What a joyous time of year this is as we celebrate our Savior’s birth. I pray you and your family are being blessed with the peace of this season.
I grew up in Indianapolis. Back “in those days”, when I was a kid, the hallowed event during the Christmas season was driving around town looking at all the Nativity Scenes. Churches would have life size manger scenes. They would be lit up and usually Christmas carols were playing through a scratchy sound speaker. It was glorious! Lots of people had manger scenes in their front yards. They were usually filled with 3 foot high plastic figures of Joseph, Mary, the wisemen, a shepherd or two and of course, baby Jesus in a manager. Baby Jesus was always right in the center of the scene and we kids would always say the same thing when the car pulled up at each scene, “There He is!”
To this day I love nativity scenes. We put one in our front yard every year and we even light it up with a fancy wheel that changes colors every few seconds. We have lots of nativity’s inside FreshStart, and we leave them out year round. People comment on them often. I love seeing those nativity’s all around because it reminds me of what we do at FreshStart. Every time we help someone who is hurting and they reach out to Jesus, when a broken heart cries, when someone says “no” to sin, when someone overcome by depression laughs again, when someone stands tall and embraces the dignity that Christ created in them , and when someone is courageous enough to share their healing story, that is when I say, “There He is!” There’s Jesus!
We have been blessed this year to help over 200 people through Biblical counseling, recovery and healing groups and food give aways. That number represents close to 2000 ministry encounters where we have been able to say, “There He Is!” Jesus at work through FreshStart Resources.
As we draw to the end of 2022, we would like to ask you to continue to be a part of our story by supporting our ministry through prayer and financial giving. FreshStart continues to provide all services through a “donation only” basis with those who cannot give financially giving their time to volunteer. We have been committed for 32 years to provide help for everyone regardless of finances, beliefs or ethnicity. This has been possible because of people just like yourself who embrace our mission to advance God’s kingdom through love and service. Our plans for the coming year include adding a new group program in the fall while continuing our current service, and the publications of a new curriculum next summer, written by myself. We have a holy expectation for 2023!
We hope you will join us for our 32nd annual Christmas Drop-In Open House on Sunday, December 4th from 2-5PM. Come share in the joy of Christmas as well as eat a few tasty treats, and attach a financial gift to our giving tree. If you are unable to attend our open house and want to give, there is giving information on the insert to this letter.
I pray your Christmas and the New Year are full of great peace and joy and that all your days are filled with numerous declarations of “There He Is!”
Joyfully In Christ,
Gidget Stewart
Founder, Director
FreshStart Resources
