If you have a prayer request or praise, please submit by contacting me, Laura Keener, Frontline Director at Desert Springs....760-568-3646 or lkeener@desertspringsfamily.org.
On behalf of all of us here on staff at Desert Springs Church, I want to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year. May you have time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, time to reflect and time to give thanks for all that you have been given.
ANYTHING BUT A KING
In Bethlehem, the human being who best understood who God was and what He was doing, was a teenage girl in a smelly stable. As Mary looked into the face of the baby, her son, her Lord, His majesty—she couldn’t take her eyes off Him. Somehow Mary knew she was holding God. So this is He. And she remembered the words of the angel when he said, “His kingdom will never end!”He looked like anything but a King. His cry, though strong and healthy, was still the helpless and piercing cry of a baby. Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat. Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable, through the womb of a teenager and in the presence of a carpenter. God came near! Luke 1:33 says, “His kingdom will never end!” May you be a part of it.
From In the Manger, Max Lucado
New Year’s Eve Reflection:
Now, because I have some holiday time off, I won't be back to update our blog until after the New Year. But please, join me by taking the time for personal reflection and answering the questions below.
1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?
3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?
4. What was an unexpected obstacle?
5. Pick three words to describe this past year.
6. What were the best books you read this year?
7. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
8. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
9. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?
10. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?
11. In what way(s) did you grow physically?
12. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?
13. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
14. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
15. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?
16. What was the best way you used your time this past year?
17. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?
18. Create a phrase or statement that describes this past year for you.
Lily Boyd * Harry Bryant * Ceil Burns * Ginny Folkers * LaReign Hodges * Phyllis Johnson * Bonnie Keller * Jody Moses * Al Stokes * Jack & Joan Washburn's son, Steven
REMEMBER OUR MISSIONARIES
"For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor with a shield." Psalm 5:12
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Continue to pray for the people in Tacloban, Philippines where our sister Evangeline St. Clair Byrnes was born and serves as our missionary to that area. There is still so much to be done to restore their homes, churches and businesses after the typhoon and floods.
Our missionary Junio Souza has moved his family from Nepal to Thailand and is asking us to pray for his daughter who is having trouble adjusting. Also for the Lord to continue to provide for their new ministry in Thailand as well as in Nepal.
OUR PASTORS in GUINEA BISSAU continue to need SPECIAL PRAYER COVERING! Guinea Bissau borders Guinea, Liberia & Sierra Leone where the EBOLA VIRUS outbreak is still critical.
Pray also for the radio tower to be restored quickly so that the news of Jesus Christ will continue to spread throughout Guinea Bissau and all of Africa.
As the UKRAINE continues to crumble, let's lift up our brothers and sisters in Christ who are standing strong in their faith! Pray for our missionaries Jim & Annie Leonovich who are standing in the gap and planning their next mission visit.
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