Really our week began early Friday morning as our Santa elves and God's servants started arriving at 7 am to turn our dining hall into our famous Christmas Market. People were everywhere, sorting, pricing, moving, arranging all the gifts from numerous groups, churches, organizations, clubs we have been receiving all year long. We ran out of room in our Christmas room in the two story, so we had to open another room!
Saturday morning, the community began lining up by 8, the doors opened at 9. Our community began to shop with the help of their personal shopper, pay for their gifts, then taken to one of many wrapping stations. Others helped carrying their gifts to their cars or to their rides. First Baptist transformed our friendship room into a gathering place of cookies, coffee, hot chocolate and holiday music. While the community was waiting for their turn to shop, they enjoyed watching a classic holiday movie as popcorn was being popped! A tent was set up outside to give the children a place to create Christmas crafts while their moms shopped. A big hit this year, was our Christmas train! The children were treated to a ride around our campus on Santa's Christmas train! We had lots of new faces and families join us this year. What a special day. A huge thank you goes out to all who made it possible!
We visited our friends Saturday while our Market was going on finding everybody doing good. Christmas gifts for our friends will be arriving this week!
Monday afternoon, we had our Christmas party for our afternoon tutoring children. Lots of games, gifts, songs and fun was had by all! Great to see all the smiles and hugs from the young and young at heart!
Tuesday evening, the men gathered for their Bible fellowship. Brother George led the discussion reading from Luke 1 about the birth of John the Baptist. John was born first to prepare a way for Jesus. God's plan, God's timing is always the best!
Not sure why, but Thursday was one of our largest crowds ever! The warmer weather, the time of year, school being out, but the community came, came and came! We gave away more food than ever before. A huge night, but as always God has things in control and we were able to have enough for everybody.
This Saturday evening at 6 pm, Joey will host our Christmas Eve worship. If you are out and about, stop by, listen, sing and praise God for all He has done in our lives this year and what He is about to do in the coming year.
I have heard so many God stories this past week, too numerous to share now, but just know God is working in our community. Lisa has received keys to a new addition to our campus. The old bank building across the street is now ours to use as God sees fit. Hallelujah! We are being showered with gifts and donations for our children of the community. Praise God! God is amazingly good!
A couple of weeks ago, we read from Hebrews 13 verse 16, "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased". A question was asked, what is a sacrifice? The act of doing good or to share is good, but is what we are doing, is it a sacrifice? Is it something we do, just to be doing good, to look good to others, to receive praise? Is going to church a sacrifice in our lives or is it just something we do? We have grown up saying the Lord's prayer, maybe taking it for granted, but do we realize the sacrifices God is asking of us?
God could have chosen for His son born in the mightiest of castles but He made the sacrifice of choosing the simplest of all places, in a stable in a manager. God could have chosen to tell the Kings of the land about the birth but He chose the lowest of all, the shepherds in the fields. God made a sacrifice for us all to have His son born in a world of sin, knowing one day His son would make the greatest sacrifice of all, his life. God is about sacrifices, not about doing good.
All of you make sacrifices for our community everyday. Some of you sacrifice time with your family to be with our community. Others give of your monies to our community making sacrifices with less at home. You sacrifice your promotion at your job to take time to be in community with us. You don't have to teach our children, serve our neighbors, listen to our friends, lvoe our families, but you do. You are people of God and He sees that . . . for with such sacrifices God is pleased . .
How exciting to be a part of such a special group of servants. Your sacrifices for this year has not gone unnoticed. God is pleased! Amen!
I hope your time with family and friends this season will be a blessing to you all! God is amazingly good!
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