Getting Hope For Christmas

Sunday was just an amazing day, I love Christmas when God is moving and stirring in His people! Some highlights:

• The four baptisms were great, but knowing the back story on each of those folks was even cooler. God has been at work in the lives of these four individuals in four unique and custom created ways. It was a privilege to be in the tank with them all and witness their public expression of putting their hope in Jesus.
  
• The look on the faces of people when I pulled out a lump of real frankincense was fun to watch! I had never seen it in my life before that morning, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. Folks were genuinely curious about the stuff that wise men gave to Jesus.
  
• I love sharing the good news of God's grace at Christmas time, it seems so natural to talk about God giving His best to us, and all of us needing to receive His gift.
• I appreciate Karl and the team working so hard to make Christmas music into something worshipful. It's harder than you might think to take what we all have sung at Christmas all of our lives and make it into something that worships the Great Gift of Christ.
  
• The blessing of being in a church family was evident all around. I know several people stepped in to help Stacy and Eric Rude with their trip to California for Stacy's father's funeral. I'm always so encouraged to see people be generous when they see a need. I know Stacy and Eric will be touched, too.
• The Student Ministry worship team was getting some work done after church, and I can't wait to hear the teens in our church family start leading in worship.
  
• The Children's Ministry had a Christmas themed thank you potluck for all their volunteers, and I got to go as Mac's escort. It's a cool thing as a parent to see your children start to serve and be givers in ministry in their teen years, and I was proud to go with him to an event where he was being encouraged for serving, along with dozens of other volunteers.
  

Just another great Sunday of ministry and grace at FBC!!