Tico Tuesday, December 20th

Pre-Christmas greetings from Portland, Maine!
I arrived here safely and soundly at dark, frigid wee hours of the morning and am very happy to be able to spend the next several days here and celebrate the incarnation of Jesus our Savior with my parents.

This weekend I was able to distribute a little thank you to many of those who were small group facilitators this year. It was just a small token of heartfelt thanks to them for their service this year and inviting them to the training retreats we are planning next year, but many people were very touched by the mini-card and chocolate. I wished I could have given them so much more, but many responded with deep gratitude, giving me a big hug and telling me thank you for the support I provided to them over the course of the year.
Then yesterday before flying out I had breakfast with one of the women on my small group core team. She posted a picture of us on facebook afterward and the words she wrote to accompany the picture touched the depths of my heart and almost had me in tears. "...Thank you for your love...your friendship and your wonderful representation of Jesus...Growing by your side has been a great blessing." Well if that right there doesn't make me feel like all my labors and efforts from the year have been worth it, then nothing will. I had not felt any doubts about my service this year, but receiving such kind words makes it all feel worth it a hundred times over.
God has been so good to me this year and it is a great joy and blessing to be an instrument in his hands. Thank you again to all of you for your support in every way. Words can never be enough. (No Tico Tuesday next week as I try to disconnect as much as possible while I have time off, but a Chronicle will come out shortly after the first of the new year).
Merry Christmas to you all, and may God's peace and joy fill you to overflowing as we celebrate his miraculous birth and await his return!
Come, Lord Jesus!
Carrie