I pray that this correspondence finds you abiding in His peace and strength. I love the changing of seasons. The sweltering heat of summer has been chased away by the unrelenting chill of winter. December is here. With it comes family and friends, celebrating the birth of Jesus, buttoning up the year that has been and the expectations of the year to come.
My prayer is that you would be satisfied during this season. Satisfaction, at times, can be elusive. We can be easily deceived by acquisitions and accomplishments masquerading as satisfaction. Our pursuit of success often leaves us embarrassingly empty and frustrated. Satisfaction cannot be achieved but instead must be received. God, in His infinite wisdom, puts us in remembrance of this truth when we reflect on the gift He gave in the form of His only son, Jesus. We cannot not achieve forgiveness, we can but receive it. His gift, like nothing else, satisfies and silences the pangs of success chasing and the penalty of sin.
Proverbs 13:25 – The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the stomach of the wicked is in need.
This year has been full of satisfying ministry accomplishments both nationally and locally. Here in Wichita we close out the year with the Men’s Leadership Retreats. There were 144 attendees at the English retreat and 56 at the Spanish, both attendance records, set us up for great expectations in 2019! For many of the men in these retreats it is their first time getting away from the normal grind of city life to be with the Lord and other men. We can count the men but only heaven knows the lasting impact an event like this can have on a man.
As we prepare for next year and you prepare to give to various charities and non-profits, please add World Impact Wichita to your list. It costs roughly $130 to send one man on retreat for 2 1⁄2 days. It would be powerful if you were to give today and help a man for a lifetime.
Thank you in advance for your generosity. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
