Advent Reader by CBOQ

Scripture references taken from the NIV. Compiled and edited by Jacqueline Solomon, Communications Associate, CBOQ.

Dear Canadian Baptist family, Whether it is opening stockings, singing special carols, or eating a favourite kind of cookie, Christmas is a time of tradition. Throughout history, so many traditions have become part of the fabric of Christmas that we may need reminders as to what the Advent season is all about. This year’s Canadian Baptist Advent Reader invites you into this magnificent story of the Lord coming to earth as a human being and offering the world the great gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus. With contributions by Canadian Baptists from across Canada and serving around the world, our desire is that our whole Canadian Baptist family will be drawn together into moments of worship, of reflection and of communion with God and each other. Each writer is active in mission in different ways and places. Each one is working to lead our churches into deeper relationship with God and people in need. They call us to experience the hope, joy, peace and love of Christmas and to share it with our Canadian Baptist family, our bigger family in Christ and those who have yet to experience a deep encounter with the grace of God, embodied in the tiny baby whose birth we celebrate. Our hope is that these daily readings will provide spiritual insight and depth of meaning to the Christmas celebrations you’ll enjoy with your family, your church and your community. Joy to the World, the Lord is Come!

Tim McCoy, Executive Minister – CBOQ Kingsway Baptist Church, Toronto, ON, CBOQ

November 30, 2014 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 I am writing this advent reflection during a time of global anxiety and violence. The beheadings and crucifixions of ISIS and the spread of ebola resemble the barbarities and contagions of past ages. During the summer a passenger plane was shot down by a Russian missile, children in Gaza suffered through their third war in six years, and starvation threatened displaced people in South Sudan. Today’s news includes the report that 75% of the people of Winnipeg believe that the division between First Nations people and others is a serious social issue and 58% are fearful of going downtown at night. Another recent survey showed that most young people have lost faith in the ability of national governments and international organizations to address serious social problems. Jurgen Moltmann reminds us that the Messianic prophecies of Isaiah were proclaimed to people who were oppressed, anxious, and in despair about the future. Isaiah was a social critic and a person of deep faith. He courageously pointed to men in privileged positions that took advantage of their power to crush the poor and grind their faces in the dirt (Isaiah 3:14-15). He boldly stated that the Lord had expected justice and righteousness but had discovered bloodshed and cries of distress in the streets of Jerusalem (Isaiah 5:7). The internal social evils were augmented by apprehensions of an invasion of the Assyrian army. 4

Prophetic Longing Isaiah’s prophecies are political in the sense that they associate peace and social well-being with a coming leader, the Messiah. He looks forward to the time when God’s anointed one will establish a kingdom of justice and righteousness (9:7), the wolf will live with the lamb (11:6) and the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord (11:9). Centuries later, we share these prophetic longings. We contemplate the birth of a child who represents the fulﬁllment of this Messianic hope. The anointed leader promised by Isaiah was born in Bethlehem. The questions for our time are: Do we hear his voice in the noise and confusion of our context? Do we follow him with joy and faith? Gordon King, Global Discipleship Resource Specialist Winnipeg, Manitoba, CBM

December 1, 2014 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John 1:14 “Do you want to know a secret?” When I hear these words my heart races a little faster, I lean in closer and my insides jump because… who doesn’t want to be told a secret? Christmas is a time for secrets. The exchange of sideways glances and bubbling giggles are everywhere. People are bursting with joy to share their secrets as they wait in anticipation to present the gifts they have chosen. I recently found out that I am part of a local secret that I thought everyone knew. Our church serves breakfast three mornings a week to the children at the public school. Breakfast is free with no strings attached. Just smiles, hugs and Fruit Loops. There isn’t a criterion to be met except a desire to eat. This breakfast club has been openly talked about and advertised, inviting all kids. One day, a mother called and said, “The secret is out. My child has discovered that you serve breakfast and she has been coming. She eats at home. Can she still come?” It was the perfect opportunity for me to explain that breakfast isn’t supposed to be a secret. It is a meal for all kids and we want them to come and eat with us. We as a group of Jesus’ disciples simply want to love our neighbours by feeding them. We want them to see the invisible God in us by our actions.

Do you want to know a secret? Just as God wanted all his children to know that he loved them, we also want all our community kids to know God loves them. God had a gift for the entire world – a secret – that his unconditional, lavish, faithful love was for all people. He waited and waited until he could keep it no longer. Throughout the centuries he had demonstrated his love over and over again, but somehow people understood this love to be for only a select few. Through the gift of his son Jesus, that ﬁrst Christmas morning, God proclaimed his secret for the entire world to know. A baby who was fully human and fully divine was the invisible God made visible for us – a gift to be embraced. God leaned down to earth and said, “This is my Son – given to you in humble, sacriﬁcial love. Please accept him. Believe that he is for you and trust him with your whole life.” The Word has come to earth and the secret is out. Glory revealed. For all people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ in you. The hope of glory. Colossians 1:27 Tracey Bagley, Christian Education Pastor First Baptist Church, Kingsville, ON, CBOQ

December 2, 2014 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:4-7 When Rehan arrived at Kinbrace with her husband and two-yearold son earlier this year, she was round as a ball on her front--- just days away from giving birth. The family had been living in a city shelter for several days, homeless, having come to Canada from Iraq seeking refugee protection. They were desperate to find a home. As one of the only housing providers in Metro Vancouver specializing in helping vulnerable newcomer refugee claimants, we had received numerous urgent calls about this family, asking if we had any accommodation. The only housing we could make available was a self-contained room with a bunk bed and a cot, one of our smallest suites. Expectations collided with reality when Rehan, anxious and apprehensive, saw our tiny offering: how could she cope with a rambunctious two-year-old and a newborn in such a small space? We felt her disappointment, and agreed with her that it was not ideal accommodation, but told her this was all we had to offer.

Displaced but Thankful In that moment, she paused thoughtfully, her anxiety somehow fading from her face, and said, “Yes, this is better than nothing, and I am so thankful.” Watching her face and gestures, I saw she wasn’t simply resigning herself to the fate of a less than perfect living space. Rather, with a profound and intense power, she readily and radically embraced it as home for herself, her family, and her soon-tobe-born child. We don’t make it a practice at Kinbrace to test the powers of forcibly displaced pregnant mothers. But this unique incident illuminated (somehow, I think) a few of the deep mysteries surrounding Mother Mary, the motel, and the manger. Loren Balisky, Executive Director, Kinbrace Grandview Calvary Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC, CBWC

December 3, 2014 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3 A voice cries out in the wilderness But do we hear? We prefer our prophets placed in the past Where each advent we can rehearse The familiar script Prince of Peace foretold a tiny babe Around whose manger bed gathered angels and kings. A voice cries out in the wilderness But the wild places are so far away And so irrelevant To our Advent preparations To do lists, gift wrap, peace cards posted. A voice cries out in the wilderness And an unsettling question is raised “Did you hear that?” Have the prophets of our land ﬁnally caught our attention? Doing what prophets do best Tearing down facades, clearing away the rubble making straight paths Rejecting the diminished present for the sake of hope in a stronger, truer future?

Justice for the First Peoples of this Land A voice cries out in the wilderness Will we heed the Advent call? “Prepare the way of the Lord,” For he has come to set things right, We find him come among us A tiny babe come to reconcile. The prophet says, “There cannot be re-conciliation Where there has been no conciliation, No right relationship to begin with. We have to start from the beginning.” This far-off historical event of a baby in a manger Transforms to an Advent invitation To follow in the wilderness path prepared by the Lord. Who took on flesh. And went back to the beginning In smallness and vulnerability came to bring reconciliation By needing us. If we followed this wilderness path might Relationship lead to the pursuit of justice together? And might justice lead to reconciliation where relationships deepen? Jodi Spargur Spargur, Pastor God’s House of Many Faces, Vancouver, BC, CBWC

December 4, 2014

Far from Home

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept, when we remembered Zion. Psalm 137:1 My wife and I are from a small town on Vancouver Island. There was only one high school in our town then and still only one high school there today. I grew up playing hockey with the boys in our neighborhood and we knew everyone on our street. Mrs. M, the Italian lady who could hardly speak English but made great pasta, and her small quiet husband who knew how to make wine from the grapes he grew himself. Grouchy, cantankerous Mr. A who would yell at us every so often for playing hockey on the road in front of his yard. Our next door neighbor Mr. C always had a snide comment whenever he decided he’d give you a moment of his precious time. Small town folks all of them, including us. Now we live and work in a big city in the middle of China, with an ofﬁcial population of 14 million (and an unofﬁcial population of 22 million). It is quite a change for us. The sounds, smells, language and food are the polar opposite of the small town we grew up in. Christmas here is different. There is nothing in the culture or history that remotely resembles the Christmas story we grew up with. There is one Christmas tree on our street. It is a large commercial tree that stands outside the shopping centre at the corner. No one, save this Canadian couple, has a Christmas tree in their home. We hear Christmas music – no sacred Christmas music - “Rudolf,” “Santa is coming,” etc. People know it’s Christmas music imported from the West but no one understands what is being sung. So Christmas in our home away from home is rather hollow, out of place: a foreign ploy for shop owners to sell more stuff. Even among believers here, Christmas is not the season they prepare for. Families don’t get together for Christmas. There is no special food, no Christmas cookies, and Christmas hymns are only sung in churches. Advent and Christmas do not belong to this culture, even to the Christians of this culture – it is foreign. Spending Christmas in this city, among these ancient people, whom we have grown to love deeply, makes me think of the Jews living in Babylon so many years ago – longing for home.

Tom Mei, Global Field Staff Hong Kong, CBM

December 5, 2014

Transformational Mission

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Mission is about transformation. We could think and pray about all areas of human reality that need God’s transformation. If we make ourselves available as God’s agents for his transformation, then that thinking and that prayer become truly fruitful. Today, I would like to reflect about another area of transformation: ourselves. Mission will transform us before, during and long after we engage in a specific missional endeavour. Christ himself is our model for mission: The eternal Word became one of us. The incarnation is a mystery to behold and it is also the way in which God fulfilled his own mission. The incarnation should inform and shape how we think and organize ourselves for mission. We may indeed be living in a post-Christendom era — all the more reason for an incarnational, transformational, missional people of God and body of Christ. To do mission is to be transformed as individuals but also as communities of faith. If our churches are not open to God’s transformation, that is, if we want to live in the past, then how can we invite our neighbourhoods and cities to experience God’s transformation? Lord, your Word gives us life, your Word transforms us. Open our hearts to the transformative power of your Word. David Nacho, Global Field Staff Bolivia, CBM

December 6, 2014 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. Matthew 13:15-17 Several years have passed since we left Canada for our adopted country of the Czech Republic where we have our base of operations for our work with the European Baptist Federation. Prague is located in the very heart of Central Europe and was one of the former Soviet bloc countries occupied during the Cold War. The Czech Republic is a unique country with a rich history that reﬂects a once proud faith tradition. It spanned the centuries from the Hussites led by the pre-reformer Jan Hus (John Hus) to the Moravian brothers who delivered the Gospels to the Slavic peoples. When you think of Christmas you may remember the familiar and haunting Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslaus,” who indeed was from the land of Bohemia (Czech lands) and actually was a benevolent duke who was concerned for the Christian faith of his people. The sad reality is that the Czech people have, over several decades, lost their original spiritual fervour and have abandoned their dedication to faith as a Catholic nation. Today, the vast majority of people claim atheism or agnosticism, which has sadly made the Czech Republic one of the most secular nations in the world. Seeking after new aﬄuence following the fall of communism and with a staunch suspicion for anything representing the traditional church. It is a nation of skeptics.

An Open Door Nonetheless, the Czech people celebrate several unique Christmas traditions, which we have found wonderfully intriguing. In many ways, we have used them as ways to bridge conversations about faith in Christ as we celebrate his birth. Early in the month of December it’s not uncommon to see Mikuláš, a sort of Santa Claus, come on December 6th to see if children are bad or good. He is often accompanied by a very pretty angel and a ferocious demon. One of the most interesting traditions is that Czech children write letters to Ježíšek, who many consider to be the baby Jesus or the spirit of Christmas. Ježíšek brings gifts to children, summoned by a bell rung after the main evening dinner on Christmas Eve. These traditions borrow from religious traditions of Christianity but are no longer connected to it. Drawing the story of the Christ child and the tremendous gift to humankind has been our goal at this time of year. It is often about the only time we can talk about Christ without drawing snorts of skepticism and derision. Today, please pray for the power of the simple Christmas story to restore a tenderness to those who will listen. Jeﬀ Carter, Global Field Staﬀ (First Baptist Church, Charlottetown, PEI, CABC) Czech Republic, CBM

December 7, 2014 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Philippians. 2:5-8 Paride Taban is a fascinating and compelling figure in the African church today. Formerly a Sudanese bishop, he recently received the illustrious United Nations peace prize for promoting peace in South Sudan. Throughout his many years of service as the Bishop of Torit (1983-2004), Sudan was marred and afflicted by civil war. Bishop Taban found himself displaced and homeless as he worked among his people who were likewise displaced by the violence. Despite all these challenges, he remained a tireless advocate for peace. But when peace finally came to South Sudan, instead of seeking a position of leadership and authority, Taban retired and established a new community in Kuron called the Holy Spirit Peace Village. He dreamed of a community where tribal rivalries could be set aside so that peace, cooperation and mutual respect might be the rule. He relocated to Kuron and lived in a tent as he began to share his vision and invite people of good will to join him. Families from several different tribal groups and faiths have chosen to live in this community. It has become a model of what is possible. In commenting on the Holy Spirit Peace Village, the theologian Emmanuel Katongole wrote, “What Taban is driving at - or better, 16

Relocation as Incarnation what is driving Taban - is ecclesiology, a vision of what the church is called to be. That is why relocation is not simply about a change in geography or location but a theological category, an essential ecclesiological mark - indeed, the very mission of the church. The church exists for mission, to be a sign of God’s saving presence among God’s people. This presence is not abstract but is always concrete in a particular locality.” (Emmanuel Katongole. The Sacrifice of Africa: A Political Theology for Africa). As we reflect on the incarnation at Christmas, it is a time to consider God’s missional calling on the church to be an incarnational people. To set aside our status and privileges in order to live out a vision of the Kingdom which brings peace, reconciliation and hope. Whether you live in South Sudan or Southern Ontario, we are called to have the same mindset as Christ, who emptied himself for others. Jonathan Mills, Global Field Staff (Kanata Baptist Church, ON, CBOQ) Rwanda, CBM

December 8, 2014

An Advent Prayer

Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” 1 Chronicles 17:6 A prayer: Lord, give me the humility to know the difference between shepherding your people and building you a house of cedar. Search my intentions as I do both. Give me eyes to see your glory and beauty when the houses of cedar stand ever so tall around me. For you did not bring me out of Egypt only for me to be enslaved by magnificent structures. My heart is faint and requires the constant reminder of your still, small voice. My heart yearns for a focal point of worship and may you, my God, be at the centre of my devotion. For your compassion moves you to move as I wander about and yet you are the Immovable Rock I lean on. In this Advent season, regardless of the form of inhabitation I find myself in—be it a tent or a house of cedar—may your grace satisfy and your presence be known; may my soul be filled with the expectancy of you. Let me rest with the full assurance that my hope is found in my Lord Jesus Christ, who is bigger than the tents and houses of cedar I build; who is bigger than my ability to shepherd others; who is the one to bear what I could never bear and who called and continues to call me to follow him. Amen. David Au, Pastor Calvary Logos Baptist Church, Scarborough, ON, CBOQ

December 9, 2014

Have No Fear

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31 In Genesis 12, Abram had every right to be afraid. He was called to leave his homeland, Haran, for a new country, Canaan. That journey – 1000 kilometers of unknown wilderness filled with who-knows-what dangers heading for who-knows-what in Canaan – would in itself be a pretty terrifying experience. Second, Abram, his family, and his flocks faced the frightening prospect of famine. But in both of those circumstances Abram seemed to show no fear. The record we have implies that he simply followed God’s leading, without much worry about the future. He trusted God completely. What a wonderful, peaceful way to live. May God give us such a simple, sincere, trusting faith! However, as the family arrives in Egypt, Abram’s faith seems to fail. He is terrified – to the point of allowing Pharaoh to have his wife. Apparently Abram has his “fear-threshold” too. What were the consequences of his decisions, made in fear? What can we learn? God’s great mission is to bring people to faith and new life in himself. Our God is a missionary God, always reaching out to people with his love. He calls Abram to be part of that mission by being a blessing to others, too. When Abram walks in that calling and confidence, he seems unafraid – he knows God is with him. It’s when Abram loses sight of God’s call and care that he gets himself into trouble. “All we have – ourselves – to him, and if that be all, that is enough.” -- Watchman Nee That sounds great, but it is so hard to live out. God’s call to us is to “be a blessing” to others as well. When we make that our aim, we need have no fear. To whom can we be a blessing? Lord, give us your confidence to walk through the uncertain futures of our life unafraid. Bruce Martin, Senior Pastor First Baptist Church, Lethbridge, AB, CBWC

December 10, 2014 “The foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Luke 9:58 We do not recall when it started, but every year when it comes to the month of December, the song “Home Sweet Home” is always the song we most look forward to hearing on the radio. When we come home and turn into our street from work and hear “I am coming home for Christmas,” we feel all our tiredness and burdens from the day disappear. In early December last year, we sold our house and began our new journey in Northern Thailand. On the day we ﬁnished cleaning up and were ready to leave, our daughter turned around and took a picture of our house. Later she posted the picture on Instagram. She wrote, “Saying goodbye to the place I called home for 20 years. Thank you God for all the memories and always providing Philippians 4:19.” Home, sweet home. “Home” is a place where we feel warm and safe. At home we do not need to be in self-defense mode. We can freely express our opinion and we do not need to worry. We can cry, and we can laugh. “Home” is a place where we can take a break. At home we feel love and comfort. After wandering in the wilderness for forty years, Moses wrote, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place (home) throughout all generations.” (Psalm 90: 1)

Home Sweet Home At the beginning of this Psalm he points out that God is their dwelling place, their home, forever. Egypt is not their home, the wilderness is not their home, and even Canaan, strictly speaking, is not their eternal home. So where is their home? Moses proclaimed this eternal truth – it is in God. That is our eternal home --- his home is our real home! Jesus was born and did not live long on earth. In order to proclaim the Gospel, he went through all the towns and villages. But the truth is that Jesus has never left home, never disobeyed his Father’s will, and his Father is his home. We have left this temporary home in Canada, but we hope our children can always be in Christ and sing this popular song during the Christmas season, “Home, Sweet Home.” Conrad and Fiona Kwok, Global Field Staﬀ (Brampton Chinese Baptist, CBOQ) Thailand, CBM

December 11, 2014 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Jonah 4:2 The old historical city of Nineveh (called Mosul today, in northern Iraq) is very close to our hearts as a family. It is the city where my Ninevite/Iraqi wife was born, and the essential focus of my current study on the book of Jonah! Nothing brings the story of Jonah and Nineveh home like the current situation of the city today. Sadly, ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), the extremist group that has grown out of al-Qaeda in Iraq, has thrown this “great city” (Jonah 1:2), as well as the rest of of Iraq, Syria, and the whole region into chaos. ISIS’s brutal fighters have targeted thousands of Iraqi Christians and many other ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria. This group has a reputation for brutality; they have been kidnapping, beheading, and torturing many families, raping women and forcing others to marry the fighters. Thankfully, there are many families who were able to flee safely, but, as our relatives there tell us, they left everything behind and fled with empty hands. Recent reports tell us that right now there are more than 1.5 million displaced in the country. This massive displacement has led to a crisis of food, shelter and faith. So, what does this mean to us today? If you recall your childhood memories of the story of Jonah, you remember that Nineveh represents the city of “enemies” of God’s people. This was Jonah’s perspective of Nineveh, and therefore he was convinced that they deserved God’s wrath, rather than his compassion and grace. He “knew” that God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster” (Jonah 4:2). But God has a different perspective. In God’s view, Nineveh is “a great city,” not because of its size or wealth, nor its merit. 22

Nineveh: The Great City Rather, it is because of the massive number of human beings created in the image of God who live in this city (4:11). And then God asks Jonah, and all of us, “Should not I have concern (pity) for this great city?” If the answer is yes, let us imitate the heart of God and show mercy and compassion toward Nineveh, Iraq, Syria, and the whole region, even including the enemy, ISIS. In this Christmas season, we remember how God showed compassion and mercy through his gift of Jesus Christ to all of us. Let us also show mercy and compassion in this crisis by asking God to show, once again, mercy and compassion by bringing peace, comforting those who are displaced and have lost loved ones. Let us ask God to meet the urgent needs of food, clothes and shelter in a very cold season. Let us also remember to pray for ISIS, “the enemies.” May our Lord open and renew their hearts and minds, that the day will come when we see many of them serving Him! Emad Botros, Pastor of Arabic Ministries Stanley Park Baptist Church, Kitchener, ON, CBOQ

December 12, 2014 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulﬁlled in your hearing.” Luke 4:16-21 Some thirty years after his birth, standing in a synagogue and reading from the Isaiah prophecy, Jesus proclaimed God’s strategy of the kingdom presence here on earth as it is in heaven: to free the captives, give voice for the voiceless, food for the poor, sight for the blind, belonging and healing for those relegated to the margins of community and restoration to the Lord’s favour, to his place of shalom. This same prophet writes that this Prince of Shalom shall “…reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.” (Isaiah 9:7) In between the prophecy and the proclamation is Mary’s revelation that God’s promises are about to be fulﬁlled — those living in darkness, in the shadow of death, despair and desperation will be washed with a dawning light conceived in an unwed, shamed teenaged girl.

Promise, Prophecy and Proclamation Within this promise, prophecy and proclamation is rejoicing. Those who society deems as losers, failures, unclean, less valued and ‘unredeemable’ are elevated and invited to the banqueting table! The promise of Christmas is that God’s kingdom is established through Christ and upheld by justice that delivers all humanity from the captivity and oppression that became our fall, restoring us to community with God. This is God’s righteousness! And it is our righteousness - that we seek ﬁrst the kingdom, the rule and reign of God’s plan for life and liberty and become both spiritual and tangible deliverers in our communities, cities and nations. We are deliverers of a justice that shatters the yoke that burdens heart, soul and spirit — the bar across shoulders that pushes people into the mud of desperation, and the rod of the oppressors who take away the destiny that each human has as image-bearers of God (Isaiah 9:4). When John’s disciples were sent to ﬁnd out if Jesus was the “one,” he sent them back with this description of the tangible presence of the kingdom among us: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” (Matt 11:5) Wherever this kind of righteousness is delivered, the kingdom is upheld, lives are transformed, community is enlarged, joy is increased and God’s creation rejoices. Glory to God in the highest and Shalom for all! Shannon Youell, Church Planting Coordinator/BC-Yukon Church Planting Director The Forge, Victoria, BC, CBWC

December 13, 2014 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:25-28 As I have listened to story after story from Syrian refugees of heart breaking cruelty, violence and indiscriminate killing, of towns and villages destroyed, and of families torn apart, I ﬁnd myself sickened by what the world is today. It is strange that Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25-38) are never part of the Christmas story played out every year in church pageants across the world. Yet, it is their excitement when they saw God’s promised Saviour, which brings into focus the meaning of Advent.

The Long Wait What is it about a small baby that absolutely thrilled them? They had waited years in the midst of the brutality of the Roman occupation, when hundreds had been cruciﬁed by the roadside for all to see, as various Jewish rebellions had tried to win freedom and failed. They had witnessed the grueling poverty in which seventy percent of the Israelites lived. They had seen the callousness of the wealthy as they abused and cheated the poor of what little they had left. It had seemed that God had been absent in all those years of waiting. Then, in the middle of an ordinary day, God appears with a promise. Simeon and Anna had believed that this is not the way God had intended the world to be and that he would one day set it right. The little baby was God’s promise. Advent is a reminder of this waiting and anticipation that Christ will return, his Kingdom will be established here on earth, and there will be an end to brutality, injustice and poverty. The promise is that every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low, every tear will be wiped away, swords will be turned into plowshares, children will not die prematurely, and that the elderly will not be displaced but live in their own homes. There are days I despair just thinking how foolish it is to believe in something so radical when the reality around me is so hard and cold. Yet, it is this hope that is at the core of the Gospel that we share. Rupen Das, Global Field Staﬀ (Yorkminster Park Baptist, CBOQ) Lebanon, CBM

December 14, 2014 So they hurried oﬀ and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. Luke 2:16 Ils se dépêchèrent donc d’y aller et trouvèrent Marie et Joseph avec le nouveau-né couché dans une mangeoire. Luc 2:16 For a French Canadian, the child in the manger is an integral part of the Christmas story, as it should be. It’s not uncommon to hear a person in our milieu refer to our Lord and Saviour as “le petit Jésu” (little Jesus). Obviously, for many this Jesus is but a myth, an archetype of something good and sublime: end of story. I’ve learned through the years that in order to reach my fellow French Canadians for Christ, it is important to start where they are in their understanding or concept of God. Let us for a moment look again at “le petit Jésu.” What is it in this child that would warrant such adoration and praise? First, we see the cradle or “la crèche.” God’s celestial calendar made it crystal clear that the time had come (Galatians 4:4), the prophets had proclaimed it and the angels conﬁrmed it on that glorious night. The Son of God experienced the cradle in the most humble abode for our salvation. As Philippians 2:8 tells us, he truly humbled himself. Experiencing the cradle as Jesus did reminds us to humbly walk before the Lord, to be God-centred rather than self-centered (James 4:10). Andrew Murray said something like this: “Humility is not thinking about yourself, but also, not thinking about yourself at all.”

Experiencing the 3 Cs of Christmas Second, as we look at the child we see the cross. One day they sang “Hosanna blessed be the King of Israel” and then on the next cried “Crucify him, crucify him.” The baby in the manger was to experience the cross, the most hideous death of that time. What a death, what a sacriﬁce, yes, but what a victory! As an evangelist and pastor I am often overwhelmed when I preach the message of the cross, because I’ve seen with my own eyes how the power of the cross can totally change a person’s life (2 Corinthians 5:17). Nonsense to the world, as Paul would say, “but unto us who are saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). It is also power for those who seek real fellowship with God day after day. (1 John 1:5-7). Third, as we look at the child we also see the crown. He died but he rose again and now sits at the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12). In Revelation 4, the 24 elders are wearing crowns but in the end “cast their crowns before the throne” to glorify him who is worthy of all praise and glory (Revelation 4:10-11). May we cast our crowns before the one “who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of his glory blameless with great joy” (Jude 24). We most certainly can experience the crown (victory) as he reigns in us today. Thus the child does speak to us all and reminds us of the words of the gospel song that says “I am his and he is mine.” Michel Martel, Pastor Église Baptiste La Voix de l’Évangile, St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, UEBFC

December 15, 2014 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:5 In the lead up to Christmas we usually turn to the familiar stories that have been played out on the stages of churches, year after year. But there’s a Christmas story we generally forget: the one in the book of Revelation. Now, who in their right mind would ever think Christmas and immediately go to Revelation? It’s about the end, right? When you look more closely, you see something you might miss. At the beginning of the book, Jesus reveals himself, saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” (Rev. 1:17) Then at the end, Jesus speaks again to John saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” (Rev. 22:13) In the final statement of his speech, Jesus says, “I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright morning star.” (Rev. 22:16) The morning star appears when the night is darkest. It begins small, almost unnoticeable, but grows in brightness. Its appearance in the sky indicates that we are closer to dawn than to dusk. Jesus’ incarnation is the first step towards the breaking of dawn that shatters the darkness of this age. These two appearances of Jesus are bookends to Revelation. But look to the middle, the geographic centre of the book, where it says, “A great sign appeared in heaven.” (12:1)

The Revelati� of Christmas And what is this great sign, right in the middle of Revelation? A “woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pangs, in the agony of giving birth.” (12:1-2) There it is. In the middle of Revelation - Christmas. Jesus will appear again, ushering in the fullness of day. But his incarnation is the hope of the new day coming. Our hope is here. He is the morning star declaring that the darkness’s days are numbered. We live in a world where darkness still exists, but the dawn of the eternal day is coming. We, the body of Christ, therefore, bear witness to God’s sign of the morning star. God is bringing his victory to defeat the darkness, and in this we, his hands and feet, become the source of hope on earth. Graham Ware, Pastor Centre Street Baptist, St. Thomas, ON, CBOQ

December 16, 2014 Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his aﬄicted ones. Isaiah 49:13 Can you think of one moment in your life - one moment where you experienced joy like no other? Perhaps you recall the sound of wedding bells on a summer’s day or gazing upon the face of a newborn child. Perhaps you are remembering the warmth of sand beneath your feet or taking a step back to admire a job well done. What did this joy look like? Were there tears? Were there smiles? Did you stand being simply amazed? As we read through Luke’s Gospel we are, for a time, seated on a hill with shepherds who hear the angelic message, “Do not be afraid; for see - I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” This is good news: the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, the Lord. I can only begin to imagine the joy that came about with Jesus’ birth - the joy that came to those who had seen the arrival of one whom they had long been expecting. I am sure if they were to think of one time in their lives where they experienced joy like no other their minds would race back to this moment in history. I am sure there were tears. I am sure there were smiles. I am sure some stood simply amazed. And the joy did not end with his birth.

Good News of Great Joy As we read through the life and ministry of Jesus we see a picture of one who brought joy into the world around him - one who brought joy through his teaching, through his healing, and ultimately through his death and resurrection. But should we be surprised? For Jesus is Immanuel - God with us - and, as the Psalmist writes, “in his presence there is fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11) As the angels proclaimed, the message of the arrival of Jesus Christ is a one of great joy for all people. So may we, as we serve in our local communities, ask ourselves, “What would it look like to bring this message of joy to all those placed in our path?” May joy overﬂow as we proclaim the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and may joy overﬂow as we, the body of Christ, continue in his work. Mathew Wilton Birch Cove Baptist Church, Halifax, NS, CABC

December 17, 2014 Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 Christmas in Kenya is much simpler than the Christmases that we experienced in Canada. Our family still exchanges gifts; we still decorate our home with homemade treasures and an artificial fir tree; we still hang strings of lights, sing carols and bake dozens of cookies. But there is far less of it: less and more. Less party-going but more friends. Less shopping but more time together. Less glitz but more glow. Kenya has given us the gift of simple Christmases, not focused on gifts but on time spent together. In the final days of Advent, people are leaving Nairobi and making the journey along dusty roads to their rural communities. The markets are selling their last goats and chickens that will be the feature of the annual family feasts. Little girls are wearing new dresses made by their mother or auntie. Boys are kicking around new footballs with their friends, as they walk to church.

Keeping it Simple Canadian Baptists have served among these Kenyan communities since 1970. As much as we had sought to give, we have received even more. This exchange of love and fellowship is what we have come to call global discipleship. It is the realization that we meet God in relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Christmas in Africa is about the joy of belonging to the family of God. This Christmas Eve will be our ninth in Kenya. We will spend it around a campfire singing old carols and reading the Christmas story from the Gospels. It will be a time of remembering and giving thanks: that God came near in Jesus, and that because of him we are adopted into God’s family. In the words of Roy L. Smith, “He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” We pray for our children that these Christmases we have shared together in Kenya will shape their identity as children of God. Erica Kenny, Global Field Staff Nairobi, Kenya, CBM

December 18, 2014 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulﬁll what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:18-23 We celebrate Christmas as a festival, but can we dare to live it? In the passage above, Mary, who is betrothed to Joseph, is pregnant out of wedlock. Joseph is deeply disturbed by this news, as they have not yet lived together. Culturally, it is a major scandal. Joseph dares not to wed Mary and decides to secretly leave her, keeping himself clean, protected and honourable. In this context, an encounter with God’s angel transforms Joseph and he listens to God’s voice. He dares to open himself up to the liability that Mary could face. He and Mary are exposed to stigma and possibly life-threatening consequences. He dares to live in the fear of being killed, to journey on rough roads, to dare uncertainty, to dare undesirability, to dare the unknown, to experience a lack of space for the child to be born and settling with dirt and dust.

Daring to Live Christmas Yes, Jesus is born into this reality with the message that he lives with those who are in the dirt and dust, fear, uncertainty, undesirability, obscurity and the crowds. This is living Christmas. Thus Christmas is: Not giving spare clothes when we can wear ones, but daring to empower the needy to have new clothes. Not giving a portion of our Christmas meal to the hungry, but daring to empower them so they can make a Christmas meal. Not helping the homeless so we can decorate our church and homes, but daring to empower them to build their own homes. Not simply to pray for the sick, crippled, blind, deaf, and disabled to celebrate Christmas, but daring to worship and fellowship together. We could go on, but the big question is this: do we want to keep ourselves clean, protected and honourable? Unless we identify with the dirt, fear, uncertainty, undesirability, anonymity, insigniﬁcance, and so on, we cannot dare to experience Christmas. Can we? We can if we can listen to God’s voice like Joseph did. Listening leads to transformation. Transformation leads to daring to live Christmas! Suraj Komaravalli, National Field Staﬀ India, CBM

December 19, 2014 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram... and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. Matthew 1:1-3,16 A couple of years ago, I was thinking about the Advent season and decided to read the ﬁrst chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. I confess I was guilty of skimming the boring genealogy “stuﬀ” in order to get to the announcement of the birth of Jesus. The chapter begins: “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1,9) For some reason I slowed down the reading and looked more closely at the assortment of people who made up the ancestry of the Lord Jesus Christ. Boredom was soon replaced by shock and disbelief at the diverse, ragtag group of people who made up the heritage of the Son of God. It struck me that, yes, some of the people in Jesus’ lineage were the godly, righteous ones whom we generally think of as the heroes of the faith. But upon closer scrutiny, I began to see what I missed when skimming over these seemingly boring lists. A number of the names in Jesus’ ancestry were exceptionally ordinary people; others were very unscrupulous characters. This more careful inspection revealed that in the lineage of Jesus there were prostitutes, murderers, liars, and some downright nasty characters! (Matthew 1:1-16) The more I pondered this, the more humbled and amazed I became. God chose a strange mixture of the extraordinary and the ordinary, the good and the bad, the holy and the holy terrors through which to orchestrate the great plan of salvation. It was enough to cause a new sense of excitement about my reading of a rather mundane genealogy. 38

Broken and Ordinary The truth is, God still chooses people like you and me and asks us to be containers of his grace through which he can bless the world. God is not looking for great saints to do his will, but rather for broken, ordinary people who are deeply aware of their own human frailty: people who will say yes to God. Some of us look at our lives and get discouraged, or we may be tempted to consider our heritage with dismay. The mystery of the incarnation is that the same God who sent angels with miraculous messages of virgin birth chose to partner with “the good, the bad and the ugly” to accomplish his will. The genealogy of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel gives me hope that with all of my weakness and failings, God wants to insert my name into this assorted list of ordinary souls called to be in partnership with the Lord Jesus. Such is the heritage of our “brother,” Jesus the Christ; such is the heritage and hope of all who call Him Lord! Peter Reid, Executive Minister -- CABC Rivercross Church, Saint John, NB, CABC

December 20, 2014 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Romans 14:17-18 Car le règne de Dieu ne consiste pas à réglementer le manger et le boire, mais, par l’Esprit Saint, à nous rendre justes et à nous donner la paix et la joie. Celui qui sert le Christ de cette manière est agréable à Dieu et estimé des hommes. Romains 14:17-18 The arrival of the king of kings marks the coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus came to proclaim “the good news of the kingdom of God.” (Luke 8:1) The mustard seed he planted 2,000 years ago has grown to the point that its branches now cover every nation. What characterises the kingdom? Paul underlines three aspects: it is a reign “of justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Justice. Christ is our Melchizedek, our “king of righteousness.” (Hebrews 7:2) The new heaven and the new earth we are looking forward to inhabiting one day is called “the home of righteousness” by Peter. (2 Peter 3:13) In a world marked by daily acts of injustice, frustrations and fears caused by the abuse of power by the strong against the weak, our hearts long for his kingdom, our prayers call for the full manifestation of his rule over all. (Matthew 6:33, 10) Peace.. Because Christ’s kingdom will be characterised by justice, peace will become a lasting reality for all its citizens. No more violence, no more strife, no more conﬂict, no more wars. The Prince of Peace’s rule will be universal, both within and without.

The Kingdom is Here! Joy. Gladness will be one of the marks of the citizens of this kingdom. Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth… be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy… the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. Isaiah 65:17-19 Through the new birth, we have become citizens of that kingdom. We are called – today – to live ﬁrst and foremost as citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20), and to show the citizens of the kingdoms of men how citizens of the Kingdom of God live under his rule. Justice, peace and great joy are the marks of his rule over our lives today! Stéphane Couture, Pastor Église évangélique baptiste Renaissance, Quebec City, QC UEBFC

December 21, 2014 Sabina is a sweet seven-year-old Bhutanese girl whose family came to Canada in 2010. Last December it came to my attention that she was very disappointed the previous Christmas. Sabina told one of our volunteers, Marg, that she put milk and cookies out for Santa but it was a waste. He never came. I know. I cried too. And I wasn’t the only one who was moved. Many in our church were as well when I told them that this year Santa was going to show up…through them! The plan was that I would dress up in a Santa suit and deliver presents that our church family would buy for our three Bhutanese families. Yes! I, the pastor, told the people we were going to celebrate Santa. I remember telling them that though we often recognize Santa as representing the worst of Christmas materialism, this was the best of it. The reality is that every Advent season some of us transform into Christian grinches who are known more for what we hate about Christmas than what we love. The conclusion we arrived at was a ministry of material gifts to demonstrate the presence and love of Jesus, God with us. Santa would deliver presents and God’s presence to these people on Christmas Eve. Our church responded with amazing generosity and provided lots of great presents for our Christmas delivery. Someone oﬀered a Santa costume. We were all set for our material ministry on Christmas Eve.

A Material Ministry Nothing prepared me for the joy that would overcome me when we arrived at Sabina’s home ﬁrst. She smiled and laughed! The whole family beamed with joy in the shimmer of the mini-lights and Christmas excitement. I did my best “Ho! Ho! Ho!” but they knew it was me. It didn’t matter. They opened presents, took pictures, shook hands, hugged us, and welcomed us into their homes. It was a material ministry that carried the presence and love of a Saviour who came to be with us. I can’t wait for Christmas Eve 2014! Wayne Murphy, Pastor Lancaster Baptist Church, Saint John, NB, CABC

December 22, 2014

Forgiveness of Sin

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me... Restore in me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:10,12 Read Psalms 51:1-12. The arrival of a new baby is welcomed with a lot of jubilation and joy. The presence of the child conﬁrms the continuity of our family name and legacy into the next generation. As Christmas draws near, people start saving and making plans to travel to join relatives in rural areas. At Christmas, people spent lots of time with each other and share meals and gifts. Most families start Christmas day by going to a church service, where Sunday school children recite verses and skits related to Christmas. After that, families go to their homes for a heavy meal and fellowship. Two years ago, my family spent Christmas in a neighboring community while visiting a friend. After the church service, instead of going back to their homes for lunch, as we usually do, we had a big Christmas feast at the church. That church has done that for the last 10 years, after realizing that many people did not enjoy Christmas as expected. One lady said, “It gives us an opportunity to fellowship and share a good lunch with many families who have nothing to eat.” By sharing our meal with those who do not have, we demonstrated God’s love to others. This kind gesture has made the church strong in fellowship and prayer. God sent his son as Emmanuel, “God with us.” God sent his one and only son to be born, to live and to die for our sins. Because of his birth and death on the cross, our sins are forgiven and we fellowship with him. One day we will share eternity with him. What an amazing thought, what an amazing love! Father, in midst of the Christmas feasts and celebrations, remind me to reﬂect on the reason why Jesus came to us. I pray for courage to share His salvation with others. Amen.

Ruth Munyao, National Field Staﬀ Kenya, CBM

December 23, 2014

Unbounded Love

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:16-19 Advent is a time of preparation and longing. Our hearts are drawn back to this miraculous and mysterious moment in history where God became flesh and dwelt amongst us. The incarnation of his love and redemption was poured out to the rabble and the rich, the pious and the gentile, the prophet and the skeptic. This blind love is freely given to every heart that is ardently holding on to the hope of his grace, love, and atonement. Our whole being longs to remember the moment, the impetus of Jesus’ ministry and salvation, and it is in the very story of his birth that we find a demonstration of his humanity and the accessibility of his loving salvation. And so we remember when God put on our human frailty and was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. We picture him lulled to sleep by the cadence of dewy breath and snores of livestock; we envision the dirt floor his travel-weary parents lay on and the sweet smell of fresh hay intermingled with manure that permeated his birthing room. And all the while this earthliness is bathed in the radiance of the eastern star, washed by his father’s glory. Jesus was born in primitive circumstance even while heralded by a heavenly host of angels: born a king, but announced not to kings, dignitaries or priests, but to peasants. Jesus, in the very beginning, shows the lengths he will go to bring salvation and the depths of his boundary-less love. How can our hearts not be stirred? Chera Yorke, Hillside Baptist Church, Moncton, NB, CABC

December 24, 2014 In the past you were spiritually dead because of your sins and the things you did against God. Yes, in the past your lives were full of those sins. You lived the way the world lives, following the ruler of the evil powers that are above the earth. That same spirit is now working in those who refuse to obey God. In the past all of us lived like that, trying to please our sinful selves. We did all the things our bodies and minds wanted. Like everyone else in the world, we deserved to suﬀer God’s anger just because of the way we were. But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.) Yes, it is because we are a part of Christ Jesus that God raised us from death and seated us together with him in the heavenly places. God did this so that his kindness to us who belong to Christ Jesus would clearly show for all time to come the amazing richness of his grace. I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do. Ephesians 2:1-10

God I ask that you keep myself and the girls safe; that the customers be quick and pay good money. I pray for protection around us tonight Lord and please don’t let any of us get hurt. Thank you Father. Amen. I prayed this prayer daily when I was a prostitute. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, asking God to protect someone who is committing sexual sin. As a child I was taught about Christ and even though I got lost in the darkness, there was a part of me that knew he was there.

The Birth of Freedom Every exploited or prostituted girl I have worked with has this empty space in their hearts - this desire for unconditional love and acceptance. We all need hope. With Christ’s birth comes hope and new life - eternal life. When I accepted Christ into my heart I did so because I realized that he was the only one who could wash me clean; that God loves me no matter where I have been and with no conditions attached! As an ex-prostitute, your experience is that you never get something without having to do something in return - but God doesn’t want anything but our hearts! Christ gives hope to women who have been so used and abused. He gives love and even more, he gives life - something none of us ever had! So for me and many exploited women, Christ’s birth represents freedom! Katarina MacLeod, Founder of Rising Angels, CBWOQ Grant Recipient, Heartlake Baptist Church, Brampton, ON, CBOQ