Do you purchase the first tree you see? Of course not. You search for the right one. You walk the rows. You lift several up and set them down. You examine them from all angles until you decide, This one is perfect. You have a place in mind where the tree will sit. Not just any tree will do. God does the same.

Jesus humbled himself. He went from commanding angels to sleeping in the straw. From holding stars to clutching Mary's finger. The palm that held the universe took the nail of a soldier. Why? Because that's what love does. It puts the beloved before itself.

Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.

Look at the Bethlehem birth. A king ordered a census. Joseph was forced to travel. Mary, as round as a ladybug, bounced on a donkey's back. The hotel was full. The hour was late. The event was one big hassle. Yet, out of the hassle, hope was born. It still is.

Write today's worries in sand. Chisel yesterday's victories in stone.

Yes, your family history has some sad chapters. But your history doesn't have to be your future. The generational garbage can stop here and now.

Real courage embraces the twin realities of current difficulty and ultimate triumph.