Friend, Luke 2:17 says this: “And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.”

I love that verse because it reminds me of something simple and powerful. The shepherds didn’t go to seminary. They didn’t write a book. They didn’t wait until they had all the answers. They just told what they had seen and heard.

I picture them leaving that manger with straw on their sandals and wonder in their eyes. Their hearts were still racing. Their minds were still trying to catch up. But one thing was clear: they couldn’t keep it to themselves.

That’s how the gospel spreads. Not through perfect words, but through changed hearts.

You may feel like you don’t have much to offer. Maybe you think your story isn’t impressive enough, or your faith isn’t strong enough yet. But friend, if Jesus has met you—even in a quiet, ordinary moment—that’s a story worth telling.

The shepherds didn’t explain everything about the Messiah. They simply said, “Let me tell you what God did for me.” And God used that.

So today, don’t underestimate the power of your testimony. Share what you’ve seen. Speak what you know. Tell someone how the Lord showed up in your life.

Because when God does something real in your heart, it’s not meant to stay on the porch—it’s meant to be shared.

And who knows? Your simple telling may be the very thing God uses to light the way for someone else.

Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Not once. Twice. Like Paul leaned in, looked us in the eye, and said, “Don’t miss this.”

Now, notice what Paul didn’t say. He didn’t say rejoice when things finally calm down. He didn’t say rejoice when the diagnosis changes, the bills are paid, or the people around you act right. He said rejoice in the Lord. That’s the anchor. Not the situation, not the season, not the scoreboard of life—but the Lord.

Joy, the kind Paul is talking about, isn’t the same thing as happiness. Happiness depends on what’s happening. Joy depends on who’s holding you. And friend, even on your hardest days, the Lord hasn’t loosened His grip.

Sometimes rejoicing looks like singing loud. Other times it looks like a quiet, stubborn faith that says, “I’m hurting, but I trust Him.” Sometimes it’s a smile. Sometimes it’s just getting out of bed and whispering, “Thank You, Lord, for one more day.”

And then Paul says it again. Again I say, rejoice.

Why? Because he knows we forget. We leak joy. We get weighed down. So God, in His grace, repeats Himself.

So today, right where you are, take a breath. Rock back just a little. And choose joy—not because everything is right, but because He is. Rejoice in the Lord. And when you forget… hear Him say it again.

Luke 2:11 says, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

Notice how personal that sounds. The angel didn’t say, “Unto the world,” or “Unto someone else,” but “unto you.” That means this message wasn’t just for shepherds on a hillside two thousand years ago. It was for tired folks, worn-down folks, and ordinary folks like you and me.

Those shepherds were working the night shift, doing a job nobody applauded, when heaven showed up and said, “This is for you.” And that’s still how God works. He meets us right where we are—on the back roads of life, in the quiet moments, in the places where we think nobody sees.

And what was born? A Savior. Not a suggestion. Not a self-help plan. A Savior. Because God knew we couldn’t fix ourselves. He didn’t send advice; He sent His Son.

Christ the Lord came wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger, to tell us this simple truth: hope has a name, peace has a face, and salvation has come near.

So today, no matter what you’re carrying, remember this—Jesus was born for you. Right where you are. Just as you are. And that good news still changes everything.