AfterIf you have kids, you remember the excitement around their birth. You couldn’t wait to tell someone. You can’t keep good news quiet. I know that I can't...

The truth is that we live in a bad news world. And, in a bad news world, there isn't much to talk about, so we do keep quiet. We keep to ourselves. It gets cold. Dark. Restless. Anxious. Just turn on the news, open your newspaper, or log onto your news feed... it’s all around us.

But the Christmas story is great news... and the angels can’t keep quiet!

When I was a college student, I heard Tony Kadavil tell the story of three men who were nervously waiting in the father’s room at the hospital as their wives prepared to give birth to their first children. The men were too scared to go in. Soon the nurse arrived with good news from the birthing rooms. She said to the first father to be, “Sir, you are the father of twins!” 

“That’s great,” he said. “I’m a baseball player and I’m going to sign a contract with the Minnesota Twins. This will be good press.”

Soon, the nurse arrived and said to the second father to be, “Sir, you are the father of triplets.” “Fantastic,” he said, “because I work for the 3M company. This will be great press.”  

The third father got up and ran out of the room. He was moving so fast that he didn’t even bother to take the elevator. Finally, the nurse yelled out the window as the man entered the parking lot. “What’s wrong? Where are you going?” The poor father to be yelled out, “I’ve got to resign real fast. I am the Vice President of Seven up!”  

He felt a bit overwhelmed.

Maybe that's kind of how you feel today. Overwhelmed.

That’s why we need the good news of great joy that is for all people (that's you!). That's why we need this Jesus story in our lives. Jesus overcomes our being overwhelmed by giving us hope for a future with Him and his never-ending peace. After all, He is our Prince of Peace.

Bring your family and invite your neighbor or friend to join us this weekend as we align our hearts and assume a posture of praise - and like the angels, give glory to God for this good news of great joy! Details can be found at www.oslc.com/christmas. I can't wait to see you all there.

Love you more than you know.