Dear Brett & Haley...

The following is the letter that Clay and I gave to our children this morning for Christmas.  I am sharing it with the world as a challenge to all Christians to show Christ's love in every possible way.  As a Christian we must live our lives not only for Jesus Christ, but like Him as well and that means giving our love away each day.  There is nothing in this world like the love that comes from our Father and as I see my children growing up so quickly I want to bestow the importance of living a life completely and fully devoted to Jesus Christ! I am far from a perfect parent, but if I can instill the love of Christ in my children, then I have done my job! 

I pray that everyone has a beautifully blessed Christmas and that you feel the unwavering love of our Father, Jesus Christ!

Dear Brett & Haley,

We are giving you this money, not for you, but for someone you don't even know. This is a gift that you must give away and when you give it away you will find that it will make your heart happier than any material gift you could ever receive.

You see our family has been so tremendously blessed by God and so we want to do something to bless others---we want to do our best to teach you the true meaning of Christmas, which is not receiving, but giving.

Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God, sent to this earth so that each one of us can be saved. This is the day that God gave us the greatest gift---His Son. And with the gift of Jesus came the gift of love that He so freely gives to us every minute of every day. A love that is greater than our minds can ever comprehend, a love that will sustain us, and lead us through every moment, good and bad, of our lives.

Always know that we love you more than you could ever know, but never forget that Jesus loves you even more and it is He, that will always give you the wisdom, knowledge, and love that will guide you through this life.

So please take this money and pray about where it should go. Keep your eyes and your heart open to the people around you and God will let you know what to do with it. There are so many people in this world that are in some kind of need, but we all are in need of the love of Jesus Christ, so we don't just want you to give this money away, we want you to give your heart away too. We want you to live each day showing Christ's love to others.

We Love You,

Mom & Daddy
"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another. ~~~John 15:11-17