Hello everyone,
Christmas is just around the corner and everyone is already starting to feel the pressures of getting every gift bought before Christmas. I’ve already got some of my wife’s gifts bought, but ssshhhh, don’t tell her! She’ll start going through my stuff trying to find them. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays because of the sentiment that I think gets lost in the hustle and bustle of the holidays. It can even get lost in the church this time of year as well… It seems like there is a name that Jesus only gets called this time of year, but is probably one of the most important names He has. We see it in Isaiah and Matthew when He was announced to the world and then again when he was announced to Joseph. It’s a name that we should probably use more often throughout the year but for some reason don’t. Even in church Christmas services you’ll hear an emphasis put on Jesus’s death with statements like, “This is the time of year we celebrate our Savior coming to earth so He could die for our sins…” I’ve always thought it was funny how we focus on Jesus’ death when celebrating His birth and then talk about His birth at Easter when we’re celebrating His death. While all of that is important to remember, I feel that we forget something else just as important… That God is with us.
It’s easy to get caught up in the negative we see around us day in and day out, but think about this… the creator of the universe is walking right next to you through all of it. It doesn’t matter if you’re having a bad day, a bad month, or a bad year. God already knows and is waiting for you to just turn to your side and stop trying to get out of where you are and just get to Him. That’s why I love this season, I love being reminded that our God is with us and loves us. So how does all of this relate to the World Race? In a lot of different ways actually… We had the privilege of meeting another racer last night who lives in our state and is leaving next month. He reminded us that we are still in the present and God is still in the future and already knows where our fundraising is going to come from. If we get too focused on what’s to come, then we’ll miss what’s already happening in front of us. He also reminded us that God wasn’t surprised when we applied for the race and has been grooming and preparing us for it for a while now. We may not be able to look back and see all the ways now, but when we get over there I’m sure we will be able to see them a lot clearer. This season is a great time for all of us to take a step back and realize that our God has been and is and will always be with us.
Me and Bethany are big believers that Jesus’ life didn’t just end in the grave… we don’t believe that He’s still there, so we try not to act like it. We don’t focus on Jesus’ birth or death at any given holiday, but rather focus on what His life means to us. We don’t just believe in His death, but we also believe in His life. One of the hardest questions I have to answer about the World Race is “Why are you all going on the World Race?” I can’t really put a finger on that answer. All I can really say to you is because He is with us. We believe in Him and believe in His commission. I don’t know if God wants you to partner with us in this mission or not, but we humbly ask that you ask Him and see. When God looked at Jesus in Heaven and said “Go”, Jesus could have easily said “No” and that would’ve been that. But He didn’t, He came to Earth to spread His love and give Himself to us. We too want to answer Gods call in the same manner and just like Jesus, go to the ends of the Earth spreading His love. We hope whether it is by partnering with us or some other avenue that you will find a way to do the same.
Merry Christmas from the Damerons, may God bless you and your family this joyous season and remember, He is always with us!
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:23
18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
