[from: Greg & Kathy Staley]
"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift"
Hello All,
So, what did you get for Christmas? How many of those things will you be re-gifting? You know, wrong color, wrong size, wrong style, just plain WRONG? For all of us who know a little about God's supreme gift Jesus, it isn't trite or extra pious to say that He truly is the best gift of all. We experience this amazing gift everyday of our lives. He is perfect. We do want to re-gift, but not because we are dissatisfied and want something different. He's just such a wonderful gift that we are eager for others to also enjoy what we enjoy in Him. Recalling the past year, I thrill over the impact Jesus had in our days, both major events and minor. (I can't actually remember any really major events for last year, truth be told). There were:
Opportunities for times of refreshment and pleasure. Greg and our son Matt ran the Grand Canyon. (Yes, they did consider this a pleasure!!!!!) I, Kathy, got to spend two weeks with Jonathan and Robyn and our three grandkids. The Lord also provided for me to go to a ladies conference in the Bay Area, where I was loved and renewed.
People to serve. 1) God gave Greg the desire, and Jesus' heart of mercy to go with it, to build a house for a young widow and her four children. The house is coming along and so far, there has been money for materials and occasional help with the work. It is going to be beautiful. 2). Greg led a group of people interested in archaeology for a week into our back country, sharing his expertise on the Anasazi Indians who lived a thousand years ago in our area. He loves doing this kind of thing but it is also a tool to share the Gospel with unbelievers. These people are amazed that Greg who gave up the prestige and salary he could have had as an archaeologist, is willing to live out here serving God without any monetary incentive. One man wrote a letter after leaving here telling Greg how refreshing it was to see someone not taken up with "acquiring possessions and advancing in position." What a gift from God to be able to display things that can only be explained supernaturally. 3). Kathy had a great chance to teach a junior high girls camp in Kansas. It was a real personal growing experience as well as the daily sharing of God's Word to girls.
Answers to prayer. There are too many to recount them all but here are a few things we praise God for. 1). Keeping our brother and sister Lula and Ranson strong in the faith when Satan was determined to destroy them. Last year Ranson's sister in law was killed, leaving three young children. Then Lula's brother died suddenly. Three weeks later another brother was bludgeoned and left for dead. The latest report is that he will probably live but sustained a lot of bodily damage. Ranson has chronic back pain, their son had to have emergency surgery, they were in a car accident. It seemed too much for a couple to stand up under. So we watched and agonized over our friends, and God answered. He truly is bringing them forth as gold. 2) Our brother in law in California was very ill for months. During all this their house flooded and sustained enormous damage. Because asbestos had to be removed, my sister and Jim had to live in a motel for over a month. The Lord heard our prayers during that time too and the last I heard Jim was doing well physically and the house has been totally refurbished. 3). All of our needs were met this year, as well as many bonuses along the way.
Blessings in our home, in our children's lives, in Navajo believers. We have just returned from Phoenix where we celebrated Christmas with our sons Matthew and Jeremy. Jeremy and his wife are eagerly awaiting the birth of their little son. Denise said she can sure sympathize with Mary and would NOT appreciate having to ride a donkey 90 miles in her present condition. This little Staley person is making his presence known, stretching and kicking and rolling from side to side. There is already pain and discomfort to his mom as he grows and is equipped to survive outside the safe place he now knows. With the end in sight, we can't help but focus on this big event that will both change and enrich all of our lives. I love Galatians 4:19. "My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ be formed in you." This is what life is all about. Yes, because Jesus came, we do enjoy refreshment and pleasures, the chance to serve God through serving people, amazing answers to prayer, God's abundant provision day by day. But the greatest thing has to be the awesome truth of Jesus, this unspeakable Gift, come to reside in us. Jesus, taking control of every part of our being until it is His form, His likeness, that God sees. The beauty and joy in welcoming a new little baby is something tangible that we can understand. Surely the spiritual reality is indescribable. Galatians 6:15 "The only thing that counts is a new creation."
Now that is some GIFT!!!!
Our heartfelt thanks to you for giving gifts to us all year, those of love, prayer, finances. THANK YOU.
Greg and Kathy