Life Circle – Restoring Hope 12-19-2013

Devotional Thought

_______________

But those who hope

in the Lord will

renew their strength.

They will soar on wings

like eagles;

they will run

and not grow weary,

they will walk

and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31

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Restoring Hope…

When I was about 8 years old I memorized the Christmas story from Luke 2:1-20 to recite at my church’s children’s Christmas program. I clearly remember the church packed with parents and grandparents, the feelings of nervousness as I waited to go on stage, and, the red jacket and tie that my mother purchased for me to wear for the occasion!

The memories of that night have stayed with me over the past 49+ years. I have tried to put the memories of that red jacket and tie out of my mind, but to no avail. 🙂

The words Luke 2:1-20 have also stayed with me. I can still recite them to this day. But over the years it has become a passage rich with meaning and significance. In a moment in time where Caesar Augustus issued an order for a census to be taken of the whole Roman world, in the most humble of places and circumstances God brought his son Jesus into the world.

So many things strike us from this passage. Joseph and the very pregnant Mary, making the long journey from Nazareth to the little town of Bethlehem. The baby Jesus wrapped in clothes and placed in a manger because there was no room in the inn. We assume they were in a stable, but the scripture makes no mention of one.

The first recipients of the news of Jesus’ birth grab our attention — shepherds, the lowest of the low in that society. The message they heard from the angel of the Lord is one they have been longing to hear; a message that restores hope.

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10 & 11

You know the rest of the story. The angel goes on to tell the shepherds how to find the baby. They head to Bethlehem where they Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus, lying in the manger. After seeing the newborn King, they told everyone they encountered about him. People were amazed at what they heard. The one who would restore hope, the Messiah, had come!

When I think about this passage I am reminded of the vision of Lifeline Christian Mission – restoring hope through showing the love of Christ. On the fields where Lifeline serves in many cases it is the lowest of the low where ministry done in the name of Christ restores hope; not only with physical blessings, but restoring hope of eternal life with him.

Christmas is often referred to as a season of hope. As we gather with family and friends let’s make it our mission to restore hope to them by sharing the love of Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!

Keith Dimbath

Lifeline’s Work Team Co-Director

Praises

The Christmas season filled with the peace and love of Christ.

Haiti

The container filled with sponsor gifts arrived in Grand Goave on Friday, December 13 (not unlucky at all!) and are there, ready for the women’s work team to distribute them. PRAISE GOD!

For the women on the women’s team who sent in extra funds to help us give a deposit on the container filled with sponsor gifts to expedite receiving it.

God answered last week’s prayer request for donors to cover the cost for 25 couples getting married in a huge ceremony in Laregal, Haiti this Saturday. In just a few days, 4 individuals stepped up to cover the entire cost. The Haitian pastors were so encouraged when we shared the news with them!

U.S.A.

This year, a record 5.3+ million meals were packed for the hungry and were distributed around the world.

Teams of U.S. pastors are in place for leadership seminars to Haiti (February 11-17), Honduras (March 11-17) and Cuba (May 13-19). We are so grateful for pastors willing to serve – at their own expense – the national leaders in Lifeline’s churches and schools. This investment in leaders is already having an impact for the kingdom.

Praise God with us for having such a dedicated team of men and women serve as Lifeline’s Board of Directors. We had a very productive meeting this past Saturday and look forward to an exciting future in 2014 and beyond.

We are blessed!!! Folks are already sending in their special and generous year end donations. THANK YOU! What is being received now will help us finish out our greatest year ever of ministry and help as we move into a new year of service. God is good.

Southland Christian Church (KY) has a heart for Haiti and will be praying for all the kiddies by name that are in Lifeline’s children’s ministries in Haiti. What a blessing to know that each child – whether sponsored or not – will have someone praying for them. Pray for the church as they take on this endeavor.

Photos:

top – the gifts from sponsors for their sponsored kids in Haiti were unloaded into Lifeline’s warehouse in Haiti and are ready to be distributed in January!

bottom set – lots of ABC meals were packaged this year for hungry kids around the world!

Prayer Requests

A beautiful home and land in Aurora, Indiana (near Cincinnati) has been donated to Lifeline, with the full proceeds from the sale to benefit Lifeline’s ministry. If you or someone you know is interested in purchasing this home, please visit the realtor’s website. Pray that the home sells soon. (If you would like to donate stocks or other appreciated assets, please contact Ben@Lifeline.org)

Up-coming women’s team on January 6; 63 women will be traveling to Haiti. Pray for uneventful, trouble fee travel and for God to guide us and lead us as we lead the women! There is much to do including building 5 homes that the women funded.

Finances; donations are still not coming in as needed. You can assist with Lifeline’s financial needs by donating online.

Pray for Karen Kennison, Lifeline’s Executive Assistant, as she brings her mother back home from Florida to care for her. Pray for Karen’s stepfather who is in the hospital in Florida with a brain infection.

Pray that God would raise up leaders and recruiters for the Project: Ohio88 food packing events. If you’d like to learn more about this new food packing project in each county in Ohio, simply contact Matt@Lifeline.org.

Pray for the 25 couples who will be married this weekend at the Laregal Christian Church in Haiti. Pray that their marriages will be blessed and that Christ will always be at the center of their home.

Pray for the thousands of Christians in Lifeline’s churches in Haiti, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Cuba & Navajo Nation. While their Christmas celebrations will have fewer “things” than most of ours, their joy is still genuine and full.

Please pray for His blessings for our 50 new child sponsors from the Westerville Christian Church. Pray also that other congregations hold sponsorship drives that will allow us to support even more of our beautiful school children in Haiti and Honduras. Contact Erma@Lifeline.org if you are interested in hosting a drive.

The Lifeline office is in need of a DVD duplicator. Pray for a church or individual to step forward to assist with this need, whether to donate a good used one or someone willing to donate the funds. Details include: Stand alone tower 7 bay duplicator, 24x write speed (if possible), and DVD/CD +&- compatible. Contact Greg@Lifeline.org for details.

You can view Lifeline’s full prayer list at www.Lifeline.org.

People, Programs or Projects:

Meet Romulad Docteur

Romuald is 22 years old and is the Youth Worker at Grand Goave Christian Church. He is not married yet, but hopes to one day. He became a Christian on May 2, 2012 and has been involved in the church ever since.

He has grown spiritually over the last year, as he spent a lot of time praying, reading and getting involved in every single activity in his church. He looks up to his pastor as a spiritual mentor who is a good example for him.

What Romuald likes most about the ministry is the way we live according to God’s love is very different from the way unbelievers live. His biggest challenge is the way that people don’t understand the will of God, so there is a discrepancy among them.

His desire for the church is that all believers would gather together and live in the way God asked us to live. This would strengthen us so God’s work might grow. He asks us to pray for these three things: For every Christian to have love for one another, for the growing up of Jesus Christ’s church spiritually, and for the gospel to be preached all over the world.