To all our Partners in Mission,

Most of you know that I (Lottie) enjoy expressing myself in a written form. I lay awake last night thinking of how I would express myself in this Christmas greeting, wanting to be creative and give you all something to remember. Then this morning Henry and I read the scripture designated in our devotional guide, and I concluded that nothing I could invent would be equal to the joy and hope offered in Psalm 146.

Verse 1 says, "Praise the Lord." This is a command. It is a privilege. It is the remedy for negative feelings. Praising God will drive from your soul all bitterness and dissatisfaction. It will allow your soul to breathe in the fresh, renewing breeze of the Holy Spirit. So I commend it to you. On this Christmas Eve, Praise the Lord!

Verse 2 is our profession of faith. Henry and I will praise God "as long as (we) live!" This is what we have committed our life to doing. Nothing will prevent us from doing that. By His grace, we will complete our ordained tasks on this earth and with our last breath we will say, "Thank you, Father!"

Verse 3 is the best advice I can give each of you. "Do not put your trust in princes" (or politicians, or financial advisors, or even preachers), for "mortal men. . . cannot save." The world leaders make their plans (verse 4) but when they die, those plans "come to nothing." We do not yet know how the millennium bug will affect our planet. We do not know if it will be a minor bump or a dark abyss. We do not yet know how long AIDS will rage, killing thousands in their prime, or what wars or acts of terrorism we will see in our lifetime. But we already know that our God "remains faithful forever."

He is the great Creator God (verse 6). He is the one who gives out justice, defending the cause of the oppressed (verse 7). He is the God who liberates and heals (verse 8). Our God is an encourager and a lover (vs. 8).

Does any one of you need healing or encouragement? Does any one of you need the warm embrace of One who truly loves you? Does any one of you cry out against an injustice suffered? Is any one depressed and needing a word of encouragement? Then I offer you the best gift this Christmas. Turn in repentance and faith to the one true God. In a relationship with Him, you will find blessing and hope .

And finally, remember "The Lord reigns forever!" Yes, that humble babe in the manger is the King of all time and every place. He has the authority and the sovereign power to do all that I have mentioned and much, much more. His kingdom is both now and future. On this Christmas Eve I am grateful that I know that I am part of that kingdom. I am a daughter of the King. I pray that each one of you will have that same confidence.

We cannot be together this Christmas. (Being a missionary means being apart from some friends and family on many special days, so that we can represent Him with other friends and with our spiritual sons and daughters.) But we can all be together forever in Heaven someday. That is my heart's desire! And so I say again, "Praise the Lord!"

We look forward to teaching at the Missionary Training Center in Patrocinho during the month of January. Please pray for safety as we travel and for a fruitful ministry there.

With true Christmas Joy,

Henry and Lottie Haswell