We have candles placed strategically in each room of our home in case the power ever goes out because we want to be able to get light back into those rooms so that our girls are not fearful of the storm or the darkness resulting from the loss of electricity.  Once those are lit, the girls can use them to move about the house with ease.

One of my favorite ways to think about Christ is as the LIGHT OF THE WORLD.  At Christmastime, that truth is so wonderfully enhanced with all the twinkling lights we place everywhere.  Do you realize that if you have accepted Christ, His light is also inside of you.  What does that mean?  Well, it means a lot of things, but I'll just throw a couple thoughts your way.

You don't have to fear the dark because you always have the light.  The best darkness can do to you is cast scary shadows around you to make you think you are being overcome, but it can't touch you because darkness never wins in a battle against light.  When I was in college, there was a large administrative building out in front of campus with these really bright lights that illuminated the front of it at night.  One time I talked a couple people into going there with me at night and we had a hilarious time casting shadows on the building.  If I stood close to the spotlight, my shadow could be as tall as the building and I could act like I was stepping on my friends who were further away from the light.....that's all that darkness has the power to do....play in the outskirts of the light and whisper fears to us that look larger than life.

Now that you can laugh at fear (well, maybe at least smile a little bit as it does it's scary shadow dance because the power you possess is greater) take your light into dark places.....you have it for a purpose beyond yourself.  On Christmas Eve, we usually have a candle lighting at the end of our church service and it is so beautiful to see that light passed all the way around the church in a huge circle.  Light has the ability to multiply, but only if we choose not to hide it and then begin sharing it.  I'd challenge you as I am challenging myself to expand your circle....I bet if you take just one step to expand your circle you will bump into someone who needs the light you have.  It is so incredible that when we faithfully share it with someone, our own light is not extinguished.  In fact, in that moment when our light is being used to start a second flame and the two burn together, it is the brightest and most exquisite.