the Christmas letter

Dearest Friends and Familia,
Ahh the Christmas letter….what juicy tid-bits about our challenging year shall we share with you? Well, truthfully if you are friends and family you have shared in most of it with us. Not one single member of our family escaped the trials this year. And there were times when the “stuff” was coming so fast that we didn’t think we would make it thru. We did, and the lessons learned about a sovereign Lord and a simple message are what we celebrate this time of year.
Christ was not born in a million dollar medical facility, Mary did not receive the best care the government could offer and Joseph did not get to negotiate which health plan they would take advantage of and yet, it all worked out. Christ was born in the most simple way, lived simply, and gave a simple message...

*Come to Me all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.
*I will never leave you or forsake you.
*I know the plans I have for you.
*All things work for the good for those that are called to His purposes.
*Be still and know that I am God!!!

Simple simple trust is all He asks of us, and yet we are surprised when not everything is going the way we think it should. I remember in the midst of one of the hardest times this year, thinking “why would God allow us to go thru this trial?” and then wanting to fall down on my knees and beg His forgiveness as someone walked by with a cross on their shirt, reminding me that His trials were for a great purpose and so are ours. 
We have learned that His ways are not our ways, and that sometimes we don’t get to know the “why”, sometimes we just need to trust in the “Who” and the Who is Christ who filters everything that we go thru with His hands and for reasons we may never understand on this side of heaven, allows us the opportunity to push thru and become more like Him.
We are looking forward to celebrating Christ’s birthday with a full house this year, as Peter will be home for Christmas for the first time in 3 years. Please stop by and visit, we would love to see you and share His love, funny stories, (now they are funny) and even show you the fruits of one of the trials! 

Knowin, trustin, believin and lovin Him!

Joe, Barbie, Peter, Tim, Frank, Helena,…
oh and stormie, goliath, and tink too!

*
One simple star…
One simple life…
One simple love that changed
the whole world!