I wanted to take a moment to share an email that we received regarding our online devotions from a member of our church. The online devotions is an excellent example of cross departmental teamwork – something we do every day and do it so seamlessly that we take it for granted. This project had many hands in it from Programming, Discipleship and Communications – creating, conceptualizing, sourcing, writing, editing, posting – and is an excellent reminder this Christmas season of how our hard work can impact someone’s life in a significant way. It encouraged me and I hope it encourages you today.
I have been a member of Willow Creek for several years. My job was eliminated on September 16, 2011. I truly believed that God had put me in that job for his purposes. I grieved greatly for weeks after the demise of my job. I have to tell you…how deeply grateful I have been for the readings of Psalms and now the Advent readings. It is what has helped to sustain me in this very hard journey of unemployment. I always thought that my faith was strong….and then I got a curve ball. Through the Bible studies that started with Psalms, it guided me through my low points and gave me strength to persevere and to keep moving forward. Some mornings the only thing I could accomplish was making my bed.
The beginning of Advent just speaks to my heart. “Be still and know I am God.” It isn’t about the shopping, the Christmas cookies, the parties, the extravagant gifts….it’s about taking the words and putting them deep in your soul….and that is how you can shine as a Christian. This year at Christmas, it will be very different then any other Christmas. There is no money there for extravagant gifts, and meals. So all the extraneous has been cleaned off the counter…and I’m truly hearing the messages of what this time is all about…the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. As hard as this unemployment has been, I think I have felt so much more blessed this year then any other. It’s given me time to truly reflect about the important things in my life…and I’ve concluded that material things are just things. Are they going to give me lasting joy? Will the next gadget give me bigger heights of joy? Plain and simple. No.
So I just love it when out of now where….bing! That angel has put another lesson in my inbox around 10:00pm every night. It gives me great reading before I go to bed at night….and most of all peace that God is good and he sustains me…and that he is working on my behalf…even when I’m sleeping…and that allows me to fall asleep with inner peace in my mind and spirit.
Bless you all for putting this together. You are so appreciated.
**In a follow up email, this woman let me know that she was just offered a dream position at a company that fits her gifts, skills and passion just yesterday. God is good.
