I’m not one for Christmas cards which is probably why the number of we receive each year seems to decrease. Yet this year, I feel compelled to share a word with each of you; just one word that sums up our entire year.

HOPE!

Our year has held many changes and challenges. Hope became vulnerable to fear and desperation that threatened our souls and even our son’s life. What I have learned as a result has been invaluable.

Hope is not a feeling, a belief or a circumstance based reaction. It’s a person. Jesus Christ. He was born into the world to be our hope for life. Not just eternal life, but also in the labor of life here on earth. 

My prayer for each of you who read this is that you would choose hope in Jesus rather than the condition and details of your life.

Fight for it when the enemy says you have none.  Defend it when the world says it is useless. Speak it out loud when it begins to be overshadowed by lies.

Life will fail us, people will discourage us and circumstances will drag us down, but Jesus will remain the light in the darkness. Make the choice for hope, because hope will not disappoint.

Romans 5:5 “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

Merry Christmas from the Ahrendt Family