All I Want for Christmas Is…

Mariah Carey is the person who wrote and co-produced this Christmas song. The release date of the above iconic Christmas song was around November 1994. Since that time, this song has been at the top of the pop charts as a number #1 single. It is a very popular song to hum and sing to when people are trying to get into the “Christmas spirit”, as some call it. Every year around November and December, this song can be heard on car radios, shopping stores, etc… I wonder if Mariah Carey ever imagined when she wrote and produced this song that it would be a Christmas classic sung by millions of people around the world.

When thinking about and analyzing the words to the song, one could assume Mariah Carey is directing the lyrics to someone she wants to tell that nothing else matters besides them. Her desire to be with this particular person was so strong that she was willing to give up “presents” under the Christmas tree just to be in the “presence” of this person. WOW! What a powerful demonstration of love and dedication.

When considering the real reason for the Christmas season, which is the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, we need to make sure the main thing stays the main thing. Jesus was born just so he could die for us. Sometimes amid the busyness of the season, the real meaning of Christmas somehow gets lost. We need to ask ourselves the following questions… “Do we have the same passion, desire and dedication of Mariah Carey when she penned the lyrics to the above song?” “Are we willing to give up the “presents” underneath our Christmas tree just so we can be in the “presence” of our Savior, bashing in his glory? “Is our desire for more things superseding our desire for the Savior?” These are all questions to consider.

The Bible says in Psalm 73:25… “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.” The psalmist had a single focus and desire. We should mirror the dedication of the psalmist when it comes to desire for God’s presence. As we grow in our relationship with God, we should desire the things of God more and more. We should want more peace, joy, love, contentment, patience, kindness, etc…, which is the result of being in the presence of God.

Let’s all sing the chorus to this classic Christmas song with an update… “Jesus, all I want for Christmas is YOU!!!”

Shawn Outlaw

Shawn is a Woman of God, with a Word from God for the People of God. Shawn has a passion for seeing God’s people grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him. Because of this passion, God has opened many doors for her to speak at revivals, seminars, prayer breakfasts, workshops, etc… Shawn also has a desire to see all God’s people worship Him in spirit and in truth. She has led and sang on Praise Worship Teams within the Body of Christ. Her life verse is Palms 34:1, “I will bless the Lord at all times and his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Currently, Shawn is a faithful member of Seeds of Greatness Bible Church. Shawn is active in various ministries within the church. She serves on the ministerial team, dances on the Word-in-Motion dance team and teaches the children in the Seedlings Youth Ministry. Also, Shawn is the founder and servant-leader of the W.I.S.D.O.M. ministries, a weekly women’s conference call geared to study the women of the Bible and gain the wisdom from their lives.

Shawn, along with her W.I.S.D.O.M. Core team, has published a book entitled, WISDOM SPEAKS: The Beginning of Wisdom. This book is the first of many books to come.