PEACE
LOVE JOY
There’s
a Christmas letter circulating on social media affectionately termed “The
Honest Christmas Letter”. They’re on to something. We can’t just tell half of
the story. That’s not fair to ourselves or to others. We all know that no one’s
life is perfect yet we somehow forget that when we start comparing ourselves to
their perfect public personas on social media. Kind of ironic, then, that the
Honest Christmas Letter is circulating on the same social media that
perpetuates a false ideal.
PEACE
LOVE JOY
As
I write this Christmas letter I’m enjoying a few days in Ocean City, New
Jersey, my happy place. It’s a time for relaxation (and a massage!), writing,
and most importantly, uninterrupted time with God. But I’m also engaged in an
all-out war Satan has declared against one of our own. This honest Christmas
letter is written while the high school, police, and my husband are out
searching for a beloved child who has run away from school. Sometimes life is
hard. Sometimes trauma lies just below the surface and sometimes it comes
bursting out. Sometimes love and rescue and freedom are just too painful to
bear. Sometimes we love and love and love until it hurts. And then we love some
more. And in those moments, we find where true peace and joy come from – from
the One who loves and loves and loved until it cost His life.
This
year, the hope, peace, love, and joy of Christmas are very relevant and real.
Just as the Israelites waited with hope and anticipation for their Messiah to
come into their world, we wait with hope and anticipation for the Messiah to
break through and into our dark
world. We live in this time of “already, not yet.” The Messiah has come and
lives with us but we wait for Him to come again when all strivings shall cease,
all tears shall draw to a close, and where all will be made right. All of the
things that break our heart – abuse, neglect, rejection, loneliness,
unforgiveness, anger, injustice, suffering, death – will be no more in that
day.
PEACE
LOVE JOY
And
so, in the meantime, we remain connected to true Peace, Love, and Joy so we can
spread these gifts to those who need them most. On my own, I have no peace or
joy and find it difficult to love when love is not returned. In my honest
Christmas letter, I’m human. But I have also found beauty in my daily times
with God. I am filled so I can pour out. I am loved so I can love. I am
surrounded by peace so I can spread peace. I have joy overflowing in spite of
circumstances.
Sounds
like Christmas to me.
PEACE
LOVE JOY
So
we can celebrate the high points and
accomplishments of the year gone by. We can
rejoice in who we are and who we were made to be. Each blessing is a gift from
God to remind us of His unfailing love for us. Remembering the blessings and
victories helps us persevere in the trials.
Andrew graduated from Asbury
University in the spring and is working in the media department for the
Governor of Kentucky. What a great job for someone who loves media and has
always had an interest in politics and government.
Jesse is a junior at Eastern
University but has enough credits to graduate in the spring. Next fall he will
student teach in middle school science and math and then will be looking for a
job.
Mariana is a sophomore at Marymount
Manhattan College and is learning the joys of apartment living in the city. She
spent a few weeks in Italy this past summer, studying music and Italian.
Mary was adopted on November 9.
It was a beautiful day full of smiles. She is studying carpentry at vo-tech and
thinks this is what she will do after graduation in 2019.
Shoun is also a junior. He enjoys
working out, time with friends and the freedom of a driver’s license. He
stepped back from swimming this year to focus on school and it has paid off.
Isaac, the third junior, just
qualified for District orchestra (again), is a finalist in a concerto competition,
and is first chair violist for the Harrisburg Youth Symphony Orchestra. Guess
what field he wants to pursue?
Eden is in 7th grade
and after two years in charter school is now in public school. She still takes
violin and piano lessons and enjoys playing and singing in one of the teen
worship bands at church and serving in children’s ministry.
HopeAnne still runs and still loves
to run but battled with asthma again this year. She loves to crochet and among
other things, makes hats and scarves to be donated to the homeless.
Victor has been on a restricted
diet since June and we have seen a significant decrease in violent behaviors.
He is learning Braille and recently read and spelled his first words. He takes
piano lessons and still loves anything related to music!
John continues to pastor at
Mechanicsburg Brethren in Christ Church. Daily he uses his God-given gifts to
connect with, counsel, and love people.
Working at Grace Like a River Counseling allows him to use those same
skills in a different setting.
And
me? I have been pursuing options for next year when all of the children will be
in school. Whatever will I do? In the spring I was commissioned to write a
small group curriculum with corresponding devotionals which was used in our
church for a six week study of His Story,
My Story, Our Story: Living Like Jesus. I also began volunteering with
parents whose children have been removed into foster care. It is a privilege to
love these men and women who have experienced so much brokenness and injustice
in their lives and to teach parenting skills to them as well. This is where my
heart is, to the brokenness in our home and in the world.
PEACE
LOVE JOY
To you and yours,
John, Cindy, and the King
Crew
No comments:
Post a Comment