Merry Christmas! We hope you have a great Christmas this year. We know that some celebrate this time of year while others are grieving. There were 2 deaths this past week that have really impacted me. My grandmother went to be with the Lord. She was 87 and had lived a wonderful life. She was a great influence on my life and was always an encouragement to me. She had been in pain for a few years and so even though there was great emotion we are at peace that she is with Christ. On another note, a friend of mine from elementary school lost his 1 year old in a horrific tragedy. In these moments we do not have words to express the grief or words that comfort. If you have ever been the minister or personally been in that situation you know that presence is crucial not so much the word that are said. These 2 deaths, the week of Christmas, just make me reflect on the hope that we have in Christ. I do not understand why one lives to 87 and another has only 1 year of life. What I do know this Christmas season is that we serve a good God that provides our only hope in this life and in the life to come. My prayer is that each of you will reflect on the hope we have in Christ and remember that he truly is our reason for living. We also know that in the midst of this season we can rejoice in our great king who understands our joys and our immense pains.

God Bless