Did you know that today is three months until Christmas?!?  I know many of you are rolling your eyes at me as you read this and others are getting excited and are starting to work on their shopping lists!  I’m always amazed at how quickly the season comes around year after year.  To start our Christmas celebration this year, Vicki Newcomer shared a great opportunity with us yesterday to make a difference in the life of a child around the world at Christmas through the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox program.  As I’m sure many of you are aware, each year people all over the country fill shoeboxes with toys and needed personal items.  These boxes are collected and sent out to children in third-world countries along with the Good News message of Jesus.  Not only do these boxes give the kids a great Christmas present but they also open up the opportunity to give the kids the greatest gift of all—Jesus!  I’m so excited to see our church participate this year and now we can track our individual boxes to see where they go and pray specifically for that country!  Please consider getting involved this year whether through filling a box or even just supporting the project by donating the shipping cost for someone else’s box ($9/box).

Of course Christmas is still three months away and there’s plenty of other things coming up before that!  In October we have the chance to once again serve at GAiN packing blankets, clothes, and other needed items to send to those in need around the world.  We’ll also be spending some time together fellowshipping at our Progressive Dinner.  Get out of the house, get out of your comfort zone, and get involved 🙂

I know many of you were challenged yesterday to address the “loops” replaying in your mind.  Our pasts have an amazing ability to never leave us and often they weigh us down.  But we can be freed from them…they don’t have to get us stuck in guilt and shame!  I would encourage you to spend some time this week with Jesus simply being honest about these things you struggle with and know that He loves you even with them!  Remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 11, “Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”  Our pasts do not have to weigh us down, Jesus offers us grace and rest in His love!

In Christ Alone,

Pastor Jan