End of the Year
As I sit here it is the 26th of December, very close to the end of another year. Another year full of grace and God's goodness. Another year full of happiness and trials. Yesterday on Christmas Day, I was struck and overwhelmed by the simplicity of these words of scripture:
Yes, I am loved and have been loved with an everlasting love from an almighty, sovereign, good God. I am loved by God coming to earth as my rescuer so that I may have peace with God and live with him forever. It's a love that I didn't earn or deserve. It's a gift given freely for me to take and rest in.
So as I look back at this year and see how God has shown his everlasting love to me in tangible ways I would like to share a few with you.
- You! My readers, supporters, prayer warriors, family and friends. God has used you to show me his everlasting love.
- Notes, cards, e-mails, packages from you! It is such a delight to hear from you and know a little about what God is doing in your life.
- My students. I get daily reminders of God's love through their love, and precious prayers.
- Friendships with families. In my second year here, I've been able to develop friendships with more families both of my students and others in the community. I have been shown great love by them with simple things like rides to church each week, lending a car to run an errand to a store farther away, lending an extra Christmas tree for the season, and baking pies together. Then there were bigger things too, like giving me a dresser for my bedroom, and including me in their family for Thanksgiving, Christmas decorating, and Christmas Eve and Day. I am so blessed by the families here. Living in community with the body of Christ is a beautiful thing.
- Living alone. Yes, I will admit it wasn't my plan or my idea. In fact it was the last thing I wanted while I was in Hungary. However, I can now see how God was loving me through his plan of having me live alone for the past semester. I would have missed so many things God had planned for me had it gone according to my plan.
Those are just a few simple tangible ways that God has shown me his everlasting love for me.
As I think about 2013, I am eagerly expectant of all the ways that God will once again, undeservingly, show me his everlasting love out of his good character. One of the ways I am already praying about is finances for my third year in Hungary. I am planning, Lord willing, on remaining here for a third school year. With that in mind, would you pray about if God would have you give an end of the year gift to help kick off my support raising for a third year serving in Hungary? Don't forget that your gift would be tax-deductible. Giving is easy and simple. You can give on-line here. Or you can fill out this form, write a check and postmark it by Dec. 31 to count for the 2012 tax year. As you do pray and consider, I challenge you to think of ways that he has shown you his everlasting love this year. It will be a blessing to you and bring honor to God our Father.
May God richly bless you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places as you enter into 2013. May God continue to call worshippers for himself from every tribe, tongue, nation and people, even the Hungarian people.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Amanda Ferris
“I have loved you with an everlasting love.” Jeremiah 31:3
Yes, I am loved and have been loved with an everlasting love from an almighty, sovereign, good God. I am loved by God coming to earth as my rescuer so that I may have peace with God and live with him forever. It's a love that I didn't earn or deserve. It's a gift given freely for me to take and rest in.
So as I look back at this year and see how God has shown his everlasting love to me in tangible ways I would like to share a few with you.
- You! My readers, supporters, prayer warriors, family and friends. God has used you to show me his everlasting love.
- Notes, cards, e-mails, packages from you! It is such a delight to hear from you and know a little about what God is doing in your life.
- My students. I get daily reminders of God's love through their love, and precious prayers.
- Friendships with families. In my second year here, I've been able to develop friendships with more families both of my students and others in the community. I have been shown great love by them with simple things like rides to church each week, lending a car to run an errand to a store farther away, lending an extra Christmas tree for the season, and baking pies together. Then there were bigger things too, like giving me a dresser for my bedroom, and including me in their family for Thanksgiving, Christmas decorating, and Christmas Eve and Day. I am so blessed by the families here. Living in community with the body of Christ is a beautiful thing.
- Living alone. Yes, I will admit it wasn't my plan or my idea. In fact it was the last thing I wanted while I was in Hungary. However, I can now see how God was loving me through his plan of having me live alone for the past semester. I would have missed so many things God had planned for me had it gone according to my plan.
Those are just a few simple tangible ways that God has shown me his everlasting love for me.
As I think about 2013, I am eagerly expectant of all the ways that God will once again, undeservingly, show me his everlasting love out of his good character. One of the ways I am already praying about is finances for my third year in Hungary. I am planning, Lord willing, on remaining here for a third school year. With that in mind, would you pray about if God would have you give an end of the year gift to help kick off my support raising for a third year serving in Hungary? Don't forget that your gift would be tax-deductible. Giving is easy and simple. You can give on-line here. Or you can fill out this form, write a check and postmark it by Dec. 31 to count for the 2012 tax year. As you do pray and consider, I challenge you to think of ways that he has shown you his everlasting love this year. It will be a blessing to you and bring honor to God our Father.
May God richly bless you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places as you enter into 2013. May God continue to call worshippers for himself from every tribe, tongue, nation and people, even the Hungarian people.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Amanda Ferris
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