Pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie shared a deeply personal Christmas reflection this week, highlighting the lasting impact of fatherhood and pointing to Joseph as one of the most overlooked heroes of the Nativity story.
Laurie recalled one of his earliest Christmas memories-not one of joy, but of heartbreak. As a child, he woke up eager for presents only to find his mother passed out after another night of drinking. "I remember thinking, 'There has to be something better than this,'" Laurie shared. "And thank God-there was."
At 17, Laurie said he encountered the hope that would change his life forever. He discovered "there is a God in Heaven who loves us so much He sent His Son to be born in a manger, die on a cross, and rise again." When he put his faith in Jesus Christ, everything changed.
Growing up without a father, Laurie said he has always been struck by the quiet faithfulness of Joseph in the Christmas story. "Not famous. Not wealthy. Just faithful," he noted. "God chose him to raise His Son-a reminder that fathers matter."
Laurie described himself as one of the many statistics of a fatherless home, but emphasized that his story did not end there. One man, Oscar Laurie, chose to step in, show up, and stay. "That's what real fathers do," he said.
In his message, Laurie encouraged families this Christmas season to thank God for every dad, stepdad, adoptive dad, spiritual dad, and granddad who chooses faithfulness and presence. He also offered comfort to those carrying the pain of an absent father, reminding them that they are never truly alone.
"If you're carrying a father-shaped hole in your heart," Laurie said, "remember this: you have a Heavenly Father who will never leave you."
Laurie closed his message with a warm holiday greeting: "From our family to yours-Merry Christmas."
