"Getting in the Christmas spirit" is something we talk a lot about. We hear it in commercials, we see it in magazines, we're reminded by our peers constantly. There are countdowns and chocolate Advent calendars and special church services. Our eyes are inundated by giant evergreens all dressed up, big green wreaths decorated with bigger red bows, Santa hats and lights on houses. It can feel as if the whole world is in the spirit of Christmas.

I'm all about getting into the spirit of Christmas. I absolutely love walking through campus to see the big green trees, admire the wreaths placed so carefully upon the highest points of campus and admiring my neighbor's Christmas lights. I've faithfully listened to Christmas music at least once a day since November 25th. I'm excited for "secret santas" and stockings and even peppermint mochas.

But as I've reflected upon the Christmas spirit this year, I've also grown excited for something else.

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. That means Jesus Christ, God Himself, entered into His world to live amongst His people and to share in our suffering.

Sometimes, though, celebrating doesn't feel quite right. The year 2016, like pretty much every year, has been fraught with suffering. Maybe it's because I'm getting older, maybe it's because I'm reading the news more, maybe it's because of the shocking results of our presidential election, but this year has felt harder than most. I look around the world and I see hospitals being bombed. I see desperate refugee children. I see severe executions of my Christian brothers and sisters. In my country, I see deep racial divides, minority voices who have longed been dismissed demanding to be heard. I've learned of destructive sexual violence and domestic abuse that breaks my heart. With all this pain, it's a bit harder to "get into the Christmas spirit."

Yet I believe we can still celebrate Christmas. Let's celebrate that the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE decided to dwell amongst His people, to join us in a broken world, to suffer with us, to die for us and ultimately to save us. This means we have HOPE. To me, hope means celebrating Jesus, what He's done and what He continues to do to redeem His world.

As I reflect in this season of Advent, I am continuously reminded that there is so much to celebrate. His birth gives us hope, and with that we must celebrate Him!