Fear Not

Wow--I didn't realize it's been over two weeks since I posted here.  In addition to writing a bunch of thank you notes to Operation Christmas Child participating churches, I've been busy getting ready for our family Christmas which has now come and gone.  My three daughters were home together for about 26 hours and during that time we celebrated with a big gathering of extended family and then had our own family Christmas yesterday morning.

I'm praising God for so many answers to prayer over the past days as He blessed us again and again with guidance in making preparations and with safe travels and a great time with our family.

This morning when I returned from dropping my oldest daughter at the airport at 6:00 am, I spent some time praying as I looked at the lit Christmas tree in our darkened living room.  How wonderful to have this day to ponder, as Mary did, what it means to be blessed with Emmanuel--God with us.

I remember today the first announcement of Jesus' birth made to shepherds by a host of angels.  Our pastor last week reminded us that angels in the Bible are not cute cherubs.  They are awesome and terrifying beings and that is why the first thing an angel usually has to say when making a visitation is "Fear not."

I think of those poor socially-ostracized shepherds who had a crummy job with no status.  No one really ever paid any attention to them.  No wonder they were petrified to see that angel-filled sky.  But the swift assurance came to them, "Fear not."

I just came from what feels like a meeting with angels.  On this Christmas Eve day, Lorelei and Chuck Millet made the 20-some mile drive from their home to bring a truck filled with paper to our storage container--56 boxes containing 280 reams of new paper to bless children in their Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes in 2013.

Somehow God is seeing the needs of children around the world and meeting them through the willing service of Lorelei and Chuck.  Angels, I tell you.

I start this 2013 Operation Christmas Child journey with a nearly-empty storage container and the firm expectation of God's provision once again.  Will He do it?  Will He fill this container with good things to bring gospel opportunities to children around the world?

As my husband and Lorelei and Chuck and I joined arms and prayed together this morning before they left in their truck, I heard in my soul an angel's whisper--

 "Fear not."