Comments on: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! http://sbcimpact.org/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/ life :: theology :: church :: ministry :: missions :: worship Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:40:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tony Sisk http://sbcimpact.org/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18890 Tony Sisk Sat, 15 Dec 2007 23:41:55 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18890 David, Glad I could be a bit of help this holiday season. God bless you and your family this Christmas! David,

Glad I could be a bit of help this holiday season. God bless you and your family this Christmas!

]]> By: David Wilson http://sbcimpact.org/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18889 David Wilson Sat, 15 Dec 2007 16:06:13 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18889 Great post Tony. Been trying to do some of those for years now. We've celebrated Advent as a family for decades and at church for years. It really seems to help slow everything down. Your list contains a lot of other ideas I'll grab too. Grace! David Great post Tony. Been trying to do some of those for years now. We’ve celebrated Advent as a family for decades and at church for years. It really seems to help slow everything down. Your list contains a lot of other ideas I’ll grab too.

Grace!
David

]]> By: Tony Sisk http://sbcimpact.org/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18888 Tony Sisk Sat, 15 Dec 2007 13:54:06 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18888 <b>Roger,</b> And Merry Christmas to you and yours, too! That is an awfully humbling thing you're doing with the post. I sincerely appreciate it. You're a blessing! <b>Russel,</b> All I can say, in a word is, WOW! That is absolutely amazing. Thanks for that glimpse into the life and ministry of a front-line missionary. You are truly blessed, my new friend. May God continue to bless you and may we continue to be sensitive to His leadership in such areas that we can continue to enable those with a passion such as yourself to do that which God has appointed Him to do. You are doing an amazing work. I am glad I can be a small part of it and God's greater and grander plan of spreading the Gospel to the nations. Roger,

And Merry Christmas to you and yours, too! That is an awfully humbling thing you’re doing with the post. I sincerely appreciate it. You’re a blessing!

Russel,

All I can say, in a word is, WOW! That is absolutely amazing. Thanks for that glimpse into the life and ministry of a front-line missionary. You are truly blessed, my new friend. May God continue to bless you and may we continue to be sensitive to His leadership in such areas that we can continue to enable those with a passion such as yourself to do that which God has appointed Him to do. You are doing an amazing work. I am glad I can be a small part of it and God’s greater and grander plan of spreading the Gospel to the nations.

]]> By: Russell Minick http://sbcimpact.org/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18887 Russell Minick Sat, 15 Dec 2007 11:47:34 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18887 Thanks Tony. A Chinese village will host us for Christmas this year. Our kids are now 15, 16 and 17 years old. They first came to the villages when they were 4, 5 and 6. This time it is to say goodbye. As we finish our contribution to the gospel getting to a tribe of 500,000 we would like to thank Southern Baptists for the generosity through which we have been able to go forward. Financially we have never lacked for anything that could help the work go forward. In regard to prayer support, we have been immensely blessed by very personal and persistent commitment to the work for more than a decade. Theologically we have been trusted to take the unchanged gospel and present it in appropriate ways to see the first churches of this people started and reproducing. This Christmas will be very special as we hand things over for the next phase of the ministry. We thank God, and his people, for allowing us an active part in growing in grace by sharing grace. We also rejoice that this Christmas more of these people will be celebrating Christ than ever before in history. The Good News of the Prince of Peace is going forward. May we all be refreshed by marveling again at the peace offered to us and through us. shalom, Russell Thanks Tony. A Chinese village will host us for Christmas this year. Our kids are now 15, 16 and 17 years old. They first came to the villages when they were 4, 5 and 6. This time it is to say goodbye.
As we finish our contribution to the gospel getting to a tribe of 500,000 we would like to thank Southern Baptists for the generosity through which we have been able to go forward.
Financially we have never lacked for anything that could help the work go forward. In regard to prayer support, we have been immensely blessed by very personal and persistent commitment to the work for more than a decade. Theologically we have been trusted to take the unchanged gospel and present it in appropriate ways to see the first churches of this people started and reproducing.
This Christmas will be very special as we hand things over for the next phase of the ministry. We thank God, and his people, for allowing us an active part in growing in grace by sharing grace. We also rejoice that this Christmas more of these people will be celebrating Christ than ever before in history.
The Good News of the Prince of Peace is going forward. May we all be refreshed by marveling again at the peace offered to us and through us.

shalom,

Russell

]]> By: Roger Ferrell http://sbcimpact.org/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18886 Roger Ferrell Sat, 15 Dec 2007 03:49:54 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18886 Tony, My family and I have been doing many of these things this year, some for the first time. And God is teaching me that it is more blessed to give than to receive. But I have not been doing as good a job at teaching these to our congregation. So I am sending an e-newsletter Monday with your post in it. Thanks for articulating these truths. And Merry Christmas to you, my friend! Tony,
My family and I have been doing many of these things this year, some for the first time. And God is teaching me that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

But I have not been doing as good a job at teaching these to our congregation. So I am sending an e-newsletter Monday with your post in it.

Thanks for articulating these truths. And Merry Christmas to you, my friend!

]]> By: Tony Sisk http://sbcimpact.org/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18885 Tony Sisk Fri, 14 Dec 2007 23:46:56 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18885 <b>Bernard,</b> Hey, thanks! <b>Mrs. V,</b> Thanks so much for the encouraging words. One of my goals as a daddy has been to teach my children how to give. It isn't easy because they are so naturally self-centered, as am I, so it often goes against the grain of who we are. Progress has been slow. On a brighter note though, it seems God has brought more folks into our lives to whom we can give. We have found ourselves at times pushed to the limits of our capabilities but He has always provided! <b>Mike,</b> Thanks for your transparency! I can totally identify with grouchy. My family and I went to a Living Christmas tree at a HUGE church in our area and when we left, we were all absolutely overwhelmed when we left. The children were practically speechless and I don't think it was because they were so taken aback by the sheer grandeur of the spectacle. I think it was more associated with overload. I like your idea about Advent. We have done that at church for some time, but not at home, which is probably why I haven't thought about using it at home. Thanks everyone for participating in the discussion. God's blessings upon you all. Bernard,

Hey, thanks!

Mrs. V,

Thanks so much for the encouraging words. One of my goals as a daddy has been to teach my children how to give. It isn’t easy because they are so naturally self-centered, as am I, so it often goes against the grain of who we are. Progress has been slow. On a brighter note though, it seems God has brought more folks into our lives to whom we can give. We have found ourselves at times pushed to the limits of our capabilities but He has always provided!

Mike,

Thanks for your transparency! I can totally identify with grouchy. My family and I went to a Living Christmas tree at a HUGE church in our area and when we left, we were all absolutely overwhelmed when we left. The children were practically speechless and I don’t think it was because they were so taken aback by the sheer grandeur of the spectacle. I think it was more associated with overload.

I like your idea about Advent. We have done that at church for some time, but not at home, which is probably why I haven’t thought about using it at home.

Thanks everyone for participating in the discussion. God’s blessings upon you all.

]]> By: Mike Woodward http://sbcimpact.org/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18884 Mike Woodward Fri, 14 Dec 2007 22:00:13 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18884 Tony, We've added looking at the concept of Advent this year. We look at the prophecies that point to Jesus. We even sing all the verses of O Come. O Come Emmanuel. ;) To be honest though, the execution of adding this hasn't been as consistent as I would like due to busyness...which points back to your original point! BTW, I've gone past curmudgeonly and become slightly grouchy when I think about what gospel (prosperity anyone?) I may really be showing to my children with the way we adapt to our cultural expression of Christmas. Thanks for the list! It's very counter-cultural, thus, it's very appealing! Tony,

We’ve added looking at the concept of Advent this year. We look at the prophecies that point to Jesus. We even sing all the verses of O Come. O Come Emmanuel. ;)

To be honest though, the execution of adding this hasn’t been as consistent as I would like due to busyness…which points back to your original point!

BTW, I’ve gone past curmudgeonly and become slightly grouchy when I think about what gospel (prosperity anyone?) I may really be showing to my children with the way we adapt to our cultural expression of Christmas.

Thanks for the list! It’s very counter-cultural, thus, it’s very appealing!

]]> By: SelahV http://sbcimpact.org/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18883 SelahV Fri, 14 Dec 2007 21:52:14 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18883 Tony, this is such a wonderful post. It should be posted in every church newsletter in the land. I so wish I had done less giving to my own and teaching them more about giving to others through Jesus. My daughter is very very generous to others and so is her husband. But I see ways (in your list) that I wish I'd used more. Also, this is an excellent list to send that newly wed who hasn't started a family. Or to a couple who is just beginning a family. Wes Kenney wrote a post on a Bible to get and read to children. It has a super message in it by the excerpt he published. I'm going to get that for my granddaughter for her to read to my great grandson. And I'm going to get it for my son-in-law to read to his little girls. selahV Tony, this is such a wonderful post. It should be posted in every church newsletter in the land. I so wish I had done less giving to my own and teaching them more about giving to others through Jesus. My daughter is very very generous to others and so is her husband. But I see ways (in your list) that I wish I’d used more. Also, this is an excellent list to send that newly wed who hasn’t started a family. Or to a couple who is just beginning a family.

Wes Kenney wrote a post on a Bible to get and read to children. It has a super message in it by the excerpt he published. I’m going to get that for my granddaughter for her to read to my great grandson. And I’m going to get it for my son-in-law to read to his little girls. selahV

]]> By: Bernard Shuford http://sbcimpact.org/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18882 Bernard Shuford Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:59:16 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2007/12/14/it%e2%80%99s-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/#comment-18882 Great post, Tony. Thanks for the list. :) Great post, Tony. Thanks for the list. :)

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