Monthly Archives: December 2021

Stories to think about: Paul, Silas and the Thessalonians

Leave a reply

Our story today is about Paul and Silas and how they didn’t give up, even with big challenges, in bringing the gospel to the Thessalonians. Be inspired!!

Hi our friend

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas!! We for sure did even if it looked different again this year. Our Christmas day lunch with our neighborhood friend was wonderful. We had a nice meal together and it felt a bit like grandpa came over for Christmas. We also got to connect with our families through video calls which was also amazing!

2021 comes to an end in just a few days. When we come to the end of our year we always spend time to reflect and looking back at the things God did. God gave us Caleb, we hosted love your neighbor workshops, launched a love your neighbor social network just to name a few things. But with all the good during the year there are also challenging moments for all of us, like for us especially not being able to connect with people in the usual way cause of Covid. Reflect on those with God too and let him give you new perspective. Jen and I also spend some time at the end of the year to get words for the new year from God and look back at the old ones. When we do that we always get encouraged by how faithful he is. Let him speak to you and give you words for your new year too!!

Like Paul and Silas in the story above ask God in this new year where he wants you to bring the gospel. And also start into the year 2022  with the knowing that you are amazing and loved!!

God bless you

Markus, Jen and Caleb

A journey through the bible the book of Ezra

Leave a reply

The book of Ezra starts of with how Ezra (a priest) leaves the land, that held them captive, together with 50000 people from Israel to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. His mission was that, but even more so to bring the people back to God. Be encouraged through this video intro into the book and then afterwards through reading it! May the book of Ezra inspire you to help people find their way back to God!

Hi our friend

We hope you had a wonderful week!! We cant believe its only a few more days till Christmas. Wow time for sure goes fast. We were able to bless and encourage more people with some extra Christmas cards the printers send us. It was wonderful. We also got to celebrate the 87th birthday of a neighborhood friend. It was wonderful. We are excited for this Christmas weekend to celebrate with Caleb his first Christmas. It will be a lot of fun! We cant have the big Christmas dinner this year with neighbors but we will have one older neighbor for a Christmas meal which will be nice! Jesus always valued the one through his life and so do we!! How can you be a blessing to your neighbors this Christmas week?

We want to wish you a merry Christmas. May this be a Christmas for you where you can experience in a new and deeper way Emmanuel God with us!

God bless you

Markus, Jen and Caleb

Here is the Love your neighbor monthly tip – Write a Christmas card for your neighbors

Leave a reply

Why is it important?

When Jesus called us to love our neighbor, he gave us a task that is possible for each one of us and is also a blessing for each one of us. Many people around us might feel isolated or don’t feel a sense of belonging (maybe including us), and each one of us can bring change to that. You will see how loving your neighbor will change those things and also the relationships but also how it will give you a greater love for the people around you. It will leave a great impact and it builds a strong and lasting community for your neighbors and you as well to just name a few things. When I think back to last year and how the pandemic affected everyone around the world we saw more and more 1. the need of bringing God’s love to our local places and 2. How important it is to be connected with our neighbors. We got reminded of the call from Jesus also because our neighborhoods were the only places we could go to. So let’s all do this together starting today to take Jesus seriously and love our neighbor. We will give you a monthly tip with how to establish that relationship and love your neighbors in a practical way and then we will all put it into action with the neighbors right around us.  And then watch how over time your neighborhood will change! You, me, and all of us can do it so let’s do it!!

Our tip for this month is to write a christmas card for your neighbors! Watch the video with some tips on that!

Hi our friend

We love our neighbors and for Christmas we always want to do something special for them so we started a tradition to bake brownies and give out a Christmas card. We usually bake around 100 brownies. This year we we weren’t sure how it will all work out with Caleb around but it all worked. We handed out over 100 brownies and cards. Everyone felt so blessed and loved. Some of them got to see Caleb and that brought extra joy. The brownie and the card are nice but what really speaks to people is that they are important to you and that you value them. That shows your love and the love of Jesus through you. We want to encourage you to bring joy and hope to your neighbors in this Christmas season! You have between 1 and 1.5 weeks left depending when you read this bless them with something small like a Christmas card, like in the video blog above, with some homemade baked things! You are a blessing to your neighborhood!!

God bless you

Markus and Jen

A journey though the bible The letters to the Thessalonians

Leave a reply

Let Paul encourage you through his letters to the Thessalonians.  With this video, we will give you a view into the books. Be encouraged.

Hi our friend

How was your week?

Our family has been fighting a cold for a bit and now it was my turn to get it. But it will pass! Outside of that our week was good. I was able to encourage people online which is so needed in todays time. Jen got to connect with different Parents in the park and online and was able to encourage them. Caleb got to see a little puppy and was so happy. Not sure who was more excited him or the puppy. Babies and puppies are such a great way to get into a conversation!!

Have you thought more about how you can be a blessing to a neighbor during this christmas season? Jen and i will bake brownies and give them to our neighbors along with our christmas card. A simple thing but it brings so much joy to everyone who gets it. This is a great time to bless neighbors and also in return be blessed too!
Dont forget this week to spend time to read through the 2 letters Paul wrote to the Thessalonians!

God bless you

Markus and Jen