Merry Christmas!

We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.  Our hearts are filled with joy and gratitude for all He has done in our lives and all He has brought us through.  We savour our moments here in Canada with my, (Patti's) family and think of those family and dear ones who are far away, sending them hugs and love today!

On Friday morning I woke up with the verse Romans 5:4-5 in my heart.
"..And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And hope does not disappoint us because he has poured out His love into our hearts..."  I have often thought of hope and what that means.  Sometimes it's hard to hope, especially in the face of adversity.  We do not want to be set up for pain or disappointment.  By the afternoon on Friday, the news was raging with news of the mass shooting in a Connecticut Elementary school.  My heart still remains heavy thinking of all the families who have lost their children and loved ones, as I cannot even fathom what that would be like.  I felt like this news totally deflated and nullified this verse I felt God had given me.  HOW could somebody find hope in this situation?  Hope was gone, crushed, destroyed.    Lives changed forever, evil had stolen these precious ones away.
"AND HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT US BECAUSE HE HAS POURED OUR HIS LOVE INTO OUR HEARTS".

Although I may never understand, I pray that hope would find it's way into each of our hearts this season.  Our world can be sad, depressing and evil, but we have a reason to believe and find comfort. He is the author and finisher of life and hope.  Apart from Him, there is not enough "positive thinking" that came make us hopeful from within.  HE has to be our hope, our destination.  I pray that the HOPE of Christ Jesus fills the hearts of the families in Connecticut and your hearts this season!

Blessings!!