Wishing everyone a miracle at Christmas

Published 3:30 pm Friday, December 10, 2021

Christmas is wonderful, love it, yet I get a wee bit “flat” this time of year with everyone seeming to have that special someone to share the happiness of this joyful season, and makes me more sensitive to the fact that currently, I share my life and home with only my cat Jag (Jaguar) adopted, owns and trains me, whom I dearly love, but….  

This persistent pandemic, Omicron variant, introvertedness and other reasons, has thrust me deep into my secure foxhole.  Having no family within nine hours, even with all shots and booster, am very reluctant to travel for multiple reasons – have limited personal contacts, forfeited Thacker Mountain Radio … yet still enjoy everything associated with the season – lights, music, excitement, gift-giving, receiving, modestly decorating my home, as it truly is a wonderful time of year – foremost, it’s the birthday of Jesus – a true miracle.  

Miracles occur regularly in my life, as in yours, but I especially look for them from the first Sunday of Advent to Epiphany, praying for a special miracle on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8) meaningful to me.  Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines a miracle as an “extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.”  

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It would be normal when one hears the word “miracle” to think of Jesus turning water into wine, healing the sick or rising from the dead. However, miracles take place in each of our lives almost on a daily basis.  Each of you reading this can think of a time when something wonderful happened in your life that could only be called a miracle … no clear explanation …

Perhaps miracles and the word “faith” need be combined.  Faith, according to the dictionary is “a strong belief or trust in someone or something;” for me, God.  A miracle happening in our lives can leave tangible results, whereas faith can be a wee bit tricky.  It is through faith that I try to lead my life.  God has lovingly given me numerous skills, talents, abilities and I ask only for him to use these wonderful gifts through me to serve him. 

Ah, faith. It seems the closer I get to God the more he asks of me – but his yolk is not heavy, and deeper faith is, love.  It’s like the more I learn the more I realize I don’t know!  When I allow God to work in my life, there is no greater peace, and although not materialistically rich, this love I feel from our Lord at those times is almost overwhelming.  

Now – letting God work in me means asking his help, then letting go!  Completely letting go, not holding onto the string, nor bargaining or expecting immediate results, but releasing the balloon filled with my concerns and needs to waft to God, his mercy, and be at peace.

There is a light, wonderful, aura of expectancy lofting through the air this time of year.  If Jesus can be conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary and Santa can fit down a chimney or deliver toys even when no chimney exists, well folks, a miracle can happen in our lives! The key is openness.  If you are a doubter, forget it, God can’t work in you.  But if you are quiet, open, listen, believe, and truly expect a miracle to happen in your life – put on your seatbelt!

It’s also a time for us who have and are okay to pray for and reach out to those who perhaps don’t have and are not okay.  We might not know who these people are, but we can pray for them.  They don’t have to be homeless persons either, they can be someone we work with or see every day, or us…sure, it’s okay to pray for ourselves or ask others to pray for us.  

My prayers are also going out to anyone who has lost someone special at this joyous time of the year.  I pray that they can find hope, peace, and a miracle through their heartache.  

In faith, God opens opportunities when all seems dark.  Think back to a time when all was bleak and seemed lost in your life – did you pray for God to help you?  How did it turn out?  Right! And the same thing will happen this time as well.  Ask in faith, believe, be open, expect a miracle, and it can happen.  It might not at first be what you thought would happen, but in the long run it will be better!  

I’ve learned not to ask for anything too specific, yikes – I might get it!  So, I ask for humility, God’s will be done, he knows what’s best for me and I am never disappointed. Is my life perfect, of course not!  But giving all to God, letting go, grants me tranquility amongst the chaos.

My prayer is for health, peace, that our holidays are joyous, and … we each receive a wee Christmas Miracle.  Peace Out

Steve Stricker received his Ph.D. in Counseling from Ole Miss, lives in Oxford, and can be reached at, sstricke@olemiss.edu.