As Christmas approaches, retailers hope their products will land on a celebrity’s wish list. If they appear on a major platform (like Oprah’s favorite things) it really pays off. High visibility can take an unknown product to booming popularity.

I checked my email. Amazon is the only one looking for me. It’s okay. Many of my favorites are not in the big box stores or in a shopping mall.

In fact, the things that mean the most to me are out of retail’s reach. Peace of mind is not up for bid on eBay. Good health didn’t appear in any of the Black Friday or Cyber Monday specials. Family and friends are not stocked on grocery store shelves.

What’s on your list of favorite things? It’s not that I don’t enjoy being fashion forward, tinkering with technology or eating something gourmet.

But the things we enjoy in the moment may not be the most needful for the soul.  Some of my favorites, like ginger peach green tea or my poppy fragrance, help create a degree of comfort.  But my needs — what sustains and secures my life — are faithfully met by Christ alone.

Most days His goodness is obvious. A hug from someone I love or a timely word of encouragement goes a long way. Other days, I have to dig deeper and refocus on what Alicia Chole calls “cross-ward” to grasp His faithfulness and love.

Either way, the platform of my heart is well-occupied. It contains the greatest privilege: To know God and make Him known. If I took out a full-page advertisement of my favorite “necessary” things, His mercy and grace would top the list. They gain high visibility in our time of need.

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. – Hebrews 4:16 NLT

Mercy gives me a soft place to land when I fall. Grace gives me the strength to stand and walk again.

These are my must-haves for abundant living. Thankfully, they are freely given to us through faith in Christ.  You may or may not have a wish list this year, but I pray you know His gifts of mercy and grace. Because Jesus is not just the reason for the season. He is always our reason for hope in the heart and joy to the soul.

I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul. – Psalm 31:7 NLT