Hope for Christmas

Today I'm participating in an event at my church called Hope for Christmas. For several years, our church has provided Christmas gifts to folks in our community, and my husband and I have always bought gifts for this. Last year, the church decided to make it an celebration. Christmas is about so much more than gifts, and what better reason to celebrate than the birth of our Savior! 
This is the first year I have volunteered to be part of the event itself. I am so excited! There have been over 200 volunteers and countless hours spent preparing for this in an effort to ensure that the parents and children experience Christmas in a wonderful and memorable way, regardless of their circumstances.
The families, who are our guests of honor each year, are chosen from our area schools through social workers and guidance counselors, and from within our church based on their need.
Over 140 families will be blessed with gifts, food, love and a day of fun!  Hope for Christmas has brought out immense generosity in our church members. The families will receive almost 1600 gifts including 84 bicycles, lots of toys, clothes, and gifts for the moms and dads. This is one of the things I love about my church!
When the Pharisees asked Jesus the most important commandment, he replied with Matthew 22:37-40. "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commands." The church in Acts 2:45 "sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need." 
The Bible gives us these perfect examples of how God wants us to share his love with others. How are you going to share his love with someone during this Christmas season?

Luke 2

New Living Translation (NLT)

The Birth of Jesus

2 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. ² (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. ⁴ And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.