Finding Beauty in the Messes
Messes. Today and over the next 48 hours, you’ll likely be surrounded by a bunch of them. Piles of dishes in the kitchen. Wrapping paper on the floor. Tired and over-sugared children. Stressed relationships. Just like parenting, Christmas is both messy, and beautiful. Jesus, Creator of all, was introduced to the world with no wise midwife, just messy, smelly animals. (Animals who wanted to eat Jesus’ mattress for dinner.)
The glorious, radiant, angelic, symphonic birth announcement was given to an audience made up of the lowest rung of society. The shepherds must have felt deeply ashamed as they compared their lives to others. (Ever felt that way?)
The life and ministry of Jesus centered around welcoming people who were regarded as unclean or “messy” – kind of like how you might be feeling right now.
If you think your life is too messy for the grace of Immanuel, we invite you to reconsider.
Jesus made it clear by his very messy entrance that he meets us exactly where we are with great joy, to draw us into an intimate, mercy-filled relationship with our heavenly Father.
At Connected Families, we strive every day to meet parents exactly where they are in their parenting journey. To meet them in the mess. To encourage, to challenge. To celebrate and see the beauty in even the smallest parenting success.
Our deepest heart’s desire is for parents to embrace God’s grace so they can pass that grace onto their children in the messiest of messes. And then, prayerfully, kids will be attracted to a relationship with Christ as they see their parents living out their faith in the messes and the beauty of daily life.
Whether you’ve been part of the Connected Families community for years, or are new to the community (welcome!) we are honored to join you in your parenting journey. We wish you and your loved ones a beautiful Christmas celebration.
Jim and Lynne Jackson
Co-founders
Connected Families
Sign up below to receive a weekly dose of encouragement straight to your inbox:
