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Greetings Recovering Grace Readers,
The holiday season is a crazy time of the year. Isn’t it ironic that a season so often characterized by stress, anger, and greed is supposed to be a celebration of the one who left the riches and splendor of heaven to bring peace to our world? Amidst all the hustle and bustle, the shopping insanity, and multitude of festivities, we need to take time to remember God’s ultimate act of grace towards us.
In Isaiah 8 and 9, one of God’s prophets tells of a people walking in darkness. They are in anguish, suffering and hungry. But through his grace, the Lord is going to send them a great light. That light takes the form of a child. A child who shall be called: the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.
This Christmas, you may be suffering the effects of life lived without the understanding of God’s grace. You might be confused about who God is and what He expects of you. You may be in torment because you are still trying to figure out what parts of your spiritual upbringing are truth and which parts are lies. This Christmas, you need a Wonderful Counselor.
Perhaps you are facing trying circumstances because of the choices you are making. Because you’ve decided to seek the truth about God’s grace, others are shunning you. Maybe you’re struggling because of your lack of education, relational maturity, or because of lingering health problems caused by life at a training center. This Christmas, you need a Mighty God.
Maybe your parents have turned their backs on you because they don’t understand why you would make the choices you are making. Maybe they’re not speaking to you, or maybe it’s just going to be really awkward around the dinner table this year. This Christmas, you need an Everlasting Father.
Or maybe you just need peace this holiday season. Life seems out of control, and you don’t feel as if you’re ever going to be confident with who and where you are. It’s hard to just let go of everything and trust in the sustaining grace of God. This Christmas, you need the Prince of Peace.
As we at Recovering Grace reflect on the past six months, we are amazed at how God is using this website to make a difference to people in all stages of recovery from legalism. What started as a simple effort to give voice to those hurt by the spiritually abusive teachings of Bill Gothard has grown to something far greater than we could have imagined. Our prayer this Christmas season is that God would reveal Himself to you in ways that you couldn’t even imagine. He loves you for who you are, He made you, and longs to have a relationship with you. Not one built on a system of rules and principles, but a relationship built on a loving response to His grace.
So from all of us to you, Merry Christmas, and may the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and yours throughout the holiday season.
The RG leadership team
Beautiful reminder. Thank you.
Love this, thank you for the reminder. :)
Beautifully written!
"A child who shall be called: the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace." He is ALL this and more! Thanks for this special post.
I pray God continues to bless Recovering Grace ministry and that thousands will find freedom in 2012 from Bill's legalistic teachings and discover and experience for themselves true Grace.
Thank you and God bless you for making this forum available. The timing was certainly of the Lord. Recovering Grace is a wonderful blessing for so many.
The holidays are negative for too many believers because they have no hope and no joy. They believe they must measure up to some set of standards, but they are taught they can never measure up. The message of grace is that Jesus measures up for us. He is our Hope and our Life. Yes, that's the Christmas message.
May God richly bless all of you and all your readers and may you understand deep in your hearts that He really does love you!
Dave at Grace for the Heart
What a beautiful application of those special names to our specific needs!!! Thank you for writing this, and to all of you for your editing & writing work throughout the year.
Thank you, RG. Merry Christmas!