Chosen: A 31-Day Christmas Devotional

Does the holiday season conjure up images of perfect families, perfect lives, and perfect loves?Few of us measure up to those standards, so we sometimes feel a degree of angst, disappointment, or even depression during the holidays. If God chose us and called us for a purpose, as the Bible says, then why aren't our lives perfect? If we were in God's plan, wouldn't life be easy sailing? Does our struggle to overcome obstacles mean we are out of favor with God?A perfect family with perfect lives?A couple thousand years ago, God chose two young teens to parent the divine child-the promised Messiah, the Son of God.
Along with that holy calling came all kinds of difficult circumstances. Joseph and Mary experienced shame and disgrace, an unmarried pregnancy, questions, doubts, fears, poverty, and childbirth during travel. They also fled as fugitives and lived as refugees in Egypt to protect Israel's Most Wanted-the holy child, Jesus. What if you could accept your life as messy, inconvenient .