Be the gift

FROM THE EDITOR

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

—HEBREWS 10:24–25

Precious are those moments when tears of joy and a sustained embrace take the place of today’s avatars. As the threat of COVID–19 subsides, so does the need for social distancing. The opportunities to gather as families increase. When the element of surprise is included, the experience can be spectacular.

Such is the case when a spouse turns and sees a loved one on Thanksgiving or Christmas day, dressed in full military regalia, walk through the front door at the end of a long deployment on a distant battlefield. Or when a little boy sees a puppy, wearing a collar of colorful ribbon, under the tree. He holds the puppy close, feels its warmth, and realizes he has a life in his hands.

These examples reveal gifts of indescribable significance.

In this issue of SACONNECTS, you’ll discover other priceless gifts personified. You’ll read the true story of Ronnie DeVoe. A product of a broken home, he found his way out of public housing and into a successful music career. His faith journey started on a Christmas bike he received from The Salvation Army.

Sandahl Taylor, who today hails as the reigning Mrs. Pennsylvania Galaxy beauty queen, was once a single mother and homeless. Her heartwarming story will inspire you to give back as she is doing as a participant in The Salvation Army Angel Tree program. Since her ministry began, she has collected over 5,000 items to give to children at Christmastime.

So poor was the family of Grace Vandecruze, that her mother walked the streets of Brooklyn, N.Y., searching for paper money or coins. Destitute and living in a shelter, the family of 7 siblings and 2 adults, when advised to go their separate ways, decided instead to trust God, stay together, and survive. Today, as a mountain climber and a strategic advisor to the likes of Warren Buffett, Vandecruze shares her amazing story of recovery and victory through the boundless grace of God.

There’s so much more to uncover within the pages of this magazine that will open your eyes to the value of simply being the gift.