Update Tuesday - Hope

What does it mean to have Hope?  What does it mean to find hope in Jesus?  As we celebrated the first week of advent this past week, this was the theme that we explored.  Sharing thoughts over a meal together, songs of worship, an experiential learning activity for the kids (that the adults also shared was helpful for them!) and time in the Word we unpacked the idea of Hope so associated with our celebration of Jesus at Christmas.  We also had the opportunity to put into practice many of the things we observed and learned as we prayed for Gerry (my dad) who began chemotherapy and radiation this past Monday to treat esophageal cancer.  The truth of Christmas is that Jesus broke into the darkness; the hope and expectation of a lost, hurting world awaiting deliverance.  The same is true today.  There is darkness, despite "the Christmas feeling," but Jesus can still break in today to provide hope and comfort to a broken and hurting world.  My prayer is that we might recognize Jesus breaking in this season, that we might see lives transformed, that those around us who do not know Jesus might "see a great light" and awake to the reality of who Jesus is.
Yes,
there is darkness-there is illness around us, there are broken lives, poverty and addiction and many without a saving knowledge of Jesus- but Jesus is greater still and thus we have Hope. This is part of the beauty of Christmas.  Would you join us in praying for healing, restoration, transformed lives and salvation this season.