Christmas Bell

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )

I am united with the Lord(1 Cor. 6:17 )

I am bought with a price(1 Cor. 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth ( Matt.5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ(1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant ( Phil.3:20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God(2 Cor.5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God( Rom.8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor.1:21-22)

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8: 28)

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16 ). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worke (1 Cor.. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship(Eph. 2:10 )

I am confident that the good work God has begun in me will be perfected(Phil 1: 5)

I have been redeemed and forgiven(Col.1:14).I have been adopted as God's child(Eph 1:5)

I belong to God

Do you know

who you are!?

Written by: Caye Siller

As I pulled up my chair next to the Gypsy lady I saw that she wasn't reading her notes. I wondered if they were the English ones so I offered her a Romanian version. She said no thank you and that's when I thought about the possibility that she couldn't read. I later found out that the lady they called "The Gypsy" was named Maria. She couldn't speak English but I was amazed by her desperate need for God. She had traveled many hours to our retreat. We came to learn that most of the south side of Romania is very poor and filled with many Gypsy's. (Did you know they are descended from India?) Most of them have very large families and children and struggle to put food on the table. However, Maria was not just living among them as a poor mother and wife she was also the wife of a church planter. She had a desire to minister to the women of her village and surrounding ones with the limited means she had.

She was one of the recipients of the free massages one of our team members was offering. She had won this prize by randomly being given a blue ball point pen. As she came to her massage she revealed wounds on her stomach from an intensive surgery she was recovering from. You would have never known she was carrying around such physical wounds. However, it was clear she had deep wounds from the life she lives out there in her own barren land. After her massage she clutched her blue pen and asked if there was another one she could have for her daughter. This pen seemed like the biggest and best prize she had ever had. Cheryl asked her how many daughters she had and she said "5". Cheryl reached in her bag and found exactly 4 more blue pins and as she handed them to Maria you could tell she was so touched and excited to bring gifts home to her children. Maybe she was holding onto the hope that her children would rise above her to learn to read and write. As the retreat ended I packed up and went to the lobby to meet our team. I was so proud of how I had packed for a 3 day trip and fit it all in my back pack with my sneakers clipped to the front. As we left I saw Maria get up from a couch with all her possessions wrapped in a hankerchief. She had a couple of containers with liquid in it (probably for their journey) but as I said good bye to her tears began to fill my eyes. She had so little in her hands to offer the Lord and yet she was going back to impact her community with the "fish and bread" in her hands. I was challenged to think of what was in my hands...what resources has God given to me to offer him? If she had so little and she could still offer it to him....I surely had more. The words of a song came to my mind: "Maybe the last ones are the lucky ones, the ones who've got this whole thing figured out. For when they go looking for something beautiful they go looking from the inside out"....

New Teaching Opportunity!

We enjoyed a refreshing time with many of our family in the faith at Scottsdale Bible Church's Harvest Festival this past week and weekend. It's always enjoyable to reconnect with those from the field we haven't seen in many months.

As a result of talking with a dear friend at the festival, we learned of an opportunity to partner with her to reach out to the Arab community in Phoenix. On December 12th, Dr. Kristin Beasley will teach a conglomerate of Arab women about "Embracing Your True Identity" at a women's Arab conference in the Valley. She will teach a series of 3 segments to this audience in early December.

We would appreciate your prayers for Kristin's teaching, for hearts and minds to be uplifted, encouraged and enlightened by this material, and for our fellowship and relationship building with these women.

We anticipate the many ways in which God will work during this time to advance His plan!

Romania Video

Thank you all for sending us with your prayers and contributions. God worked through our team of ten and in us during our journey to Romania. We invite you to hear more about our trip on November 14th from 6:00-7:30pm at Scottsdale Bible Church, Room E-105. Dessert will be served.

In the meantime, please enjoy this video of our trip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmtbA2YRfSU

Begin With The End In Mind

I’ve been thinking about leadership and vision lately. As the leader of a new ministry I am constantly thinking and dreaming: Where are we going? Who do we want to be? What should this ministry look like? What does it look like if we “win”? In other words, what is the goal? And what do I do first? Second? Third? These thoughts can be exciting but also a little daunting. They are exciting because of all the opportunities out there to impact lives, daunting because of the constant need to prioritize, keep the main thing the main thing and lead others toward the goal. Yet I find encouragement by regularly looking at the life of Christ
What is a leader? A leader is someone who has followers, and who influences others. Jesus is our prime example of a sacrificial servant leader who had vision. He guided and directed–but He also provided vision for a positive future. He was a visionary leader. It has been said that vision is the “act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be”. Doesn’t that sound like our Lord? He knew why He was here (His mission statement is in Luke 19:10). He knew where He was going. He knew where He wanted His followers to go (to reach the ends of the earth with a message of hope and then join Him in heaven). He kept the main thing the main thing and He began with the end in mind.
Do you as a leader know where you are going? Do you know where you want to take those who are following you? Do you know who you want to be? What would you do in your ministry if you knew you couldn’t fail? What would “win” look like for your ministry? Don’t be afraid to think and dream about “the end”: where you would like your ministry team (including yourself) to end up.
It is fun but also a challenge to dream in the future. But we must dream…and dream big! Henrietta Mears, a tremendous woman of God who, a couple generations ago, was used mightily in kingdom work said, “Dream Big Dreams: There is no magic in small plans.” Don’t worry about the money, or what you need to get there. When you dream there are only opportunities, not obstacles. Be willing to be stretched into the vision God has for you. Prayerfully listen, and begin building the ideas. Write them down. And then tell people. And you will have followers who come alongside because they believe in the vision. Jesus received His vision from the Father and then He told people about it. He never wavered from staying the course, He set goals to get there, and He began with the end in mind! Follow His lead…and become a visionary leader.

A day in the life of Caye Siller

A Trip to Daphne's


If there has ever been a day where I knew I was in ministry to the King it was yesterday. I came into the office to a difficult e.mail. It was one of those e.mails that where I knew I was going to need to "fix things". I had an appointment to get to across town where I was going to lead a young girl through her first Bible Study. As I was gathering things for the meeting my cell phone rang and the minute I answered the phone I knew it would change my day. It was a dear friend very upset about a crisis in her family. I was so overcome with her pain that it comsumed me but I also knew I had to make it across town. As I drove down Scottsdale Road I couldn't believe the news and hearthache I was hearing from my friend. It was one of those moments where you had no words to console just a shoulder to offer to lean on. I pulled into Daphne's restaurant and finished the call. Just then I realized I had forgotten the Bible Study for this meeting...I took a deep breath and felt so drained by the morning. I prayed out loud, "God, I have nothing left for this meeting but I know you want to minister to this girl today. Would you just do your thing?" I searched the car and found a track of the 4 Spiritual laws. During our meal I walked this girl through the gospel and when I got to the part about Christ covering our sin she literally said, "that's beautiful". As her eyes teared up I knew God was speaking to her and I asked her if she would like to accept the Lord into her heart. After asking a couple of questions she was ready and we held hands and said a not-so-magical prayer as God did the supernatural in her heart. I opened my eyes and said, "Happy Birthday" to her......I can't wait to meet with her next week.
When I jumped back in the car and left Daphne's Restaurant, this verse came to mind.

2Cor 12:9 "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness ." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

A Successful Summer BBQ!

At the beginning of August our short term Romania team hosted a Honey Bears BBQ to share more about the challenges with women in Romania and how our team plans to minister while there in October. Included in our program that evening, a Romanian man, Ioan Tina (above), who now lives in Arizona, blessed us by singing "It Is Well With My Soul" in Romanian. It's always such a blessing to hear God praised in another language.

During the BBQ, a very generous donor offered to match all donations for sponsoring Romanian women to attend our upcoming retreat. Of our $13,500 goal, we've raised nearly $8,000, which includes the matching gifts! Due to the poor economic conditions in Romania, these women wouldn't otherwise be able to attend. God provides!

Now our team is gearing up for our September 19th Ministry Awareness Event: "Unwrapping the Gift". We'll provide dinner during this exciting evening program, and Naomi Rhode is our featured speaker. If you haven't received an invitation and would like to attend, please contact Alyssa at alyssa@greaterreach.com.

It has been a while

My husband Fred and I have been having a great summer of rest, relfection and rejuvenation.

I am working on my book for Greater Reach and preparing for our trip to Romania in the fall. (Part of our team is shown above) But the distractions are far fewer, and for that I am grateful!

As a matter of fact, as I think, rest, reflect and study, I am reminded again and again of how much I have to be thankful for. God has blessed us (me) with every spiritual blessing. Oh, that more women would understand and embrace their true identity in Christ!! We have lives that can count for eternity, and we have the promise of a significant spiritual impact!

I just can't express what a joy it is to work with women around the world and know that God will use our efforts for His glory. Please keep us at GRM in your prayers and help us reach women for Christ! Blessings, Kristin

Romania Team Summer BBQ-You're Invited!

Greater Reach Ministries and Scottsdale Bible Church are partnering on a short term trip to Romania in October. A team of 7 women will minister to Romanian women by providing their first ever Women's Retreat in Arad, Romania! Also on the agenda is an orphanage visit and children's ministry. Our goal is to serve, assist and encourage the women and children in Romania during our visit. Pastor Fred will be joining us to serve, teach and equip Romanian pastors, and leaders.

You are invited to learn more about this trip by joining us for Honey Bears BBQ on August 1st at Scottsdale Bible Church from 6:30-8:30pm. Please RSVP by July 23rd to alyssa@greaterreach.com!

See you there!

Class Is In Session

Our Spring Class, "Who Do You Think You Are?" is in session. Since the beginning of May, 23 class members have been learning how to combat the false assumptions and half-truths, that many of us have held since our youth, with God's unwavering truth. As God progressively enlightens them about their identity through His Word, they are also learning more about their unique design to fulfill His Kingdom purposes.
The women in this class are not only learning from biblical stories of women and of their identity in the Trinity, but they are also taking a thorough spiritual gifts inventory and working through areas of spiritual growth.

After a recent study and lecture on the Woman at the Well (John 4:1-42), one class member commented, "I want to share how powerful your lesson on Thursday was. As often as I have read that story, I never saw it quite that way!! It truly was eye opening!!”

It's a joy to see God working in the hearts and minds of the women through this class.

We're already making plans to teach this class again in future months. If you are interested in holding a class at your church or for one of your women's groups, please Email us.

I have recently returned from half way around the world after teaching a women’s conference at the only evangelical church in Aqaba, Jordan. This conference was in partnership with Arab Woman Today. The women who make up the AWT team are all wonderful Christian women and good friends. It is a always a special joy and privilege to serve alongside these warriors for Christ! This region of Jordan has few Christians and there is a real need for encouragement for the women who live there. My heart went out to these women who struggle, living in a Muslim world. A few comments from the twenty-five+ who attended:

“This is the first time I understand how God relates to me”
“I never have known before how the Trinity relates to me”
“There is no good teaching here for women”
“This teaching was very rich, very deep. It touched my heart”.

Dedication of the Baptism Center

On our recent voyage to Jordan, Fred and I had the opportunity to attend the Jordan Baptism Center Dedication. For a report of the event and pictures, see below.

"Christian Telegraph reports, "An estimated 1,700 persons attended the dedication and opening ceremony and more than 120 people were baptized in the Jordan River at a new Baptism Center on Friday, March 20, by pastors from the Jordan Baptist Convention, reports Michael Ireland, chief correspondent, ASSIST News Service.
The baptism was the culmination of an afternoon of celebration in which the Baptism Center at Bethany beyond Jordan was dedicated for use by Baptists and other evangelical Christians.
Baptist World Alliance (BWA) General Secretary Neville Callam, who gave the main address, said, "Today, as we assemble by the Jordan… we unite to mark the opening and dedication of this Baptism Center – a place where people from all parts of the world may assemble for a journey and an experience."

Associated Press, "One of several new churches being built along the Jordan River where Christian pilgrims have long believed Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the centre is intended to cater to Christian traditions that practice believers' baptism by immersion.
BWA General Secretary Neville Callam, in the day's major address, called the centre "a place where people from all parts of the world may assemble for a journey and an experience." He expressed the hope that "the waters of the Jordan extinguish the crippling fires of hopelessness that burn in the hearts of those who have no knowledge of God."
Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life and pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, sent a congratulatory letter saying he could not attend the dedication ceremony but plans to make a pilgrimage there when he next visits the Middle East in 2010.
Also participating in the event were Imad Maayah, a Baptist and former member of the Jordanian Parliament; Toma Magda and Tony Peck, President and General Secretary of the European Baptist Federation and Nabeeh Abbassi, former president of the Jordan Baptist Convention and chief organizer of the dedication and opening.
Jordan is about 92 percent Muslim, but relations between Muslims and a Christian minority, estimated at 6 percent, are generally good. While Islam is the state religion and proselytization of Muslims and conversions from Islam are prohibited, the Jordanian Constitution promises religious freedom as long as rites do not violate public order or morality and recognize several Christian denominations."




Prince Ghazi

Tony Blair

The Orchestra

Before the Ceremony

Ruba, one of our ministry partners with AWT

Greater Reach: Inspiring Women In Jordan

Kristin is finishing up her Jordan trip along with her husband, Fred this week. Here's an update I received from Fred on Saturday...

"Yesterday we went to the baptism site and were surprised to see a crowd of 1000 + in attendance. It was very cool to be right on the Jordan in the site many say is where John baptised Jesus. It was obviously more of a significant event than Kristin or I realized as both Tony Blair of England and the Royal Prince of Jordan werre in attendance and spoke at the dedication. Thanks to Nabeeh, we were given VIP seats in the second row. Very good day, but it was a 7 hour event and we were very tired by the end.

Today Kristin headed off for Aqaba with AWT to do her two days of teaching. She called tonight and said the first two sessions went very well. A woman came up to her after she spoke and said: "This is a very important message and we need to hear it. Even though we are from the Christian church we live in a Muslim culture and community. Our town and our country are Muslim and our husbands are more Muslim than Christian."
The message of the incredible value these women have, created in the image of God and loved by Him is life giving and so needed for their soul care."

Praise God for His work in Jordan!
(Posted by Alyssa)

"Insights for Strengthening the Blessed Alliance": Conference Recap

I just returned from Florida where I taught a workshop titled, “Insights for Strengthening the Blessed Alliance” (the “blessed alliance” refers to Adam and Eve in Eden when God blessed them and commissioned them to form an alliance to rule and subdue the earth) at the recent Synergy Conference in Orlando. Synergy is a networking conference for women in vocational ministry, and has been in existence for about 5 years now. I have taught there for most of those years and they always want me to teach the same thing: how men and women can work together in ways that are biblical and that strengthen their ability to work effectively together in ministry. The need for believers to learn how to affirm one another and develop healthy, godly relationships never goes away! So it is my privilege to join these fine women each year with a practical message on developing healthy interpersonal relationships.
Though I love to teach women, I also love the opportunity to develop ministry relationships and deepen budding friendships. Most of these women I only see once a year, so I look forward to times to visit and share highlights of our lives and ministries. The photos here just capture a glimmer of the fun that was had connecting with like-minded women. Maybe I will see you there next year! Mark your calendar: March 5-7, 2010. It should prove to be stimulating as next year’s theme will be: “The Shaping of a Leader’s Soul”.

Photos from Synergy 2009 Conference

Caye's Lesson Learned

I spent 2 weeks last month helping a friend's dad roof their house on Manasota Key. It was hard work but I was grateful for it. It was probably the hardest money I have earned since college, and I was excited to deposit it in the bank. While I’ve been support raising, I’ve felt like I’m often living out of my car going from place to place. I made the mistake of putting my roofing cash in my glove box one night, so, I’d remember to deposit it. I arrived home from a long trip around 10 pm and forgot to take out the cash. Sometime that night my car was broken into and a few things stolen….one of them being most of my roofing money.

At first I was beating myself up, as most anyone would do. How could I make such a stupid mistake, especially at such a crucial time? I felt like a bad steward of an opportunity God had given me. Well, after the Officer finished fingerprinting my car I came back to the Lord to get my heart right. “Father, what would you have me learn from this? I feel like the cash represented very hard efforts on my part. It normally wouldn’t hurt so badly except it was back breaking work.” In that moment, I felt God saying….”That’s it. I wanted you to see how hard people work for the gifts they are giving you. I wanted to remind you never to take it for granted and to feel the sweat from their sacrifice.”

Somehow knowing that God was using it to teach me something very profound made the loss so much more endurable. It also helped me forgive myself and move on, knowing that He will continue to provide for all my needs.

I think I will always look back on this experience and remember how much people are giving to me. It’s so humbling. May God continue to remind you that He ultimately is the Biggest Giver of all. He has always given us more than we could ever offer Him. And He has always sacrificed more than us as well.

John 15:13,
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friend" NIV

Written by Caye Siller

(visit her blog: CayeSiller.blogspot.com)

Praying For Those You Mentor

Prayer: [prer] a spoken or unspoken address to God, a deity, or a saint. It may express praise, thanksgiving, confession, or a request for something such as help for somebody's well-being.

Prayer is encouraging, affirming, engages our hearts, and is “helpful training” when communicated. Prayer is the underpinning. It’s the crucial element in all we do. Pray for those you mentor for their:

1. Spiritual lives
2. Ministry
3. Relationships within the Body of Christ
It enables them to do what they do. It’s an infusion of spiritual help that they need.

Paul prays in Col 1:9-12, "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light."

This is a fool proof way for God to answer prayers of those we mentor. If Paul prayed this way for the saints in Colossae, and it is in the Bible, we pray with confidence that we are praying as God would have us pray.

Mentoring is a Matter of the Heart

Heart: [haart], affection, love, or warm admiration

Another key quality of a good mentor is when she mentors wholeheartedly, when she is engaged on every level. Have you ever heard the saying, “people won’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care”? With your whole heart mentor your protégé. Care for her. Passionately engage in the kind of ministry that Christ engaged in. Do you love those you are mentoring (discipling)? Do you believe that mentoring is ministering as Jesus ministered? The truth is, He spent most of His time with a small group of men (his 12 disciples), both one on one and in a small group. And He didn’t meet with them to just give them information, He engaged with them on a heart level. “There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.”(John 13:23). “Love one another; just as I have loved you, you also love one another.” (John 13:34)
He knew that you impress people from a distance, but you impact them when you engage heart to heart and life to life.

Discipleship, mentoring, is not just an intellectual activity, but a process of life change. We do our best coaching when we are engaged not just intellectually, but on a heart level with those we mentor.

And display a heart for the mentoring process. We may have a heart for mentoring, but do our protégés? The truth is many of them have to learn the value. I meet women all the time who have never been mentored or personally discipled in their life with the Lord. They think at times this is just another hoop they have to jump through.

I want to encourage you to believe enough in mentoring that you would be direct in saying to those you’re mentoring, how vital it is to their growth process. It’s important to speak frankly about the value of the mentoring experience. You will communicate wholeheartedness for mentoring and for your protégé by the way you approach your time together and by how much concern and love you show.

Read what Paul said to the Thessalonikan Christians, “But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.” I Thess. 2:7-8

Helpful Training: Discipleship

Those you are mentoring will need to know the basics in becoming a disciple of Christ. They should also be able to guide others through the process of knowing Christ and becoming like Him.
Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Some items you can train your protégé on would be:
1. How to have a quiet time with the Lord
2. Growing in understanding of the Word through various Bible Study Methods
3. Scripture Memorization
4. Character Development
5. Setting personal/ministry goals
6. Participating in ministry projects or how to lead a ministry project
7. Developing a personal mission statement
8. Preparing a personal testimony
9. Sharing the gospel with others

This isn’t a comprehensive list, but is a starting point for you as a mentor. You will play a critical role in guiding your protégé in spiritual growth and in ministry skills.

Affirmation

Affirmation: (af·fir·ma·tion) an assertion of support or agreement; a positive statement or declaration of the truth or existence of something.

Yesterday, we discussed the importance of encouraging each other. One important aspect of encouragement is expressing words of affirmation, or speaking a positive word to someone. Appreciation for your protégé always has to be expressed. We dare never take for granted the vital link all play in the body of Christ.

How to say it “out loud” to your protégé:
1. Share a Scripture that God has recently used in your life as “refreshment” to her spirit. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”. “Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore, my soul keeps them.” Psalm 119:105 and 129.
2. Express gratitude for their service to the body, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” (Phil. 1:3) Affirm their significance in body of Christ. Your protégé has an important role to play in God’s kingdom program. Let her know that you know and are grateful for her heart for God.
3. Build her up! Ephesians 4:29 say to share words that build others up according to their needs: Speak words that edify. We have great power to build up with the tongue. “Life and death are in the power of the tongue”. “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” (Prov.12:25). Your protégé could periodically feel discouraged and want to quit. Consider how to encourage with words of affirmation! You could be the difference in her life.

Mentoring Tip #1: Encouragement

Encouragement is a significant part of any mentoring relationship. We will always need encouragement when mentoring others. And those we mentor need encouragement.

The book of Hebrews exhorts us to stimulate others to good deeds as the day approaches. Hebrews 10:24-25, “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” “Let us consider”…in other words, think about how to support those you mentor.

Here are a couple of reminders as we mentor:
1. It is a privilege to enter another’s world as closely as you do with a protégé. It is a worthwhile use of their time. We can lose sight of this.
2. Press on with your protégé even when they are not responding as you like. Don’t give up! Persistence usually pays off!

Encourage, encourage, encourage! Encouraging those you mentor will warm your heart as well!

New Series: Mentoring

Over the next week, we will look at some things I’ve learned over the years while training women to mentor others. My five topics are: Encouragement, Affirmation, Heart, Helpful Training, and Prayer. These are aspects of mentoring that we will want to remember as we relate to women.

As we discuss relating with women in our lives, our passion can be expressed either ineffectively or effectively. We can learn from Paul as he spoke to the Christians in Thessalonika, "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us." I Thess. 2:8. God had given Paul a heart for those he was discipling just like He gives to us for those we reach out to.

Stay tuned as we cover 5 topics over 5 days!

A New Year

How quickly our Christmas holiday passes. Are you like me? I can’t believe how fast the Christmas season melts into January busyness. I love Christmas for a lot of reasons: we get to celebrate our Savior’s birth into this world, we get to spend a little extra time with family and friends, we get to show and tell them how we love them in special ways, we get to indulge in lots of Christmas music and holiday activities. All good stuff as far as I’m concerned. So I am always a little sad when I have to take down the decorations and put them away. I drag my feet a little and delay putting things away as long as I can. And ever so gradually, I adjust into the New Year, telling myself, “It’s ok to put Christmas away. Christmas will come again next year. A new year is a good thing…with God we always have a lot to look forward to.” Yet I don’t always welcome picking up the increased work schedule, a schedule I gladly set down the end of December. I forget that God is in my schedule, He is in my life, He has ordained this time for me. And so I need to make an attitude adjustment, and welcome the switch back to my busy ministry life.
It is God’s New Year for us: A year that will be filled with challenges and opportunities. Perhaps your challenge will be economic. Perhaps it will be health, or family issues. Perhaps it is work, like it is for me. Whatever it is, God has ordained the challenge and this year for you. And therefore, He is in it! God has blessed us all with His presence and many rich opportunities to be His ambassador in the New Year. And each new day He gives us new opportunities to be His ambassador no matter where we are and no matter what we are doing. “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!” (Ps. 118:24) Make a decision to embrace this New Year, enjoy it and the many challenges and opportunities it brings us. Happy New Year!