Grandma's Christmas Letter
Elizabeth Kilby • December 6, 2024
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2, Emphasis mine)
Friends,
What a year! I want so badly to sit and type up a Christmas card letter for you, long-winded Grandma style, about all the people who have been helped by YOU through Harvest this year. I can just imagine my Grandma sitting at her computer, lovingly picking out the words to tell everyone how proud she was of her family and the things that had happened that year.
Since I can’t list names for privacy reasons, I want you to imagine with me the momma who got through the hard month and was able to feed her kids. There were so many grocery orders placed this year to help families through tough weeks or months. Take a minute to pray for the family who was living in a hotel. Celebrate for the man and his son who are in warm beds in their new apartment. Jump for joy over the woman who wanted a bus pass so she could make positive changes in her life. Consider the women who were able to come pick out clothing for their children and themselves when they left everything behind to flee to a shelter. Or how about the young woman who can get to work because multiple families came together to pay for her car repairs? Goodness, I’m grinning thinking of the woman who I was able to counsel while she made a lot of phone calls and was able to get her utility bill taken care of.
We have created a special Giving Tuesday / End of Year Giving page with a list of needs we are starting to see regularly in our community. Your gift will allow us to have funds available when requests for clothing, groceries, bus passes, and other Harvest Helps needs are received. Toward the end of this year, we started getting referrals from some very large local organizations asking us to come alongside their clients and it has been such a joy to make those connections. I absolutely cannot wait to see what 2025 will look like and I am grateful you all are a part of the journey! Find that Giving Page Here
Blessings,
Elizabeth Kilby
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I heard an interesting statistic on a commercial. It was for one of those weight loss clinics. They boldly stated that people who joined their program lost three times as much weight as those who didn't. My guess is that those who joined also kept the weight off as long as they had the support group in tact. If this is true for a weight loss clinic, it's also true for the church. Although people endlessly complain about some of the stuff that goes on in church, none of that stuff is caused by God. And yet if you belong to a Bible-believing church, joining in with the imperfect but growing brothers and sisters, you will find your faith will inevitably grow leaps and bounds over trying to go it alone. "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:25 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
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