Waking up I think about how we’ll meet the needs at Siempre Para Los Ninos. Wonder how we’ll have enough backpacks for the streets. Will we have money to feed the crowd. Like pastor’s around the world my mind goes to the immediate needs of our community; our Christmas schedule, the hole in our parking lot as Pastor Ken remedies our slab leak, year end finances around the church and in our ministries…

I briefly consider running away to the south pacific.

Then I consider how far we’ve come. How much God has given us the opportunity to do. How many doors have been opened for us. How many lives have been changed.

The young woman who grew up in the safety and security of Siempre – turning 18 today. The man who thanked us on the streets, “So many nights you saved my life,” who’s not on the streets anymore. The sweet thank you notes still coming in to the church after we served thousands at Thanksgiving. “Thank you for bringing Thanksgiving to our home this year. The food was delicious.” The 96 year old friend I helped lay to rest this week who found her spiritual peace and church home in her 80’s at Central Community. Such an unusual age for spiritual transformation. Who after her final years of waging war with her body slipped away in peace. Peace. The pastor in Kenya, from a church I worked with a decade ago, who still sends me updates – who text me this morning to share of their churches growth and strength – that they’re praying for another visit from me in 2017…

I wake up some mornings and I wonder how we’ll ever meet the seeming legion of needs – not of the months or weeks ahead – but of today and I think of the people who shut the door on Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. Not bad people, just busy, overwhelmed, how could they manage room for even one more, much less an entire family? An expectant mother? In frustration, possibly with heavy hearts, they closed the door.

When I consider the pull of warm weather and empty beaches, I think of all of you who opened your doors to; cook a turkey, fill a backpack, celebrate with us on the streets, travel to Mexico, Kenya, Katrina, Birmingham and beyond… the many who’ve kept the doors of Central Community open through the years so that others could share the joy of the many doors God has opened because of our work. The doors you gladly and bravely stepped through in love and faith to serve others.

I think of the changes in my life, in my family, because of your faithfulness and I can’t help but thank God. Julia called to say our son-in-law Bill left for work this morning around 4am. Walking to his truck he thought “It’s so cold out today.” Getting in, he noticed an odd odor, when he turned to see a homeless man sleeping in the back seat, wrapped in our granddaughter’s blanket. Startled, he asked the guy what he was doing there? Waking up, he said; “I’m sorry man. It was just so cold outside.”

Bill’s a big dude – over 6’6′ – he opened the back door for the man to leave and he quickly jumped out, thankful I’m sure not to be abused or beat down, when Bill noticed his shoes in the back of the truck. He called out to the man and he returned, still wrapped in Callie’s blanket, and sat, put on his shoes and they went their separate ways. Our family’s been changed for the better. I’m thankful.

The needs before us are huge – as expansive as an open door to the cry of humanity – how we respond defines us and often determines the direction of our future, of our family. We can run or we can stop and notice that someone’s without shoes, without a place to stay, without dinner at Thanksgiving, without a gift at Christmas, without a family to love them, without room at the inn.

It’s Christmas. It may not be Jesus who’s knocking at your door, it may be just another Joseph, just another Mary but when you turn them away, you may just miss the miracle that they’re presence brings with them – the miracle of an 18th birthday, a life changed on the streets, Thanksgiving delivered, a church restored, a home rebuilt…

We need each other to make it through the day ahead. I need you. Most of all we need faith in this season of Hope to open the door, even when we don’t know how we’ll have strength to step across the threshold or move forward. We need faith not to run away at Christmas.

You’re Invited!