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DECEMBER 16 11 "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." —John 1:5 The Light that Pierces the Darkness C hristmas is ultimately about light that radiates hope. Christ's birth brings the light of new life into the darkness of sin and death that would otherwise swallow us. But what if Jesus had never come? My work with survivors of complex relational trauma (CT)—such as chronic child physical, sexual, psychological, or spiritual abuse—brings me face to face with the reality of such darkness. Only sin can explain how the very individuals who are supposed to protect a child—parents or step-parents, extended family members, pastors, coaches, and teachers—can instead inflict such harm on these little ones. I see the immeasurable damage that often pervades every aspect of the lives of such trauma survivors throughout their lifespans. Entering into the lives of CT survivors has made me more aware than I would otherwise have been of the depths of depravity to which people can fall. It is incomprehensible to me how any adult could torture an innocent child. It is staring evil in the face to see the ongoing effects of such abuse, even decades later. Yet this is precisely why it was necessary for Christ to come! The birth of Jesus which we celebrate at Christmas represents the hope we have that evil will not swallow good. Just as the star that shone brightly in the night sky led the wise men to where Jesus lay, so, too, the light of God's presence through Christ now pierces the darkness of sin and evil. May the star that sits atop your Christmas tree this year and the Christmas lights that adorn trees, houses, and buildings serve as reminders this holiday season that, no matter the depth of the darkness, the light of Jesus shines brighter. Heather Davediuk Gingrich, PhD Professor of Counseling