Happy New Year!

I pray this Christmas holiday season has been a time of amazing blessing. A time of reflection and fond memories of God’s provision for you and your family in 2015. Some of you may have experienced job “re-leveling” to a lower level of responsibility, job reassignment, downsizing, restructuring, salary cuts, or even job loss. But God has provided for you and your family because of who He is. He did not allow His Righteous to be forsaken nor allow their children to be without.

Many of us have lost loved ones but Jesus has been our Comforter and strength to sustain us. In quiet moments we felt His presence and remembered His promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He gave us tangible evidence of His love as family and friends sent their prayers and messages of love and encouragement. Others came and wrapped their arms around us and still others showed their love by bringing a hot meal when we had forgotten to eat or were too weary to cook.

Jesus is our Savior and He has been omnipresent for us, to protect from dangers seen and unseen. He has protected our children each time they leave our home and brought them safely back to us. We are grateful because we now live in times where there have been so many scares and tragedies in our schools. Jesus has protected our older children with traveling mercies as they drive both familiar and unfamiliar roads. He is with them when they go out to socialize with their friends and even on their college campuses. Finally, for those like me with grown children, our Lord has protected them in their business travels, on planes, trains, in foreign countries and in their corporate environments. Our Father has been a shield and a fortress to keep them safe.

When the lens of this world reveals constant chaos, religious terrorism, vigilante terrorism, racial division, political corruption, social unrest and more, we can look back over this year and say we have been blessed with Favor…we have survived and thrived in spite of all this because of our Lord's, love, mercy and grace! Let’s remember that truth as we end this year in gratitude for our Lord’s provision, protection and peace.

I say thank You Lord. It really doesn’t matter to me that people squabble over when Jesus' birthday really is. What is most important is that God "so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son" for us. Jesus left Glory and came to earth in the form of man with one purpose: to be the sacrifice for our lives so that we could be reconciled to God. “While we were yet sinners, willingly, Jesus died for us.” Hallelujah! Everyday should be a celebration for His birth, His life, His sacrifice, His suffering, His death and His resurrection.

Romans 5:8 “God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

I Peter 5:7 “Cast your cares on Him because He cares for you.”