{"id":9952,"date":"2022-12-25T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-25T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/?p=9952"},"modified":"2022-12-19T14:24:53","modified_gmt":"2022-12-19T14:24:53","slug":"christmas-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/thoughts-from-the-cvm-team\/christmas-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>You are not alone&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Humanity has searched to answer the question, is there life out there somewhere?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This question throws us into the very depths of space and its mind-bending size and reach, and year after year the answer is, no. We are alone and we still haven\u2019t found evidence of life beyond this planet.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pursuit for an answer to this question has driven such incredible searching, discovery, and innovation for humanity. You can even see the impact of space exploration and innovation into your daily life! If you have used a cordless drill, then the impact of the search for answers in the universe has reached you. The cordless drill was a NASA design solution to a space exploration problem, the same thing for the cordless vacuum.. anyway!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The point is, the search to answer the question, \u2018Are we alone?\u2019 or, \u2018Am I alone?\u2019 returns the answer, \u2018NO, you are not alone\u2019 when we look in the bible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am not talking about extra-terrestrial life forms here, or some tiny alien operating the controls of this massive space alien with arms like lobsters.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nope. The Bible tells us that we are definitely NOT alone. A name the Bible gives us to show us something about the life and role of Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I remember reading a book by John Eldridge where he wonderfully describes how God had to learn to walk, be fed and be taught how to speak! I remember reading that and being in shock almost, I had never imagined that about God, but it\u2019s true.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus, the baby that we remember at Christmas, couldn\u2019t do any of that, he was taught and learnt the steps of life that we had to learn. He experienced this life, he knows it. He knows what it is like to be alone, to call out in the most desperate of life\u2019s moments, \u2018Where are you?!\u2019&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He knows the moments of joy, laughter, hunger and friendship. He lived this life; God with us.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We can search for answers in life in so many places, to know if we are alone or not. Am I seen for who I am? Am I understood? Am I loved? Am I of any value to anyone?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The answer is YES! You are. Jesus knows you, your heart, and your search, and His love for you is off the scale.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s what I love about Christmas, it\u2019s a moment to remind myself of just how massive Jesus is and how much I love him.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have a great Christmas.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"linkwithin_hook\" id=\"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/thoughts-from-the-cvm-team\/christmas-2022\/\"><\/div><script>\n<!-- \/\/LinkWithinCodeStart\nvar linkwithin_site_id = 897245;\nvar linkwithin_div_class = \"linkwithin_hook\";\n\/\/LinkWithinCodeEnd -->\n<\/script>\n<script src=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/widget.js\"><\/script>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/\"><img src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.linkwithin.com\/pixel.png?w=750\" alt=\"Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...\" style=\"border: 0\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You are not alone&nbsp; Humanity has searched to answer the question, is there life out there somewhere?&nbsp;&nbsp; This question throws us into the very depths of space and its mind-bending size and reach, and year after year the answer is, no. We are alone and we still haven\u2019t found evidence of life beyond this planet.&nbsp; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<script>\n<!-- \/\/LinkWithinCodeStart\nvar linkwithin_site_id = 897245;\nvar linkwithin_div_class = \"linkwithin_hook\";\n\/\/LinkWithinCodeEnd -->\n<\/script>\n<script src=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/widget.js\"><\/script>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/\"><img src=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/pixel.png\" alt=\"Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...\" style=\"border: 0\" \/><\/a>","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":9956,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[38,2036],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/christmas-22-blog.png?fit=610%2C291&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7PoLK-2Aw","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9736,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/thoughts-from-the-cvm-team\/the-way-the-truth-and-the-life-is-here\/","url_meta":{"origin":9952,"position":0},"title":"The way, the truth and the life is here!","date":"25 December 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"At CVM this year, like every year, we have focused on one person, we have written about, spoken about and shared the news of Jesus the Christ. Jesus answered, \u201cI am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.\u201dJohn 14:6 Jesus\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Team CVM&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/cvm-christmas-1920x1440-social1.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4403,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/demolition-squad\/beer-mat-apologetics-five-principles-of-sharing-our-faith\/","url_meta":{"origin":9952,"position":1},"title":"Beer Mat Apologetics: Five Principles of Sharing our Faith","date":"28 June 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"We've all been there. The conversation is flowing, everyone is engaging, and things are moving along, well, nicely. But then a question threatens to derail the conversation or stop things dead in their tracks. When sharing our faith with our friends, our colleagues, or our family, it's helpful to have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Demolition Squad&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/beermat_apologetics.012.png?fit=400%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4680,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/demolition-squad\/how-reasonable-are-our-reasons\/","url_meta":{"origin":9952,"position":2},"title":"How Reasonable Are Our Reasons?","date":"20 September 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"It's the very thing that most Christians are least confident about and yet it's the number one way we get into sharing our faith. \"Hey you're a Christian what do you think about..?\" \"How can you believe when..?\" I'm sure you've been there! So how do we respond in those\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Demolition Squad&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/dem_squad_default_image.png?fit=256%2C256&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5748,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/friends-of-cvm\/ouija\/","url_meta":{"origin":9952,"position":3},"title":"Ouija","date":"3 December 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Weird supernatural event or trick of the mind? Demonic activity or innocent fun? Does it really matter either way? Whatever side of the fence you sit: belief in the demonic or explained away happenings of the ouija board. As a Christian there is a very real danger and risk. Over\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Friends of CVM&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/friends-blog-640x360.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3671,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/demolition-squad\/so-many-gods-and-religions-they-cant-all-be-right-what-makes-you-think-youve-got-the-right-one-answer-me\/","url_meta":{"origin":9952,"position":4},"title":"So many Gods and Religions, they can&#8217;t all be right. What makes you think you&#8217;ve got the right one? Answer me!!!","date":"25 January 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Good question \u2013 thanks for asking! First of all, I agree. They can't all be right. They can all contain some element of truth - but they can't all be definitive, because they don't teach the same thing. Christianity says that Jesus is God in human form; Islam says he\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Demolition Squad&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/dem_squad_default_image.png?fit=256%2C256&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1475,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/friends-of-cvm\/habit\/","url_meta":{"origin":9952,"position":5},"title":"Habit","date":"27 April 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cI figured you\u2019d ask me where I\u2019m at with God stuff so I spent a few hours last night thinking about the answer to that question.\u201d I didn\u2019t expect Matt to come out with that. I didn\u2019t realise I was so predictable. We only had an hour or so for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Friends of CVM&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/friends-blog-640x360.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9952"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9952"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9952\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9958,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9952\/revisions\/9958"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9956"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9952"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9952"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9952"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}