Advent Day 1 - I give thanks to my God always for you...

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:3-9.

Advent, A Season of Anticipation
Advent is a season of anticipation; waiting for the arrival of our Lord. This year, I am also in a season of anticipation; waiting to be sent to Perú to serve the people in Lima and be a connection for many people and churches here at home. But our gratitude for God's grace and and our service to our neighbor doesn't stop during the wait. In fact, it may be the best time to serve to the glory of God.

Today is the first Sunday in Advent, and the first day of my new devotional Advent for Everyone. The author, N.T. Wright, chose to start the devotional with what was also a reading in church today: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 (above). I love it when my morning devotional passage corresponds with another passage that pops up throughout my day! I feel like God's saying, "Hey! Pay extra attention...this is important!"

You may have also noticed it contains a verse that I use in my newsletter each month. It's the heading for my column of gratitude; my thanks for invitations to share and opportunities connect with supporters and sending partners. I am thankful for the grace of God and the gifts of prayer and support for my ministry, both near and far.

But this passage is also a greeting to family; a growing family of believers around the world in wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we wait, we wait together. We share together; we laugh and cry together; and together, we rely on God who is faithful.

I'm also still studying the book of Acts and today's study was the story of Dorcas (Acts 9:36-42). Which, on the surface may seem unrelated...but I found it wonderfully weaving together a message of a God who is faithful and a church who is called into fellowship and service while we wait for the return of our Lord.

Dorcas is not a long story. In case you need a refresher, here's a quick summary: we know she was a disciple; "she was full of good works and generous deeds;" and around the time Peter was nearby, she got sick and died. The people sent for Peter, who came and, alone in the room, knelt and prayed then turned to the body and told her to "get up." He then presented her alive to the people gathered outside! Many in the city heard and many believed.

What stands out for me, apart from the awesome act of Peter praying and her coming alive, of course, is when Peter first arrives at the house. In verse 39 "...all the widows were weeping. They showed him the tunics and the other clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them. " This was a woman who had served so many. N.T. Wright emphasizes (in Acts for Everyone) that Dorcas, "...stands as it were for all those unsung heroines who have got on with what they can do best and have done it to the glory of God."

Thanks to Peter (and Luke), we know a little bit about this woman who did what she did best for her fellow sisters in Christ: sewing and providing clothing for the widows in her community. It shows how important each of us is to our community. Peter and the Apostles were a big deal, we hear a lot about what they did as they traveled sharing the gospel. And as international missionaries, there is a lot of wow factor in our traveling far away to share the gospel with those who have yet to hear it. But the work that is done at home, or wherever you are, serving your brothers and sisters in christ, is just as impactful, important, and inspiring.

God has created us uniquely qualified for what we do best and he calls us uniquely for serving him. I love the emphasis here on doing what you do best. We don't have to serve the same way, and we don't need to try to do what everyone else is doing.

Design, communications and connections are my gifts and I am honored to have the opportunity to share them in this way. But for some, like Dorcas, it's sewing and clothing those in need. Others cook, or build, or write, or lead, or create, or sing, or many, many of the other wonderful gifts God grants us.

The one I've heard recently that has touched my heart so dearly, is when you reach a time where being a "do-er" is difficult, you become a "pray-er." I think we could all use a few "pray-ers" in our corner. Don't you?

I am grateful for every shining example of a hero and heroine that I know and those that I am meeting during this season of my life. I am inspired and enriched in knowing each of you. I will leave you with one of the reflections from the end of the advent study today. In what ways do you see your church as part of a world-wide family? I thank God that we're family.