Merry Christmas Beloved Friends and Family!2 Corinthians 9:11 is a bible verse that has summed up much of this past year for me. It reads, “God will enrich you in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” This verse reminds me of two important things. First, in a season characterized by consumerism, this verse reminds me that contentment from God and thankfulness towards Him are better than material possessions. This verse also reminds me of how rich and generous God is towards His children.
April of 2010 marked the end of our work at GAP Ministries, the Christian group home where we have worked since being married. We were feeling burnt out due to a lack of friendship and fellowship with other believers. We still miss the kids! At the end of GAP, God provided a job for me (Eric) in an amazing way. There were 50 applicants who applied to the job I most wanted and the actual job was only posted online for about 24 hours. I was one of 10 interviews selected from the resumes and two people were selected for the job ahead of me but they didn’t work out. I was offered the job and given a raise before my first day. All of this took place the week before we were scheduled to finish at GAP. I am now currently employed by Arizona’s Children Association to work at their helpdesk and provide IT support for the company’s 600 employees. I have learned so much in a short period of time and am busy all day every day!
During that same time period, Bethany was offered a job in a State Farm office working for a very successful agent who attends our church. Three months later she was licensed to sell property and casualty insurance in Arizona and has enjoyed the office environment and her friendships with the girls who work there. It is also a huge blessing to her to have a boss who is a Christian!
I believe this was God reminding us that He was not leaving us even though we left GAP. Our eyes have been opening to God’s rich generosity towards us this year. We eat full meals and live in a beautiful climate controlled home. We have cars, friends, family, recreation time and extra money to play with. I have to add that I have a beautiful and wonderful wife who I adore! Many nights I sit back and say to Bethany, “We have everything we want. Thank you Jesus!” Now we are trying to consider how we can be generous on every occasion in response to God’s richness towards us. So often I am stingy!
We were also very blessed this year to attend many weddings of friends and family culminating in the wedding of Eric’s older brother, Dan. We both stood beside the couple in the wedding party and are so grateful to God for sending Karen to Dan. They are treasures in our lives. We are continuing to build more relationships at our church, Sovereign Grace, and have found many ways to use our gifts to serve the church. We are both now playing on the worship team, I am helping out with the media team, and we are talking about forming an evangelism team to tell people about how to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ!
I hope everyone reading this card will allow me a moment to reflect on the greatest Christmas gift of all and the most significant thing worth celebrating this holiday: we now have a way to be reconciled to God! Christmas is celebrating the birthday of Jesus Christ, the God-man and Savior. We were separated from God with no way to live up to His perfect standards. We all have lied, cheated, stolen, been jealous, lusted, coveted, hated, and separated ourselves from God. But God loved us so much He sent his son Jesus Christ to pay the death penalty for our sins in our place. Because of this sacrifice God will look on us as perfect children and adopt us into His family if we ask Him too. What love! Ponder the mystery this season: your sins paid for by God’s baby boy. I pray you get to know and enjoy the richness of God in Jesus as we have this year. Merry Christmas!
Love,
Eric and Bethany
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