2010 - A year of blessing and increase

Happy New Year to our friends and family!

Rick and I spent a quiet New Year's Eve and day together, cooking, studying and watching movies. It's been a quick Christmas break, and we're almost caught up with the bunch of homework we have due as soon as we get back on Tuesday.

We had a great time with our daughter, Bess, who was here for Christmas and stayed nearly a week. We took a road trip to see the mighty coastal redwoods and were amazed at their beauty and how small we were next to them.

We also enjoyed having our young international friends over while Bess was here.

This past few days we have learned more of what it means to be still, relax, rest, and soak. We are learning that God meets us in the secret places of our quiet times, and in those times, fills us with himself, his purposes and a new and surprising knowledge and experience of His love for us.

In this New Year, may we all experience that love. The "no matter what" kind of love that doesn't ask for performance, busy-ness, or anything...but loves us madly with the Love of a kind, good, happy Father who is so proud of us and loves to spend time with us.

Our senior leader here, Bill Johnson, in his New Years message, said he felt God was giving him permission to share a promise that had been given to him years ago. Bill now felt God wanted to give that same promise to us. And Rick and I feel God wants us to hand it forward to you, since you are partnering with us!

Isaiah 45:2-3

I will go before you;

and  make the crooked places straight

I will break in pieces the gates of bronze

and cut the bars of iron

I will give you the treasures of darkness,

and hidden riches of secret places

that you may know that I the Lord

who calls you by your name,

am the God of Israel.

Bill said the crooked places are our problems and challenges and roadblocks - God will straighten them out.

The gates and bars keep us from His promises - and he is breaking barriers down.

The treasures of darkness are people. Our loved ones who don't know Christ, who aren't free.

Hidden riches can be many things, including financial provision. But also blessings, gifts, and spiritual things.

May this bless you in many ways!!!

We spend a lot of time in prayer and would love to pray for you. Let us know how we can pray. Write to us at ctracy@mac.com, or send us mail. Our address info is on this page!

Rick and Chris