We have panned this year to spend Christmas in Arkansas with some family - the first time in perhaps 10 or so years Because of this we have been working hard to try to supplement the food ministry in order to help the folks in the colonias have enough to keep them in food supplies for the 2 weeks that we are going to be gone. We also have been collecting new gifts for the children - Christian resort Ministries have come through from their parks to provide the gifts - and even many loads of canned goods - not to mention Ranchers Village Park which provided 155 little canned hams so far. These small hams do not seem like much, but the ladies prepare them with other veggies, etc. to make a full meal. Yesterday at our chaplains meeting, the ladies helped wrap the many presents, as well as help load the many canned goods they collected. As we attended the meeting, we were treated to a concert by Citizens for Glory, a traveling family Christian group of 10 kids (and their parents), all who are extremely talented. they combined classical music with Christmas Carols for an hour of great Christmas music. Then today we took all of the gifts and food to the church in Alton, where a group helped unpack and sort it all. After a luncheon of salad and chicken, we left, as another group were coming in to bag up all of the food for the individual families on Friday. We will do our normal food delivery on Tuesday, then the Christmas celebration on Friday. We are so thankful for those willing to help with this wonderful project.
a portion of the talented family
God has provided
the overflow table
another view of the second picture
What lady in Scripture gave the world it's first musician? She was Adah, whose name meant adornment, beauty, and pleasure. Adah, and co-wife, Zillah, are the first women to be named after Eve. Adah was one of the two wives of Lamech, who was of the the 7th generation from Adam. Adah was the mother of two sons, Jabal and Jubal. Jubal was the first person to introduce music to the world. The is another women named Adah whom we will discuss next week.
As we continue in the Book of Philippians, we realize that the city of Philippi was going through a difficult time - Nero was about to become ruler. There was much confusion and unrest as there is in the difficult times today. Just as the Philippians, we don't know what will happen. As believers, God sould make our lives easier, but He does not do that. Where do we find stability? God wants us to stay strong and hold our ground because we are in Him. "But our citizenship is in Heaven, and from it we await a Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to bel like His glorious body, by the power the enables Him even to subject all things to Himself." Philippians 3:20-21. Transformation and determination are how we stand firm in the Lord. Paul admonished the ladies in the Philippian church to quit arguing about non-essential things of the church. Their names were written in the Book of Life, so their earthly squabbles are worth nothing here on earth. Realizing what we have on store for us makes the things of the world mundane. We have to keep the right perspective, keep our eyes on the long view. The supreme lesson in life is what the centuries have taught us. Keep telling yourself the right story. "Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say rejoice.: Philippians 4:4 . We have to keep our minds in the right place, not to follow the narrative of this world. If you are anxious, you will nor be able to rejoice. Learn to rest in God. Have a confidence in Him. God is near. He is with us in all of our struggles. Do not be anxious about anything. (Read Philippians 4:4-7. We have to keep our minds in the right place, not to follow the narrative of this world. If you are anxious, you will not be able to rejoice. Learn to rest in God. Have confidence in Him. God is near. He is with us in all of our struggles . Do not be anxious about anything. Anxiety sections off our thinking about God. Pray - prayer is stopping and letting God back into the story. Let Him be a part of what is going on in your life. We have a messed up world, but God uses the ugliness to bring joy to the world. Our responsibility is then obedience. Keep your mind focused in the right place. Don't fill your mind with the happenings in this world. think about what is true, honorable, and pure, The voice you are listening to is the voice that disciples you. turn off the messages of the world. Put all of this into practice. You have to keep moving or you will fall over..
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