E-Note 12/31: You Are Our Joy!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

As 2009 draws to a close Jen and I wish to express our deep love and respect for you, our family in Christ. The apostle Paul wrote the following words to the Christians he loved in the city of Thessalonica: "For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy." You, the saints at TBC, have given us this same hope and joy, and very soon, this same glory.

Your love for all the saints stands out to us like a jewel. You have received grace to order your lives to love one another. Your participation in small groups is so often inconvenient, not only to your schedule but also to your ego, yet you persevere in these close-contact relationships. You have joined Christ Jesus in being burdened by the lives of sinners. You have learned that Christ's love in you can flourish even when his church disappoints you or disillusions you. Every year it is Jen's and my privilege to witness obscure yet extravagant of acts of love between you, the saints of TBC. This year was no different. Jen and I give thanks to God for your abundant love for one another.

Your works of service also cheer us greatly: painting the church, stocking the foodshelf, cleaning toilets, teaching Sunday School, shoveling snow, mowing grass, making meals, stacking wood, driving to DHMC, praying over heartaches both great and small. You are Christians! Your lives show that peculiar freedom of those who know Jesus, a freedom so well described by John Stott: "True freedom is not freedom from responsibility to God and others in order to live for ourselves, but freedom from ourselves in order to live for God and others." Your faithful giving also stands out this year. In a year marked by financial fear upon the earth you arranged your finances as those who have a Father in heaven. You gave close to $1,500 for Bibles to Iran. Through the Faith Promise you are on track to give another $15,000 to Tajikistan, Moldova, and The Fold in Lyndonville, VT. And on top of that we are not far off in meeting our commitments to our permanent missionaries and our local expenses at TBC. Your obedient faith continues to go public in your faithful giving. Jen and I give thanks to God for your generous giving of both self and wealth so Christ's gospel is proclaimed and his church built up.

Like the apostle John, there is no greater joy for us than to see you walking in the truth. So many of you have grown in your commitment and conviction to the gospel this year. You are standing firm in the faith. This has also been the year where some of you have shed the dead weight of errors and lies about God. We give thanks to God that in love he has chosen you, has given you his Holy Spirit, and now you show you are waiting for Christ's return by your holy and pure lives. Jen and I give thanks to God for your growing faith.

Lastly and most personally, we give thanks to God for how you have cared for us. You cheered when Reuben was born and continue to give your hearts to all our children. You have shared your lives with us, welcoming us into your homes. You have shown us patience. You have shared with us wisdom. You have showered us again and again with forgiveness. We love you. May God prosper you in His way this New Year, John & Jen.