5 Minutes with Jesus is a daily devotional series for people in the midst of real life, whether facing anxiety, grief, questions of purpose, or simply needing encouragement and connection. Hosted by Sheila Walsh, each five-minute episode offers Biblical truth, honest reflections on faith and emotions, and closes with a moment of prayer.
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| Sheila Walsh:Embrace Peace This Christmas | 5 Minutes with Jesus | December 21, 2025
- And to us.
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- To you and me and the shepherds.
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- On that hillside is christmas.
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- Gift is peace.
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- It's the same gift jesus gave us as he set his face
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- Toward the greatest suffering anyone will ever experience.
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- He spoke that word peace over his friends.
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- I've told you all this so that you may have peace in me
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- Here on earth.
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- You will have many trials and sorrows, but take heart,
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- Because i have overcome the world.
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- Our son, christian was born in december
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- 1996 and loved having a baby so close to christmas.
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- Barry and i were determined they would never let
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- His birthday blend into christmas.
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- As can happen with december babies,
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- It would always be a separate celebration.
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- We bought a little tree
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- That first christmas and decorated it
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- With blue booties and little bears
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- And all sorts of things for newborn little boys.
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- As christian grew, the tree grew as well.
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- It became
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- The one tree in our house for every christmas ornament
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- The christian
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- Ever made at school or on our craft table at home.
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- I have two boxes of them, some of them make me laugh out
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- Loud when i bring them out.
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- Every year this mary and joseph made out of popsicle sticks
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- And then painted, as is the baby jesus,
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- Interestingly enough, is the same size as mary.
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- That would be a difficult delivery.
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- This is a very large mouse covered in green and gold
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- Glitter.
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- It refers to it as a christmas mouse.
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- I remember the day he brought that one home from school.
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- Wow, i said, that is spectacular.
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- Who is he?
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- He rolled his eyes and said, mom, it's a christmas mouse.
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- I have no idea.
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- There's a nativity scene with ducks,
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- And there are various
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- Framed photos of christian as he made his way
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- Through elementary and middle school.
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- But my favorite, however, is a letter
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- That christian wrote to jesus.
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- I share a little of it here with his permission.
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- Just in case
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- You think i'm that mom you know who tells all the kids secrets.
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- It title is titled dear messiah,
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- Dear messiah, thank you very much for coming.
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- You did not have to do that.
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- I will love you all the days of my life.
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- Thank you for saving me.
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- I listen to my mom and dad as much as possible.
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- Thanks again christian
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- I love that letter.
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- He folded
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- The sheet of paper in three and put a gold bow on top of it.
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- Well, now he's out on his own.
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- He's gone through graduate school,
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- But his treat goes up in our home every year.
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- Dear messiah, with a 1 or 2 of his other letters is at the top.
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- When i was a child,
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- We would make brightly colored paper chains to hang on our tree
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- With little foil wrapped chocolate santas and snowmen,
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- Which never survived until christmas day.
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- Many of our present day ornaments originated in germany.
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- In the late 16th century, a small german
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- Town of lucia became known for glassblowing.
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- In 1847, hans greiner, a descendant of the man
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- Who had established lotus first glassworks,
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- Began producing the very first glass
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- Christmas ornaments, and soon they were being exported
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- To england.
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- In fact, in 1846
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- A london paper carried a picture of queen victoria's
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- Christmas tree
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- Decorated with glass balls from the garnier factory and lucia.
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- So how did those glass ornaments make it to america?
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- Well, we have f.w.
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- Woolworth to thank for that.
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- On a visit to germany in the 1880s,
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- He discovered the german glass christmas ornaments and began
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- To import them to the us and made a fortune.
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- So often the season can be about spending too much on things
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- We don't really need,
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- Things that distract us from the real heart of christmas.
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- I think that's why my very favorite ornament
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- On the tree in our den is the simplest one of all.
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- Just one word carved out of wood piece.
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- I have it placed
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- So that it's the very first thing that i see
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- When i pour myself a cup of coffee
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- And turn on the christmas lights each morning.
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- Piece.
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- I can't think of a better
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- Word to describe the gift given at bethlehem.
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- It's what the angels sang about glory to god
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- And highest heaven and peace on earth.
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- To those with whom god is pleased.
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- I can't imagine what that angel song was like as the multitudes
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- Joined in praising god in ways we can't understand.
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- They've seen what we've never seen.
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- Glory to god.
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- They sang with words and notes we haven't even learned yet.
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- Glory to god, because he is beyond all human comprehension.
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- Glory to god
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- Because of the amazing thing
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- He's doing that we won't be able to fully comprehend
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- Until we finally see him face to face.
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- And to us, to you and me and the shepherds on that hillside.
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- His christmas gift is peace.
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- It's the same gift jesus gave us as he set his face
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- Toward the greatest suffering anyone will ever experience.
- 00:04:59.088 --> 00:05:03.326
- He spoke that word peace over his friends.
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- I've told you all this so that you may have peace in me
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- Here on earth.
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- You will have many trials and sorrows.
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- A take heart, because i have overcome the world.
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- Those words made no sense to them.
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- On good friday
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- It was only an easter sunday, a friday eight sense.
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- And the risen christ once more spoke that word.
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- Suddenly jesus standing there among them.
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- Peace be with you, he said.
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- He speaks that word to you.
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- Peace in the midst of all that's wrong in the world,
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- Peace in the midst of all this heart in your family, peace
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- In the midst of all that's troubled inside of you.
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- Peace is not the absence of trouble.
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- It's the presence of christ.
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- It's your birthright in jesus.
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- Let's pray.
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- But i pray right now for your peace
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- To fall on everyone who's listening in.
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- Or do you know, this world is so confusing
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- And there's so many things
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- That are broken and hard and difficult, but
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- You have promised us the gift of your peace.
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- So, lord, we just take a moment in your presence
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- And thank you that no matter what is going on around
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- Us, you have told your friends and you've told us
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- In this world you will face tribulation.
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- But take heart.
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- I have overcome the world and we thank you
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- For the gift of peace in jesus name, amen.
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