I had the opportunity to worship at my parent's church this morning. A special part of the service was seeing a 74-year-old woman get baptized and join the church. What was incredibly exciting to me is that she came to know Christ through some of the Hurricane Katrina outreach. It was such a great moment, watching her up there with her "family", this really neat married couple who basically adopted her. Through the love they showed her as relief team workers fixed her home, she came to faith in Christ!

I could see this married couple just beaming as they stood up there with this precious woman as she eagerly affirmed her faith in Jesus and agreed to support the work of the Lord's church. I am truly touched by this couple, as they have come here from South Carolina to live among the people of the Gulf Coast and reach out to them. They are retired and are giving of their time to do this. And I can tell they really love the people here!

Their lives are such wonderful examples to me. And time and time again, the Hurricane Katrina outreach has reminded me in so many ways of the outreach of GFA's missionaries among tsunami survivors. I always love seeing and hearing about the Lord's work around the globe ... both on the other side of the world where so many long to hear the name of Jesus, and here in my hometown.

As I sit here typing this story on Christmas Eve, I can't help but think how fitting this all is ... how encouraged I am to be reminded of the Lord's work through His Church around the world, even as we celebrate Jesus' birth. Praise God.