At Christmastime in Denmark, where my husband served his mission, hearts are used in decorating for the season. He says it looked more like Valentine’s Day than Christmas! How appropriate—for Christmas is a time of love.
The Bible tells us that after the shepherds, “…found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger… they made known abroad” (Luke 2:16-17) what they had seen, testifying that the Savior of the world was born!
Then a simple, sweet sentence follows, “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). I imagine that her mother’s heart must have overflowed with joy and love as she held her beautiful, new baby!
Contrast this lovely scene with today’s world filled with hate, anger, fear, hopelessness, detachment, sadness, and worry.
The Savior described our day when He saw, “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth” (Luke 21:26). Seeing the great numbers of abortions taking place daily, I constantly fight negative emotions that envelope me. Standing up for a life in a world that discards so many can be disheartening.
Being personally affected by abortion through friends who have had one, serving women considering the ‘abortion option’ and my involvement with Latter-day Saints for Life, the hearts on our tree represent a resolve to believe and act upon this scripture, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7)
Join me, and join Mary, in choosing to fill our hearts with the Spirit of God, and with the joy and love that Jesus Christ brings.
Merry Christmas.
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