It was a cold Sunday morning, Christmas Day of 1988, when Celia was faced with every parent’s nightmare. She originally had plans to go to her church’s Christmas morning service, but instead, she found herself face to face with police who knocked on her door to tell her that her 19-year-old son, David, had been shot and was in the hospital. David passed away soon after.

The grief was intense. No one wants to imagine losing his or her child, and Celia was living that painful reality on Christmas morning. But in the midst of her pain, she pleaded with God. “God was so near to me during that time,” she said. “I told Him, ‘God, you gave him to me, so he’s yours to take back. But I need you more than ever.’“ In the days that followed her son’s death, she remembers being surrounded and supported by family and the people in her church.

“I thought I would never have joy again because my son was gone and nothing could change that fact,” said Celia. “I would never see him again, never hold him again.” But during that most painful of times, God continued to reassure her. “God said, ‘I am your joy, I will never forsake you’”.

She remembers one of the Bible verses that got her through that time was one that speaks of the coming birth of Jesus: 

A child is born to us!
A son is given to us!
And he will be our ruler.
He will be called, “Wonderful, Counselor,”
“Mighty God,” “Eternal Father,”
“Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 1:9 (GNT)

“I may have lost my son”, she explains, “but God sent his son for me, and through that gift, Christmas was redeemed.”

For many people, and maybe even for you, Christmas is marked by painful memories and disappointments. Maybe you lost someone you love. Maybe you’re struggling with illness or facing financial issues. What’s meant to be a season of joy is one where many struggle with depression and loneliness. Yet Scripture reminds us that God sent his son as a gift:

A virgin will become pregnant and have a son, and he will be called Immanuel” (which means, “God is with us”). – Matthew 1:23

God is with us. Always. In the good times and the bad. When life has become exactly what we wanted or when it falls into crumbles around us while we watch helplessly. His presence is the one thing we can rely on and with that gift, we have all peace and joy we’ll ever need.