December 2024 Newsletter
I’ve been thinking lately.
(I know, I know…)
What kind of “news” would elicit following response:
Great Joy for All People?
I mean…seriously!
The Dodgers winning the World Series?
Trump becoming President?
Hamas being taken down?
The pandemic ending? (Close)
Nope. Our sinful nature enjoys even the things aren’t “good.”
(“Breaking Bad”)
And yet…the angels make the most audacious claim to a most ordinary, inauspicious audience:
“We bring GOOD NEWS…that will bring GREAT JOY…for ALL PEOPLE.”
Let that set in for a moment.
What is something…that when HEARD, RECEIVED and BELIEVED…could lead to a universal cry of relief, unimaginable joy and deep satisfaction?
The END of REGRET.
Regretting the missed moments.
Regretting the awful choices.
Regretting the selfish motives.
Regretting the pain caused to others.
Regretting the estrangement…oh the awful estrangement…
I have Good News…which brings me GREAT JOY…for you.
A Savior has been born.
Give To Sword & Shovel
At Sword & Shovel, we are dedicated to equipping men to stand firm in their faith, lead with conviction, and live lives of integrity. Your monthly support ensures we can provide accessible and affordable services to men, pastors, and churches in need.
As we conclude this season of giving and prepare for the new year, there’s no better time to make a lasting impact. Your support helps us stay mission-focused while covering the operational costs that make our work possible.
Here’s how your monthly giving changes lives:
$25/month hosts one pastors’ gathering, empowering and encouraging local church leaders.
$150/month supports three men as they navigate life-changing journeys through Critical Care.
$500/month funds two excursions that foster brotherhood, personal reflection, and spiritual renewal.
$1,000/month revitalizes the men's ministries of two churches, equipping them for lasting growth.
This holiday season, we invite you to stand with us in creating a ripple effect of faith, growth, and transformation. Don’t forget—your year-end donation can make all the difference as we enter 2025 with renewed purpose and vision.
Visit swordandshovel.com/donate to give today.
5 Gifts I Want to Take Into 2025
The gift of presence
The ability to stay connected. Engaged. Undistracted. Focused and able to attend to the moment. To not only pay attention to the people that matter most…but to savor every second.
The gift of creation
The ability to sit and stare at the ocean. The willingness to look at the Eucalyptus trees waving in the wind. To gaze at the vast array of celestial stars. And savor every second.
The gift of silence
The ability to be still. No screens. No soundtrack. No white noise.
The ability to not seek my drug of choice to distract myself from the multitude of “things” that make noice in my head and heart.
The gift of perspective
The ability to get another angle on what I am processing. How does God see this issue? How does my wife see it this opportunity? Empathy, sympathy or apathy? How will I think about this in five years? Is fear contributing to my perspective…or faith?
The gift of proximity
The ability to draw near. To enter the moment. The pain, the joy and the anger. Not to simply observe from the safety of distance…but to intentionally get closer to what typically makes me uncomfortable. To live INTO life.
What’s on your list?
