\”For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.\”
John 3:16
Many of us have spent a lot of time in the past few weeks trying to come up with that perfect gift for everyone on our gift-giving list. Whether we make these gifts with our own hands or spend too many hours running from store to store to find the latest gizmo, our Decembers are often consumed with thoughts of giving. ![\"clip_image002[1]\"](\"http://greetings.gillespiesonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/clip-image0021.gif\")
For most of us, there is that one person on our list who takes more creative thought than anyone else ? the person who already has everything you can think of, or the person who doesn?t usually like the gifts no matter how hard you try.
Two thousand years ago, God faced a similar gift-giving quandary, only His problems were much different. He didn?t have to search for the perfect gift ? He had that. However, He had to find a creative way to give this Gift to people Who didn?t even like Him, and then convince them how much they needed this perfect Gift. So ?when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son?? to be born in a manger that first Christmas night (Gal. 4:4). The rest is history ? no matter how much some are trying to deny it.
In last year?s Christmas greeting, we wrote ?the uncertain future of International Christian Academy (ICA) in Cote d?Ivoire has kept us wondering what God is doing in our lives. We?re continually reminding ourselves that we are walking in faith.? So much has happened this past year, but not much has changed with respect to our wondering. Many of you have followed the news of our recent evacuation and faithfully prayed for the safety of the staff and students of ICA. God answered those prayers. We didn?t expect to be part of this Christmas season here in the states. We thought we would be missing friends and loved ones from ?back home? while enjoying the Christmas traditions of ICA with many returning staff and students. God?s plans were different though, and we now find ourselves enjoying Christmas in the USA while missing our friends and loved ones from ICA. We are truly blessed by how God is using your prayers. Thank you!
As we look ahead to 2005, we ask you, our faithful prayer warriors, to pray for:
? God?s clear direction as to our future ministry. ICA will not be re-opening in Bouak?, Cote d?Ivoire;
? God?s continued work in the hearts of those we left behind ? the French among whom we lived and our African friends;
? peace in Cote d?Ivoire.
Have a very special Christmas and a blessed New Year!