Christmas: When Memory and Gratitude Meet
Today is Christmas Day.
Every year, when this season arrives, my heart is drawn back to a story I can never forget. It is not a memory I force myself to recall—it comes naturally, gently, and yet powerfully. Each time I think about it, I smile with deep gratitude to our God. What once began in fear and uncertainty has become a testimony of faith, protection, and divine intervention.
Christmas is the season when believers around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We remember the moment when God stepped into human history, when light entered darkness, and when hope was given to a broken world. It is a time of worship, reflection, and thanksgiving.
For our family, Christmas holds an even deeper meaning. It is forever connected to the life of our first child, our beloved daughter, who was born on Christmas Eve. She is, without doubt, a gift from the Lord. Her life itself proclaims God’s faithfulness.
Looking back now, I can clearly see how close we came to losing her before she was even born. The enemy tried to destroy her life at the very beginning. Yet God, who is sovereign and all-powerful, intervened. Again and again, He revealed His hand of protection over us.
A Life Known by God Before Birth
Scripture tells us:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
before you were born I set you apart.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
These words have become deeply personal to me. I believe with all my heart that our daughter was known by God long before we ever held her in our arms. She was created with purpose, loved before birth, and protected by God’s hand.
The Bible also teaches us that the enemy seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). When God has a plan for a life, the enemy often tries to interfere. But the enemy is never greater than our God.
Our story began during the earliest stage of my pregnancy.
An Ordinary Day Interrupted
It was the early stage of my pregnancy, and my husband and I were going about an ordinary day, grocery shopping at a supermarket. Nothing seemed unusual. We were simply doing what most couples do—choosing food, walking through aisles, thinking about everyday things.
Without warning, in the middle of that normal moment, something frightening happened.
I suddenly started bleeding.
Fear immediately filled my heart. My husband and I looked at each other, stunned and afraid. We knew something was wrong. Leaving everything behind, we rushed to the emergency room, praying silently as we drove, asking God to protect the life growing inside me.
A Medical Report That Brought Deep Sorrow
At the hospital, the doctor examined me carefully and performed an ultrasound to check whether the baby was still alive. The waiting felt long and heavy. We watched the screen in silence, hoping for good news.
After a time, the doctor spoke words that brought deep sorrow. He told us that the baby was no longer there and that the bleeding likely meant the pregnancy had ended. He explained that the baby may have passed during the bleeding.
He prescribed medication, saying it would help clean the womb, and instructed us to return in ten days to confirm that everything was complete.
We left the emergency room heartbroken.
Yet even as we walked away, something within me refused to accept that the baby was gone. It was not denial. It was a quiet, firm conviction.
A Still, Small Voice of Conviction
As soon as we stepped outside the hospital, I turned to my husband and spoke from my heart.
“I will not buy the medication,” I said.
“I will not take it. I still feel that the baby is there.”
I could not fully explain why I felt so certain. It was not logic or emotion. It was a deep inner knowing. I believe now that it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me—gently but clearly.
My husband listened carefully. After a moment, he said, “If that is what you believe, then I am with you. We will not take it.”
That decision required faith. Everything around us—the medical report, the circumstances, the fear—said the pregnancy was over. But faith often requires trusting God beyond what we see.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
We went home without the medication and placed our trust fully in the Lord.
Ten Days of Waiting and Prayer
The following days were filled with prayer. We asked God for wisdom, protection, and clarity. Though there were moments of fear, there was also peace—a peace that did not come from circumstances but from trusting God.
Ten days later, we returned to the emergency room as instructed.
This time, a different doctor examined me. He read the report from the previous visit and then performed another ultrasound. As he watched the screen, his expression grew confused. He took much longer than expected and said very little.
Finally, I asked him if something was wrong.
He asked why we had come. We told him we were there to check if the womb was clean, as instructed.
He continued looking at the screen, puzzled. Then he said he needed to call the head of obstetrics, because he did not understand what he was seeing.
Truth Revealed by God’s Hand
When the head obstetrician arrived, he reviewed the previous report and examined me himself. After a few moments, his voice changed. He asked who had conducted the first examination, and we could hear frustration in his tone.
Then he spoke words that filled our hearts with joy and relief.
The previous report was wrong.
The baby was still there—and in good condition.
My husband and I looked at each other and smiled through tears. Our hearts overflowed with gratitude. In that moment, we knew God had intervened. We thanked Him quietly but deeply.
“The Lord is faithful in all His words and kind in all His works.” (Psalm 145:13)
The Enemy’s Plan Stopped
I cannot explain how such an error occurred. But one thing is certain: the enemy did not want this child to be born.
The enemy tried to deceive me into taking medication that would have ended my baby’s life. If I had acted without discernment, I would have unknowingly destroyed the life God had placed inside me.
But God spoke louder than fear.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)
That experience taught me the importance of listening to God’s voice and obeying Him, even when it goes against human understanding.
Another Attempt on Our Lives
When our daughter was only a few months old, my husband and I were invited to the home of a couple who were youth pastors at another church. They wanted to discuss how our youth groups could work together and build fellowship.
We spent several hours talking and praying. When it was time to leave, we opened the outdoor gate and prepared to head toward our car.
At that exact moment, they called us back. They wanted to ask us one more question.
We stayed outside and continued talking for a few more minutes.
Suddenly, we heard a loud crashing sound from the road. It sounded violent and alarming. We paused briefly, wondering what had happened, but soon finished our conversation.
A Shocking Discovery
When we finally walked to where we had parked our car, it was gone.
Confused, we searched the area. Then we found it—nearly 100 feet away from where we had parked. The car had been hit and dragged along the road, finally stopping between the pavement and the wall of a house, which had been badly damaged.
We were in shock.
We ran back to our friends’ house and told them what had happened. They came with us to see the car. As we stood there, a woman approached us and told us she had written down the license plate number of the driver who had hit our car.
Later, the police located the driver. He had been heavily intoxicated and had fled the scene.
God’s Perfect Timing
As we stood there looking at the destroyed car, a chilling realization came over us.
If our friends had not called us back, we would have been buckling our baby into her car seat at that exact moment. And the car would have struck us.
We would not have survived.
There is no doubt in my mind that we would have been killed.
But God delayed us. God protected us. God saved our lives.
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
and He delivers them.” (Psalm 34:7)
A Life That Continues to Testify
The enemy tried multiple times to destroy our daughter and our family. Yet each time, God’s hand was over us.
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17)
Today, that precious Christmas Eve baby is an adult. She loves the Lord and desires to walk closely with Him. We believe with confidence that God has a special plan for her life and that He is guiding her steps each day.
The enemy tried to stop her because he knows God’s purpose.
But our God is almighty.
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
Christmas Filled with Praise
As we celebrate Christmas today, we do so with hearts full of thanksgiving. Our God is faithful. He is our protector, our deliverer, and our loving Father.
He is worthy of all praise and worship.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
His love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1)
To Him be all the glory—today and forever. Amen.