December 7th by Georgina Sikorski
“Forget the events of the past, ignore the things of long ago! Look, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, can’t you see it? I’m making a road in the desert and setting rivers to flow in the wasteland.”
Isaiah 43:18-19
At this time of the year, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, a baby laying in the manger. It is the epitome of something new, someone to celebrate. And no matter who they were, or what they did, kings and shepherds brought gifts of love and adoration to the new King.
As I reflect upon our last week, our Adult Mission Trip to Kentucky, I think about the gifts which we all have, and bring to those we love. You do not have to be rich, or extremely talented. You are not judged by who you are, but by how you love and give to one another. Our team was not highly skilled, but we were eager to learn, and by learning, we were able to make a difference in the lives of others. We learned how to paint (in the proper way), we installed hurricane hinges (never even heard of those before), we used a table saw (and frightened our kids when we told them so). Mostly, though, we listened to our homeowners, sharing their very personal stories of loss.
We were so blessed to be with this community, to see for ourselves the widespread devastation. And to see the dedication of the teams who are helping to rebuild. We met and worked with amazing work partners who had been there for months. And who will return in the spring for another long 8-9 months of dedicated work. They do all this work for their love of God.
In this season, may we be reminded of something new, that Jesus touches us in many ways, and that we have many ways to give and receive the gifts of Christ.
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