The Abegg's Love Letters

	Merry Christmas! "Like a stone on the surface of a still river,  Driving the ripples on forever. Redemption RIPS through the surface of time In the cry of a tiny babe…" -Cry of a Tiny Baby by Bruce Cockburn Neither Joseph nor Mary had planned on ruining their lives. They were engaged to be married, humble as it were on a carpenter's salary. Then God's messenger showed up and told Mary she was going to have a baby that was…well, not her husbands. How do you think that was received in 1 B.C. Palestine? It was an absolute disaster that could have actually resulted in Mary's death on legal grounds! Joseph, not wanting to expose her to this, decided that a quiet divorce would preserve his own name and not endanger Mary (and whoever's baby she carried). It took a second visit from an angel to re-order his thinking, opening him to a lifetime of ridicule and shame. Joseph chose to accept his brides perceived guilt and named the baby "Jesus", adopting him into the savior's prophesied lineage of King David. Then they fled for their lives to Egypt and the story continues... (See Matthew 1-2).  God seems to work that way. He messes up our own seemingly perfect plans and does something insane like bringing redemption, hope and purpose to our lives. However the real problems come when we don't respond to God's invitation and we try to avoid stepping into the terrifying unknown, trying to remain in our own tiny, pathetic world following our own minuscule agenda. In his work "The Weight of Glory", CS Lewis wrote  "…when infinite joy is offered us, [we are] like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea…" With God's help and intervention, Mary and Joseph got it right.  They laid their planned lives on the altar in exchange for the rough, rocky road that leads to True Glory.  If you've been following the Abegg family through our web page, you know that we're currently on a road that we had not necessarily planned on, and God has lead us back to CA for a season to assist my parents with various health issues, raise support, continue with my LAM responsibilities even as we discern what our next steps will be following LAM's completed merger with United World Mission the January.  We've clearly see how this is the road God laid for us. We're having to trust He will provide the timing in the coming year to move ahead with plans for a new ministry to those caught in Human Trafficking and an anticipated training trip to Costa Rica. It has honestly felt like a lot at once, but then I focus on Christmas. On CHRIST. On Joseph and Mary's decisions and how in God's perfect timing, history itself was divided and forgiveness poured out through a child who would eventually lay His life down for our sins. Dwelling on this makes it easier to see the foolishness in thinking that God should follow my agenda rather than my simply choosing to follow Him! The Abegg family wants to THANK all of you who have supported us with prayer and finances making our ministry feasible over many years. You are vital partners in these rough ministry roads. As the year comes to a close, please consider further assisting during this transition time with a tax deductible year end gift, and for those who are not part of our support team, please prayerfully consider joining us in the coming year as we lay the groundwork for a Human Trafficking Ministry.  Donations can be made by using the "support this missionary" button at: http://www.lam.org/missionaries/abegg or mailed to: Latin America Mission, PO Box 52-7900, Miami, FL 33152-7900  (please include a note stating "for the Abeggs" or it will not be credited to our account).  Thank you so very much, and we wish each and every one of you the Joy of Hope found only in the child whose birthday we prepare to celebrate! In His Hands / En Sus manos; Kevin, Claudia, Jeremy and Nicholas Abegg Latin America Mission Director, North American Partnerships Cell: 305-799-7476