"The Dukes of Hazzard" star John Schneider shared how he is marking the first Christmas since the death of his wife Alicia Allain Schneider.

We banter the word "hope" about carelessly. We hope the Red Sox will win the World Series. We hope the store will stay open late.

But the hope of Christmas is a greater hope. The message of Christmas is simply this: a good God is up to good things in our world.

It often feels impossible to remember in the chaos of our world.

Though the people forgot God, Christ came. In spite of hopelessness, Christ came. (iStock)

Christ came! In spite of sin and scandal, Christ came. In spite of racism and sexism, Christ came. Though the people forgot God, Christ came. In spite of hopelessness, Christ came. In spite of, and out of, the pandemonium, Christ came.

THIS CHRISTMAS, LET'S PAY ATTENTION TO THE DONKEY AND LESSONS WE NEED TO LEARN

The surprise pregnancy, the sudden census, the long road from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Unpleasant and difficult, yet they resulted in the world’s greatest miracle. "And [Mary] brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger" (Luke 2:7 nkjv).

Everything prior to this happened so this moment would happen. Was the first Christmas different from what Mary had planned? Yes, but it turned out greater than she could have dreamed. God used the struggles to accomplish his will.

Don’t you need that reminder? In your world of short nights, hard work and high stress, don’t you need to know that Jesus holds it all together?

In your world of short nights, hard work and high stress, don’t you need to know that Jesus holds it all........

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