3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given

us a new birth into a living hope through the

resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and

into an inheritance that is imperishable,

uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for

you. 5 You are being protected by God’s

power through faith for a salvation that is ready

to be revealed in the last time. 6 You rejoice in

this though now for a short time you have had to

struggle in various trials… ~ 1 Peter 1:3-6

on as I offer a few encouraging words. I write this as a means to preach to myself what I need to hear as we navigate this season, and trust that God can use it to bless you as well.

The Annual Report that you have in your hands, was to be given out at our annual banquet as a way to celebrate God’s faithfulness. Even though we were unable to have the banquet, we still wanted you to

celebrate with us what God did last year and what can happen this year—even if it may look very different than what we had originally planned.

I hear a lot about hope these days. I hear phrases like, “I hope school starts back up soon” (actually heard this from my daughter). “I hope this ends soon.” “I hope…” and you can easily fill in the blank. All those hopes, however, are desires for things that are uncertain. There is so much uncertainty which can then lead us to worry or fear.

But Peter’s words in the passage above are a great reminder for us. As Christians our hope isn’t like the world’s hope. It is very different. This is the analogy I often use with youth. Imagine, leading up to your birthday, your parents have promised you a bike. That’s great, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it will happen. Finally, on your birthday morning, you walk into the kitchen and there is a package that isn’t wrapped very discreetly. In fact, it is very obvious what it is. However, you are told that you can’t open the package until after dinner that night All through the day you hope for that bike, but it is no longer an uncertain desire. It is a reality. You have full assurance that after dinner you will have a new bike.

That is how the Bible speaks of our hope. It is a strong confidence that God is going to do what He has promised to do. The Bible

contains those promises of God wrapped up like that bike on your birthday morning.

But there is something else that Peter mentions. He calls

it a “living hope.” What does that mean? Think of the opposite. Think of a “dead hope” which is hope that doesn’t produce life, fruit or power. So our faith, as believers in Christ, produces a living hope that grants us full life and amazing power.

It is a living hope that arise within us because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is a living hope because Jesus is now living in us through faith and it is active and life changing.

Even as we look at the current situations, as Christians we still have hope that makes a difference in our lives. We don’t need to fear because we are being ‘protected by God’s power through faith.’ We can rejoice even through these times because our purified faith will end in the praise, glory and honor of Jesus.

We have an inexpressible and glorious joy because of our love for Jesus (verse 8) and the salvation we have in Him (v. 9).

Though the summer is uncertain, I still have a living hope within me that no matter where these times will lead, what matters most is kept for me in the hands of my Father—imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading. My foundation is sure because it is Jesus Christ.

So, because of that, I am certain that no matter what happens this summer there are some things that will happen.

1).

.Our team will rise to the occasion with creative ways to minister that love at a time where His love is so needed.

2).

.We are committed to pouring truth into them, whatever that may look like.

3).

.Because of what you will read in the Annual Report, we are able to look beyond this moment and dream of what is next for Woodcrest as we faithfully follow God’s leading.

4).

.Like Peter, we can worship God with abundant joy, though now for a short time we may struggle in various challenges. We have much to be

thankful for.

Prayer has always been a core value at Woodcrest, it is now being practiced more as we lean upon God’s grace and wisdom to keep our hope alive in these days.

We appreciate your support and prayers as we navigate this season. We have a living hope that God will do something amazing as we continue to seek Him first.

In His Grace,

Executive Director