Christmas is three days away.  If you are like me, anticipation is starting to hit. Butterflies in the stomach, excitement for family arrivals, and peace that overcomes your soul.  This peace – filled with hope and love – is the gift of Christmas.  

Love makes all things easy and hope makes all things work. – anonymous

One of my favourite ‘close to Christmas’ movies is The Preacher’s Wife.  It stars Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington. Not only is the music fantastic, but the storyline is heartfelt.  It’s about regaining hope and love.  

Hope and Love are two gifts God gave us to succeed.  Hope is simply prayer.  Love is simply giving.  It’s a pure and simple concept.  These two simple yet extraordinary gifts can change your heart and life forever.  To succeed in life and be the best possible person God created us to be, we must have hope and love.  We must exemplify a greater purpose in our day to day lives ‘hoping’ and ‘praying’.  We must have that strong ability to love one another without judgement or scowl.  

In order to succeed, we require hope and love.

How Do We Succeed?

• Be a servant to others – help a friend or a neighbour
• Stop watching the news – read an inspiring novel or autobiography
• Read a devotional daily – I just finished this one: Christmas Hope
• Give to a local charity or shelter
• Even better…. volunteer at a local charity or shelter
• Have a new goal or dream to strive for
• Smile and laugh
• Forgive

These simple steps will reshape your heart and allow yourself to succeed.  So this Christmas, as you reflect on your year past and set out goals for the year to come, take inventory of how you can succeed.  The more you look for the positive and help others in need, your heart will be filled to the brim with hope and love.  

As I close this blog for 2021 (stay tuned for some new and exciting 2022 blogs starting in January), I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and New Year.