Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Christmas 2015: Offering our Gifts out of Gratitude


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! 

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