There are many ways to see how God was faithful at the very first Easter, how He is faithful now, and how He will continue to be faithful forever.

Although being vulnerable can seem daunting, we do not need to walk the road of vulnerability alone. Jesus walked the most vulnerable path. He stepped down from the heavens, becoming like a man in human flesh, with all of its vulnerabilities and weaknesses. 

Do we find ourselves ever truly slowing down from the many demands of our life, being distracted by endless entertainment, or from the many concerns floating in our minds? Real rest means resting upon the One who gives us rest. 

Many people suffer from seasonal depression or feel down in the winter. The trees seem lifeless, we spend a lot more time inside, and it gets darker earlier and for longer stretches of the day. It can also mean we spend more time pondering upon the difficult seasons in our own lives.

Yet, winter always gives way to spring. Life bursts forth from what appeared dead. The days get longer and lighter. The temperature gets warmer, and we venture out to take in the beauty of this welcome change after the harsh winter. The anticipation of spring can remind us to hope in God. He is the everlasting light in this dark world and He will never abandon us.

Here are seven reminders to hold on to hope; whether in the physical season of winter or the personal wintery trials we encounter.

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Have you ever been blessed by someone unexpectedly? I’ve had anonymous gifts arrive in the mail, spontaneous baking from neighbors, an email from someone encouraging me regarding my writing, and probably far more mercies on a daily basis than I’ll ever realize. The impact of someone deliberately taking time out of their lives to reach out and bless in words and actions stays with you.

As I have sat to write this article, I feel a tinge of embarrassment and regret at how little I feel I have emulated this. I hope that I have been a blessing to others. I just don’t think I often go out of my way intentionally to do it as much as I would like to. I admire those who have a gift in giving. They naturally desire to bless through monetary support, lovingly putting a care package together, or something else that is sure to brighten up someone’s day. I want to be more like that.

There are many ways to bless others. Maybe, like me, you long to be a blessing to someone, but you need ideas or prompting on what this could look like. Here are seven unexpected groups that you can start blessing this holiday season:

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Grace is described as a gift which justifies us before God through the redemption that is in Jesus (Romans 3:24). However, like any gift we may open this holiday season, will we receive it with joy and thanksgiving, or disappointment and ungratefulness?

How do we get to know someone? By spending time with them. Listening to them. Sharing life together. When we trust in Jesus, He gives us His Spirit to live within us (1 John 4:13). We become His friends and He says “for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).

Life has a funny habit of continually moving forward whether we like it or not. Christian author and speaker Elisabeth Elliot once said, “the secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.” We can spend our days longing for a better tomorrow, or we can glorify Jesus with our today, for that really is all the time that we have.

Everything we need can be found in God. It seems like a cliché, but the truth of this statement is life-giving, thirst-quenching, and soul-satisfying. All of the longings of the heart can be brought to God and found in Him.

What we think about God matters. If we believe that He is capable of stopping evil, but allows it, then why? What is the reason? Ultimately, God does not have to give us the reason. However He does something far greater. He gives us Himself. 

Without Jesus, we are “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Without God’s initiation, we are lost, dead in sin, and alienated from Him completely. Isaiah 53:6 says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way.” But there is hope in the same verse: “and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” We may have gone astray, but all of our sin has been laid on Jesus at the cross.

In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus says “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Treasure is linked to the heart. What does our heart long for? Does it treasure the things of this world like money, fame, possessions, security, success, power and influence? Or is our heart longing for Jesus to be the greatest treasure in our life, both now and for eternity?

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It's that time of year when many of us are making resolutions, hoping to become a new and better person come January. But what does the Bible teach about the new self, and what are some tips for becoming a "new you," biblically speaking?