The last couple of weeks have been quite unusual for me, my friend. I could pretend to have it all together, but that wouldn't help you much, now would it?

Here's to a little authentic and transparent sharing...

The unexpected in my life has merged with the onset of extra holiday "to dos" creating a feeling of chaos that I am still currently navigating.

Unexpected travel.

Unexpected slab leaks.

Unexpected health scares.

All within the last 10 days.

So my house is a mess. Stuff is all over the place, and I'm doing my best to keep my cool.

There is a lot in today's email. Keep reading or at least scan to make sure you don't miss what's here for you!

• Encouragement for the Chaotic Christmas
• The 2025 Christmas Collection is here!
• Communicator's Cohort + Coaching
• Inner Circle Invitation
• FREE New Year Special Virtual Event!

A little chaos with my Christmas...

I haven’t been able to catch my rhythm for working or playing, and Christmas is just around the corner. There are holes in my ceiling where the plumbers needed access to reroute the pipes. We’ve been running back and forth between doctors and appointments to get things back to a healthy equilibrium.

And still, Christmas comes and is only right around the corner.

The holiday season does not check in with me to make sure that I’m ready for the flurry of activity or that my life has room for the extra dose of Christmas cheer.

Christmas comes because it’s TIME for Christmas.

The celebration of Christ's coming doesn’t always feel like it comes at the right time. But then again, Jesus himself didn't necessarily arrive according to the timing we might choose. He was born in...

• Darkness - Jesus, the Light of the World, was born into the literal and metaphorical darkness of night. His arrival illuminated a time of deep spiritual despair for humanity. Maybe the best time for light to shine brightest is in the darkest places.
• Humility - Jesus, the King of the World, the one who held all power in His hands, was born into the obscurity of a humble stable. Maybe the most significant things show up best in simplicity.
• Vulnerability - Jesus, the One who knows no beginning or no end, came to the earth in the form of a baby, completely dependent on human care. Maybe strength and vulnerability can coexist.
• Instability—Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was born into a world marked by political oppression, poverty, and instability. Maybe peace is something we have with us always that helps us transcend circumstances—a peace not of this world.
• Simplicity - Jesus, born of God and man, came to give the miraculous and the otherworldly, but He chose to live as an ordinary man with ordinary friends, traversing many ordinary days. He lived simply and faithfully. Maybe the miraculous flows from the mundane.

Jesus actually picked an unlikely and somewhat unexpected time to bring the beautiful gift of salvation to the entire world.

Maybe there is beauty in the unexpected and even in the chaotic.

Maybe Christmas is all about challenging our assumptions and expectations, giving us a fresh opportunity to see what is actually valuable and purposeful.

Maybe God’s ways are often the opposite of what we expect.

Our God brings beauty from ashes, strength from weakness, and life from death. Maybe if we notice how God often operates, we will see our times of chaos as an invitation to reevaluate how we approach our own existence when life brings the unexpected.

If you, like me, are facing circumstances that feel backward or contrary to your expectations, consider how God might be working through them to bring about something greater. What if Jesus’ birth paved the way for His ultimate victory, and your challenges and paradoxes have the potential for your own growth, purpose, and deeper faith?

God at work despite the chaos...

One of the reasons it is so easy for me to believe that is because I’ve seen Him work out His plan for His glory and for my good in the past.

I never would have known that He would use some of the hardest seasons of my life to help others. The beauty in the unexpected and the chaos of my life is in this email to you. I started blogging because I wanted to share my life and my journey with the hopes of helping someone else.

Those blogs turned into books, and the books led to podcasting and speaking. The speaking led to so many women of all ages asking me for more help and more guidance. Those requests led me to later start the Inner Circle so I could connect more intentionally and consistently with some women while also having the support needed to share parts of that content with others.

In 2025, The Inner Circle will be all about helping you Make Your Mark. I want to have an impact in my circles of influence and I’m sure you do too. Throughout the year, I plan on providing a practical blueprint in specific areas of life that will help you build your life to last.

In January, in addition to our annual 90-Day Goal-Setting Experience, we’ll start the year by building our spiritual foundation and increasing our spiritual maturity in our all-community course. If you aren’t yet in the Inner Circle, this is a great time to join.

Starting in January, I’ll be helping women grow in one more area. Because I receive so many requests for mentoring related to my work as a communicator, I’m looking forward to a special opportunity to connect, teach, and provide guidance to speakers and writers.

If you want to maximize, market, or monetize your message, this cohort experience is for you! Not only will you find yourself in an amazing community of women who want to grow their capacity and extend their message, but you will also be getting the best content that I have to share to help you level up. This cohort will be open to all who want to join.

An opportunity to apply for personal coaching will be extended to women who join the cohort for those who want even more direct access to me.

Doors are open today!

I have had the honor of meeting and witnessing the growth of so many amazing women through the Inner Circle and the Communicator’s Cohort. I can’t wait to connect with the next group of women who will allow me to champion their gifts and calling while also sharing what I’ve learned along the way.

I'm so grateful that God is working in my life despite the chaotic seasons of my life. My heart is glad that He has a way of taken the unexpected things and created something good for His glory that overflows into good for others too.

The 2025 Christmas Collection

By the way, it's that time of year when Kariss Farris and I get together to chat about all things Christmas. We changed it up a tad and are taking a trip down memory lane. I hope you enjoy it!

And because I want to be practical. Here are five practical ways you can greet Christmas and the Birth of Christ even in your chaos.

Practical Help for the Chaos...

• If you feel abandoned or unseen - God is not distant. He is near to the brokenhearted and is willing to be with us in our struggles. If we draw close to Him, He does the same. He desires to meet us where we are, bringing hope and reassurance. If you feel alone, that is not truth. God is with you always. Read and reflect on Emmanuel, “God with us,” by reading passages like Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23.
• If you feel like you have no purpose - God always has a plan. Philippians 1:6 says that He will finish the work He has started in you. Just like Jesus’ birth fulfilled centuries of prophecy and brought hope to a waiting world, sometimes we just have to wait to understand all God is doing. God works even in the waiting. Find purpose in the mundane. What if God works through the simplest of your daily actions? What if purpose looks like serving others, offering encouragement, or simply committing to prayer and trust?
• When things are harder than usual - The angels proclaim “good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10), even though Jesus’ birth occurred under Roman oppression and personal hardship for his parents. The joy of Christmas and the celebration of Christ’s birth has the power to transcend circumstances. Look for small blessings. Then, choose to honor them and give them air. Let those small blessings draw you into worship, or journaling your gratitude, or sharing joyful moments with loved ones. I’ve personally spent quite a bit of time during this hard season looking back on photo albums of easier/smoother/simpler times. The memories have been helpful.
• When you want to isolate - Darkness isolates, but the birth of Christ and the light He brings draws people together. Jesus drew all different kinds of people — shepherds, wise men, and even strangers. If you are feeling the urge to be more alone than usual, fight against the abnormal pull towards self. Don’t let the devil defeat you in the dark. Look for the light. Reach out to others, even if it feels difficult. Meet someone for a meal. You can cook, but you don’t have to. Get out and try a new restaurant. If getting out is too much, simply call a friend. If you don’t think you have friends, think about the person who last seemed interested in your well-being. Believe in their desire to connect with you. Take the first step.
• If you’ve lost hope — First of all, I wish I could hug you. I don’t want the pain that you are experiencing now to color your vision for your future. I know that happens sometimes, though. The whole point of Christmas is that we remember and celebrate a God who came to earth to give us a future. He came to redeem us from the pain of living life caused by others or of our own doing. The whole point of Christ’s birth is hope. Over the next few days, reach for hope. Focus on the hope of God’s promises by meditating on verses like Jeremiah 29:11, "' For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”’ Another great verse is Ephesians 1:18 (AMP), “And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit] so that you will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints (God’s people).”

Hope is there. I’m praying that you choose to look for it.

What If...

What if the story of Christmas is simply a vivid reminder that God’s light shines in unexpected ways? What if it is in the darkness that light becomes visible, in humility that greatness is revealed, and in fragility that strength is perfected?

What if when I look at my chaos, I see the disruptions as opportunities in the unexpected to rest in God’s providence and provision and to trust His handiwork in every situation?

What if celebrating the birth of Christ is all about experiencing the profound, transformative power of His presence in your life — especially when things are the most chaotic?

What if writing this email has been cathartic and helped me see how my own unexpected has allowed me to encourage you today?

Because it has been.

If I tell the truth, every unexpected thing that I’ve experienced and then poured out as an offering has always come back to heal me.

Today is no different.

Merry Christmas.

Christ has come…

P.S. Join me live on Thursday, January 2nd, at 7 pm for my annual evening Coffee with Chrystal. I can't wait to encourage you, make you laugh, and also help you launch into 2025 so you can MAKE. YOUR. MARK! It's free to attend, but you do have to register, so click the button below to save your spot.