FROM THE HEART
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MAIN OFFICE 133 Ganttown Rd. Turnersville, NJ 856-374-2833
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CHOICES THRIFT BOUTIQUE 132 Ganttown Rd. Turnersville NJ 08012 856-256-1234
MISSION STATEMENT To protect the unborn by empowering individuals in the Delaware Valley to make healthy life choices
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Starry Night
'
Winter 21
To whom will you compare me? Says the Holy One Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens; Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Isaiah. 40:26 When the three wise men came from the East to Jerusalem, they were looking for the King of the Jews. They saw His star and went to the capital of Israel. Where else would a king be born? The wise men would soon learn that God’s ways are not readily apparent. “And You oh Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” Matt. 2:2 The star led the wise men to the to where they never expected a King to be born. A small insignificant town.
Looking back over 25 years since Choices of the Heart’s inception God led me in ways that were also not apparent. I thought the struggles and trials, in leading a ministry, were hindrances and a result of my failures. Today I see that those struggles and trials were the things that kept us in a place of humility and reliance on God. As the star led the wise men, God leads us. He was weaving a beautiful tapestry, one that I could not readily see. He was using volunteers, pastors, businesses, and donors who would all play a role in defending the sanctity of human life. THEY are Choices of the Heart.
For the first time this year during our gala, we gave a donor tribute. The tribute was a light show where 3000 stars were to be put up on the screen to represent each life saved over the last 25 yrs. This tribute was planned to be the highlight of the evening. It was very powerful. It was also not to scale. The producers were not able to give me exactly 3000 stars. They were however able to give me many more.
At first, I was disappointed because
it wasn’t what I had initially envisioned. The above verse in Isaiah spoke to me. Lift your eyes Rita and look what I’ve done! Once again, what I thought was a mistake was God at work. God revealed to me that each star on the screen was not representing just one life saved it was representing generations! The children saved 25 years ago are now themselves having children. I was only thinking of the one child born but God was showing us the future generations who would be born. Our children and their children’s children are here because God has moved in the hearts of faithful friends of this ministry!
During this Christmas season let us remember that as the heavens are higher than the earth, so His ways are higher than ours. The one born in a manger; gives names to the stars. He ordains our steps. All things were created by Him, for Him and through Him.
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!
If you missed our event you can still watch it by visiting choicesoftheheart.com
Rita Reyes Executive Director