Thanks to her Christmas gift, she can draw breath.  She received new lungs on this day of miracles.

She has battled the effects of cystic fibrosis for a couple of decades, and her condition had been difficult enough that she was tackling the items on her bucket list for which she could muster the strength.  Since Thanksgiving, this young warrior princess’ battle became more grave.  She battled mightily as she strived to be placed on a lung transplant list; she moved on and off the list as her condition waxed and waned while on various life support equipment.  Her grit and courage, reinforced by the prayers of hundreds, returned her to the list.

Almost as soon as she made it to the coveted list, opportunities began to appear, but for a transplant like this, the match must be as close to perfect as possible.  Late on Christmas Eve, tragedy for one family (the death of a young adult), presented the possibility of a transplant for the young woman waging war on failing lungs.  Tragedy for one is a miracle for another. By mid-morning Christmas Day, the match was confirmed and the process of preparing for life-saving surgery was put into motion.

Nighttime on Christmas Day, she lays in recovery at the hospital, with a long journey ahead of her.  Inside her is the breath of life.  She reveals Christmas, when we were all gifted with the opportunity for the breath of life in us thanks to the miracle of 2000 years ago.  Christmas is about new life.

Christmas is about God, miracles, love, courage, faith and new life amidst the trials and struggles of living.  Such is the Christmas story.  Such is the truth about Christmas.

Merry Christmas, everyone.