In the lead up to Christmas 2018 I felt the Lord was showing me another side to the festive season. Illness within my family combined with watching friends go through various different trials made me aware that sometimes this can be a very difficult time of year for people.

Nan has again asked me to share some thoughts this holiday season. Since we are thinking about Christmas, it’s a perfect occasion to evaluate our relationship with our Lord.

It's December 26, the day after Christmas, when the death of the church's first martyr, Stephen, is traditionally commemorated. Trivial, yes, but most Christians can't give me the correct answer.

Every Christmas season our thoughts turn to the birth of Christ and to his mother, Mary. To some extent, we all take the nativity for granted. But why was Jesus born of a virgin? One answer, of course, is to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14: "Behold the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."