The Sacred Stillness of an Unlikely Place

This Christmas, I keep coming back to the manger. 🤍

We often imagine it as peaceful and serene…but the reality was far more raw.

Uncomfortable.

Uncertain.

Marked by pain, trust, and an impossible calling.

I’ve been thinking about Mary—and Joseph—standing in the middle of a story they could never have scripted, leaning fully into God’s provision in the most unlikely place. And yet, that is where love entered the world.

God does that.

He meets us in what feels messy, hard, and beyond our capacity—and right there, He brings redemption.

He writes stories we never thought possible.

As I reflect on this year, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the gift of walking alongside others and witnessing real transformation.

God is still at work.

He’s still writing beautiful stories—in you, in me, in all of us.

My prayer for you this Christmas is simple:

Find a quiet place.

Be still with Him.

Listen.

He longs to speak hope into your life and remind you that His plans and purposes are still unfolding—just as they did that holy night so long ago.

May you be blessed this Christmas.

Emmanuel—God with us. ✨

Shel Dammann

Rhythms of Grace Life Coaching