Dear Family and Friends,
I would like to wish you a peaceful Christmas. May God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He turn His face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)
The holidays can be a difficult time for some. Higher expectations and sugar plum fairies dancing in your head mixed with hopes of happiness and joy can cause some of us to feel down or discouraged. When the realities of life hit, sometimes it is hard to know where to turn.
There is one person who never changes. One person who is always there for you. One person who is more than a person- Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace. More than a baby in a manger (or a cave, read more here.)
Much more than that, Jesus came to earth to save you and to be with you. He is the one you can always turn to, no matter what.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
This season, please take a moment to pray for those around you. Encourage someone. Smile. Start a conversation. Show a friend you are there for them in a way that speaks to them. It doesn’t take a lot to show someone you care. Time, such a rare commodity in our culture, can be such a valuable gift when you share it with someone. They know you care because you are taking a moment (or 2 or 20 or 120) for them. Because that person is important to you. These are the gifts that we will truly remember and cherish down the road.
To love and be loved- there is no greater joy! Jesus is the one who truly is our Hero. He is our Lover. He never stops loving you! He is our greatest friend in that He is always by our side.
This Christmas season and as the New Year rings in, remember and meditate on these words and think about what God is putting on your heart. Come near to God and He will come near to you. (James 4:8)
I also want to let you know, my dear readers and family, that I appreciate you all so much for taking the time to show your support by reading this blog. It means so much to me to have your support and encouragement in this way. I would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment, even a short one, and it would mean so much to me to hear your responses to my posts!
I could not do this without all your support! Be sure to follow my blog if you have not done so already, so you can get automatic updates as I prepare to go on this amazing and challenging journey.
A HUGE THANK YOU to the people who have supported me financially! I was in awe of your generosity and felt super grateful and encouraged upon receiving your gifts. Thank you, Thank you, Thank YOU!!!! It really touched my heart to know that you believe in what God has planned for me and means so much to me that you are joining me on this journey!
I am super excited to be walking this journey with all of you. Please consider giving an end of year gift if you are able to, as it is much needed to meet my first goal of $3,500 due March 2nd to go towards the total amount of $16,266 in order to launch on the Race this July. It is a great time to get your end of year gift in now by December 31st to count for the 2014 year.
Thank you again for reading and following my blog! Please comment below about your favorite Christmas memories. Or share a time that God showed you He was right there with you- He is an amazing God who cares deeply about you and would move heaven and earth to get to you, because that is how much He loves you! That is what He did when He came to earth as a baby and that is why we celebrate Christmas. God said His name would be Immaunel which means, God with us. (Matthew 1:23) This season, reflect on this fact that God moved heaven and earth just to be with you! Pretty cool, huh?!
Please pray:
- That God would raise up a core support team
- That God would put a hedge of protection around me so I can focus on Christ and shine for Him
- That I would desire God more and that He would fill and fulfill His purpose in me
- That God would provide all my needs
- That God would work in a powerful way for His glory in my team that is going to be serving, living and working together for almost a year. Pray protection and insight for my team. That we would stand united in Him. That we would not fall. That we would trust in God and not be discouraged or fall for any of the enemy’s schemes. We already have victory in Christ- let us hold to this truth!
- May we all walk boldly in His freedom, truth, light and love!
