Valerie Rae Hanneman
Revelation 4:8b (The Message) “The Four Animals were winged, each with six wings. They were all eyes, seeing around and within. And they chanted night and day, never taking a break:
Holy, holy, holy Is God our Master, Sovereign-Strong,
THE WAS, THE IS, THE COMING”
On Christmas Day I read a fascinating story in the news. The start of 2006 has been delayed by a leap second. Seriously! It seems that every once in awhile a leap second has to be inserted because our atomic clocks have gotten so precise at keeping time that they get off from the earth’s actual rotation. The article said that the earth’s rotation is not precise because it is slowing down. Granted, it isn’t slowing down much. The last leap second was inserted seven years ago. But the bottom line is that as the earth gets older, it gets slower.
I know how that feels. The older I get - the slower I go. I used to skinny-dip and now I chunky-dunk. I can still see everything that I always could - I just have to look through bifocals to do it. My mind is still as sharp as ever in some things, I still remember how to make poi after reading about it in James Michner’s “Hawaii” but I have an increase in the bewildering experiences of getting half-way out of a room and suddenly realizing that I don’t know where I am going. I have been dying the grey out of my hair for so long I don’t even remember what the original color was. There are laugh lines on my face and my center of gravity has shifted several inches south. As I get older, I am getting slower and I am wearing out.
But that is the way it is with every created thing. Whether it is a battery, a human or a planet, it has a shelf life and as it gets older it slows down, wears out and finally it is done.
There is only One to whom this does not happen. This One does not get older, does not slow down, does not wear out and does not ever end. And that is because He is the Uncreated One, He is God. He is the same today as He was yesterday. Before there was a yesterday, He is the same. He is the same tomorrow as He is yesterday. And when all the tomorrows are gone, He will still be the same. He doesn’t get stronger, He doesn’t get weaker. He doesn’t change at all because He is absolutely perfect. Not only has He never had a second thought - He has never had a new thought. He is God, sovereign forever, of His kingdom there is no end. (No beginning either)
I don’t know about you - but I draw great comfort from His eternalness. I am getting older, I am slowing down and I am wearing out. Soon, I will be done with my physical life. Then my soul will step into eternity. I will dance with joy into the presence of God, Who has always been in eternity and will always be in eternity. I will dance with joy because I have His promise that I get to stay with Him for all of that eternity.
His promise was give to me in His Word. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) I believe in Jesus, I have staked my eternity on Him - and He will not fail me.
What are you staking your eternity on? Do you stake your eternity on being “good enough”? You are doomed to failure because God says “There is none righteous - no not one.”(Romans 3:10) You can’t be good enough to get into heaven. Do you stake it on the belief that it doesn’t matter what religion you believe in - just as long as you believe strong enough? Jesus was clear - “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by me.”(John 14:6) He is the only one you can believe in to get to the Father.
If you have not staked your eternity on Jesus then your eternity is staked in nothing. And when you step into eternity you will not step into eternal life in the presence of the Uncreated One. You will step into the eternal death of separation from God.
Like me, you are slowing down. Eventually you will come to your end. What then?
If you are not sure where your eternity is - if your eternity is not founded on Jesus and His promises - then I urge you to take the time to be sure.
Jesus is calling you into a relationship with Him. He is eager to give you an eternity with Him tomorrow and a life of joy with Him today. All that you have to do is ask Him to forgive you of your sins and ask Him into your heart to be your Savior.
If you would like to talk to someone about choosing Jesus for today and forever then I urge to call 1(888)need-him to talk to a counselor from the Billy Graham Association. Or call Fresno First Baptist Church at 1(559)bap-tist and ask to speak to one of the pastors. If talking to somebody is more than what you want to do right now, then please log onto K-Love radio at www.klove.com Click on “searching for purpose” on the scrolling banner for more information on beginning a relationship with Jesus. If you would be comfortable with an e-mail conversation about Jesus, contact me at valerie@fresnofirst.org. It doesn’t matter how you find out about Jesus - just find out and be sure about your eternity.
LORD Jesus, Who was and is and is to come, I pray for all who read this devotional and realize that they are not sure about their eternity. Speak to them, draw them to You, show them how to be sure by starting a relationship with You. They will know no greater joy then knowing You.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministry of Fresno First Baptist at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Faith is not being sure where youre going, but going anyway. A journey without maps. Frederick Buechner
A bunch of our church family have gone on a mission trip to Mexico this week. Please keep them in your prayers, that they accomplish great things for the Kingdom of God and that they arrive home safely.
Georgeanne McCormick has injured her foot - a stress fracture. Please pray for a quick recovery so that she can return to work.
My stepfather, Walt Couch’s prostrate cancer is not as slow moving as originally hoped. Please pray that the doctors will find an effective course of treatment for him.
Please pray for our sister Lynette Johnson and her family as they grieve the passing of her grandmother. Lynette took some flowers from the funeral to her workplace and is using them as a tool to witness for Christ. Way to go, sis!
Keep Biana Grogg and I in your prayers as we continue to plan mission trips in 2006. Biana to Nigeria and me to India. Please pray for other mission trips planned for Mexico and Nigeria.
We continue to pray for the following: Kristine Allison & her back, Remo & Susan from Reaching hand Society as they are wed on the 29th, Dan Hansen as he finishes his training, Lance Cole & a job, Ann Mead & her hip, Celebrate Life & need for volunteers, Steven & his unit in Iraq, Dan & Sandy Austin with financial difficulties, Danette Joos & health problems, Mike Joos & recovery from radiation treatment, Brent Bethell & recovery from eye surgery, Lill’s mom & niece as they recover from pneumonia, Denise, George Martin & cancer, Frieda Kennedy & recovery, Roberta with a brain tumor & cancer, Christina & liver cancer, Bob & Geri Kinnish & his health problems, Tony & treatment for prostrate cancer, Liz & stress from ill family, Michael, Merle Rush & recovery from a stroke, Walt Couch & prostate cancer, John Rodgers with cancer, Stan Reed & cancer
Pray for our missionaries -Gospel For Asia, The Faith Alive Clinic in Jos, Nigeria, Laurie Bethall in Prague, Judy, Faye & Miisaw at the New Life Center in Thailand, Jan & Larry Martin in Thailand, The Reaching Hand Society in India, SeaFM in Southeast Asia, Dr. George Pe Myat in the Congo, Bounkham & Khamla’s mission to Laos, and all the missionaries worldwide.
Pray for our pastors, our leadership, our ministries, and Father’s provision for His Church. Pray that we recognize opportunities to share our faith with others
Pray for our country, her leadership and our military.
Most Holy God,
We come before Your throne, broken and sin-soiled. We know that we fail You in so many ways that we deserve Your condemnation. But You are not about the guilt, the blame or the condemnation, for You are grace, mercy, compassion and love. We fall prostrate before You because we are not worthy. You lift us up, You cleanse us from our sins, You make us whole and restore us to You. We are worthy because You chose to make us worthy. We lay our lives before You as a living sacrifice of praise.
Abba God, we lift up before You our family that has gone to serve You in Mexico. Keep them safe and give them many opportunities to share You with those they meet.
We pray that Your healing touch be upon Georgeanne and that she is soon up and about again.
Grant wisdom to Walt Couch’s doctor’s, LORD Most High. Show them how to treat the cancer.
We thank You for Your daughter, Lynette, and her creativity in sharing You on the workplace. Bring comfort to her and her family during this time of grief.
We thank You, Father God for Biana and her courage to be willing to follow Your leading into a distant country to serve You for an extended length of time.
Holy, Holy, Holy, LORD God Almighty, may our songs of praise rise before You throughout eternity. From the highest mountain to the deepest canyon may the songs of Your children enthrone You on our praise. Nothing compares to You.
We pray for the many friends and family who continue to be on our prayer chain. We pray a special prayer for those on our list who do not know You as Savior. We pray that through our prayers and actions we can help them to find You.
We lift up a song of praise and thanksgiving for those who serve You in places of leadership. We pray for our missionaries and ask that You provide for their needs. We pray for our pastors and ask that You show us new ways to support them. We ask that You bless our ministries and the ministry leaders with the opportunities to touch lives in Your name and power.
God bless America and bring her back to You. Touch our leaders and show them the way that You would have our country go. Pour Your abundance on the brave women and men who serve our country in the military.
LORD God, the time is coming when we will literally bow down before You. Just the anticipation of seeing You, touching You and hearing You say our names is such joy that our hearts beat fastert. But as we look forward to our future in Your presence, help us not to forget that our life is today. Help us to live for You today. Amen
The Lord is my real boss, and I shall not want.
He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me.
He gently reminds me to pray and do all things without murmuring and complaining.
He reminds me that he is my source and not my job.
He restores my sanity everyday and guides my decisions that I might honor him in all that I do.
Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mails, system crashes, unrealistic deadlines, budget cutbacks, gossiping co-workers, discriminating supervisors and an aging body that doesn't cooperate every morning, I still will not stop--- for He is with me! His presence, His peace, and His power will see me through.
He raises me up, even when they fail to promote me.
He claims me as His own, even when the company threatens to let me go. His Faithfulness and love is better than any bonus check.
His retirement plan beats every 401k there is!
When it's all said and done, I'll be working for Him a whole lot longer and for that, I BLESS HIS NAME!!!!!!
We find ourselves only somewhat removed from the Christmas hustle and bustle, on Monday we went shopping for some goodies to hand out to our students at a number of primary schools. We went to the first of the schools today and put on a Christmas program telling the Christmas story in English and Thai with the use of flannel graph pictures, the kids listened intently and for the most part were able to answer questions at the end. They laughed and cheered as we played some “silly” races and gratefully accepted the gifts at the end but . . . Where is Santa? We were evidently missing two very important pieces of equipment, the tree and Santa. And we thought we lived in the sticks.
Apart from the school programs we are juggling a funeral at the house opposite us – Grandma passed away last night and the wake will go on for 3 days giving us plenty of opportunity to be involved with neighbors at this time.
As we come to the end of 2005 and into this time of blessing where we celebrate the birth of Christ on earth, we would like to thank you for your support as we have worked together to see Jesus presented to the Thai people.
We pray that 2006 will be a time when we all continue to find God’s will for our lives and work and see growth for the Kingdom.
Valerie Rae Hanneman
Luke 2:15 (NLT) “When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."”
Ten years ago on the Sonday between Christmas and New Years, I joined Fresno First Baptist Church. It was a pretty big step for me because I was risking everything that was important to me. Let me explain. After surviving an abusive step-father, surviving my two long term relationships with abusers, surviving the death of my son, surviving my descent into the hell of drugs and a lifestyle that almost killed me, I was finally safe. The chaos of my life had been replaced with stability. I had a great job that allowed me to own my own home. My two kids were the best - everything I could ask for (and still are). The walls that I had built to protect myself from being hurt by others were firmly in place. I did not think it was a problem that, although I had many “friends,” I did not have anybody that I was close to, that I allowed to know the real me. My life was under my control - safe, secure, predictable. I finally had it all together.
I love all the characters that surround the birth of Jesus but there is something so endearing about the shepherds. They were with their flocks in the hills outside of Bethlehem. I don’t know how far they were from Bethlehem but apparently they were far enough away to make the decision that it was better to stay overnight in the hills with the sheep rather than herding them back and forth to their pens every day. We don’t know if they owned the sheep or were hired hands but either way, those sheep were their livelihood. And what a way to make a living. Sheep are not the brightest color in the crayon box of the animal kingdom. They were pretty dull (and stupid) requiring almost constant attention. Take your attention off them for just a minute and they were wandering off with no idea of where they were, where they were going or how to get back to where they came from. Then the shepherd had to go looking for them. But the shepherds had their job down pat. They were in control. Their lives may have been boring, but they were safe, secure and predictable. They had it all together. Then God happened.
Can’t you just imagine it? The night is silent, lit by the moon and stars. The sheep are sleeping and you are seated around the campfire listening to Josiah tell his “knock-knock” jokes again. You are thinking that if you have to listen to those jokes one more time you are going to knock-knock him! Everything was just the same as it was last night, and the night before that, and the night before that, and ............... Suddenly, the night explodes into light. Your jaw drops in amazement and You are wondering, “What did Micah put in that stew?” Then there is an angel with an incredible message. In Bethlehem - a baby - the Messiah - go see. Then more angels- and not just one or two - the New Living Translation describes them as the armies of heaven. They fill the sky with their songs of praise. You are spreadeagled face down on the ground, knowing that this is not the stew - this is YHWH. Then the angels disappear, the night is silent again. You and your companions stand up and you look at each other, wondering if your eyes are as wide and shocked as theirs. “Come on,” you say, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see.” And it is not enough to walk to Bethlehem, you run to see God in the flesh.
But what about the sheep? Who is watching the sheep? Maybe some of them stayed behind to guard the sheep - but I doubt it. Would you be the shepherd that said, “Oh yeah, you guys go and see God, I’ll just stay here with the sheep.” I don’t think so - it wouldn’t be me saying that. After what I just saw and heard - I am leading the pack running to Bethlehem.
I think they left the sheep. And when they did, they risked everything. Those sheep were their livelihood. They represented everything that was safe and secure in their lives. They had no guarantee that those sheep would be there when they got back. And if those sheep were gone, then everything in their lives that were safe and secure were gone. If they owned those sheep - their income was gone. If they were hired hands then they were unemployed, never to work as shepherds again. Nobody would hire a shepherd that left the sheep. Did they even give the sheep a second thought? Probably. But they had enough faith to know that if God could fill the sky with angels, He could watch over a few hundred sheep. Or maybe they had enough faith to know that if the sheep were gone, then God, Who cared enough for the world to send His Son, would care for them. They had had it all together and they risked it all to run pell-mell through the night to reach God. And nothing would ever be the same again for them. They were the first that God invited to see Messiah.
As I stood in the sanctuary 10 years ago, I had it all together. My life was everything I had ever hoped for. I was in control. I knew that if I walked down that aisle to meet God that nothing would ever be the same again. I knew that it would be much more than simply joining the church. I knew that, with that first step, I was making my commitment to God and I would have to let go of what made me have it all together - I would have to let go of the control.
And I was right. Today, I am totally out of control with my life. Not that my life is chaos - it’s not. (Well, except for Friday nights at Care Fresno.) I am out of control of my life because God is in control of my life. And He has shown me that 10 years ago, when I though my life was safe, secure and predictable, it was all an illusion.
I had it all together, but I lost that illusion somewhere. Now I do have it all together, because I am all together in Him. That is pretty cool.
LORD God, thank You for being in control of my life. Life with You is not predictable and I praise You for that. But I have Your promise that nothing can separate me from Your love. I finally know what safe and secure feels like.
Contact Valerie or register for the e-Ministry of Fresno First Baptist at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas...To You we say, "Come Lord Jesus!" -Henri J. M. Nouwen
Kristine Allison, a co-worker of mine, is greatly suffering from a back injury. Please pray for Abba’s healing touch on her.
Ann Mead had a hip replacement 16 years ago that failed a few weeks back. Surgery to repair it is scheduled for Feb 13th. In the meantime Ann is on a walker, cane or wheelchair - depending. Ann is a very active woman - an avid bicyclist (she rode her bike 80 miles on her 80th birthday!) - so taking it slow and easy is a challenge for her.
My friend, Remo, from Reaching Hand Society is getting married next week. Please pray for him and his soon-to-be wife, Susan.
Dan Hansen has almost completed his security guard training. He will be interviewing shortly for a job that his instructors say is perfect for him. Please pray that all goes well for Dan.
Pray for Lance Cole, son of Hal & Char Cole. Lance needs a job and housing.
Celebrate Recovery, lead by Stan & Debbie Jenks, will soon be starting. There are several areas where volunteers are needed. Pray for those that Father is leading to be involved in this ministry.
Keep Biana Grogg and me in your prayers as we continue to plan mission trips in 2006. Biana to Nigeria and me to India. Pray for those who will be going to Mexico this week.
We continue to pray for the following: Steven & his unit in Iraq, Dan & Sandy Austin with financial difficulties, Danette Joos & health problems, Mike Joos & recovery from radiation treatment, Lill’s mom & niece as they recover from pneumonia, Denise, George Martin & cancer, Frieda Kennedy & recovery, Roberta with a brain tumor & cancer, Christina & liver cancer, Haskell Spikes & his back, Bob & Geri Kinnish & his health problems, Tony & treatment for prostrate cancer, Liz & stress from ill family, Merle Rush & recovery from a stroke, Walt Couch & prostate cancer, John Rodgers with cancer, Stan Reed & cancer
Pray for our missionaries -Bounkham & Khamla’s mission to Laos, Gospel For Asia, The Faith Alive Clinic in Jos, Nigeria, Laurie Bethall in Prague, Judy, Faye & Miisaw at the New Life Center in Thailand, Jan & Larry Martin in Thailand, The Reaching Hand Society in India, SeaFM in Southeast Asia, Dr. George Pe Myat in the Congo, and all the missionaries worldwide.
Pray for our pastors, our leadership, our ministries, and Father’s provision for His Church. Pray that we recognize opportunities to share our faith with others
Pray for our country, her leadership and our military.
Holy God,
Happy Birthday, Jesus. We know that the odds are 1 in 365 (366 in leap years) that Sonday is your actual birthday. But it is not the day we celebrate - it is the event that changed the world that causes us to rejoice. It is the time when, with a baby’s first cry, God closed the distance and truly became Emmanuel - God with us. Help us to live our lives so that every day we reflect the miracle of Your birth.
Great Healer, we pray for Kristine and ask that You touch her back with healing. Fill her life with Your grace.
Grant Ann patience as she is forced to slow down the pace of her life. Comfort her as she waits for this surgery. Prepare her and her doctors in advance.
We ask that You pour Your blessings on Remo and Susan as they begin this exciting new adventure together.
With gratitude we thank You for Your answered prayers for Dan and ask that You guide him to the job where he will shine as Your bright light.
Provider, we pray for Lance Cole, that You will guide him and strengthen him.
Holy Spirit, with joy, we lift up Stan and Debbie Jenks before your throne. We praise You for the dedication of Your children tin leading Celebrate Recovery and we ask that You lead those who are to be involved in this ministry to them
LORD Jesus, bright morning Star, shine Your light upon all of Your missionaries around the world. Provide for their needs. We lift up Biana and ask that You bless her efforts to serve You in Nigeria. We pray for those families from our community of faith that will be traveling to Mexico this week to serve you. Protect them.
Many continue to be on our prayer list, Abba. We declare You to be sovereign and holy in each of these lives and situations. May each situation and person bring glory to Your name.
You have honored us by placing our pastors in our faith communities. We thank You and praise You for them. Help us to find ways to support them - particularly during this hectic time as we prepare as a united family to celebrate You.
LORD of All Creation, our nation continues to move towards secularism - even to the point of kicking You out of Your own birthday party. Help us to stand strong for You. We pray for our country, that she will turn back to You. We pray for the leaders of our country, that You grant them the wisdom to make decisions that will benefit the entire world. We pray for our men and women in the military, particularly at Christmas, that You quiet their spirits and give them peace.
We pray for the persecuted Church around the world. Christmas seems to always bring an increase in the violence against the Church. Protect Your children, Abba God.
We pray the words that the angels sang, “Peace on earth and good will towards men” knowing that all of God’s love, peace and good will towards humanity was found in the birth of Jesus.
We love You, LORD. We get to love You forever. Today we are one day closer to Home. You are our Home.
For I know the thoughts that I have for you,
declares the LORD, plans for wholeness, and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
'Twas the night before Christmas
and all through the town
Not a sign of Baby Jesus
was anywhere to be found.
The people were all busy
with Christmas time chores
Like decorating, and baking,
and shopping in stores.
No one sang "Away in a manger,
no crib for a bed".
Instead, they sang of Santa
dressed-up in bright red.
Mama watched Martha Stewart,
Papa drank beer from a tap.
As hour upon hour
the presents they'd wrap
When what from the T.V.
did they suddenly hear?
'Cept an ad.. which told
of a big sale at Sears.
So away to the mall
they all flew like a flash...
Buying things on credit...
and others with cash!
And, as they made their way home
From their trip to the mall,
Did they think about Jesus?
Oh, no... not at all.
Their lives were so busy
with their Christmas time things
No time to remember
Christ Jesus, the King.
There were presents to wrap
and cookies to bake.
How could they stop and remember
who died for their sake?
To pray to the Savior...
they had no time to stop.
Because they needed more time
to "Shop til they dropped!"
On Wal-mart! On K-mart!
On Target! On Penney's!
On Hallmark! On Zales!
A quick lunch at Denny's
From the big stores downtown
to the stores at the mall
They would dash away, dash away,
and visit them all!
And up on the roof,
there arose such a clatter
As grandpa hung icicle lights
up on his brand new step ladder.
He hung lights that would flash.
He hung lights that would twirl.
Yet, he never once prayed to Jesus...
Light of the World.
Christ's eyes... how they twinkle!
Christ's Spirit... how merry!
Christ's love... how enormous!
All our burdens... He'll carry!
So instead of being busy,
overworked, and uptight
Let's put Christ back in
Christmas and enjoy
some good nights!
Merry Christmas, my friends!
Dearly Beloved in Christ,
Greetings in Jesus' Name.
AWESOME GOD
Truly our God is an Awesome God. It amazes me more and more as I ponder on the LOVE of Jesus Christ. Why did HE want to be born in a dirty cowshed? Why did He have to go through all the suffering and pain and the death on the Cross to redeem me? Am I worth His Love? As I ponder on ------- I stand in Awe and see what an Awesome God He is.
We the staff of Reaching Hand Society send our wishes that our Awesome God be with each one of you as you celebrate His Birthday and we pray that this New Year 2006 will be full of His Awesome presence in your life and in the life of all your loved ones.
I stand in Awe to see how our Awesome God arranged the wedding of Remo and Susan on the 29th of Dec at Kazipet and then the reception on 1st Jan at 2006. I thank all who are planning to come and I wish that all will come and Bless Susan and Remo on this their Awesome Day. All praise be to our Awesome God.
While travelling to Hyderabad for the CBN interview for their Hindi TV programme on "Ek Naee Zinghagi" I left my purse with all the documents and money in the train toilet and forgot to pick it up for over 2 hours. When I looked for my purse I realized that I had not got it form the toilet. I panicked and rushed to the toilet and found it. This for me is truly Awesome and I thank my Awesome God for this miracle.
For the first time I realised how difficult it is for the Christian TV programmes to be produced. The team is about 20 persons who need to work in minute precision to get a few lines recorded. It took the whole day to shoot a 15-minute programme. This as motivated me to pray more for CBN and other Christian programmes that are now vital for the people of India. My special thanks to CBN as they took care of my travel and entire 3 day stay at Hyderabad.
The prison work is paying rich dividends as we have seen prisoners accept Jesus and as they want us to start follow up studies for them in their home. Please pray that our Awesome God will provide more staff that will be willing to travel a lot of distance regularly to do the follow up for the released prisoners. The lady prisoner Kowselya is also released from the jail. Praise to our Awesome God.
Our Awesome God is enabling our staff to go more and more interior and to start working in villages (Kerimetla and Metaguda), which have not heard the Name of Jesus even once. Please pray that they will catch the vision of Jesus and keep going in spite of the raising opposition. Please also pray for the medical work by the medical van with a base at Gottenpalli village.
Please thank our Awesome God for keeping the staff and the children well this month.
I thank each one who prays and each one who contributes and please pray for that the needs of this month. Please pray that our Awesome God will meet Christmas gift for the prisoners and staff.
As you read this mail I pray that what ever problem you may have, what ever difficulty you may be passing through, I pray that you will bubble with the presence of our Awesome God and feel His Awesome Peace you your Life.
May the Awesome God be with you all through the coming New Year 2006 is my prayer.
Love and Prayers
Iris
THE WHITE ENVELOPE
It's just a small white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.
It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas -- oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it -- the overspending, the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma -- the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else.
Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties, and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.
Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended. Shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church.
These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears. It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford.
Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn't acknowledge defeat. Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won," he said. "They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them." Mike loved kids -- all kids -- and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball, and lacrosse.
That's when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years.
For each Christmas, I followed the tradition -- one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.
The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning, and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.
As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn't end there. You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning it was joined by three more.
Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope.
Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us. May we all remember Christ, who is the reason for the season, and the true Christmas spirit this year and always.
Valerie Rae Hanneman
Luke 2:7 (KJV) “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”
The pregnancies for my daughter, Fawn, and my son, Steven, were radically different. Fawn was a piece of cake. I had very little morning sickness with her. The smell of cooking bacon made me nauseous, but that was about it. The pregnancy was normal - other than I gained too much weight. The early stages of my labor were so easy I slept through them. The first I knew I was in labor was at 8:00 in the morning on May 18th when I got out of bed, was gripped by a sudden cramp and thought “what was that!?!” I quickly realized what it was and three hours later, with a minimum of fuss, Fawn was born. She weighed 6 lbs, 8 oz. Now Steven - that was a different story. My first bout of morning sickness gripped me about 1 minute after the doctor confirmed that I was pregnant. And at no time was it confined to just the morning! He was an active baby and I often pictured him giggling as he kicked me square in the bladder again and again to send me running for the bathroom. He was a big baby and in my last month his weight on my spinal cord caused a temporary bout of Bell’s Palsy. One whole side of my face quit working right. That side of my face drooped, I couldn’t talk right, my food tasted funny, and I had to tape my eyelid shut at night. Worst of all, I was mostly confined to my bed. Labor started at 11:30 one night and at almost 9:00 the next day, February 10th, Steven was finally born. He weighed 9 lbs, 15 oz. And believe me, you cannot begin to imagine what it was like to give birth to him. His father loved to tell about how, during labor, I said to him, “Just as soon as I am done with this, I am going to kill you,” in a voice so calm and deadly that he believed me.
I wonder what Mary’s pregnancy was like. Did she have morning sickness? Did she ever see her shadow beside her and think that she looked as if she had swallowed Jonah’s whale? Was Jesus an active baby - making sure that she was in the outhouse often?
I know that there are those who think that her labor was painless. I don’t believe that. I believe that any birthing that involves a human mother and a human child involves pain. Of course, I can’t show any verse in the Bible that proves it one way or the other. The Word simply says that she brought forth her first born son. As if anything about the “bringing forth” of birth is simple! Was her labor easy or hard? How frightening it must have been to give birth in a filthy stable with only your husband to help you! For that reason alone Mary deserved to have an easy delivery.
I don’t know what Mary went through to give birth to Jesus. I won’t know until I ask her when I get home. (And I do intend to ask that amongst a boatload of other questions!) But I know what Mary did after Jesus was born and Joseph laid Him in her arms. First she was filled with a joy and a love so profound she could hardly breathe. I know that she did - because that was what I did. Then she throughly inspected Him. She counted fingers and toes. She kissed His face and looked at His ears. She made sure that everything on that flawless child was exactly where it was supposed to be. I know she did - because I did. And here is what else I did when I held my child for the first time. I dreamed and I wondered. Would she be the first female President of the United States? Would he be quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys? Would she be a top model? Would he discover a cure for the common cold? Whatever they chose to do - just let them be happy, healthy, and prosperous with a long life.
Mary didn’t have “Will He be a..........” type dreams for her newborn son. She - more than any other living person - knew who this Baby was. This Baby was the virgin-born Son of God, the Hope of Israel, the long-promised Messiah. She had grown up hearing stories of Messiah. She had heard the stories of old about how Messiah was going to set Israel free. So Mary knew that Jesus would grow up, defeat the Romans, re-establish the throne of David and rule over the world. Did she dream of the day when Jesus - HER Son - would live and rule from a palace even grander than Herod’s palace - maybe even grander than what she could only imagine that the palace of Caesar was like? Did she dream of the day when she would watch the rich and the poor bow down to her boy? Did she think of those old biddy’s in Nazareth who had been so mean because of her being pregnant before marriage and smiling thinking of the day that she would have the upper hand? I don’t really know what Mary dreamed of for her Son but I am confident that her dreams were a reflection of the dreams of Israel.
Mary didn’t know. She did not know that her dreams and the dreams of Israel of what the Messiah would be and do were not what God had said Messiah would be. They had skipped to the end of the story - the re-establishment of David’s throne and the rule forever. They had not seen that Messiah would come as a servant before He came as the King.
Mary dreamed of a palace . The reality was given to her just a scant 33 years later when she held the broken, lifeless body of her crucified Son. This reality was so much more than Mary’s dreams ever were. Her dreams were of a Messiah that would save Israel. The reality was a Savior that would save the world. She dreamed of a palace from which He would rule, the reality was that He would rule through our hearts. She dreamed of a kingdom on earth - the reality is a kingdom in eternity.
Are we so caught up in our dreams of what God should be in us that we miss the much greater reality of what He desires to be in us?
LORD Jesus, You are my Savior and my King. You by far surpass any dream that I could ever have. I would rather have the reality of You.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministries of Fresno First at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Psalm 16:8-9 (NLT) “I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises! My body rests in safety.”
I was so blessed to take a meal over to Cliff & Lisa Johnson’s Tuesday night! Blessed because I got to hold their new baby girl. She is absolutely adorable. Please pray for her continued well being. Praise Father that this baby will be raised in a strong Christian family.
We have received this request from Paula - Please pray for Steven (her friend’s son) and his unit in Iraq. They lost a member of their unit last week when a sniper shot him as he was throwing candy to children.
I went to my diabetes specialist this past Monday and discovered that there are medications that they thought had been prescribed to me but weren’t, and that I was taking the wrong dosage of another medication. Everything is now prescribed and in the right amounts but I am having a time of it as my body adjusts.
Keep Biana Grogg in your prayers as she tries to put together a long-term mission trip to Nigeria - she is planning to work at the Faith Alive clinic in Jos beginning in the Spring. Although it is hard to release her from us for so long, we still rejoice knowing the depth of her commitment to serving God.
Please keep me in prayer as I plan to go to Reaching Hand Society in India in November, 2006 on a short term mission trip. As it always is - financing is an issue - but I am excited at the prospect of working with these extraordinary people that I know but have never met.
We continue to pray for the following: Dan & Sandy Austin with financial difficulties, Danette Joos & health problems, Mike Joos & recovery from radiation treatment, Brent Bethell & recovery from eye surgery, Lill’s mom & niece as they recover from pneumonia, Denise, Brook & Kate, Julie & work issues, George Martin & cancer, Frieda Kennedy & recovery, Roberta with a brain tumor & cancer, Christina & liver cancer, Dan Hansen & job training, Haskell Spikes & his back, Bob & Geri Kinnish & his health problems, Tony & treatment for prostrate cancer, Liz & stress from ill family, Michael, Merle Rush & recovery from a stroke, Walt Couch & prostate cancer, John Rodgers with cancer, Stan Reed & cancer
Pray for our missionaries -Bounkham & Khamla’s mission to Laos, Gospel For Asia, The Faith Alive Clinic in Jos, Nigeria, Laurie Bethall in Prague, Judy, Faye & Miisaw at the New Life Center in Thailand, Jan & Larry Martin in Thailand, The Reaching Hand Society in India, SeaFM in Southeast Asia, Dr. George Pe Myat in the Congo, and all the missionaries worldwide.
Pray for our pastors, our leadership, our ministries, and Father’s provision for His Church. Pray that we recognize opportunities to share our faith with others
Pray for our country, her leadership and our military.
Holy God,
Blessings, mercy and goodness flow from You like a river of life to Your children. We dance with joy as we come into Your presence.
We praise You for this new life that has begun. Guide Lisa and Cliff as they guide this precious child along with Alex, Tyler and Jo-Jo in Your path.
We lift up Steven and his unit in Iraq, Warrior God, and ask that You guard them from harm. Help them to deal with the loss of their friend.
LORD Above All, help my body to quickly adjust to this change in medication - it’s driving me nuts.
Father God, we pray your abundance on Biana as she prepares to go to Nigeria. We know that You take great joy in her as she chooses to serve You above all else.
Holy God, we continue to lift up those who remain on our prayer list.
We pray Your blessings on Your missionaries who serve You in places around the world.
We ask that Your mercy be poured on our pastors - particularly at this hectic time of the year. Show us opportunities to share You with the world.
We pray that our lives will lift You high and exalted above all nations.
Abba, take my possessions away and I will start over. But I will survive. Take my job and I will face financial hardship. But I will survive. Take my friends and I will be lonely. But I will survive. Take my family and I will be grief-stricken. But I will survive. Take my health and I will be in pain. But I will survive. Do not take Your love from me and do not turn Your face from me. I will not survive. I am nothing apart from You.
Receive our love with the same joy that it is given to You. In Your name we pray - Amen
I believe there is nothing lovelier, deeper, more sympathetic, and more perfect than the Savior; there is in the world only one figure of absolute beauty: Christ.
-Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky (November 11, 1821 - February 9, 1881) was one of Russia’s greatest writers. He was imprisoned and sentanced to death in 1849 for revolutionary activity against Tsar Nikolai I. After a mock execution in front of a firing squad , his sentance was commuted to hard labor in exile. He was released in 1854 and required to serve in the Siberian Regiment for 5 years. It was during this period of time that he abandoned his earlier liberal sentiments and became deeply conservative and religious. Following the death of his wife and his brother, Fyodor sank into a deep depression that manifested itself in an addiction to gambling. It is believed that his greatest work, “Crime & Punishment” was completed in a hurry in order to obtain an advance from his publisher and satisfy his gambling debts. He died of a lung haemorrhage associated with an attack of epilepsy. Forty thousand mourners attended his funeral.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyodor_Dostoevshy
Over the past several years I have participated in JesusWalk Bible studies through www.joyfulheart.com. The first one was an in-depth study of the Gospel of Luke. This is also the longest Bible study I have been in - it took almost three years. But it was well worth it! I have taken several of Joyful Heart’s on-line Bible Studies since then. The Bible studies are sent by e-mail. You can choose to receive them as the study only or you can also get them with daily questions. You can post your answers to the questions on the study forum and read the answers of others from around the world. The next study called, "The Names and Titles of God," is scheduled for early January, 2006. The site is run by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, a minister serving through Community Covenant Church in Rocklin, CA. Dr. Wilson also maintains the Joyful Heart newsletter that you can sign up to receive through the e-mail. Archives of his newsletter articles are available on the site. I invite you to visit the www.joyfulheart.com website, explore the Statement of faith and the information available about Dr. Wilson. Then maybe try this new Bible Study. Hope to see you in the forum!
A woman was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids.
She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year---overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, get that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, make sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card.
Finally the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff.
When the doors closed she couldn't take it anymore and stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up, and shot." From the back of the car everyone heard a quiet, calm voice respond, "Don't worry. We already crucified Him."
From Pastor Tim's cybersalt Digest
Dearly Beloved in Christ,
Greetings in Jesus' Name.
New Horizon
In the last month report we had mentioned that God is enabling us to go more and more interior. RHS staff now will go to KERIMETTI village on the Tulsi Hills. This is a Durva tribal village where there are NO schools and No facilities. To reach this village we can go up to Salmi by bus / truck / jeep / motor bike and then up to Malliguda about 7 km by motor bike and then there is mountain stream, after this one has to walk to go into any of the Durva villages. At this point of time we have NO idea as to how many villages are in this extensive mountain range, untouched by civilization and untouched with the Message of Jesus Christ. To reach Kerimetti it takes the staff to walk for about 4 hours and for me easily it will take 6 hours, as I now find climbing on slippery path and one half-foot wide path very very difficult, as I am unstable on my legs at age 60. I need all your extra prayers now. From now on, every month RHS staff Mr. Ranjith Khora and his wife Mrs. Hannah Khora and Mr. Niranjan Gorada will visit twice month these Durva villages. Staff Mrs. Hannah Khora with her 2 little children will stay at Malliguda when the rest go further walking into yet unknown paths. The team definitely needs all your prayers for protection and for wisdom form God as they venture into new horizon. The team will start learning the Durva language. God is opening up New Horizon for us.
Mr. Romesh Khosla and Mr. John Soren have the talent form God to compose songs and set them to music. They have already composed enough songs to set it in a cassette. Mr. Laban Soren, Mr. Somesh Rao, Mrs. Minothi Soren, Mrs. Jyoti Dongri have the talent to sing. They have the hearts desire to create a cassette and God willing a CD. If you have any idea as to where to get this done please get back and we will appreciate any information. This will be a great use in the village ministry here. Both Mr. Romesh and Mr. John went for a one and half day training on the correct way to set to music, a training conducted by IMST missionary, Bible teacher and translator Mr. Samuel Abraham and Mr. Samuel Abraham gave a very good report about the capabilities of the staff. It is said that Rs. 40,000/- is needed for the production. If led to contribute, please do, so that a long time dream of RHS staff will become a reality. Indeed another New Horizon for God's work in this area.
As the local hospital work is at a stand still for want of FCRA, I accepted the invitation of Mr. Brent Hample and Rt. Rev. Parishuda Babu to go for a medical camp at Machilipattnam, in Andhra Pradesh and this was a New Horizon that God has opened up.
Ms Jane Blunt a dental hygienist from the US is here with me for 6 months and she was with me for the Machilipattnam camp and got involved in the eyeglass-making clinic. She will be with me for 6 months and will help in checking all the school children and also working in some interior villages and training my staff Mr. Sopon Hembrom and Mr. Dilip Bagh so that the work will continue even after she levees. Yet another New Horizon from God.
The Prison Work is blossoming out. A prisoner from SIKPALLI village by name BANTI MADAKAMI, belonging to the Koya tribal group was in on charges of Naxalite (militant extremist) activity. Here in the prison the team ministered to him and during his stay in the prison he heard abut Jesus and when questioned why the false report on him by the police, he replied with a smile "I had to hear about Jesus and so God put me in the prison" He has now been released on bail and he wants our staff to visit him at his village. Yet another New Horizon for us to work for Jesus. Praise God.
We need to give gifts to all the prisoners and the staff of the Jail here during Christmas time. There are about 300 men and women prisoners and 22 staff and the cost of getting gifts for all of them, and providing sweets worth about Rs. 10 each the estimate comes to Rs. 15,000/-. For the around 20 lady prisoners we get a saree, skirt and blouse. So if you are led of the Lord, please send quickly and designate the gift specifically for the prison Programme in December.
Christmas is fast approaching and we give every year Rs. 1,000/- each to all the staff and Rs. 500/- each for the part time staff and Rs. 300/- for each child. We have now 19 full time staff, 7 part time staff and 23 staff children, so a total of Rs. 29,400/- is needed for this, so kindly contribute for this.
My son, Remo starts a new chapter in his life on the 29th December 2005 when he gets married to Dr. Susan at Warangal.
Closing with tons of Thanks for your constant prayers and financial support.
Love and Prayers,
Yours in Christ,
Iris
Valerie Rae Hanneman
Matthew 6:5 (NLT)"And now about prayer. When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get."
At one point during my "Walk to Emmaus" retreat we were invited, after chapel, to stay in our pew and have some quiet time with God. Our lay-leader was quick to assure us that we did not have to stay - but if we chose to stay - we could stay for as long as we wanted and just be with God. Nobody left. I spent some time in praise and prayer then looked around preparing to leave. Only nobody else had left yet. I sang a couple of praise songs in my head - looked around - and wow - still, nobody else had left. My goodness - I certainly thought that my relationship with Jesus was better than that! If my relationship was all that strong - why was I the first one ready to leave? So I started thanking God for all the wonderful things in my life. Finally, I heard somebody else leave - then more women left - and then I got up and left.
I love to sing in the choir. I don’t have a good singing voice - the proof of that is in the pained expressions of the tenor on either side of me. But I love to sing praise to God. I don’t know why it is, but music seems to bring me into the presence of God with an attitude of praise faster than anything else. And I am a hand-raiser praiser. I love to lift my hands while I praise. I lift open hands to Him because I feel closer to Him and to symbolize that I am holding nothing back from Him and to signal my willingness to receive whatever He has for me. There are times when we are singing that I want to lift my hands through the whole song, so high that I am on tippee-toes, just burning for Him. But I don’t do it. There are times when I am so filled with His joy that I feel like dancing with it. But I don’t do that. I love to sing the hymns in second service - they touch me so deeply that I am often tempted to raise my hands during them as well. But I don’t do that either.
Both of these situations are different from each other - but in the very saddest of ways - they are very much the same.
I did not leave the sanctuary when I was finished praying because I did not want to be the first to leave. I was afraid that if I were the first to leave then everybody else would think that my faith was weak and my devotion to Jesus was wishy-washy. I didn’t want to be the last to leave either because I did not people to think that I had major "issues" that God and I needed to work out.
I don’t lift my hands in choir as much as I would like because I don’t want people to think I am showing off my faith. I don’t dance because I don’t want you to think I am weird. I don’t lift my hands in second service because that "just isn’t done"
When I didn’t leave the sanctuary after prayer it was because I didn’t want other people to think I had "too little" faith. When I don’t respond the way my heart leads when I sing it is because I don’t want other people to think I have "too much" faith. What is the same about all of these situations is that I "don’t want other people to think." When I chose to let what other people think take precedence over what my God thinks then my relationship with the Living God is changed to the religion of a Pharisee praying on the corner. And it is a lightning fast change.
When I lifted my head in the sanctuary and decided that I was going to pray some more because I couldn’t be the first to leave, my relationship changed to religion. I was no different from that Pharisee on the corner thumping his chest and shouting his prayers. It came down to a matter of pride (as it usually does). I didn’t want anybody to think less of me - and so I faked it. Oh, the praise songs were real and the many things that I have to thank God for are absolutely real - but my motivation was fake.
When I don’t worship in the way that my heart leads then my relationship changes to a religion in half a second flat. I am no different from the Pharisee playing the part of what was not in his heart. It comes down to a matter of pride - again. I don’t want anybody to think less of me because I lift my hands too high, or because I am weirdly dancing, or because I am not acting properly in second service - and so I fake it. I am still singing, still praising, but my motivation is fake. I am fake.
And so I get exactly what I ask for. I get my pride. I sacrifice my relationship with Jesus to the religion of my pride. When I prayed, praised and thanked God in that sanctuary it didn’t make a lick of difference to God because He wasn’t the focus - or the reason I was there. The focus and the reason I was there were the other women in the sanctuary. And what I got for my religion was my pride and a bunch of women who have no lasting effect on my life and probably took no more notice of when I left then I did of when they left. When I weakly praise in the choir, hold still in the choir, or act in a way that others consider proper - God doesn’t even deign to notice. He is not the focus or the reason that I am there. The focus and reason I am there is the rest of the congregation and what they think of me. And what I get for my religion is my pride and the opinion of people whom I love dearly but who should not have any influence whatsoever in my relationship with God. (And who - in all likelihood - would still love me - even if I were a little weird).
I don’t want to be fake anymore. If I choose am the first to leave the sanctuary - or choose to not stay at all - it is going to be motivated only by God. If I lift my hands or not, dance or not it is going to be motivated only by my desire to celebrate my relationship with God and nothing else. I refuse to sacrifice the glory of my relationship with Jesus to the religion of pride and other people’s opinions. And if sometimes I feel like jumping up during one of Pastor Willie’s sermon, because I am so excited about what he is preaching, and shouting "You preach it, Doc!" - well.....................................
LORD Jesus, my relationship with You, and Your opinion of me is the only thing that should count for anything in my life. Everything I am, think, say or do should flow from our relationship. Remind me of what is truly important in this world - You.
e-Praise & Prayers - December 7, 2005
Because of God’s grace, failure is never final - From a church sign
Danette Joos has been facing some health issues that have unfortunately kept her out of church. Please pray for complete healing so she can come back to us - we miss you, girl!
Mike Joos has finished his radiation treatments but the doctors cannot check on the effectiveness of the treatments because of a sore at the treatment site.
Dan and Sandy Austin are facing financial difficulties since Sandy lost her job. Please pray that Father will lead her to a new job soon.
Please pray for Brent Bethell who is having eye surgery on December 19th.
Lill Wilson’s mom is at Kaiser with pneumonia and Lill’s niece Michelle Hobdy is in the hospital with pneumonia.
Denise is continuing to have problems with vomiting and her fever went up for a couple of days.
Please pray for Brook & Kate. They were pregnant and lost the child.
Keep Biana Grogg in your prayers as she tries to put together a long-term mission trip to Nigeria - she is planning to work at the Faith Alive clinic in Jos for up to a year (maybe 2).
Please keep me in prayer as I plan to go to Reaching Hand Society in November, 2006 on a short term mission trip.
Please pray for our sister, Julie, in Wisconsin. Julie & I both work as the finance directors of a legal services program - and our work is always challenging. Julie is going through some rather extreme challenges right now and would appreciate prayer.
We continue to pray for the following: George Martin & cancer, Frieda Kennedy & recovery, Roberta with a brain tumor & cancer, Christina & liver cancer, Dan Hansen & job training, Haskell Spikes & his back, Bob & Geri Kinnish & his health problems, Tony & treatment for prostrate cancer, Liz & stress from ill family, Michael, Merle Rush & recovery from a stroke, Walt Couch & prostate cancer, John Rodgers with cancer, Stan Reed & cancer
Pray for our missionaries -Bounkham & Khamla’s mission to Laos, Gospel For Asia, The Faith Alive Clinic in Jos, Nigeria, Laurie Bethall in Prague, Judy, Faye & Miisaw at the New Life Center in Thailand, Jan & Larry Martin in Thailand, The Reaching Hand Society in India, SeaFM in Southeast Asia, Dr. George Pe Myat in the Congo, and all the missionaries worldwide.
Pray for our pastors, our leadership, our ministries, and Father’s provision for His Church. Pray that we recognize opportunities to share our faith with others
Pray for our country, her leadership and our military.
Abba Father,
Our hearts sing with the joy of being in Your presence. Thank You for welcoming us here and for wanting to be with us just as much as we want to be with You.
We pray in agreement, LORD Jesus, for Danette, Mike, Brent, Lill’s mom and her niece Michelle. We pray for Denise, Holy God. We ask that Your hand of healing and comfort be on each of these lives.
We lift up Dan & Sandy and ask that You provide for their needs.
LORD God, we ask that You be the strong Rock for Brook and Kate as they recover physically and spiritually from the loss of their child.
Abba, we ask that You bless Biana with Your presence and provision as she works towards serving You in Nigeria. As for my trp to India - You know my heart - Your will be done.
Spirit of Rest, be with Julie as she works through the challenges she has on her job site.
We call upon You, Triune God, and ask that You continue to be sovereign in each of the continuing prayer concerns that we have.
We pray for those who serve You around the world. We pray for their safety, we pray that You give them courage in each situation. Surround them with Your love.
We cry out to You, Jesus, for our pastors. satan targets them because of You. We pray in agreement that You bind satan away from them, that he does not get a chance to whisper his lies of discouragement to them. Help us to protect them with our support, love and prayers.
We pray for the ministries and the ministry leaders of our communities of faith. Help us to remember that they are not our ministries - they are Yours and we are simply the stewards and workers.
Show us new opportunities to stand strong for You. Let our lives revel You more and more every day to those around us. Forgive us for the times when we fail You.
Holy Spirit, we grieve for our country as she moves away from You and more into secularism. Help us to be strong and to stand for You and Your place in our country. Help our leaders to make decisions that are consistent with Your will. Protect our military wherever they serve us.
You are the only thing in our lives that makes perfect sense. The strength which with we face our days comes from the quiet assurance that You are with us and we have Your promise that You will never leave us or forsake us. We love You so much.
Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah's Ark
One: Don't miss the boat.
Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat.
Three: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
Four: Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
Five: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
Six: Build your future on high ground.
Seven: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
Eight: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
Nine: When you're stressed, float a while.
Ten: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
Eleven: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting...
Fully rely on God. May He protect and keep you.
As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday. Every year there is a celebration in my honor and I think that this year the celebration will be repeated. During this time there are many people shopping for gifts, there are many radio announcements, TV commercials, and in every part of the world everyone is talking that my birthday is getting closer and closer.
It is really very nice to know, that at least once a year, some people think of me. As you know, the celebration of my birthday began many years ago. At first people seemed to understand and be thankful of all that I did for them, but in these times, no one seems to know the reason for the celebration. Family and friends get together and have a lot of fun, but they don't know the meaning of the celebration.
I remember that last year there was a great feast in my honor. The dinner table was full of delicious foods, pastries, fruits, assorted nuts and chocolates. The decorations were exquisite and there were many, many beautifully wrapped gifts. But, do you want to know something? I wasn't invited. I was the guest of honor and they didn't remember to send me an invitation.
The party was for me, but when that great day came, I was left outside, they closed the door in my face......... and I wanted to be with them and share their table. In truth, that didn't surprise me because in the last few years all close their doors to me.
Since I was not invited, I decided to enter the party without making any noise. I went in and stood in a corner. They were all drinking; there were some who were drunk and telling jokes and laughing at everything. They were having a great time. To top it all, this big fat man all dressed in red wearing a long white beard entered the room yelling Ho-Ho-Ho! He seemed drunk. He sat on the sofa and all the children ran to him, saying : "Santa Claus, Santa Claus"... as if the party were in his honor !
At 12 midnight all the people began to hug each other ; I extended my arms waiting for someone to hug me and .... do you know .... no one hugged me. Suddenly they all began to share gifts. They opened them one by one with great expectation. When all had been opened, I looked to see if, maybe, there was one for me.
What would you feel if on your birthday everybody shared gifts and you did not get one ? I then understood that I was unwanted at that party and quietly left. Every year it gets worse. People only remember to eat and drink, the gifts, the parties and nobody remembers me. I would like this Christmas that you allow me to enter into your life. I would like that you recognize the fact that almost two thousand years ago I came to this world to give my life for you, on the cross, to save you. Today, I only want that you believe this with all you heart.
I want to share something with you. As many didn't invite me to their party, I will have my own celebration, a grandiose party that no one has ever imagined, a spectacular party. I'm still making the final arrangements. Today I am sending out many invitations and there is an invitation for you. I want to know if you wish to attend and I will make a reservation for you and write your name with golden letters in my great guest book. Only those on the guest list will be invited to the party. Those who don't answer the invitation, will be left outside.
Do you know how you can answer this invitation? it is by extending it to others whom you care for...
I'll be waiting for all of you to attend my party this year...
See you soon .... I love you !
-Jesus-
Valerie Rae Hanneman
Revelation 4:8 (NIV) “Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."”
Over Thanksgiving we went to visit my Aunt Bev and Uncle Denny in Bandon-by-the-Bay, Oregon. It was an incredible trip. One morning I watched snow-covered Mt. Shasta change from charcoal black to dusky blue to candy pink to glittering gold and finally to sinless white as she dressed herself in the colors of day. Although it was beautiful - that was not where God’s beauty was revealed to me. I stood on Oregon’s windswept shore as waves crashed into the rocks, flinging spray into the sky. The orchestrations of nature were awesome - but that is not where God spoke to me. On the way home we were caught in a storm. The wind pushed at my car with the careless strength of a child with her toy. I fought to control my car - but that is not where God’s power humbled me.
Steven and I worshiped at Faith Baptist while we were in Bandon. Faith Baptist is a small church. Their worship center is not much larger than our chapel, but, just like ours, it was arrayed in the breathtaking beauty of Christmas. When I walked through the door I knew that Father’s presence is just as strong at Faith Baptist Church of Bandon as it is at Fresno First Baptist Church. The community of faith was small - around 40 people were in the main service. They made us feel so welcome. Jesus was in their eyes and in their smiles and after just a few minutes I was as comfortable as I would have been in my favorite pew-chair. I didn’t know the praise songs that they were singing, but I knew the praise that was being lifted because we lift the same praise at FFBC. The style of preaching was different from Willie’s - but the message was exactly the same. “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so” is the message preached from both pulpits. I sat in the pews of Faith Baptist Church loving the differences between our communities of faith - the size, the praise music, the style of preaching. But I was loving even more what made our communities of faith the same. The presence of Father as we came together to meet with Him. The joy of Jesus on the faces of His people. The generosity of welcome from my brothers and sisters in Christ to strangers among them. The praise and worship lifted to our God, and the message of Jesus’ love. I gloried knowing that what is the same in the community of faith in Bandon, Oregon and the community of faith in Fresno, Calif is the same in the community of faith in Dallas, Texas, and in New York, New York, and in London, England, and in Jerusalem, Israel; at the Reaching Hand Society in India, the rural communities in Thailand, the secret communities of faith in Beijing, China and the chilly communities in Anchorage, Alaska. Thousands and thousands of communities of faith around the world that, together, are the Church of Jesus. Each of us unique in some ways, and yet, the same in our belief in God the Father; God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We are one Church with one God. It was a huge thought to sit in Faith Baptist and know that I was part of a the Church that encompasses the entire earth.
But it was the lighting of the Advent candle that really got to me.
As Faith Baptist lit their candle, I had a momentary twinge of homesickness. It was the only time while I was in Oregon, that I wanted to be home - with my community of faith. I thought about how this was the first time in 10 years that I had not been at FFBC for the lighting of the Advent candles. But my homesickness passed quickly - because the beauty and meaning of the Advent candle at Faith Baptist is the same as at First Baptist - just as it is the same thorough out the worldwide Church.
Then an immense thought gripped me. I thought first about the 10 years that I have celebrated Advent - then I wondered, “Just how long have we been celebrating Advent? How many centuries have believers gathered together to celebrate the coming of Messiah?” I had a renewed realization that the Church does not only encompasses the earth today but fills all of time as well. Adam and Eve were created to be in relationship with God. The church is believers in relationship with God. Adam, Eve, Abraham, Moses, David - the older testament saints worshiped God in anticipation of Messiah and what He would do. Peter, Paul, Martin Luther, Billy Graham, Valerie - we worship God and remember when Messiah came and what He did. The next generations of believers will do the same. One Church - timeless. As I sat in Faith Baptist, I was not only part of the Church that fills the world, I was part of the Church that fills time as well.
Someday Mt. Shasta will fall. The waves will cease to roar and the wind will be stilled. We are promised a new heaven and a new earth - the old earth will pass away.
But the church will remain for eternity.
The beauty of God is found in His Church. God’s speaks in His Church. God’s power is reveled in His Church.
LORD Jesus, thank You for loving Your Church so much that You willingly gave Your life for us. Thank You for showing me again that I am part of something glorious that fills the earth and fills time.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-ministry of Fresno First Baptist at valerie@fresnofirst.org