The Present (Gift)

“We praise you for creating, crafting, forming, and knitting us together and our mother's womb”. Psalm 139:13. (God has a plan for everyone's life) God says, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I sanctified you; and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 A present 🎁 is a gift. Giving without asking for it. It is not in the present BUT in His presence; Where God reveals Himself to us. In his presence, we find rest and peace. It is in his presence that we are transformed and changed from the inside out. Where we start to understand, identify, and learn about our real value and our worth. (Value and worth are two different concepts) In His presence is where the outer stuff will come out. The wrapping that we carry around starts to fade away, the fake is revealed, the illusions, the mask, the pretensions, and the fears. Is where you learn to remove, “that” which is attached to you. (attitude, behavior, action, and reactions). Don't allow the light, the colors, or the festivities, to come and trick you. Loneliness is amplified, and so are the selected memories of good days, forgetting the abuse, trauma, and disappointments. The enemy of our souls knows how to use our emotions, our feelings our humanity. He will derail plans, move you away from your goal, and stop the plans God has for your life. Don't get distracted. Don't allow yourself to get overwhelmed by all that is taking place around you. Go after His presence. Open the precious gift. The real reason why we celebrate. Jesus is no longer at the manger or hanging from the cross. But he lives here. Inside our hearts. If you allow him this will become the most precious gift you will ever receive this Christmas season. Ivette 12/1/23