He had no idea that, at that very moment, my fingers were poised over my keyboard ready to type this title: The Sacred Place of Loneliness.

That was in the 1990s. My son was eager to share an observation which experts would discover through extensive research. Loneliness is at the root of our crisis among youth.

I invite you to consider loneliness, not as a hopeless plight, but as an inner void meant to be filled by God, and God alone.

Consider it, therefore, as a sacred place. For here is where we discover God. Here, His Spirit intertwines with ours. Here, we learn to distinguish God's voice from all other input.

In times of deepest loneliness, God often prepares His loved ones for their destiny. Abraham stood alone when he ventured to the unknown. Joseph was left abandoned in prison. The disciple John was banished on Patmos, where he received his revelation. We, too, can discover the best things of God in the experience of loneliness.

As we learn to walk alone with God, we no longer rely on the attention and validation of others. We lose our craving for false satisfactions and trendy notions. We become free to think and to create.

Creative inspiration has often been birthed through agonizing loneliness and rejection: art, literature, music, poetry, theology, and much more. These visionary works possess a lasting quality. They can touch the depths of the human spirit because they did not arise merely from the superficialities of the day.

Let's not be quick to flee from the agony of loneliness, but rather, to learn to embrace it. In truth, we are not alone, for our heavenly Father is with us. Jesus said, "Yet I am not alone, because my Father is with me." (John 16:32 NIV) As we learn to be satisfied with God's presence, our pain-filled loneliness becomes transformed into peace-filled solitude.

He who will fly as an eagle does, into the higher levels where cloudless day abides, and live in the sunshine of God, must be content to live a comparatively lonely life. No bird is so solitary as the eagle. … God seeks eagle-men. … We must dare to be alone. – Streams in the Desert, December 20, L. B. Cowman

Prayer: Dear Father of compassion, we are terrified of loneliness, of not mattering to anyone. Train us to enjoy Your presence in the depths of our being, that we may dare to be alone — and find new inspiration. Amen.

I credit my unusual nativity idea to St. Francis of Assisi. This thirteenth-century monk used a lowly rural setting with animals as a visual aid illustrating the lowly situation of Christ's birth. That got me thinking: What visual aid can I make that serves the same purpose, that shows how Christ came to earth identifying with lowly humanity?

Philippians 2:6-7 – Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, [Christ] made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (NIV 2011)

For me, the tiny babies in these photographs illustrate that truth. Here I see Christ, through His followers, touching vulnerable new lives. These infants weren't laid in a manger, but in incubators in a modernly equipped hospital. Their mothers may have had high-risk pregnancies or some other complication. Here they receive a better chance of survival.

The vision and growth of this mission hospital is described in autobiographies that I've also displayed. The book, Daktar, by Viggo Olsen M.D., is summarized on Amazon as "an enthralling account of a brilliant surgeon skilled in diplomacy". Here we read about the tumultuous birthing of the nation, Bangladesh. We gain an appreciation for the sacrificial work done to alleviate poverty and suffering.

My display includes hand-crafted items gifted to me over the years, mostly made by women in the Widows group that my friend began, herself a widow. This Widows fellowship was formed to help restore dignity to widows who, through losing their husbands, also lost their social status and became outcasts.

These widows remind me of the shepherds near Bethlehem who were also considered outcasts. Yet, they were the first to receive the exciting announcement of Christ's birth. They heard the angels praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:14b NIV 2011)

The widows, mothers, and babies featured in my display are visual aids of this promise, for they are experiencing God's favour resting on them. Like the shepherds, these are ones spreading the good news among their people. They are humble displays of His glory.

This Christmas season, let's do our best to see the Christmas story through new eyes, such as theirs, and not be distracted by distressing news of current world events.

Prayer: Lord, our peaceful trust in You is so easily robbed by the anxious noise of strife and catastrophe. Revive our hope through the displays of Your glory shining through the darkness. Amen.

Over the years, I've observed numerous nativity displays and dramas. Some took a lot to prepare, such as the nativity performed in the 1970s in our family barn. The Young Peoples Society of the church decided to enact the event amidst living animals, hay, mangers, and of course, the barn odours. Photos were taken, and later, the church family enjoyed a slide show of their experience.

The tradition of the nativity scene has been credited to St. Francis of Assisi. In the year 1223 at a small Italian village, he used living animals and a small manger filled with hay as a visual aid to impress how Christ came into the world in poverty and simplicity. Francis wanted to overcome the rampant greed and materialism prevalent in Italy.

More recently, a different version of the nativity was performed somewhere in central Africa. As I recall the description, Mary and Joseph were escorted by a large group of people. A missionary asked why the couple wasn't alone. He learned that such an idea was inconceivable. Mary would be surrounded by the support of villagers and experienced help. It was unthinkable that a man would perform midwifery duties. I'd say that these African Christians imagined Christ's birth to be no different than their own humble village life.

Research suggests that Joseph and Mary were likely welcomed in Bethlehem according to Middle East customs by hospitable relatives — with plenty of time to prepare for a birth. The peasant home had a small guest room, but we are told that it was full, so Mary laid Him in a readily accessible manger trough alongside the living area, with the animals inside at a lower level. That reminds me that I sometimes used improvised little beds for my newborn — a cardboard box, a dresser drawer, even a laundry basket. This kept baby safe in the temporary situation.

Regardless of how we imagine Christ's nativity, one thing is certain: He's moved from the humble manger and now reigns on the eternal heavenly throne. This is the Christ for Whom we must now prepare room.

"Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room." – Isaac Watts

"Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him," cried a voice from the wilderness. This is just what John the Baptist did. For some people, he surely seemed like a wrecking ball demolishing stone walls and rigid barriers — by confronting their hypocrisy, favouritism, and exploitation. He was preparing them to face a new direction, to repent, and to accept a new order through Christ's Spirit and truth. Christ would be the better promise and the better hope.

Preparing the way for Christ is not unlike preparing for a new baby. It requires a reordering of life, letting go of former interests, values, and our self-focused lifestyle. We must make room for new life to grow and flourish.

Prayer: Lord, help us to see ourselves as vulnerable and needy like You were in that humble manger long ago. Demolish any barriers that hinder us from experiencing Your tender mercy and the wonders of Your love. Amen.

Indisputably, we can't forget the devastation of war, fallen soldiers, and costly sacrifices. I can't forget my family's courageous leadership in the Dutch Resistance efforts to protect Jewish people from extermination. I can't forget their motive expressed by my grandfather, Bouwe Zylstra, in his memoir: "We could not keep our hearts and homes closed to these persecuted people." Opa added, "We were aware of the danger; but we were also assured that the Lord had given us the task, namely to love our neighbour. And He who called us was with us."

I can't forget the family stories, like my aunt's. Tante Tini was head nurse in a Dutch hospital which supported the Resistance. She distributed ration coupons and operated secret radio communications. The hospital director, Dr. van der Velde, forged health records to protect citizens from Nazi work camps, and so forth. One day, this underground operation was betrayed. When the authorities arrived, Tini was not wearing her head nurse uniform, so she wasn't taken. She attempted to warn Dr. van der Velde, but was too late. The doctor was shot to death.

One of the patients, Herman, had been a commander in a resistance group. During a raid, his brother was killed, and Herman was seriously injured. Six bullets tore open his intestines, and the surgeon gave little hope. Knowing that the enemy would be hunting for him, Tini smuggled him to a nearby house and cared for him. He recovered, and eventually, they were married. After the war, they emigrated to Canada, along with the rest of Opa and Oma's family.

I appreciate my family heritage, along with the medals, monuments, and the memorials at Yad Vashem, the holocaust museum in Israel. Yet, I can't forget Opa's lament over countless lives lost through betrayals by collaborators.

Post-war revenge against those considered to have betrayed their country was often cruel, involving unrestrained humiliation and lynch mob behaviours. The cry for justice lingered like undefused bombs in the soul, a toxic pent-up energy waiting to be dissipated on fellow citizens.

History reveals how evil humans can become, even in trying to eradicate evil. Surely then, we must never forget the following truths:

• "To do evil a human being must first of all believe that what he's doing is good. … The line between good and evil passes, not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either — but right through every human heart." – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago
• "Though some of the horrors of war and the uncertainties of life have gone from the family scene, the root cause is still the same: the sin and rebellion against God which is part of our human nature." – Opa Bouwe Zylstra
• "There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus." – Romans 3:22b-24 NASB
• "Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, 'I will take revenge; I will pay them back,' says the Lord." – Romans 12:19 NLT

Prayer: Lord, may we never forget the lingering wounds of conflict and war which descendants silently carry within, such as shame, guilt, and bitterness. May we also never forget Your restorative gift of grace which can bring healing through forgiveness, reconciliation, and new hope in Christ. Amen.

After a friend shared the following testimony, I asked for her permission to pass it on. You'll likely be stirred by her experience, and you, too, will respond with thanksgiving. Here's her story:

A group of my girlfriends decided to celebrate a friend's birthday at a nearby restaurant. Beforehand, I arranged for the kitchen staff to surprise the birthday girl with a cake which I had purchased. As expected, she was surprised and touched. She wondered who provided the cake. The first friend she asked said, "Not me." The next friend she asked wouldn't say yes or no, likely assuming that I wanted to remain anonymous. So, the birthday girl thought that it was her and thanked her. Still the friend didn't say a word. I was disappointed.

While leaving the restaurant, she was thanked again. And again, she didn't say a word. I was bummed out! I was the one who had ordered the cake. I was the one thinking of her, and I wanted her to know that. But someone else got the thanks for it.

The next day, over morning coffee, I was still pouting over it. My thoughts were suddenly interrupted with words arising from within, saying, "Now you know how I feel!"

I gasped, realizing that this was God, and the cake incident was a setup. I knew exactly what He meant!

How often have I not given thanks to Him for all His blessings to me? Pride makes me think that I deserve those blessings and worked hard for them. Yet, isn't everything from the Lord — my life, my breath, my health, my talents, my husband, my home location, etc.? He is my Source.

Suddenly, I felt a little of what God must feel continuously. I had been offended when someone else received the credit for merely a small birthday cake. Imagine how God feels, not getting thanks or credit for all that He has given us. He wants us all to know that He thinks about us all the time and that He is the One giving us so much. He is our Source.

I immediately told God that I was sorry and thanked Him for everything. I also thanked Him for the lesson. This is one lesson that I hope I will never forget! That day I felt just a little of the grief that God must feel. Not only does the world deny that God is their Source of all, but even some Christians can't see that Jesus Christ is His gift for them. They neither thank Him nor appreciate the gift of His Son.

Thanksgiving Day was approaching, and I was thankful to have learned this lesson!

May we all remember, and not just on Thanksgiving Day, that God is the Source of all our blessings!

To Him I owe my life and breath,
And all the joys I have;
He makes me triumph over death,
And saves me from the grave.
       Samuel Stennett

Prayer: "O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!" Amen. (1 Chronicles 29:13-14 NLT)

That got me thinking about hindsight itself. By definition, it's the understanding of a situation or event only after it has happened or developed. We refer to hindsight when we say, "If I had known that at the time, I would have done differently." We believe that we could have improved the outcome if we had had the benefit of hindsight.

However, after the fact, hindsight may do more harm than good. Since we can't change the past, we're left with regrets, and possibly guilt and shame. Yet our guilt may be unfounded, for we cannot control factors which influenced the outcome.

What is it then that we so fervently regret? I think it's this: Deep down, we regret our inability to control destiny. We regret that we are merely human and not God. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, must have felt that regret. They were never allowed to return to the Garden and undo their terrible deed. That path was blocked by angels with flashing swords.

Certainly, if I could redo the past, I'd make sure things worked favourably — for me! For example, the time I expressed apprehension about giving someone my writing project. How would this be taken? Would I be misunderstood? (Note my self-interest.) My friend, after listening, laughed and said, "God's legs aren't so short that He can't catch up to you!" That was timely advice! Of course, God's ways aren't dependent on our choices. God can use anything, whether virtuous or evil, for our benefit and for His good purposes.

That happened for Jacob's family, recorded in Genesis 37-50. One day Jacob's older sons, stirred with jealousy, sold their younger brother, Joseph, into slavery. We read this account with the benefit of hindsight; we know that there's a happy outcome. But for many years this family did not have that benefit. Imagine the father's bitter grief over his lost son. Imagine Joseph's experience in Egypt, languishing in prison, wrongly accused of a crime he didn't commit, and forgotten by the very people who might have given him a chance to take his case before the Pharaoh.

Eventually this family would see their troubles work for good. They would be reunited and enjoy unimagined outcomes, like forgiveness, reconciliation, and salvation. Through happy tears, they'd hear their long-lost brother, Joseph, say, "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good." (Genesis 50:20a NKJV)

That's where I see one true benefit of hindsight: Some day we will be able to look back and see everything in our lives all working for good. Such hope can heal our griefs and regrets.

Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJV)

Prayer: Lord, help us to accept and forgive whatever may be preventing us from moving forward with faith, anticipating unimagined outcomes. Amen.

That episode reminded me of an unusual wrestling match recorded in Genesis 32. Perhaps, you remember how Jacob stole his brother Esau's birthright through deceptive trickery and fled to escape Esau's wrath. Twenty years later, as Jacob headed home with his family and livestock, bad news arrived that Esau was approaching with an army of 400 men. Surely Esau was coming for vengeance, and this time, no clever strategy would help. In desperation, Jacob cried out to God, "Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau." (Genesis 32:11a NIV)

That night, Jacob found himself wrestling with a man. Not till morning did Jacob realize that the man was actually God. Then, it dawned on Jacob that this man could have instantly overpowered him. He won only through God's merciful kindness. Jacob's hip was dislocated, but he had received God's blessing.

Jacob began the night believing that his greatest need was to escape from Esau. He ended the night believing that his greatest need was the blessing of God's promise. Jacob had persevered for the blessing. The next day, Jacob, utterly exhausted, limped toward Esau and his 400 men. Jacob probably looked pathetic. But he was a new man, for he possessed all that he truly needed.

We will have comparable experiences in our own faith journeys. At first, we simply want God to get us through our critical moment or our crisis. We utter desperate prayers; we fret; we toss and turn all night. We eventually realize that God has wrestled us to the ground, to the point where all that we want now is His blessing. Through the trial, we find ourselves depleted, weakened, and disadvantaged. Our arms hang limp. To others, we may appear weak, pathetic, and stripped of our credibility. But a new strength emerges within. We can walk calmly through our crisis moments feeling overshadowed with restful peace. We've learned to persevere with God.

What have we been wrestling over? It is God's satisfying blessings promised through His Son. It's been worth losing what we thought that we needed, to gain what we truly needed.

James 1:12 – Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (NIV)

Prayer: Lord, help us recognize Your ways of engaging us to persevere for Your blessing. Amen.