Good evening, Family!๐
This week, we praise God for:
๐ Nelson and Angy praised God for His goodness and faithfulness in allowing them to celebrate Vanessa's 20th Birthday. They are grateful for making her wonderfully indeed!
๐ The Guerrero Family paรญses God for such a loving and caring church family. They also thank the Lighthouse Family for their beautiful expression of love and kindness in the Care Basket they received.
๐Damaris also thanked the church for their fruit basket and for helping them to feel supported during their difficult time.
๐ Catheryn and Connor also expressed thir heartfelt gratitude for the Care Basket they received on behalf of the Lighthouse, and
๐Maria thanks God that Jordan made it home safely from Colorado. She asks the church to keep praying for Jordan; that God would keep guiding and leading Jordan through his baseball career!
We are also praying for:
๐ Each and every silent prayer request lifted.
๐ A young mother, named Abigail who was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer. She is undergoing treatment ande could use all of your prayers. She is Santi's sister.
๐ Sydney, Jordan's girlfriend, who had shoulder surgery. May God grant her a full and speedy recovery.
๐JC 's friend, Kevin add he battles addiction. May Kevin enlist God's help in the battle so that he gets the victory over this disease!
๐ Monkey, Beloved Guerrero Family pet, who is hurting after his visit to the groomer, due to "senior dog" muscle strain. May the Lord infuse his little busy with healing, strength and vitality!
๐ Christine, Sue's friend, who was just diagnosed with stage 3 cancer and is in desperate need of healing and strength.
๐ Catheryn, Connor and growing Baby Llibre. May the Lord watch over and protect them, their new home and their future plans as they continue to walk with Him.
๐ Amel; that God would grant him traveling mercies and protection from Covid as he travels for work again this week.
๐ AJ as he begins a new school year on Monday in his new home of Georgia. May God help all of the right people to see and be drawn to AJ's amazing purity of heart. May He also protect him from kids and people who would be a negative influence, and surround him with His mighty angels.
๐ Astrid's twin brother, who received a tough diagnosis. Astrid is requesting prayer for him, that God might help him turn it around. Please keep him, Astrid and the rest her family in your prayers.
๐ John; that God will continue to strengthen, heal and eradicate any trace of cancer from his body.
๐ Healing for Carole's dad.
๐ Protection and intervention on Elijah's behalf while he is in Florida. May God grant him and his family resolution on his custody case, that he might return to his family soon.
๐ Traveling mercies and protection for David add he travels to Las Vegas for business this week.
๐ Brianna Solis, who is taking a college exam this week. May God grant her the ability to recall all that she's learned and studied. May her hard work be rewarded as she looks forward to graduation in December.
๐ Doris' granddaughter, Skylar, and for her entire family.
๐ Karina and Alejandro as they travel to St. Croix to visit his mom, and then to Grenada for their delayed honeymoon. May God watch over and protect them as they travel, and keep them safe from Covid.
Tonight's Prison Fellowship Partnership Devotional speaks to the powerful and far-reaching impact an Angel Tree Christmas can have on a child's life! ๐๐๐
Please, if you haven't already decided to be an Angel Tree Christmas Angel, prayerfully consider being part of this incredible ministry! It won't just change the life of the child you buy a gift for, or even the incarcerated parent. You will change the lives of many; including your own! โฅ๏ธ
REPAIRING RELATIONSHIPS: HOW ANGEL TREE COMFORTED A HURTING FAMILY
Four-year-old Kassey didn't understand why her daddy was leaving her behind. Could Angel Treeยฎ help a hurting family during this time of separation?
Four-year-old Kassey was confused. She kept hearing about "prison" and "incarceration," but she didn't know what the words meant.
She soon learned that, in her case, it meant that she wouldn't see her father regularly for several years.
Growing up with an absent parent is incredibly painful for a child, especially when that parent is behind bars. Many families struggle to maintain their relationships, as incarceration can sever ties between parent and child. But even though they were separated for many years, Kassey and her father remained close, and she says Angel Tree, a Prison Fellowshipยฎ program, played a big part.
For 10 years and two prison sentences, Dad sent Kassey and her two sisters Christmas gifts through Angel Tree.
THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS
A Christmas staple since 1982, Angel Tree serves incarcerated parents by providing a pathway for strengthening and restoring their relationships with their children and families. Angel Tree makes a way for hundreds of thousands of children to receive a gift, the Gospel message, and a personal message of love on behalf of their incarcerated parent.
Kassey's father first heard about Angel Tree from the prison chaplain. For 10 years and two prison sentences, Dad sent Kassey and her two sisters Christmas gifts through Angel Tree. Each time, the presents were beautifully wrapped and helped Kassey and her sisters feel like every other kid with presents under the tree.
"Angel Tree gifts were really the only gifts we received at Christmas, so it was easy to remember," she says. "I remember when I got the Velveteen Rabbitโopening it up and seeing his tail and pulling it out and being so excited. โฆ I still have the Velveteen Rabbit; it's on my daughterโs bed right now."
But not every present was gift-wrapped.
JOY, NOT JUDGMENT
"One year, Angel Tree volunteers delivered the gifts like usual and left," Kassey recalls. "But then they came back with a Christmas tree! ... Pretty sure that was the best Christmas tree we've ever had!"
Kassey was only 5 or 6 at the time, but she remembers the impact those volunteers made to this day.
"When you're young, you're confused about why bad things happen," says Kassey. "But having the Angel Tree volunteers come in and have so much love, and they were not judgmental and didn't bring any shame; they helped to normalize our experience. More than anything, it helped show God's love and helped open our eyes to see how big God is."
REPAIRING RELATIONSHIPS
"Angel Tree made a big difference, and I think this really did help heal our family and keep a strong connection with my father," Kassey says. The connection has led to regular communication between Kassey and her father. Today, he remains very much a part of her life.
That kind of connection makes all the difference. "It may seem like a small thing you're doing, buying a gift for a child," Kassey says, "but for the child, it's so big because it's really demonstrating that their parent in prisonโwho they may not see on a regular basisโis still thinking about them. And that's huge."
Kassey's story is not unique. In fact, 1 in 28 American children have a parent in prison. But through Angel Tree, you can help kids like her receive the gift of Christmas and a renewed relationship with their incarcerated parent.