The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:1-3

Merry Christmas,

This has been our focused verse this year and we thought perhaps it would be the perfect verse for our holiday letter as well. After all isn’t this the time of year when we should be focusing on why Jesus came to us? What reason can there possibly be to put on humanity only to be ridiculed, spit upon, lied about and crucified? The reason, you and us. “We are the reason that He gave His Life, We are the reason that He suffered and died. In a world that was lost He gave all He could give” are the words to my favorite Christmas song. These verses,  (Isaiah 61) are the verses Jesus read in the temple. (Luke 4:18) Jesus announces to the assembly, today this is fulfilled in your hearing (Luke 4:21). Did they understand, do we?

Jesus came to restore our fellowship with the Father, to be the only acceptable sacrifice to erase our sins. That is the Good News. We do not have to remain separated from God because of our sins. We are the captives that have been set free. We are free from the penalty of our sins. We are no longer prisoners of darkness but can boldly walk in the light of the Jesus’ love. Our broken hearts are healed in his hands. Our tarnished hearts replaced with clean hearts. Shards are made whole in His hands. This is good news. Jesus gives us beauty for ashes. Deal or no deal? He takes the ashes of our lives and creates beauty from them.

Only Jesus can turn mourning into dancing. We know this is true for when someone in love with Jesus leaves this earth; we know they are dancing in the Arms of Jesus. Sadness in our hearts becomes joy in theirs, thus easing ours. And despair is whisked away in a song. “Joy to the World the Lord is come” “Oh Come All Ye Faithful, joyful and Triumphant” Jesus has triumphed over sin and death this is Good News. And God will bring “Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” on this “O Holy Night” because of the “First Noel”. Retuning to a Sunday school favorite, “I’ve got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart”, do you? Jesus is asking you, deal or No Deal. All He did is truly in your hands. When our focus changes from ourselves to Jesus the whole season is brighter, don’t you think?

Our family has experienced many of these things this year. Mike’s Aunt Barbara and our Niece Jenny are dining with The Lord this Christmas. Many in his family are counting on the Comforting Holy Spirit as they mourn. Relationships long forgotten have been reconnected as Mike learns his cousins are close by. Prisoners have been released from many of the shackles of the past. So many things trip us up because we forget to step out of unlocked shackles but once we do, freedom is bliss. Matt and Syrena’s visit healed all our broken hearts and brought gladness to our hearts. We had so much fun cooking dinner for the first time in our little kitchen with Syrena. And Tirzah will never forget her 11^th birthday because they came.

 Zion’s grief is lighter when God’s people recall the miracles of long ago. Sam has begun pastoring a new congregation that will do just that as he and Heather reach out to them.  A garment of praise is seen as Tirzah, Kezzi, Chai, Jaden and Zemeira sing and act in the Christmas pageant even though Tirzah sometimes is feeling poorly and Kezzi courageously sings her first solo this year. They are both so brave and such sweet young ladies. If there was such a thing as Kosher Ham, Chai and Jaden would qualify; they bring joy to our world. (In ways you can not imagine :) Zemeira is most excited about dressing up as a Dreidel and spinning til she drops while singing “Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel”. Talia’s new song is Happy, Happy, Happy. All the cousins spoke for hours on the phone with Kayla connecting the cousins for the first time. We are so bless to be a planting of the Lord here in Magalia growing deep roots in Christ. May they wrap around you as well. God bless you all with His love and ours.

Because of Jesus,

Mike and Bobbie