Ending 2020 in Gratitude
Dear Friends,
Let’s close out 2020. Likely, like me, you are not sad to see the year go. In our minds we know that nothing magical will happen at 12:00 on January 1 but a new year brings hope none the less. The 2020 that we see leaving has been a year where the grace of seeing what is truly important was shown to us in focus. 2020 has also graciously shown to us our place in this world. We are dependent people. The picture above from the R.R. Brown Chapel is a beautiful snapshot of our dependence expressed. Dependence upon the Almighty is a simple expression of our human reality, we are not in control but submit ourselves to the God who is.
Thankfully the God revealed to us in Scripture is a God of goodness and love. We are told honestly that His ways are not our ways, they are in fact higher. As we scratch our heads at some of current realities, from ideological differences, pandemic separations, and the loss of loved ones gone to soon, we can only but tune our hearts to the goodness and love of our good, good Father.
I pray as we enter 2021 we do so with gratitude. Gratitude that the God we serve is the one who can, and will, make all things new. I share with you verses from Isaiah that include our theme verse for Conference 2021. May your soul take refuge in the words.
Isaiah 43:16-21
Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
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Blessings on your New Year. I pray that you can join us next summer, July 31 to August 6, as we worship and celebrate our great God together at Conference 2021. If you would like to join in closing out the calendar year with a gift you can do so here or have a gift postmarked December 31. We currently are at $42,000 of our $60,000 December giving goal. Thank you to everyone who has participated. I am thankful for you all.
With Gratitude,
Jon Pausley
Executive Director