Travel has changed my life. It's taken me near and far and I've missed a few family functions and holidays because of it.

I've missed Thanksgiving twice by being out of the country.

I missed Mother's day this year.

I missed my cousin's graduation.

I've missed birthdays and get togethers. 

But one thing I've never missed before is Christmas.

It's not easy being away from home this holiday season. Especially since a lot of family that I don't get to see often came to celebrate Christmas this year. Thank God for technology so I can see their faces through the screen as I sit in my hostel here in Thailand. 

There are Christmas decorations and Christmas music all around the city but the spiritual atmosphere is dead. No one is celebrating Christ. It's all business. Buddhist temples surround me where ever I walk and it definitely doesn't feel like home. 

But then I think "where would Jesus be on Christmas?"

He'd be with the orphan who has no parents to cuddle up to next to the Christmas tree. 

He'd be with the widow shut away in her home without visitors to say Merry Christmas. 

He'd be at the bar comforting the dad who hasn't talked to his son in years, who's been drinking away his sorrows to forget that it's Christmas.

He'd be sitting next to the beggar on the street that doesn't have a place to call home.

Jesus would be anywhere but home. He'd be a comforter and shelter for those who want nothing to do with Christmas. 

I'm here to be a light and spread Christmas cheer by telling others that God sent Himself in the form of Jesus to be a sacrifice that was necessary from the covenant made by Abraham in the beginning (Genesis 15). He did it because he loves us in an insurmountable, immeasurable way that we will never truly wrap our minds around. 

Christmas is about celebration.

Celebrate is synonymous with "remember" and "memorialize."

So to celebrate Christmas means to take a pause in our life. It's to remember what the God of the Universe, the Creator of all people and all things did that literally changed the trajectory of this world. 

With Christ everything changed. 

And so while I'd love to be at home sitting around the tree with my family this Christmas, there's really no place I'd rather be than half way across the world serving the Lord who made Christmas possible.

Many blessings and joy to you this Christmas. Cherish the memories that you'll make with family. 

With love, 

Erica

Please help me to be fully funded by Christmas; I'm only $356 away from being funded! Prayerfully consider contributing to God's bank account (donate here) to continue sending me to the nations.