It is incredible to think that we are entering the final month, of what began as, the Year of the Lord's Favor. We set out on this journey with great anticipation and hope of what the Lord would do in the lives of His children individually, and in the Church corporately, and He did not disappoint.
This year we have seen the Church unify to take a stand for marriage, for family, for morality, and for life. All across this nation, churches, ministries, and prayer groups banded together in corporate prayer and fasting, all fulfilling a promise the Lord had laid on the hearts of many faithful intercessors who have stood in the gap in prayer for years. While the hearts of God's children responded, and the hand of God was moved, the work is not yet completed. The call to remain faithful to the Word of God and prayer, and the command to love the Lord with whole hearted devotion, was not about a single year - it's about a lifetime of obedience and devotion.
This past year has been a year of preparation. In the spirit of Thanksgiving I would like to express my gratitude to all of you who have walked this pilgrimage journey with us as we have sought the Lord with prayer and fasting, with our hearts open to grow more fully in knowledge, to fall more deeply in love, and to develop a deep abiding intimacy with our Lord and Savior. He has not disappointed us, in fact, He has often astounded us. Many of you, as a result, have expressed a deep desire that there is no place you would rather be than sitting at the feet of Jesus, gazing upon His beauty, and living a life of obedience to His will.
Personally, my life is forever changed, having had the opportunity of meeting many of you in person or via email. Your faithfulness to come to His table, and not just once, for many of you have remained at His table for several 40 day fasts, has encouraged my own journey of faith. The Lord has used you in ways you will never know. My deepest prayer is that you are continuing to enjoy wonderful moments of intimacy with the Lord as you daily sit at His feet and feast upon His Word.
It is fitting that this season we are entering into to, the celebration of the birth of our Savior, comes at this point in our journey. Our year may be ending, but the focus on our Savior should never change. This season of advent will set the stage for where we will be heading in new year (more on that in a future email). Jesus Christ came to bring salvation to the world - His purpose has not changed - and it is this proclamation that should be upon our lips from this point on.
As we enter this final month, we will begin our Advent journey, first, by looking back on His Triumphal Entry - for it is here, the fulfillment of His first coming, that we experience the hope and anticipation of His second coming.
This time of favor, the age of grace, a period of salvation, was ushered in with His first coming. Let us not take for granted the time we have been given, but instead remain steadfast as we continue to make the preparations necessary to be ready when He returns. While it is easy to get caught up in the Christmas rush may we take time to slow down to finish what was begun...the preparation of the Bride.
May you be blessed in the coming weeks as you prepare for the celebration of His birth and anticipate, with joy, His future arrival.
Grace and Peace,
Traci Alexander
Trumpet and Torch Ministries
