The simplicity of friendship is this:  that I know you are there, that somewhere on this crowded planet you and I stand together, if only in a moment of thought.  And for those moments and what they bring me, the world is less empty.

It made me think of my friends; past or present; near or far; acquaintance or close friend.  It makes me appreciate them.  It makes me realize, not to take friendships for granted.

I have moved around a lot in my life.  I don’t think I have lived in one place for more than 5 years.  As a result I have made many friends, but also lost touch with many.   Whether we move, graduate, get a new job, change hobbies, or join a new sports team, and so on, there is a chance to make new friends, and the chance that we lose touch.  I think most of us have experienced this and I guess it is just apart of life.

To my friends,

Thank you for making my world less empty.

-Rich

Most of the time when I read it and reflect, I am like “Hey cool that’s the Christmas story, the real meaning of Christmas.” and that’s pretty much it. The good thing about the Bible is that when you read it at different points in your life, some unique messages and truths come alive. This is one of the ways God talks to us.  So, this year, reading it,  I began to reflect and ponder how this story can apply to us…

So you have Mary, probably an average teenage girl, a virgin and engaged to be married to an average Joseph.  Probably have plans to find a nice place in Nazareth, settle down, open up a wood shop, then have kids and grow old together.  Sound familiar…

Then there is a twist in the story, and we all know it.  The angel Gabriel comes down and tells Mary she is favored by God, not to be afraid and that she will give birth to a son, who is to be named Jesus.  All very shocking to Mary.  And of course like anyone who might be  presented with something that sounds so very impossible, Mary asks “How?”.

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”  The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ” Luke 1:34,35

This is what struck me this year reading the Christmas story.   In the event that God might present to us something that is impossible in our eyes, we more than often respond:

How? How God?  That’s impossible.  How am I suppose to do that?

This year, God presented Carli and I with what has become our  “impossible”, becoming missionaries to Tanzania.  Often we ask God, “How?” and think it very impossible.  So this year when we read the Christmas story,  God reminded us, that if he can make possible the birth of Jesus,  our Savior to the virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit,  then surely he can make possible our “impossible”.

The angel Gabriel goes on to tell Mary that her barren cousin Elizabeth is 6 months pregnant and more importantly in Luke 1:37 “For no word from God will ever fail.”

Wow! Take that “impossible”.

I never thought that the Christmas story could have a truth that we could apply to our lives.  I always just read it as a story and one of the many miracles of God.  But thank God that he speaks to us when we need to hear it the most.  I pray that as God has encouraged us through this story, that he will also encourage you.

Nothing is impossible for God.

-Rich

The first book is “When God Stood Up: A Christian Response to AIDS in Africa” by James Cantelon.  I had the pleasure of seeing James Cantelon speak at our church about 3 years ago.  Unfortunately I missed him more recently this year.  He really has a gift for articulating what is on his heart.  In this book, he begins with a excellent defining of Righteousness and Justice.  This then lets us the read with a new set of glasses, if you will.  Throughout the book, he makes it very personal by sharing stories (journal entries), relating to the coming chapter.   He then goes on to describe in detail how AIDS is affecting Africa.  Drawing from the Bible, with great conviction he challenges the Christian Church, stating that it is up to us to respond to need of  “Heaven’s Chief Concern”.  I could go on,  but me describing this book really doesn’t do it justice.  A word of warning.  If you do read this book, be prepared to have your perspective and outlook changed! Enjoy!