Do you have your own name written down on your Christmas list? If not, put it at the top right now. I’ll even make it simple for you and tell you what to give yourself.

 Gift yourself with silence. That’s right—the glorious life-giving gift of soothing silence.

You see, the gift of silence took me by surprise one November morning years ago. Not long after the hubbub of school-and-work traffic had ceased, I went out to fill the birdbath with fresh water. As the sun proclaimed its brilliance, the night’s heavy frost still glittered on the ground.

Happy to be out enjoying a few minutes in the beauty of God’s world, I sang as I worked. But soon I realized my voice was the only sound I heard. I stopped and listened to the quiet.

Pure silence met my listening ear. No wind, no birdsong, no car humming down the street. Not even the rustle of leaves. It was as if the earth was holding its breath.

With fresh eyes I looked around our yard, delighting in the frosty beauty of the cold fall morning. First one leaf and then another drifted to the ground without a sound, as if following the cues of a conductor. But this was a silent symphony in a soundless sanctuary. Oh what peace. Oh what comfort.

The comfort and peace we find in silence can heal, can’t it? Silence refreshes and restores. This is never more true than when we use such moments to take a deep breath and commune with the Father. We need silence—especially silence with our hearts turned heavenward—but many times we don’t recognize our need or take time for it. And taking time for it seems especially challenging during an already busy Christmas season.

Let’s not wait for the moments of silence that surprise us. Let’s seek out silence. Let’s make time for it, especially during the Christmas season and other busy seasons of our lives. Let’s enter into a soundless sanctuary and wait for the silent symphony to begin. The Conductor stands ready to give the cues. Won’t you accept his gift of comfort and peace along with me?

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” John 14:27 NIV

*How will you make time for silence this holiday season? I’m so looking forward to next Christmas season when my Christmas devotional book will be available to help lead you into moments of silence and peace. Can’t wait to share it with all of you!

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, comes out in early February. Sign-up is free! Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash