A new friend spoke those words to me recently and they’ve been echoing through my spirit ever since. “Mary, God wants you to know that His design for you is joy.”

My first reaction was…how? But as that truth and so many that she spoke into my life that day, has penetrated the still broken pieces of my heart, I realized this truth. This life is filled with pain, loss, hurt, disappointment. We were never promised rainbows and unicorns, perfect hair days and skinny jeans that fit even after the holidays. What we were promised was that we’d never have to walk through the pain alone.

The Father designed us for joy. When I think of the word “design”, I think of the creator having a plan and a purpose for whatever he is designing. There’s a vision of what it should look like. There’s forethought and passion and the expression of love as the design is being created. I marvel at the beautiful gowns that designers dream up and then execute. Or an interior designer that can take an empty space and turn it into a thing of beauty. But there had to be a plan first. There had to be a vision; a dream of what could be.

So when the Creator was thinking of you, beautiful sister, His love and passion, His dream and purpose was for you to have joy. He designed you that way.

Did He see all the pain you’d have to walk through? Yes, but He designed you for joy. Could He see what you’d face when the love of your life was called home unexpectedly? Yes, but He designed you for joy.

There’s such a level of trust that comes from accepting this truth. Right now you may feel like you’re lost and floundering with no direction. Aimlessly walking through life with no real knowledge of what you’re doing. The designer of your life knows exactly where you’re at and what is next for you. If we listen close, we will realize that He’s been there every step of the way. He’s not lost. He’s not confused. He’s the designer. He sees the whole plan from beginning to end. But trusting when you’re in the dark is not easy. I can attest to that truth.

Over the last 2 1/2 years I’ve had to trust that all I could handle was seeing the next step ahead of me on the path. If He had revealed the whole journey to me, I would have been completely overwhelmed and given up before I even got started. One step at a time. Sometimes one moment at a time.

How do I know that to be true? Because He designed it that way..

As we prepare our hearts for another Christmas, lean on the designer of your life. I’ve come to understand how difficult this time of year can be for people. There’s a sadness and a void in our lives because of many types of losses. So I want to speak those words into your life today, beautiful sister. God designed you for joy. His love for you is everlasting and even at your lowest point, you are never alone. Let the joy of Christmas envelope you today. The joy of knowing that a Savior was born. Unto us a Son was given. He didn’t come because of duty. He came because of love. He didn’t die because of obligation. He died because of love.

My prayer for you today is that you stop, get quiet and listen for the voice of the One who designed you. Let His peace wash over you and let Him strengthen your weary soul. Let His joy fill your mind and heart. But mostly may you feel His powerful and unchanging love.

You, beautiful girl, were designed for joy!