This past year also provided us with the opportunity to reconnect with lots of old friends. On the flip side, we met plenty of new friends, and started relationships that will hopefully last for years to come. Working with other Christians on a consistent basis has its share of challenges…Christians are people, too, and we ALL have our moments! However, at the end of the day, it is so refreshing to partner with other ministries all across this world for the purpose of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ, and what He’s done for us! That’s what it’s all about! And when we are able to witness real, genuine, life transformation – it makes every minute, every mile, worth it.

Thanks to all of you who have partnered with us in ministry this year, and those who listen to/play us on the radio. We truly appreciate all your prayers and encouraging support. We pray you all have a Merry Christmas, and a blessed New Year, and remember – keep Christ at the forefront of everything you do this holiday season!

Are you facing a tough decision today? Maybe you are at a crossroads, and just don’t know which avenue to take. Perhaps you are in a good-standing relatoinship with Christ, and you just want to grow more like Him. Let the Holy Spirit of God guide you as you walk through this life. The apostle Paul describes his experience with the Spirit this way: “And now…bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there…” (Acts 20:22). “Bound by the Spirit” – quite an adjective to use there! Could I describe my walk with Christ as being bound by His Spirit?

No matter what your occupation may be, or how many degrees you may or may not have, if you are a Child of God, He wants to use you! Remeber what we learn from Scripture. When the Lord was guiding Samuel in the annointing of Israel’s next king, He chose David, saying, “…the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) God longs to use those who are broken and are willing to be used by Him. With this attitude, all the glory goes to the One who deserves it, and we can look back and see what a privilege it was to be used by Him!

Psalm 51:16-17

¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
¹⁷ My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

 Psalm 19:1-4

 ¹ The heavens declare the glory of God;
   the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
² Day after day they pour forth speech;
   night after night they reveal knowledge.
³ They have no speech, they use no words;
   no sound is heard from them.
⁴ Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
   their words to the ends of the world.

Reflecting on these unique opportunities, it is interesting, I believe, to see how these people worship God. In a lot ways, things are different: During our most recent Canadian trek, we had the opportunity of singing for a Brazilian congregation. Their native tongue is Portuguese! There were also some language barriers over in Scotland…although they speak English, there are certain words/phrases that we use here in America that are not used in Europe, and vice versa. There are different tastes in musical preference and worship style, but in each instance, we were able to communicate our message – God’s message – in a clear and concise way.

This shows us that worship is more than just music! It is a response to God, fueled by what He has done in our lives – that transcends ALL barriers! Our God is so much bigger than any one language, or any one people-group. Pslam 86:9 reminds us that “All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord”. A beautiful picture is painted in the book of Revelation: “…a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb…” (Rev. 7:9). Heaven is going to be filled with believers from all over the world…pretty interesting to get a taste of it here on Earth!