After a move across the country when I was fourteen, Christmas didn't feel quite the same until a knock at our door set in motion a series of events that changed Christmas for the better.

When I was fourteen years old, my family moved across the country from Virginia to Arizona. This was a hard move for me as a teenager and I had a hard time making new friends. As Christmas approached, it was a transition to even see the difference in the weather. It didn’t even feel like Christmas in Arizona.

That all changed when twelve days before Christmas a piece of a nativity showed up on our doorstep along with a note about how this was a holiday 12-days of Christmas gift to our family. Each night after that another piece of the nativity showed up.

On Christmas day evening, a sweet family in our congregation showed up with the final piece of the nativity: Jesus Christ.

This family noticed the new family struggling to fit in and adapt and they loved us with the pure love of God. To this day I am thankful that God blessed and filled us with love because of the gift of another family that holiday season.

If you are feeling lonely or discouraged this holiday season, I invite you to give of yourself—for it is in giving that we receive.

Talk to God and ask Him who needs to feel His love this holiday season, and how you can be a part of that. He will inspire you to know what to do.

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You can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/the-one-piece-at-a-time-nativity-gift