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DECEMBER 2025
It’s not just about buying a jet— it’s about buying it right.
Santa Claus is Coming to Curaçao: E My Personal Christmas Carol Christmas Carol
Christmas Carol
"Santa Claus on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao is known as Sinterklaas. Each November, children gather along the waterfront in Willemstad to await his arrival.”
It’s Christmas evening, 2012. I’m sitting alone at a bar in Vero Beach, staring into a glass of whiskey and wondering how, exactly, my life spun off course. According to the media hype, the world was supposed to end four days earlier and a tiny part of me almost wished it had, just to spare me from facing everything that wasn’t working.
I was living in Virginia then, trying and failing to save a marriage that had come undone, and for the first time since moving away, I’d come back to Florida alone. The wounds were fresh, and being in a bar on Christmas didn’t bother me in the least.
It was, without question, the hardest Christmas I’d ever had… but not the one that would define me.
In the years that followed, I became a bit like a modern-day Ebenezer Scrooge, keeping my distance from the holiday. I volunteered for every Christmas shift I could. I’d lost my family, and with it, the magic of the season; each December felt like a reminder of what wasn’t there anymore.
But four years later, life would lead me somewhere I never expected to be on Christmas Day, and that’s where this story truly begins.
I had run away from home, taking a job as a crew member onboard Holland America Line. My first holiday contract found me standing outside an auditorium in Willemstad, Curaçao, wearing a red stocking cap and suit, a white beard, black boots, and glasses. My coat is padded to give the illusion of a hefty belly. I’ve never worn this suit seriously before. I never thought I’d end up being the embodiment of the season, but it’s part of the job, so here I am.
“I'm decidedly a white man in a suit that looks borrowed from a department store.”
Santa Claus on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao is known as Sinterklaas. Each November, children gather along the waterfront in Willemstad to await his arrival. Sinterklaas, portrayed as a kindly bishop with a full white beard, red robes, and a tall pointed mitre, disembarks from a brightly decorated vessel riding a white horse. He is accompanied by helpers who carry a book listing whether each child has been naughty or nice. As they arrive, the church bells ring and Sinterklaas leads a festive parade on his white horse, carrying a large sack filled with gifts.
So here I am inside the auditorium, two hundred children whispering excitedly in Dutch, Papiamento, a little English…mixed and musical. I don’t speak their language, but I get the gist: they’re waiting for Santa. The event host speaks into the mic; his tone is the universal tone of built-up surprise used to make a crowd sit up.
A stagehand next to me shakes a set of bells twice. Gasps. Murmurs. The children erupted in cheers with some shouting ‘Sinterklaas!’, some ‘Bon Pasku!’, and a few experimenting with ‘Santa!’ in English. And I freeze, just for a beat. Not because of the costume or the heat or the beard sliding down my face, but because these kids, culturally, expect a different sort of figure: Sinterklaas and the Dutch-Caribbean traditions that braid into Curaçao’s version of the holidays. They’ve got an idea of what their Saint Nick should look and sound like. I am nowhere near hefty enough and I’m decidedly a
for about two seconds I consider backing out. then I let out my best
“ho,
ho, ho!”
white man in a suit that looks borrowed from a department store, standing in the Caribbean sun without a lick of Dutch to speak.
For about two seconds I consider backing out. Then I let out my best “HO, HO, HO!”
The auditorium erupts. A child bounds up and tugs at my beard. Another climbs into my lap without asking. Some shout in Papiamento, “Bon Pasku!” while others sing a line in Dutch that I don’t understand but can feel in my chest. One of the older kids grins and teases, “Ho ho ho, my white father!” Utterly absurd. My own dark beard peeks out beneath the fake white one.
There’s no way they’re buying this, I think. And yet…surrounded by all these kids, something else hits me: that old Christmas magic I left behind in a bar four years ago is suddenly back.
Kids don’t care that I don’t speak their language. They don’t care if Sinterklaas traditionally arrives on a different calendar day or if I’m not the version of Santa they had pictured. They care about the hug, the laugh, the moment when an adult stops being an adult and lets the child have the spotlight for a second. I spend the next hour handing out high-fives, hugs, and gifts.
Curaçao celebrates Christmas differently from the corporate holiday I knew back home. In this place, I can feel what Christmas was meant to be—what it once was to me. Like the island itself, its version of the holiday is honest about joy rather than spectacle. People greet one another with Bon Pasku and mean it when they say it.
That night as I make my way back to the ship, I walk along the pier still wearing half of my costume and take in the city’s lights splashed across the water. A choir sings somewhere nearby in a tongue I only half-follow. For the first time since that lonely bar in 2012, Christmas feels less like something stolen and more like something returned. I’d come full circle.
I hadn’t gone to Curaçao to find the season again; I went for a paycheck. But in a sticky, ridiculously decorated nightclub-turned-auditorium, a room full of kids chose to believe for a few minutes, and in the process they let me borrow belief back for myself. If Santa could see the scene, I bet he’d be smiling, too.
Bon Pasku, indeed.
Barker
Busy
Calvetti & Company 10 Royal Palm Pointe
Charlotte
Christ Church Vero Beach 667 20th Street
Co ee House 1420
Goodfella’s
Craving’s
Davila’s Pizza
U.S. 1
Davila’s Pizza
9th Street SW (Oslo Road)
Gino’s Nutrition Shoppe
21st Street (Miracle Mile near Wells Fargo)
BY
What does Santa’s house look like?
“Lots of lights. He’s got a lot of elves.”
-Nola, 6
“I’d describe it as a workshop for elves. It’s a huge building, but it isn’t like an o ce tower. ere’s a few roofs that are fancy. Snow on the roof and stu . Lots of windows and Christmas lights in them, with lots of Christmas decorations.”
-Kason, 10
“He’s got snow in his house. ere’s elves in there, too. And a place where he builds his toys.”
-Camden, 4
“Like a big candy cane! A red and blue candy cane. With a big sleigh and his reindeer hang out front.”
-Lily, 6
“Hot Cocoa. It’s shaped like a hot cocoa mug. e roof is whipped cream.”
-Kaleb, 6
“It’s a big white house. And he’s got a lot of cookies.”
-London, 4
Todd Martin
Norman E. Wright
BY
Are Your Tax, Insurance, and Investment Advisors Working Together?
by Danny Howes, EA, RFC
Planning for retirement can feel overwhelming. There are taxes to consider, insurance choices to make, and investments that fluctuate with the market. You shouldn’t have to figure all of this out on your own. One of the most powerful ways to build a strong financial future is to have someone who understands all three key areas: taxes, insurance, and investments.
When these areas work together, your retirement plan becomes stronger, more organized, and easier to follow. Each piece a ects the others, and having a financial professional who understands the whole picture can make a big di erence.
The Accountant: Your Tax and Money Organizer
A good accountant is skilled at understanding tax laws and how they impact your money. Before you make big financial decisions, like selling an investment, taking money from a retirement account, or planning your income for the year, you should know the tax results. That’s where an accountant helps. A strong accountant does more than just file your tax return. They help you:
•Avoid surprises at tax time
•Understand how major decisions a ect your taxes
• Plan ahead for future tax bills
•Decide when to make important financial move
• Build a budget that helps your money last
A quality accountant is like a financial architect. They help you build a solid foundation for every part of your retirement plan.
The Insurance Agent: Protecting Your Financial Future
Life is unpredictable, even during retirement. That’s why insurance plays an important role. A knowledgeable insurance advisor helps you prepare for risks that could a ect your finances. A good insurance agent can help with:
•Understanding your life insurance and annuity options
• Planning for long-term care needs
• Making sure your spouse and/or loved ones are protected if something happens
•Providing options that can help create income streams in retirement
•Preparing for estate taxes
• They help you build a “financial safety net” that keeps you and your loved ones protected, even during unexpected events.
The Investment Manager: Helping Your Wealth Grow
Growing and protecting your wealth are key parts of a successful retirement plan. A reliable investment manager helps you:
•Understand how much risk you’re comfortable taking
• Plan your income so you can enjoy your retirement lifestyle
• Invest in a way that matches your long-term goals
•Adjust your portfolio when markets change
• Stay on track, even during uncertain times
A strong investment manager connects your investment strategy to your whole financial plan, not just your portfolio.
The Power of All Three Working Together
Your taxes a ect your investments.Your investments a ect your insurance needs. Your insurance choices a ect your retirement income. Each area influences the others. If they aren’t coordinated, you could end up with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake. But when these areas work together, your financial plan becomes:
• More organized
• More tax-e cient
•Better protected
•Easier to understand
•Better aligned with your goals
Having all three roles coordinated leads to a smoother, more confident retirement.
How We Do This at East Coast Tax and Financial
When you sit down with us to have a collaborative conversation about your retirement, you’re sitting down with someone who understands:
• How taxes a ect your retirement
• What insurance protection you may or may not need
• How your investments should be structured
• What your long-term goals are
Because we understand your full financial picture, you don’t have to explain your situation to multiple people or worry that one advisor doesn’t know what the other is doing. Every part of your plan is coordinated in one unified conversation.
This approach allows us to:
• Answer tax, insurance, and investment questions right on the spot
• Make decisions that support your entire retirement strategy
• Spot problems early to help prevent costly mistakes
• Create a plan that feels clear, simple, and aligned with your goals
We built our firm around this one question: When was the last time you sat down with your accountant, insurance agent, and investment advisor, all in one room, talking about you, your money, and your goals?
If the answer is “never,” it may be time for a check-up!
DANNY HOWES,
Holiday style is all about intention. Build your look with four key elements: color, pattern, texture, and shine. Start with a festive color story, add a pattern that feels playful or polished, layer in rich textures, and finish with just the right amount of sparkle. When those pieces work together, your outfit feels effortlessly cohesive—and totally holiday-ready.
Timeless Tidings of Joy
AVAILABLE AT GREAT AMERICAN PUREFLIX, GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY, IMDB
Have you ever thought someone made the wrong decision in their life and wished that you could go back and change it for them?
Timeless Tidings of Joy is a cute Christmas romantic film that gives you a glimpse of what could happen if given the opportunity. Ally (Candice Cameron Bure), the owner of an app development company, discovers she has inherited her grandmother’s failing print shop, Timeless Tidings of Joy, back in her hometown. Despite their loving relationship, and a few setbacks, she wonders why her grandmother gifted it to her.
Driven to grow her own business, she’s thrilled when a potential buyer appears for her grandmother’s shop. As she travels back to Indiana to meet the buyer, her dad warns her to be careful, as a severe thunderstorm is heading her way.
Memories of the past flood her mind as she strolls in the shop. The nostalgia hits her as she is greeted by the shop manager Bennet (Paul Green). At the very moment Ally shares with him how her grandmother should have taken the offer years ago when a potential buyer offered to purchase the shop, lightning strikes, and Ally and Bennett are transported back in time to 1945.
Ally assumes this is her opportunity to turn back the hands of time and encourage her grandmother to make the right decision to sell the shop so she could have the wonderful life she deserves.
I certainly don’t want to spoil the unfolding of this delightful Christmas movie, but it differs from many other holiday movies. There’s no hot chocolate, there’s no baking Christmas cookies, but the truth be told, it will bring a new, fresh meaning to life, love, and the reward in giving.
Candice Cameron Bure delivers a standout performance as Ally. I thought it was her best yet. When Ally travels back in time and encounters her grandmother, Joy—portrayed by Natasha Bure, Candice’s real-life daughter—the story takes an intriguing turn. The charisma between the two makes the film even more enjoyable.
I love that not only does Timeless Tidings of Joy leave you with a desire to bless others this Christmas, but also the knowledge that, whatever you are going through, God will meet your need. Joy displays this so well. Although the shop never really thrives, to her, thriving is blessing those who need it most. It’s all about the heart.
Grab a cup of cocoa, cuddle up in your blanket, and enjoy this 90-minute film while being inspired to share Timeless Tidings of Joy with others this Christmas.
TIMELESS TIDINGS OF JOY: 5 STARS
Del Bates is an award-winning author and speaker. Her latest book, Lamba's Journey with Jesus is a delightful children's book that takes little ones from the manger to the empty tomb and makes a perfect Christmas gift. Available on Amazon. You can find more of her books at DelBates.com.
Del co-hosts the podcast “Seeds of Hope with Del and Penny” Wednesdays at 12:12pm on Vero's Voice.
M ry M sels
F
SIMPLE RECIPES for sh ing and gifting
Ooey G ey BUTTER COOKIES
BY BETH STEWART
Ingredients:
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 tsp baking powder
Additional 1/2 cup powdered sugar (to roll dough in)
Instructions:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar until blended. Add egg and vanilla.
• In separate bowl, mix flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and baking powder together. With mixer on low, begin adding dry mix to creamed mixture.
• Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, scoop dough and roll in powdered sugar. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheets, two per row.
• Bake 8-11 minutes, until they no longer appear wet on top. Cool 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
tive SHORTBREAD NIBBLES
1 cup salted butter, cold and diced into 1" pieces
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp red and green nonpareils sprinkles, divided
Instructions:
• Stir in 2 ½ Tbsp sprinkles. Press dough into an even layer in prepared pan with the bottom of a flat measuring cup to help smooth it out. Chill in refrigerator 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325°, Butter a 13" x 9" baking dish and line with 2 sheets of parchment paper (or plastic wrap) leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides, set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer cream together butter and sugar until well combined. Mix in almond extract.
• With mixer set on low, slowly add in flour until combined (it will appear dry and sandy at first but it will start to come together, if it doesn't you can add a few teaspoons of milk).
• Lift dough from pan using parchment paper overhang. Cut into 1/2-inch squares using a large sharp knife. Sprinkle more sprinkles over the top if desired and gently press into dough.
• Transfer cookies to an ungreased baking sheet (do not line pan with parchment or silicone liners), spacing 1/2-inch apart. (Return unbaked cookies to refrigerator).
• Bake 8 - 12 minutes or until bottoms begin to brown slightly. Repeat process with remaining squares.
• Cool completely and store in an airtight container.
Cream Che e MINTS
These homemade mints evoke memories of childhood holiday gatherings.
Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon salted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted, plus additional as needed. Food coloring, optional
Instructions:
•Combine cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy.
• Beat in 1 cup of powdered sugar and then beat in extracts til throughly combined.
• Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Dough should be sti and not sticky.
• Mix in food coloring if using.
• Line baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper and dust with powdered sugar.
•Form into 1 inch balls and flatten with fork tines. Use extra powdered sugar on hands and work surface if dough sticks.
• Mints can be refrigerated or frozen if desired.
• Let stand, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or until the mints are firm. If the bottoms have any moisture, flip over and let stand again until the bottoms of the mints are also firm.
BY DIANE CANNON
Boiled COOKIE FUDGE
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
My mother made these every Christmas for as long as I can remember. And all year long, too!
4 tablespoons Hershey’s Cocoa
½ cup milk
1 ½ cups minute oatmeal
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 tsp. vanilla
Wax paper
Instructions:
• Mix and boil sugar, butter, cocoa and milk for 2 ½ to 3 minutes.
• Drop on wax paper.
• Remove from heat and stir in oatmeal, pecans and vanilla. Work fast; the fudge starts to set up.
• When cookies are cooled, place into container.
Ch
ry
DELIGHTS
BY KATHERINE WARD
Ingredients:
½ cup margarine or butter ¼ cup sugar
¼ cup Karo dark syrup 1 egg, separated 1 ¼ cups flour
1 cup finely chopped nuts Green or red candied cherry halves
Instructions:
• Beat margarine and sugar until flu y.
• Stir in corn syrup, then egg yolk.
• Gradually add flour and mix until smooth. •Cover and chill dough 1 hour.
• Roll into 1-inch balls.
• Dip into slightly beaten egg white, then roll in chopped nuts.
• Place on parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.
• Press cherry half in center of each cookie.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden.
• 1/4 cupdried cranberries or other dried fruit (dried cherries, apricots and/or candied ginger— chopped if large)
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional
Instructions:
•Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Optional: Toast the nuts and seeds in a preheated 350° oven until lightly golden on the edges, 6-9 minutes. Transfer nuts to a cutting board and roughly chop.
• Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring after each one. The chocolate is done when it’s about 90% melted—keep stirring o the heat until the pieces are completely dissolved and it’s smooth.
• Using a rubber spatula, spread the chocolate evenly over the center area of the baking sheet, about 1/4-inch thickness. (It won’t reach the edges.)
• Sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly over the chocolate, followed by the dried fruit. If you’re adding flaky salt, crush it between your fingers as you sprinkle it over the chocolate. Lightly use your palms to press the toppings into the chocolate.
• Let the chocolate cool at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, until completely hardened.
• Once the chocolate is completely hardened, use your hands to break it into about 25 pieces. Serve immediately, or cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Variation:
White
Chocolate
PEPPERMINT BARK
Ingredients:
• 2 11-ounce packages white chocolate chips (Ghirardelli)
• 12 peppermint candy canes, crushed and broken into pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon food grade peppermint oil *
Instructions:
•Cover a 11 x 7-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Melt the chocolate as in Step 3 above.
• Stir in candy canes and peppermint oil until well combined.
• Spread onto prepared baking sheet using a rubber spatula.
• Refrigerate until set, 30 minutes to overnight. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
* Note: According to livestrong.com, you can replace peppermint oil with about three times the amount of peppermint extract.
– Dr. Timothy Womack, Senior Pastor
NOVEMBER 30
First Sunday of Advent
8:15am - Communion Service in the Chapel
9:30am & 11am - Service in McAfee Hall
8:15am, 9:30am, 11:00am Service of Lessons & Carols
DECEMBER 7
Second Sunday of Advent
8:15am - Communion Service in the Chapel
9:30am & 11:00am - Service in McAfee Hall
DECEMBER
Third Sunday of Advent
8:15am - Communion Service in the Chapel
9:30am - Service in McAfee Hall
9:30am Breakfast With the Angels
11:00am - Service in McAfee Hall
DECEMBER 21
Fourth Sunday of Advent
8:15am - Communion Service in the Chapel
9:30am & 11:00am - The Appalachian Winter a Cantata for Advent & Christmas
DECEMBER 24
In McAfee Hall
3:00pm - Traditional Service
5:00pm - Family Candlelight Service
7:00pm - Traditional Candlelight Service
9:00pm - Candlelight Communion Service
Christmas Day Service
DECEMBER 25
10:00am - Service in the Chapel
Worship Service
DECEMBER 28
10:00am - Service in McAfee Hall
New Year’s Eve Service
DECEMBER 31
5:00pm - Communion Service in the Chapel
IS
ANXIETY A LL IN Y O U R HEAD ?
BY BETH WALSH STEWART
that you almost had a heart attack, but the exact opposite is what really happened. Heart attacks make hearts stop. Yours just went into overdrive.
Let’s imagine you had an unscheduled day o and decided to visit our beautiful beach to relax. The novel you started three nights ago is just getting good, but after 45 minutes or so, the perspiration becomes unbearable, and you stash the book and run to the breakwater deep enough to dive under. The water feels glorious. Rolling to your back, you kick out a little deeper and lean back to float. That’s when something bumps you. Opening your eyes, you see a fin emerging from the water about five feet away.
Meanwhile, inside your head, a tiny almond shaped organ called the amygdala is doing the job it’s had since the ancient days of hunting and gathering. This little region of the brain is the first responder that alerts the body to get ready to fight or flee.
The amygdala responds to every human emotion, even those we perceive when looking at another face. But when triggered by fear or anger, this little almond calls for biological reinforcement. Hormones excrete. Pupils dilate. Breathing and heart rates quicken. Muscles tense. The non-essential survival organs slow down so the more necessary ones can thrive. Glucose flows to skeletal muscles to prepare us for action. Survival mode is in full swing. Amygdala then checks in with neighboring regions of the brain, the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, to see if the threat is real or not. The body is ready if the answer is yes.
Anxiety. It was designed by Creation to help us survive. Yet sometimes we can misconstrue threats and perceive danger when there is none. In the story above, as you prepare to hightail it to the shore, you may realize that the fin is from a child’s swim toy, and the bump was the child using it. Even though you realize you are safe, it will take your body time to return to normal. While you wait for that, you may feel discomfort. You may tell friends later
There are those among us who misread cues regularly and feel anxiety as a way of life.Life-changing events can increase anxiety, such as financial stress, health issues, or the death of someone close. Certain situations, like large social settings or unfamiliar environments cause anxiety, too. Were you ever a young girl standing on a stage in a tutu, looking out into an audience? Those who experience anxiety when in the public eye know how that little girl was feeling.
People with anxiety can have an array of symptoms that may linger o and on for days, weeks, or even months. Common symptoms include restlessness, fatigue, di culty falling and staying asleep, and trouble concentrating. But that’s not all. Anxiety also can trigger panic attacks. Even if you remove yourself from the stressful environment or situation, the symptoms may take a while to subside. When anxiety is a regular part of life, it becomes harder to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Su erers are often less motivated to exercise and more likely to increase their intake of high-fat and high-sugar foods and alcohol. Hitting home for anyone?
Anxiety can be treated. Consult a doctor if you have experienced these trademark signs and symptoms. He or she can diagnose anxiety and help you choose one of the many treatment options, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), medication, or a combination of both.Recognizing that anxiety is not “All in Your Head” is key. It is a combination of physical and emotional responses to a given stimulus.
Remember when you were imagining yourself on the beach floating next to a shark fin? That visualization allows you to see that anxiety symptoms are not just thoughts and emotions, but physical sensations as well. Your mind and your body are linked together and both responses must be treated.You are worth the work, and you are capable of finding peace of mind. Take a chance and make a call for help. It could be the beginning of a whole new way of life.
Beth Walsh Stewart, MTh, is the Creator of BethWe, the nonprofit that was the impetus for this work. Dedicated to rescuing the stragglers lost in the shadows of the road of life, Beth is best-known for her Good Seed Podcasts, 12-Step seminars, weekly blogs, g.o.d. speaks books, and uplifting workshops. Beth lives by this motto: I have been called to help my brother find his authentic self and his God, and I best accomplish this end by sharing my pursuit of the same.
THE Reason FOR THE Season
JBY PASTOR ALEX
ohn 3:17 tells us clearly that God did not send His Son to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved. Jesus Himself said in Luke 19:10 that He came “to seek and to save that which was lost.” Christmas is the celebration of heaven’s rescue mission.
But Jesus did not just come to save us. He came to reclaim authority, to bring the kingdom (Greek Basileia meaning royal rule, dominion, royal power) back to earth. The enemy had influenced humanity long enough, and Jesus came to break that power.
Scripture says:
1 John 3:8 (NKJV)
8He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
Every healing, every demon cast out, every life restored as evidence of the kingdom breaking in.
In Luke 4:18 to 19, Jesus announced His mission:
•To preach good news to the poor
•To heal the brokenhearted
•To set captives free
•To open blind eyes
•To lift oppression
•To proclaim God’s favor
Every year as Christmas approaches, we hear the phrase “Jesus is the reason for the season.” But sometimes in the middle of the busyness, it is easy to forget just how true that statement really is. Scripture reminds us that we have every reason to celebrate because heaven announced the greatest news mankind would ever receive.
When the angels appeared to the shepherds on that holy night, they declared a message that still echoes through history:
Luke 2:10 (NKJV)
10Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.”
The angels proclaimed four things
•A Savior had come
•Good tidings had arrived
•Great joy was now available
•And God’s goodwill, His pleasure, His favor was being poured out toward humanity
Why? Because Jesus came to save us.
In other words, He came to bring freedom. The world cannot o er true freedom. Only Christ can. And above all, He came because He loves us.
John 3:16 (NKJV)
16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have ever lasting life.
This is the baby that was born in Bethlehem. This is the Savior wrapped in swaddling cloths. This is the reason we sing, celebrate, and worship.
So as you hear the Christmas carols and hymns this season, let your heart remember the true meaning behind them.
Love came down. Hope arrived. Heaven stepped into earth.
This is the reason for the season.
BY PASTOR RICH IENUSO
A SON IS GIVEN
Isaiah 9:6 states: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given...”
Notice the Bible not only states that “a child is born” but also “a son is given.”
Jesus was born as a child. He came in human flesh. But as a Son He was given. Jesus always existed.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1)
God became flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). Jesus is God!
Isaiah 9:6 wrther states: “...and his name shall be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
This Christ-mas let’s again welcome our Lord and Savior into our hearts.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good life in Jesus!
NY
Lighthouse Ministries Church Liberty,
Pastor Alex Pappas is Senior Pastor at Oceans Unite Christian Center located in the Indian River Mall. Live broadcasts and podcasts are available at oceansunite.com.
