John 1:14 (TPT)

And so the Living Expression
became a man and lived among us!
And we gazed upon the splendor of his glory,
the glory of the One and Only
who came from the Father overflowing
with tender mercy and truth!

This year has been filled with compounding losses for me: sudden loss of a 20-year job, death of a brother, more of my nieces and nephews going to addictions to numb their pain, a third autoimmune disease diagnosis, and oh, the ongoing impact of COVID-19.

As I sat with these losses the words from Jonathan Traylor’s song You Get the Glory, rang true in my heart and mind:

“This is so heavy, and it is bringing me to my knees. And I am crying out Lord I need you now.

And why is this life so hard? And why do you seem so far?

But if this cup won’t pass help me to stay steadfast. Let your will be done.

You get the Glory from this…no matter what I have to go through in this world… as long as you get the Glory from it”

As the weight of the world of circumstances became heavier and heavier, the Spirit of Peace overflowed within me. When I would dwell on any one of these challenges, hurts, and losses, the Spirit would pour more peace in. Peace was becoming my default over anxiety. My fears turned into a sweet expectation of what God would do in my life.

Nine months of waiting occurred, and an anticipation grew like waiting for Christmas morning or parents have for the arrival of a child:

The door opened to a wonderful job and new group of coworkers that I get to shine the Glory of God to.

It also birthed within me a deeper desire to stay steadfast in praying for the wounded, hurt, and lost around me.

From the word of God through John … May we gaze upon the splendor of His glory…the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father overflowing…with tender mercy and truth!

— Tami Karjalainen