If you are like me, regardless of how much you enjoy Christmas, there comes a point where a house full of decorations gets old. However, one thing that never gets old for me about the holidays is experiencing the generosity of year-end donations to EA, as it represents:

• the reality of our continued service together in equipping Christ’s Church,
• obedient trust in the Lord to provide for the giver’s future needs, apart from that which was donated,
• and hearts in proper alignment with Christ-centered priorities.

King David cautioned in Psalm 62:10, “If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.”
 
One bible scholar highlighted three ways in which we can set our hearts on riches:

• To take excessive pleasure in our possessions, making them the source of joy in our lives;
• To place our hope and security in our accumulated wealth;
• To grow proud and arrogant because of our prosperity.

He cautioned,

“As a king, David ended up being a very wealthy man, though most of his earlier years were lived in deep poverty. David knew what it was to see riches increase, and he knew the foolishness of setting one’s heart on them. It is possible to hold great wealth without trusting in those riches, but it is not easy.”
 
Thank you for entrusting us with some of the provisions the Lord has supplied you (Phil. 4:19). As a result, by God’s grace, we raised $144,093 of our $200,000 goal.
 
Please continue praying for His provision, protection, and direction in 2024!
 
Carey and I would also appreciate your prayers for our eldest Audrey who left this past week for her semester in Spain as part of her Spanish major at Geneva College.