The worst time of Stella Thornhope’s life was the Christmas just after her husband died of cancer. Her sorrow was such that she couldn’t bring herself to get out the decorations. But it all changed when a kennel owner delivered a box to her door. In it was a six week old puppy and a letter from her husband, written just before he died. The puppy, he said, was his last gift to her and it was to keep her company until she joined him again. Well the first thing Stella did after she had read the letter and picked the puppy up was to go and find the box of Christmas decorations.
Like her husband, God has a way of sending us signals of light to remind us that life is stronger than death, light is more powerful than darkness, and faith is greater than despair. That’s what Christmas is. The ancient prophecy said it well; “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those in the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”