It’s the start of the New Year, and I pray 2025 will be your best year yet. I pray you will prosper in every area of your life this year. It all starts with your relationship with God. Will you commit to grow spiritually this year? What is the next step for you - accepting Christ, being baptized, joining the church, joining a Community Group, Men’s or Women’s Group, serving at church, reading your Bible, praying regularly, journaling or maybe a mission trip? There are so many ways to grow spiritually this year. Commit to be at church and to grow in your relationship with God. I’m praying for you in 2025! Know God has a great plan and purpose for you!

Advent contrasts the world’s fleeting, self-centered view of love with God’s unconditional, sacrificial love revealed in Scripture. While human love often starts with self and falters under conditions, God’s love, shown through Jesus’ life and sacrifice, is steadfast, holy, and transformative. Mary’s response to God’s love—her surrender and trust—demonstrates how we, too, are called to receive and carry His love with the world. This Advent, we are invited to let go of shallow definitions of love and embrace the deep, redemptive love of God that restores, redeems, and makes us whole.

“The world looks for happiness through self-assertion. The Christian knows that joy is found in self-abandonment. 'If a man will let himself be lost for My sake,' Jesus said, 'he will find his true self.” Elizabeth Elliot

What an amazing quotation from Elizabeth Elliot, who by the way is uniquely capable of commenting on where joy comes from as her husband, Jim, was put to death in South America for the sake of the Gospel. Instead of harboring bitterness, she forgave and eventually went back to the very tribe of people who put her husband to death to continue telling them about Jesus. What Elizabeth says, is that we look for happiness by self-assertion. Happiness comes when I get to insert myself into whatever situation I want and I get whatever I want. However, the Christ follower knows that joy is found in self-abandonment. By putting myself last, losing myself, and in doing so I find Jesus and the joy that comes from him alone. May you find joy this Christmas in putting yourself last, and putting Jesus first.