Gifts
are inextricably linked to Christmas, aren’t they? We can’t imagine Christmas without presents! Though Christmas has been somewhat hijacked
by retailers, at the heart of it, it’s about love and gratitude leading us to
generous gift-giving.
The gift
of Jesus, the arrival of a savior, was long anticipated. And His entrance into the world has caused
people through the generations to pause, find hope, and then worship, offering
their hearts and their lives in gratitude.
Don and I-- having been captivated by Jesus ourselves-- we are compelled
to honor God and give to others out of the abundance of what we have received.
The
birth of Jesus compels the offering of gifts of all sorts. I think of the gifts of the wise men. Having been stirred in their spirits to follow
a star, they found the newborn and presented him with gifts befitting of a king.
Their journey to Jesus, their worship,
and their gifts are beautifully captured in the words of this wonderfully
familiar hymn:
We three kings
of Orient are,
Bearing gifts we
traverse afar,
Field and
fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder
star.
O star of
wonder, star of night,
Star with royal
beauty bright;
Westward
leading, still proceeding,
Guide
us to thy perfect light.
Don and
I see the offerings at the Soul Restoration Project as a central part of our
worship, an offering of love and gratitude.
Whether or not the name of Jesus is ever spoken with a person we meet
with, we hold our work as holy. We get
to participate in the restoring of hope and life to those God deeply
loves. We delight in giving of ourselves
for the development and healing of men, women, couples and families.
This
year we focused on honing our skills for the sake of those we serve. Don was certified as a sexual addiction
therapist through the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction
Professionals. And I received advanced
training in the treatment of eating disorders through the International
Association of Eating Disorder Professionals.
Our intern program also continued to develop into a more effective
learning community enabling us to serve more people, more effectively. All of these areas of growth have a direct
impact on the quality of the care we offer.
This Christmas we
hope that you have quiet moments of reflection on the awe-inspiring gift of the Star of Wonder... and that you experience overflowing worship and gratitude!
