Melissa

For those of you who didn't make it to our meeting last night: We got a christmas card from Melissa wishing us a christmas full of happiness and kindness and a new years letter: Hello dear sponsor!
I hope you are in good health surrounded by all your beautiful family, friends and all those who you love.
My name is Francisca Ercilia Palacios and I am Melissa’s mother.
I am writing this letter to you because Melissa can not write yet. I thank you a lot for the beautiful letter that you sent to her. I also thank you for the words that you wrote in the letter.
We are happy to receive this letter. Let me tell you that Melissa likes to play with dolls.
She has a doll called Belinda. This doll is beautiful and Melissa loves it.
Melissa has 5 siblings and she also lives with her father and mother. She is not attending school yet, because she is still too young.
Our community is beautiful. There is a river near my house and there are many trees, houses and animals too.
People are lovely and friendly here.
We always pray for you and your family and we ask God to bless you with health in large amounts. We also ask God to protect you in this New Year.
Thank you so much for everything.
God bless you.
With Love,
Melissa and Francisca

Also, we currently have hit our treasury amount and are in need of more funds to support this dear little girl and her family!

The Holy Spirit's Work

I realize more and more lately that no scientific or historical evidence can convince people that Jesus is their personal savior. Sure science has disproved the theory of evolution. Sure it is historically proven that there was a man named Jesus who performed miracles and was even raised from the dead. But no miracle is great enough to convince a totally depraved human being to believe the gospel except through the Holy Spirit’s opening their eyes to the truth (Luke 10: 21-24, Matthew 17: 14-23, John 16:7-11). I certainly cannot convince them, neither could Paul or any other great apostle or martyr or preacher, but it is God who works in their hearts to show them the truth. With this in mind, it is still my job to be a witness for Christ, pointing everyone I possibly can to that open door. But I shouldn’t get discouraged by their stubborn rejection because it is the Holy Spirit’s work to open their hearts and make them receptive to His word. (See pastor Rayburn’s recent sermon on Revelation 3:7-13, “The Power of the Weak on Behalf of the Helpless.”)

Do Hard Things

So I just finished the book by Brett and Alex Harris, Do Hard Things. Very inspiring, and I think you all should read it--they basically are thinking the exact same thing that we all were! Maybe God really is starting a movement--as they call it, a Rebelution. If you can, definitely read it over Christmas break! And we all need to get together.... more details to follow.

Check out this web site

www.desiringgod.org
Piper is def one of my heros!