The Day After is Boxing Day!

December 26th is not only a day for Santas everywhere to catch their breath, but, I remember when we lived in Canada -- we celebrated Boxing Day! Though it lends to the fact that empty boxes from the gifts and presents are trashed and unwanted gifts are returned to stores, it came from a British origin that is traced back to 1833 when lords of manors and aristocrats distributed “Christmas boxes” filled with gifts, money and leftovers from Christmas dinner to their household servants and employees. They had been required to work on December 25th and were recognized for their good service throughout the year. It is also said that Boxing Day's name came from the charity boxes that were placed in churches during the Advent season for the collection of monetary donations to be distributed to the poor on December 26th. It is also the feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr and and known for his acts of charity. (Ireland celebrates December 26th as St. Stephen’s Day.) So there you go -- now you know! You're welcome!

But we've taken Boxing Day to a whole new level in our family this year. Our birthday celebration for Jesus was literally amidst boxes and it will carry on in a ginormous way today. We are literally boxing boxes, loading them up and getting them to their new place. Today is the last day in the beautiful home where so many lives have been touched, healed, restored and have come into the family of God. So many precious memories here, but have no fear -- we expect even greater blessings coming in their new season.

We didn’t forget that yesterday was Jesus’ Birthday – so, as with another little tradition to savor, I made a lasagna for the “moving team”, but, most importantly, made my chocolate cake! We sang “Happy Birthday to Jesus “ and partied to “Boxes we have raised so high – sweetly towering to the sky!”

I would be remiss to end this blog with Boxing Day "talk", because while we'll soon be boxing away our Christmas decorations that include the manger scenes and Holy Family figurines -- we will never be able to box away God's great love for us. For some, seeing Jesus as a baby in a manger and "boxing" Him away for another year is as close as they want to get. Perhaps the grown-up Jesus seems too far removed from their every day life. If we keep Jesus at arm’s length, we’ll never get to know and love Him for Who He truly is. If we don’t get to know Him, we won’t love Him. If we want to move faith from our heads to our hearts, we must fall in love with the REAL -- alive and well -- Jesus.

To fall in love with Jesus, it must be more than a once-a-year way, but deeply -- everyday. That kind of knowledge takes time and persistence, just like any good relationship. Jesus invites us to abide in His love — rest, stay, tarry — not rush past it. In John 15:9, He said, “‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.’”

How do we get to that kind of love? There are so many reasons to love Jesus. He is real, and He loves us so much. For us to experience that love, we need to really know Him. As we stand at the front door of the Wallace’s new home, and as we stand at the door of a new year, won’t you join me in seeking to know Him more? That’s my Priority #1 for the new year!

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

BIG Moving Day! An EPIC Adventure Awaits Me!

So, this is my big moving day -- well, at least my "stuff's" moving day! The movers will be here in an hour or so and my earthly belongings will be headed to Texas, from whence I came from. It's time for an EPIC adventure! I'll still be hanging around here in Tulsa until after November 6th, so I've packed up my "portable office" -- printer, computer and supplies, my clothes and necessities and taking over to a friend's home just around the corner from my home. I'll be moving in stages.....first the furniture and furnishings going to Frisco in storage, and later I'll meet up with it all. Who knew my life would have this turn of events? Oh, I know. God did. He must have had this up His sovereign sleeve since the beginning of "my time". Now, I just need to get this adventure started!

It was 1971 when the little Ronald Wuerch Family aka Ron, Donna, Ryan and Staci, moved to Lake Keystone to start a Bible College. Ron's dad and his close friend, Dr. Charles Duncombe, from England, had the vision to do something really outrageous for God -- train people to be devoted, well-trained followers of Christ who desired to be used by God to spread the gospel around the world. Dad found the building (a former nightclub) and turned it into offices, class rooms, a sanctuary, prayer room, and meeting rooms. International Faith Bible College. How's that for making something beautiful out of what the enemy once used for his kingdom?

We started out living in that building -- the offices would be our bedrooms and the kids would bath in the commercial kitchen's huge sinks! Cleveland, OK was where our kids' elementary alma mater. We would eventually train and graduate many students to go into the highways and byways to share the love of Christ. Lots of stories of radical life changes during those years -- sending students to the mission fields and to other places of ministry.

Lots of water under the bridge -- from Keystone to Shawnee, OK, to Oklahoma City, to Winnipeg Canada and back to Tulsa until today. Now, full circle -- I will go back to Texas, where this girl's life began. That Canadian guy took me on many epic adventures in the 44 years we were married.

So, why stop now? Forty-five years since adventuring from Texas to Oklahoma and now from Oklahoma back to Texas. I'm turning the page in my life-book and starting a new chapter. I have no idea what the future will hold. But here's one sure thing I do know. God knows. He holds my future in the palms of His hands. I'm excited about what the future holds -- well, excitement with some trepidation. When the trepidation comes....I take a deep breath in and breathe out....."God's got this. He promised it in His Word," Jeremiah 29:11 "Oh the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future!" I'm at the starting gate....and I'm ready to run this new leg of my race with determination and with all-out great expectation! After all, I'm not running it alone. God is with me, for me, in me and already setting up divine appointments where I'll get to share His love, His light and His liberty with those who need it most. It will be an EPIC adventure! Get ready. Get set. GO!