Enduring The Process by Jessie Garcia With over 20 years of ministerial service, I am a dedicated servant of God. My passion is to live and work for God and bring others into an intimate relationship with God. I understand that this life comes with many challenges and many have stumbled along the way. I am committed to helping those get back up and continue their journey towards a successful walk with God. God’s Kingdom will advance with strong men and women building strong families.
Looking forward while overcoming the past. As we sit back and reflect on all that we have endured in 2020, one can only sit and wonder as to where our thoughts want to take us. Our faith was tested and our patience was put through the fire. Many saw the hand of God move through their lives, and others have encountered death and destruction. Some of us were drawn closer to God, and others drifted away. Some took advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves while others fell victim to the unfortunate events that took place. Matthew 11:28 (KJV) reminds us, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest.” As we near the end of 2020, although many have come out victorious, the battle that we all fought had taken its toll. The burdens that come from our daily way of living were augmented through the events that took place during this year. Christmas time brings the opportunity to look back at the battles we have endured and allows us the blessing to not only see how much we endured, it also signifies that we are nearing the end of one chapter and going to open a new one. As the shepherds were out attending to the flock, they noticed a star that normally was not there. They relied on the stars to navigate their journey. Coming to a determination that 6PAGE | M5 AG A Z I N E N A M E 3
something was new allowed them to get out of their comfort zone and take a new path that led them to the Savior. They could have noticed the change in the stars, yet continued living their normal lives. The disruption in the stars prompted them to make some changes that would affect the rest of their lives. Witnessing the birth of our Lord and Savior would lead them down a new path. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (KJV) One can assume that the shepherds had nothing but time on their hands to see the new star. It was their job to be out with the sheep, and it is easy to assume that the shepherds stayed awake all night attending to their flock. We never seem to think that these men would walk for miles seeking a place to feed the sheep. They grow weary, hunger, thirst, and also get distracted attending to the needs of each sheep as well as the whole. To think their lives were any different from ours is a false claim; they too were humans with the basic needs of life. They not only had to care for the sheep, but they also had to attend to their families and other obligations.
