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Good morning. It is easy to take the actions of those close to us, family and friends, for granted. We are also quick to feel like our love and actions are not appreciated. It is always a beautiful thing to do for someone to express thanksgiving for something they did for you, for their friendship and love. Paul's letter to the Philippians is, more than anything else, a thank-you note. This was a letter between friends, a note of gratitude from a proud spiritual father. Paul wrote this letter while he was in chains. Despite what he was going through, he chose to focuse on God and others. He was able to recognize God's love, grace, and mercy at work through the Philippians. In the midst of intense hardship, Paul remembered what was truly important in this world . . . the people God has placed in our lives. Let us not forget those who walk with us. Let us show them appreciation and remember to lift them up in prayer to the Lord. As we focus on thankfulness and the blessings God has placed in our lives, even during hard times, our attitude will change! Our focus will shift from the hardness of our circumstances to the blessings of our family and friends, and the goodness of our God! God bless each one of you today. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. We trust this fine morning finds you well. Have you made a start on a list of the blessings of 2021? As followers of Christ, we have so much for which to be thankful. It is good to reflect on what we have. Every good gift is from God. God has blessed you with life, access to a personal relationship with Him, daily provision, gifts and talents, work, family, friends, the family of God, and a hope of Heaven with Him for eternity. Psalm 107:1-2 reminds us that we should "Give thanks to the Lord , for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story" Take the list you have made of the 2021 blessings and intentionally give thanks to God for each one, one by one. Have a good day of giving thanks. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. "Bless the Lord , O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord , O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: • Who forgives all your iniquities, • Who heals all your diseases, • Who redeems your life from destruction, • Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, • Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s." (Psalm 103:1-5) There is so much to be thankful for, even as a difficult 2021 draws to its conclusion. Will you join us in taking time to list God's goodness towards you over this past year. As the psalmist says, "And forget not all His benefits". Have a good day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. 2021 has been quite a year. It has had its ups and downs, joy and disappointment, fun and fear. Notwithstanding the emotional roller-coaster that many have been on, through the good and bad, through times of laughter and tears, Christ has come and brings peace. Christ came to be our peace. Everything—our hopes, worries, fears, doubts, dreams—are met by him and found in him. He can put our worries to rest and surround us with an everlasting peace that calms the raging storm in our lives. Christmas is a busy time of year and it’s easy to get caught up in all the chaos. Now that the rush of Christmas is past let's make time in our schedules to experience the peace that Christ brings. Let’s set aside quiet time with our family and more importantly ourselves to reflect on God’s promises and let His peace wash over us. Enjoy a peaceful day. As Paul puts it, "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way." (2 Thessalonians 3:16) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) Christmas is here! It’s time to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ—the Light of the World! This is Christmas: “The One who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world!” (John 1:9) God’s only Son was born so that with the forgiveness of sin, we could be reconciled to Him. The separation that kept us in darkness was overcome by Jesus’ light. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) The Light is here, and He has declared that you never have to walk in darkness again. Receive His love and experience Christmas like never before! Merry Christmas. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Clement Clarke Moore begins his famous poem: 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;" Taking up from there I, Mike, continue with my own version: This was the story as children we'd hear Told over and over as Christmas drew near Anticipation gripped us, excitement arose Hoping for gifts that in hope we chose. As time passed and older we grew We heard the old story, now fresh, now new The angels declared good news to be received "Fear not" the shepherds heard and so were relieved Today the Saviour is born, in the city of David The message was clear, the message was vivid A Saviour has come - new life and forgiveness of sin To all who would ask and welcome Him in This is the gift that was given for all, this was the deal The Son came from heaven, the Father's heart to reveal So loved He the world that He became man To those who received Him, eternal life was the plan And so this Christmas with laughter and joy Remember it's not about eating and drinking, not even a toy It's all about Jesus, it's about our King He alone is worthy of the praises we sing. Have a joyous Christmas eve. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. The Magi brought Jesus three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts have special significance in the Old Testament and reflect the One they came to worship? Gold represents royalty, and the gift of gold affirmed Jesus as the King of Kings. Frankincense is related to the worship of God and the gift of frankincense acknowledges that Jesus is God Myrrh was used to anoint people for special purposes. This gift points to the special purpose of Jesus’ life: He would die on the cross to save us from our sins and then be raised to life, victorious over death. We worship Jesus as our King because He has “all authority on heaven and earth”. We worship Jesus as our God because “through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made”. And we worship Jesus as our Savior because “God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”. We trust that this Christmas season we will be brought closer to Jesus through worship, just like the star brought the Magi to worship Him. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. When we experience “mountain top” seasons of seeing God’s faithfulness, we need to store up the truth of our experience and save it for later. When you experience God’s faithfulness in your life, take a step back and store it up as treasure in your heart. There’s a moment in the midst of the busyness of the Christmas night when the Bible notes that, "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Picture Mary taking a step back and soaking up every detail. Her baby boy had arrived. Joseph was still by her side. A group of shepherds showed up with a story of angels rejoicing over Jesus, and they couldn’t help but tell the whole town. Everyone was celebrating the miracle of her Son. It was a precious moment of God’s faithfulness, and she stored it up in her heart. We store up things for a reason. The time will come when we need to turn to the supply we’ve saved, to sustain us when we’re in need of it. When the tough days come, as they did with Mary as she stood at the foot of the cross looking up at the crucified Saviour of the world, we will be able to endure. Remember, "The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17) Have a wonderful day storing up good memories of God's faithfulness to you. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Paul writing to the church in Philippi says, "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." (Philippians 2:5‭-‬7) At this Christmas time, let’s turn the focus away from ourselves and become a servant to those around us. Just as Christ made himself nothing to give selflessly to those around him, we too can serve others in order to show the light and love of God. Whether it’s in our own families or in our communities, we were designed to be selfless servants for Christ. Let us go and represent Him well. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. So how are your preparations for Christmas coming on? Christmas can be a stressful time of year. There are gifts to buy, meals to prepare, and get-togethers to organize. It’s so easy for something to go wrong and throw a spanner in the works. However, we must remember the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus came to be our savior and wipe away the imperfect pieces of our lives. As we anticipate the coming of Christ, let’s remember that when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. No matter what we face in this life, there are better days coming—days when all the imperfect will disappear. John, recording in Revelation, reminds us that "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) May this week leading up to Christmas be a good week for each one of us. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. There are times in our lives when it feels as if God has abandoned us. We find ourselves in difficult situations and get caught in a spiritual slump. What once felt like a time of perfect peace crumbles to chaos as we wonder if he even hears our cries or cares about our hurt. Immanuel - God with us. What a concept. No matter where we go, God is with us. No matter how deep into despair we feel, God is with us. In times of great joy or times of insurmountable grief, God is with us. Why is he with us? Because he loves us. The great thing about Immanuel is that when we take a step back into His arms we will find His peace. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) According to the Christian calendar, the 4th Sunday of Advent, Christians the world over celebrate the peace that came with the birth of Jesus Christ. This peace is free to all who accept Christ as their Saviour and Lord. In the days leading up to Christmas take the time to celebrate the 4 virtues of Advent - hope, love, joy and peace. Enjoy worshipping the Christ of Christmas today. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. "The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world." (John 1:9) John wrote a genuine reflection that told us the truth about Christ—that he was the one true light. He recognized that Christ came to serve as a light in a world darkened by pain, sin, and hate. More than that, he came to give us hope for the future. "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." (Isaiah 9:2) Christ became flesh to dwell among us so that we could see him as a light—an example of how we should live, act, and serve in our own lives. As the Christmas season nears, we’ll see plenty of lights. There will be stars on top of trees, lights on the Christmas trees in lounges and lights draped outside houses. When we see those lights shining brightly, rather than just admire the lights around us, let’s put ourselves on display. Today, let us remember that Christ came to bring us eternal light so that we may be light in a dark world. Enjoy a sparkling day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne