About the Author

Anna works full-time for DaySpring from Minnesota, where she lives with her husband and four kids. Anna is the author of A Moment of Christmas and Pumpkin Spice for Your Soul, and she shares the good stuff of the regular, encouraging you to see the ordinary glory in your everyday.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Merry Christmas, Anna. I am sitting here smiling as I finish reading what you wrote. I am choosing to find the joy in spite of everything going on in my life that would steal the joy if I allowed it. Once, again, it is not the Christmas I would have preferred but I am determined to make it work and to remember the real reason to celebrate.

  2. Thank you for sharing part of your journey with us. We’ve had loss here, too, but He has brought so much joy – and even freedom- to full the spaces. You weave together the dark and light so beautifully. Love the pull to joy. Merry Christmas

  3. Warm wishes in this season of joy.Emmanuel,God with us.I am experiencing the loss of a dear friend who has just gone to heaven.Please pray for her son,daughter who have to meet without her&father this first Christmas.Bless you& your families.Lorna

  4. Beautiful post. My personal main takeaway, that we all have been given gifts from God. Let’s show thanks for them always and of course at this beautiful time of the year.

  5. Thanks for this beautiful reminder of not letting anything or anyone steal the joy of the Lord! Jesus is the reason for the season. It may feel different and be a painful time for us during the holidays but what you said about remembering advent and focusing on him is what will get me through. Thanks for the encouraging words. Merry Christmas!

  6. Wonderful when we articulate Gods detailed hand working in our lives, shining brightly at the remembrance of his beloved Son Jesus. Blessed Christmas to all. From New Zealand

  7. Yes, the joy of the Lord is my strength! I am a widow of 7 years, and in learning how to live without my husband, I have clung to my Father’s joy.
    Merry Christmas to all!

  8. Anna thank you for what you wrote. This time last year I badly broke my left ankle. You the two bones on each side at the top of the foot near your leg. I smashed both of them. All I was doing was doing home help for my 81 year old Dad. As I usually done. I went down to shed were the washing machine was to check the clothes there. The grass was wet. I slippy on the wet grass away I went I heard crack both sides. I knew I had broken my ankle. So I was until April out of action for my Dad. But Dad got the washing machine put into the house. For when I did come back. So I feel for your son having a badly broken leg. I never felt pain like it in my life. I had had manys an operation in my life. But this was the worst pain ever. I had to have rods and screws put in. The I go have the other operations again than break a bones again. I had to get it pulled back into place. Before the plaster was put on. I had two have 3 plasters ln my foot in total. I crawled into my Dad’s house to phone my Husband as my Dad was away for coffee that day with his friends. My Husband had to carry me to his car take me to our A&E. Even before it was x-rayed. The Dr that saw me said it broken both sides. You need surgery on it. You done a good job on it. How easily it happened on 1st December last year. So I feel for your son breaking his leg badly. I never broken any bones in 50 years in my life. I remember thank God I got to the age I was without breaking any bone. As I used to take Seizures don’t take them anymore. It was because of my periods I had the seizures as my hormones went up the left each month. The only way to cure was hysterectomy. I had seizure onve or twice and fell down our stairs in my home. Didn’t once brake a bone then. It was amazing. God projected me then. But just going to my Dad’s shed when he had the washing machine in it. I slipped on wet grass do more damage than because of a seizure falling down the stairs. You think I would have done more damage falling down the stairs. I was on hurt. So God has told me. No matter what happens in life or what time of year it is. To be thankful for every day that he had given me to live. Even if you can’t enjoy it like the way you did Christmas and other times of the year. Just remember the real reason I came as baby who grew up to teach you how live as I want you to live. Be thankful no matter what you go. I have a friend who is saved. She texted me this Dawn you think you are in alot of pain with all you have to go through with your Ankle. At least you can take painkillers for it. When in pain. It nothing compared to what our Lord went through on the cross for the whole world because he loved you and the whole world. He was not given pain killers to stop his pain oh what love was that. I said to myself I ok and so is my pain.That would be a million times worse the pain our Lord went through on the cross for all man kind because he love us all. I then didn’t complain about what I was going through anymore. It made me thank full I will get better and the pain would go away one day. What my friend said to was so true. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xx Happy Christmas to all incourage.

  9. Anna, I remember your post from last year very well. I remember it feeling like a soothing balm for my soul. Ironically (not really) this year I am blessed by your words again. It has been a tough couple of months and December has been even tougher. But, like you, I feel myself leaning toward joy. I struggle with tears one moment and singing at the top of my voice in another. Thank you so much for your message. I am choosing to hang on to joy. He is Immanuel, he is with us.

    Merry Christmas!
    Christine

  10. Anna,

    I feel you sweet sister. A lot has changed this year. Last December I was working in an ICU Covid unit & offered an ICU Clerical position. Excited & elated were my emotions. This Christmas I find myself working in ICU-stocking rooms. Not so happy. Also my long time pastor & his wife are retiring after Christmas. We will be changing churches to my husband’s old church. Sadness has been my norm. Doing my best to bring joy into my life by listening to Christmas music & praying. Psalm 30:5 Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

    Have a blessed Christmas!

    Blessings 🙂