"There is much to hope for, much to lose;
Much to believe God for, much to lose by doubt and fear and disobedience;
Much to expect because all of God’s promises are yea and yea (II Cor. 1:20), and
are as certain as the rising of tomorrow morning’s sun (Hos. 6:3.)..."

"...The only ultimatum I give a fig for is God’s, and it is found in Rom 12:1. If I truly make a quality dedication of myself to His service in line with this verse, and follow through with an active life of ministry in His Name, I am free from the strictures of religious or political systems, free from bondage, free, free, free. Let all the world scream, “Emergency! Red Alert!” No matter. Jesus and I have a secret inner island of peace, and when the world cries calamity and defeat I proclaim victory. Every attack of the enemy is one more opportunity to prove God by trusting and obeying Him and seeing Him vindicate me..."

"...The only crisis that matters is the crisis of the soul… Life, the Christian life, can be thought of as a series of confrontations between the believer and his God. And so often, as we pass a particular test, we are filled with a sense of His glory-presence. The real deeper life centers itself on Christ and His glory, not on theology, not on experiences, not on moral correctness..."

I really like that last sentence.

These are the words of my uncle George. Well, not really *my* uncle, but my dad’s. He wrote this is his Christmas letter. I have been getting them for three or four years now.

I don’t know that I have ever met Uncle George. If I did, I was not old enough to remember. My only real contact with him has been through these letters over the last few years. When I received the first one, I was rather taken aback. I had never heard anyone in my family speak quite this way about the things of the Lord. Now that I have had some experience with these letters, I read them eagerly, and I find myself wishing that I could sit down with him and listen to him talk about Jesus for a while.

I can’t quite place what I feel after reading his letters. Inspired? Encouraged? Challenged? Maybe all of these. I know for certain that I feel proud to have such a heritage. But, it is mixed with a little sadness at having missed out on his wisdom for so long.

I see a letter to Uncle George in my future….