The Joy of Giving

Mother Theresa once said, “The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.” Jesus knew this truth when He summed up the Mosaic law as “Love God and love people”. We have had wonderful opportunities in the past year to spend quality time with many people as we have served in PNG and while on furlough in the US, including family and friends we haven’t seen in many years. God also gave Kathy an additional opportunity, as she traveled back to NY to spend time with her Mom and siblings after her Dad’s death. Our prayer has been that we would love people well, and not just in word but also in deed. We were reminded anew that our mission field is wherever God plants us, and that is true for every Christian who seeks to follow Jesus Christ’s example. He showed us perfect love and perfect obedience by coming to Earth as a child, to save and redeem us from sin and death while upholding God’s righteousness and perfect justice. Jesus is our Emmanuel, “God with us”, and in God’s Word, we see the physical embodiment of God’s characteristics in the life of Christ. Amazing grace and love— what a gift! Please take the time to stop, amidst the hustle and bustle of this special season, and really ponder this gift. It is as wonderful to give as it is to receive and we are deeply grateful to have been the recipients of this love from many of you— thank you. 

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the Gospel.” Colossians 1:3-5