Outgoing Mail: November

~~~
I took a break from my usual devotion series to write Christmas and New Year-themed letters. And then in December I will take some time to respond to the letters that my sponsored kids have sent. I created four slightly different Christmas letters based on the Kid's Corner Advent Devotional.

Merry Christmas Friend! 

As we approach Christmas, I wanted to remind you of the hope we can have through Jesus Christ, and wanted to share this study on hope from ReFrame Ministries. 

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Hope ~~ "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.'" Lamentations 3:21-24

"Have you ever said, "I hope we win our game tonight," or "I hope the teacher doesn't give us homework over the weekend"? When we use the word HOPE, we are usually talking about something we really want to happen, but are not sure will happen. The Bible uses the word hope in a different way. In the Bible, our hope is in something that has not happened but that we know for sure will happen because God says so. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, God promises that he will never stop loving us and being kind to us. We can share our hope with others by showing God's love and kindness in the things we do and say. 

[This] verse comes from the book of Lamentations. Jeremiah wrote this very sad book after he saw his city, Jerusalem, destroyed because the people who lived there did not obey God. In fact, the word Lamentations means "tears." But even in his sadness, Jeremiah found hope in God's promises to send a redeemer to restore Jeremiah's city and to save his people from their sins. We can trust in God's promises too! We know he always loves us and is kind to us and that he sent his son, Jesus--the redeemer Jeremiah was waiting for--to save us from our sins and offer us eternal life. This is our great hope! 

[As we celebrate Christmas], we can share this hope with our families, friends, and classmates by showing them God's love and kindness. Let them know that no matter how bad their troubles are, God loves them... and so do you. Think of someone this week who is sad or in need. Find a way that you can show them God's hope this week. 

Can you think of a time when someone showed you God's love and kindness? How did that remind you of the hope we have in the Lord?"

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Much love, 

~~~

Merry Christmas Friend! 

As we approach Christmas, I wanted to remind you of the hope we can have through Jesus Christ, and wanted to share this study on hope from ReFrame Ministries. 

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Peace ~~ "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." Isaiah 9:6-7

"Have you ever heard somebody say "Be part of the solution, not part of the problem"? What they meant was that you should find a way to make things better for people, by being a peacemaker. When someone has peace, it means they don't have anything to worry about or be afraid of. As followers of Jesus, we should always look for ways to help people be at peace, just as Jesus did for us. But how exactly did Jesus bring peace into the world?

When Adam and Eve were created by God in the Garden of Eden, they were friends with God. But then they disobeyed and their sin separated them from God. It made them--and us, because we are related to them--God's enemies. There is nothing we can do on our own to be at peace with God. But there was something God could do, and he did it. He sent his Son, Jesus, so we could one again be at peace with god. In the verse above, Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would come to earth as a baby, grew up, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again to give us life and peace forever. 

Christmas is the celebration of when Jesus came to earth as a baby. But not everyone feels peaceful during the holidays. Life can be busy and stressful, families can fight, and people can be lonely. Look for ways you can be a peacemaker this Advent season. If you have any friends or family members who haven't trusted Jesus, tell them about how he came to earth to bring peace between us and God. You can also find ways to make things easier, less worrisome, or less lonely for people in need.

What is the one thing that you are worried about or afraid of? How can other members of the family help you be at peace?"

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Much love, 

~~~

Merry Christmas Friend! 

As we approach Christmas, I wanted to remind you of the hope we can have through Jesus Christ, and wanted to share this study on hope from ReFrame Ministries. 

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Joy ~~ "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is not law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit," Galatians 5:22-25

"During the Christmas season, we often hear "Joy to the World, the Lord has come..." But what exactly is the joy of Christmas all about? Many people confuse joy and happiness. Happiness is often based on your circumstances--like whether you win your game, get an A on your test, or finally get that present you've been wanting. But joy is a deeper emotion, one that lasts through good times and bad. It comes from seeing God at work in the world. 

Sometimes joy makes your heart feel like it wants to explode with hope and excitement about something to come. Other times it's a strong sense of peace, like everything is just as it should be. During Christmas, we remember with joy the gift of Jesus, we enjoy his blessings now, and we delight in the promise of his coming again. 

Galatians 5:22-25 tells us that joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit. This means that God is the source of the joy, but the Holy Spirit helps us to see it, practice it, and give it away. The Spirit draws our attention to beautiful things and helps us remember God's faithfulness in the stories of the Bible and in our lives. When we are "in step with the Spirit," we can be joyful in all circumstances. 

The Spirit also helps us see people who are in need of god's joy, so that we can share it with them. When we are filled with joy, we know how to give it away. Christmas is a perfect time to remind others of good times and stories of God's faithfulness. We can show them examples of God's goodness and beauty all around us. We can share God's promises from the Bible and we can also bring joy to others doing simple acts of kindness and service. What a joy to share God's good gifts! 

Have you ever made a special gift for someone? How does this experience remind you of the gifts God has already given you? How can you share this joy with others?"

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Much love,

~~~

Merry Christmas Friend! 

As we approach Christmas, I wanted to remind you of the hope we can have through Jesus Christ, and wanted to share this study on hope from ReFrame Ministries. 

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Love ~~ "A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Isaiah 9:6-7

"Please usually think of love as a feeling. Did you ever think of love as an action? Well, God's love is active!

In John 13, Jesus told his disciples that he would soon be going into heaven and that they would have to wait for him to return. But Jesus gave his followers something to practice while they waited: loving one another with the same love that he had shown them. Jesus' love is self-sacrificing love that puts others' needs first. It's not just a feeling; it's a love that acts! It touches people, heals them, feeds them, comforts them, cries with them, washes their feet, and even dies for them. That is a difficult kind of love! The Holy Spirit gives you this kind of active love as one of the "Fruits of the Spirit." Sharing that gift shows people that you are followers of Jesus. 

Advent has been a time of waiting. But while you waited, you loved others by sharing your gifts of kindness. You practiced the job Jesus gave to his disciples: to love one another! 

Jesus loved people that were outcasts in his society. He touched those that others forgot or looked down on. Who does our society forget or ignore? How can you show them the active love of God?"

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Much love,

~~~

Happy Writing!

Outgoing Mail: November

 

~~~I am taking a break with my usual monthly theme to write Christmas letters! I wrote four different letters, sharing a poem/passage from Nikki Grime's Voices of Christmas, along with the illustration by Eric Velsaquez. This book is just so beautiful! The spacing is the letters is to push the poem to the second page (just a personal preference in aesthetics.) Compassion UK had some really fun coloring pages that they shared last year, and I am including those in these letters.  

Merry Christmas! And happy new year! 

I pray that you and your family are encouraged in the Lord this Christmas, and reminded of His deep love for you! 

Is there a favorite story or song that you like to hear during Christmas? I wanted to share a poem from one of our favorite Christmas books called "Voices of Christmas" by Nikki Grimes. And I included the artwork by Eric Velasquez that goes along with the poem. I hope you are encouraged by this reflection on the birth of Christ our Savior. 

With much love, 

⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°✩°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆ 

Gabriel

"In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin. 

Hush! The hour is late.

Nazareth lies sleeping, and I wait for my Lord's signal

to once again go

to earth below. 

When last I went, my words 

were for Zechariah

Now, I pace the halls of heaven

memorizing a message

for Mary.

(Every archangel I see

envies me!)

I must get the message right:

The Light of the World

is on his way!

What will Mary say when I tell her?

I wonder what he'll look like,

God wrapped in baby's skin,

stepping from Eternity into Time?

How will he hide his glory?

How will he hold it all in?

Ah! There! The bells chime

and I must go. 

And so

I spread my wings, and spring

from heaven's balcony."

⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°✩°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆

~~~

Merry Christmas! And happy new year! 

I pray that you and your family are encouraged in the Lord this Christmas, and reminded of His deep love for you! 

Is there a favorite story or song that you like to hear during Christmas? I wanted to share a poem from one of our favorite Christmas books called "Voices of Christmas" by Nikki Grimes. And I included the artwork by Eric Velasquez that goes along with the poem. I hope you are encouraged by this reflection on the birth of Christ our Savior. 

With much love, 

⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°✩°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆ 

The Wise Men

"Then, opening their treasure chest, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  

Our royal robes mark us

as strangers to these parts,

and so, crowds gather as we go,

curious to see where we are headed. 

More than a year has passed,

but at last the star has led us to the humble home of the Holy Child. 

We enter the courtyard

where Mary bounces the baby on her knee,

and my greedy eyes study

every inch of God's small son.

My ears tingle at the sound

of his giggle,

and all my mouth can manage 

is "Master!"

I dig into my travel pouch

and pull out a gift of gold

which seemed generous,

till now.

But how could this trifle

begin to be enough

for the Savior of the world?"

⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°✩°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆

~~~

Merry Christmas! And happy new year! 

I pray that you and your family are encouraged in the Lord this Christmas, and reminded of His deep love for you! 

Is there a favorite story or song that you like to hear during Christmas? I wanted to share a poem from one of our favorite Christmas books called "Voices of Christmas" by Nikki Grimes. And I included the artwork by Eric Velasquez that goes along with the poem. I hope you are encouraged by this reflection on the birth of Christ our Savior. 

With much love, 

⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°✩°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆ 

Joseph

"[Mary's] husband, Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose [Mary] to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 

There is little sleep

for me tonight,

only tossing and turning

and mourning over Mary.

I'll have to send her away now.

How could I marry a girl who is having someone else's baby?

Why has she done this to me?

If only I could sleep, maybe then

I could find answers in my dreams.

"Joseph," an angel says to me,

"take Mary as your wife.

The life inside of her 

comes from The Everlasting One.

He is the Messiah, God's own Son

and you will call him Jesus."

Moments later I awake

certain as sky that I've had

more than a dream.

I wait for this mighty mystery to unfold.

For now, this one thing I know: 

I am ready now to do

whatever Jehovah

tells me to."

⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°✩°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆

~~~

Merry Christmas! And happy new year! 

I pray that you and your family are encouraged in the Lord this Christmas, and reminded of His deep love for you! 

Is there a favorite story or song that you like to hear during Christmas? I wanted to share a poem from one of our favorite Christmas books called "Voices of Christmas" by Nikki Grimes. And I included the artwork by Eric Velasquez that goes along with the poem. I hope you are encouraged by this reflection on the birth of Christ our Savior. 

With much love, 

⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°✩°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆ 

Mary

"The virgin's name was Mary. And [the angel Gabriel] came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."

He is gone now

but still my bedroom walls beam

brighter than the moonrise.

My spine tingles from his touch.

Such heat pulsing from white light! 

Voice deeper than echo,

he spoke to me

familiar words from a prophecy:

"The Master is sending Man

a baby. A boy. A King. His Son!"

Then he added impossibly, 

"You, Mary, will be the one

he calls Mother."

Then he was gone!

Now I, alone, remain

rooted to this dirt floor,

dizzy with wonder,

pinching my wrist,

waiting to wake

from this dream."

⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°⋆｡°✩°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆°｡⋆

~~~

Happy Writing!

Outgoing Mail: October

 

~~~I am taking a break with my usual monthly theme to write Christmas letters! I used the card feature, and created four different versions of the letter. I also included art that my kids made last year (both traditional and digital) along with a fun activity from the Compassion Explorer magazine. Feel free to copy and paste the messages for your own purposes. 

Merry Christmas! 

We pray that you are reminded of God's great love. May His love and presence fill you to overflowing and bring you a most Joyous Christmas.

I am praying 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 over you this Christmas season:

"May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else . . . May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones."

We send lots of love and hugs, 

~~~

Merry Christmas! 

May God fill your life with love, joy and peace this Holiday Season and throughout the New Year.

I am praying Colossians 3:15 over you this Christmas season:

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly."

May God bless you and your family. Hugs, 

~~~

Merry Christmas! 

May your heart be lifted in praise this Christmas for the wonderful gift of Jesus and the joy He brings to our lives. Have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year!

I am praying Ephesians 3:16-19 over you this Christmas season:

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, 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."

With big hugs and blessings,  

~~~

Merry Christmas! 

Wishing you the gift of faith, the blessing of hope and the peace of His love at Christmas and always.

I am praying 2 Thessalonians 3:5 over you this Christmas season:

"May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ."

Sending warm hugs and lots of love,

~~~

I also took some time to respond to letters from our kids! It is really fun to have letters to respond to more frequently. I shared some updated photos and some artwork inspired by John Nieto. 

~~~

Happy Writing!

September Monthly Mana

Christmas cards are due in Jacksonville by September 5! Be sure to label the envelope with the child's name and number. You are welcome to send a bundle of labeled cards in one large envelope (I use the USPS flat rate mailing boxes):

Manna 4 Lempira

7075 Holiday Hill Court

Jacksonville, FL 32216

Just like for Easter, in addition to writing to our sponsored kids (and kids of friends and family members), I am also trying to make 400 extra Christmas cards for kids who don't receive a letter! Not every child receives a letter from his or her sponsor, plus there are always some unsponsored kids.

I found these cute cards already in Spanish on Amazon, and these are the stickers I am sending, a sticker roll, and sticker scenes.  And some of the cards I am printing myself, thanks to a cute template purchased on Etsy! The cards I purchased are currently unavailable, but Amazon does have a few options in Spanish right now: card with a verse, and ones with cute sayings. 

If you'd like to help us write extra letters, that would be amazing!! The letters need to be mailed to the Jacksonville address above, and arrive by September 5. The cards need to be written in Spanish, and signed by Manna 4 Lempira, so here are some simple phrases you can use:

¡Feliz Navidad! Que Dios te bendiga en este año nuevo. ❤ Manna 4 Lempira

¡Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año Nuevo! Que Dios te bendiga. ❤ Manna 4 Lempira

Just a note: your personal cards do not need to be in Spanish already, the Manna staff will translate them for you! But we do not have time to translate extra cards, which is why these need to be sent already in Spanish. 

~~~

For our Christmas cards, I had purchased the shiny ones on Christmas clearance, plus I am sending some of the ones listed earlier in the post. My kids think shiny or sparkly is best when it comes to Christmas cards! We are also sending the same stickers that are listed earlier. 

Also, if you are wanting other ideas for writing, my friend Kristen and I are collaborating on a Google Drive folder to share resources. Kristen has been making packets for mailings (including a Christmas packet), and we are sharing coloring pages, activity pages, etc., as we find them. 

Happy Writing!!
~~~
If you would like to sponsor with Manna 4 Lempira, you can see photos of waiting children at the Sowers 4 Pastors website!

Outgoing Mail: November

~~~I am continuing to share about the Fruit of the Spirit. I am using Creative Faith & Co.'s Produce in Me devotional. The lessons are available in Spanish and in English, and have cute printables that can be attached! This month's topic was Self Control. 

Dearest Friend, 

This month I am sharing the last Fruit of the Spirit, Self-Control. This devotion is by Ruth Dominguez and Hillary Krippaehne.

"Sometimes [we] want the newest shiniest toy in town. [Or eat too much] because the food tastes so good... [or listen to] the juiciest new piece of gossip because you [want] to know what’s going on... [or] hangout with the bad crowd just to be cool... All of these things happen because in that singular moment, nothing seems more important to us. We say to ourselves ‘I want that’ or even worse ‘I need that.’

You may not know that [this] is the lie that brought sin into the world in the first place. Eve [thought she] needed the juicy-looking fruit of the Forbidden Tree. At that very moment, nothing seemed more important than being just like God. She erased what God had told her and just focused on how much she [wanted] to eat that fruit. She didn’t really need it. She just believed that lie. She had no self-control for one really important moment and look where we are today.

Self-control is a virtue. You aren’t born with it, you develop it as you grow and you put it to good use. [This virtue can be one of the biggest blessings in our lives.] God gave us this virtue because He knows [we] need it. He wants us to be strong and resist the things that are bad for our bodies, bad for our souls.

Read:

- 1 Corinthians 10:13

- 2 Timothy 1:7

 What are you doing that you shouldn't right now? In what areas of your life is God calling you to have more self control?

 Celebrate when you conquer temptation and exhibit self control! Illustrate this celebration in your journal.

 Keep your eyes open for the way out. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us God will always give us an escape route -- a way out of temptation. Write a prayer to your Heavenly Father asking Him to help you look for ways to overcome temptation."

I attached a coloring page of 2 Timothy 1:7. I encourage you to memorize this verse!

Love,

Hannah

I included the illustration that goes along with the lesson and a coloring page. 

~~~
I also wrote Christmas letters! I wrote four different versions, and I will share them here with you, in case you would like to modify them for your children! The first, sharing a devotion about Mary, is for our teen girls. 

***Merry Christmas Name!*** As you prepare for Christmas, I want to encourage you to read Luke chapters 1 & 2, and then read what Bob Kauflin writes about Mary: "I was freshly reminded of Mary’s example in humbly submitting to God’s plan for her life. And what a plan it was! God sends an angel to tell a obscure young girl, maybe all of 13 years, that she is to bear the Savior of the world. How would you respond to such an announcement? Three lessons stand out to me in [Luke 1:46-48a]. “My soul magnifies the Lord.” To magnify means to make something look bigger than it appears to our eyes. We use a telescope or a set of binoculars to magnify objects that are far away. Magnifying doesn’t make those objects bigger, but helps us to see them as they truly are. Mary could have magnified a few other things when Gabriel broke the news to her. “Who’s going to believe a thirteen year old girl who says she’s pregnant by God? What will the neighbors think? How will I explain this to Joseph? Will he divorce me once he finds out? What will this mean for my future?” Mary could have magnified these and a thousand other fears. But instead of allowing her thoughts to drift to what she didn’t know, she reflected on what she DID know. My God is good. He is kind. He is faithful to His promises. He is answering the prayers of His people. God is merciful... “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Mary didn’t simply accept God’s will with a sense of dutiful determination. “Well, if someone has to bear the Messiah, it might as well be me.” She was overjoyed that God had called her to this unique role in salvation history. But her joy was rooted not so much in her favored status as in God Himself. “My spirit rejoices in GOD my Savior.” How often my joy springs from my position, or the way God seems to be using me. When either of those change, so does my attitude. Mary’s joy was secure, grounded in the never changing faithful love of her God and Savior. “For he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.” Mary had an exalted view of God, not herself. Her response is an example for us because she didn’t consider herself special, unique, or in any way worthy of the honor that God had bestowed on her. She didn’t think, “I must be some kind of woman for God to trust me with this assignment!” No, she understood that God using her was due to His mercy, not her competence. Mary goes on to say, “His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.” (Luke 1:50) May our proclamation today and every day be [like Mary's], “He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” (Luke 1:49).” ***Love, The Hinojosa Family***

For the older girls and boys, I found a coloring page and some beautiful Nativity images through a Google search. 

The second letter, for our teen boys, is a devotion about Joseph.

***Merry Christmas Name!*** As you prepare for Christmas, I want to encourage you to read Matthew chapters 1& 2, and then read what Ralph Wilson writes about Joseph: “Notice that he just states simply the facts... without embellishment: 1) Mary and Joseph were betrothed, 2) they had not had sex with each other, 3) but Mary was pregnant, & 4) the conception was from the Holy Spirit, not man. We knew these things and so did Joseph -- except for point 4. In Matthew's account we learn how Joseph came to understand. The story is familiar to us, but let's examine it in detail so that we might begin to understand the stand-in father that the Heavenly Father chose to raise His Son… We know from later in Matthew's gospel that Joseph was a carpenter by trade (Matthew 13:55)… Carpentry was Joseph's trade and the trade he taught his son… But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Right now Joseph was faced with the pregnancy of his betrothed. You can bet that tongues in this small town were wagging furiously with the news... Joseph has been deeply embarrassed by the whole incident. But he alone knows that he is not the father. He supposes that Mary, who as a betrothed woman and legally his wife, has had an affair with someone or another... The only conclusion he can reach is that she has been unfaithful. His betrothed is an adulteress! Mary's prospects were grim... She had said to the angel, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38), but now the cost of this decision had become painfully apparent. However, the grace of God now comes into play. We begin to see the character of the man to whom she was betrothed (Matthew 1:19)... "Righteous" meant that Joseph carefully observed the law. He was honorable... He couldn't marry her, of course, since he knew that her baby was not his. But instead of a messy public trial, he had decided to divorce her quietly... but to do it in such a way as to protect her as much as he could... Joseph was a man seeking to do the right thing. God changed Joseph's mind (Matthew 1:20-21)... The form of address, "Son of David," emphasizes Joseph's honored position as a direct descendent of David, Israel's greatest king, and from whose descendants the Messiah should come… The message was, "do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife." ... Her pregnancy is not adulterous, but "from the Holy Spirit." As a result of this legal adoption, Joseph's ancestry as a descendent of David transfers also to his legal son. Biologically, Jesus is begotten by the Holy Spirit and is thus the "Son of God" (Luke 1:32a), but legally he is the son of Joseph and heir to the promises of David, Joseph's ancestor…. As soon as he woke up, Joseph obeyed. He accepted Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:24-25).” ***Love, The Hinojosa Family***

Third, a devotion about Anna for the little girls.  

Merry Christmas Name!

Please read the Christmas story in Luke 2. Have you heard of Anna? I want to share a lesson about Anna:

“After Jesus was born, the days slipped by one by one. The angels who sang on the night of His birth did not repeat their per­formance. People went about their work as they always had. The sun rose in the morn­ing and set in the evening. The shepherds continued to pasture their flocks in the fields around Bethlehem. Life continued its usual course, just as if nothing had hap­pened…

Like any other child, the baby was given a name on the eighth day—Jesus, which means savior. Because He was the first­born, Mary and Joseph brought Him to Jerusalem, which was two hours away from Bethlehem. This happened on the fortieth day…

This was the first time that Jesus was in Jerusalem, the city of the Great King. No one recognized Joseph and Mary as they walked through the streets, and no one recognized the royal child Mary carried in her arms.

They entered the temple and offered the usual sacrifice for poor people. The priest approached them and unthinkingly laid his hands on the child. He had blessed the Messiah without realizing it…

[A] voice was raised. The speaker was an old, gray woman—the prophetess Anna. She was an 84-year-old widow who spent her time in the temple. Anna came to stand by the baby Jesus… She saw Jesus as the Son of God. God had come so close to man that He now lay as a child in the arms of His mother.

Anna sang about this great wonder. From then on she told everyone she met that the Redeemer had come. All who looked forward to the coming of the Redeemer found rich comfort in this joyful message.”

“Let’s be like Anna and live with an attitude of worship and obeying God every day.  Let’s have an attitude of praising Him and thanking Him for all that He has done and will do for us as we believe Him by faith. (Hebrews 11:13)”

Much love,

The Hinojosa Family

For the younger girls and boys, I found a coloring page through a Google search, and found fun illustrations of Anna and Simeon. 

The fourth letter, for the little boys, focused on Simeon. 

Merry Christmas Name!

   Please read the Christmas story in Luke 2. Have you heard of Simeon? I want to share a lesson about Simeon:

   “After Jesus was born, the days slipped by one by one. The angels who sang on the night of His birth did not repeat their per­formance. People went about their work as they always had. The sun rose in the morn­ing and set in the evening. The shepherds continued to pasture their flocks in the fields around Bethlehem. Life continued its usual course, just as if nothing had hap­pened… Like any other child, the baby was given a name on the eighth day—Jesus, which means savior. Because He was the first­born, Mary and Joseph brought Him to Jerusalem, which was two hours away from Bethlehem. This happened on the fortieth day… This was the first time that Jesus was in Jerusalem, the city of the Great King. No one recognized Joseph and Mary as they walked through the streets, and no one recognized the royal child Mary carried in her arms. They entered the temple and offered the usual sacrifice for poor people. The priest approached them and unthinkingly laid his hands on the child. He had blessed the Messiah without realizing it…

   Suddenly an old, gray man entered the temple with great haste. He hurried straight to Mary. He knew who the child was! Simeon knew because God had told him. Simeon's only great desire in life was for the Messiah, the one who would redeem his people. Long ago, to comfort him, God had revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Savior. It was late evening in Simeon's life. The dark shadow of death had crept forward to­ward him. Simeon was living in dark times for the people of Israel. The people were oppressed by a powerful foe. But now the great day had finally come—the most beautiful day in Simeon's entire life. Mary offered the baby to Simeon. Reverently the old man took the child in his arms. Full of joy, he praised God. "Now I can die in peace," he cried out, "for my eyes have seen Your salvation, O Lord." Indeed, Simeon need not fear death, for this child he held in his arms would conquer sin and death.

   Because the Redeemer had come, it didn't matter that Simeon lived in dark times. The Light of the world was finally beginning to shine. Simeon sang of that light, the great and beautiful light that descended from heaven to beam down not only upon Israel but upon all the nations. Simeon said that many would come to love this child and Simeon said that many would come to love this child and would receive happiness through Him.”

   Love, The Hinojosa Family

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Happy Writing!

September Monthly Mana

 

Physical Christmas cards are being collected! They are due October 1, and you can check Sowers 4 Pastors for the mailing address. And the next batch of letters, by email, are due November 5! 

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I am really excited to send physical Christmas cards, and along with the cards, I am sending scratch star ornaments, stickers, and paper ornaments that we made last year (and that I forgot to send)! My kids are also super excited to send artwork to their friends for Christmas! The little kids are also receiving Nativity sticker scenes and paint-with-water pages. 

I also am working on cards for unsponsored kids with Manna! If you have a few extra Christmas cards, I encourage you to write "Feliz Navidad, Con amor de Mana 4 Lempira" on the inside, and send it along so a child who isn't yet sponsored can also get some Christmas mail! 

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For the November e-mail, since it will most likely be delivered to the kids before the physical Christmas cards, the theme is Christmas too! I found some fun black-and-white Nativity images on Google to go along with these. And I wrote four, each one focusing on a different character in the Nativity story and what we can learn from them. For the older boys, I wrote about Joseph, and for the older girl, Mary. For the little ones, I wrote about Simeon (for the boys) and Anna (for the girls). 

Happy Writing!!

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If you would like to sponsor with Manna 4 Lempira, you can see photos of waiting children at the Sowers 4 Pastors website!