ashley presents us with a true cornucopia of modern psalms, personal testimonies, and short stories. She has set out to reveal and unravel some of the most complex heart issues mankind faces in our quest of understanding what true intimacy with God really looks like. Prepare to have your soul massaged and worked on as you read Visions of Celestial Love.” — Jeremy Minard, Servant King Apparel
