Greetings PAACH homeschooling families. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving full of making memories with family and giving thanks to God for all the many blessings He has given you. Now, as we look towards Christmas, I want to encourage you to remember God’s greatest gift. Jesus came offering salvation to all who trust in Him. He gave us the precious gifts of hope and forgiveness.

Christmas is a time to experience great hope. You may be wondering, “how do I experience this hope?” In his letter to the Romans, Paul proclaimed “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may over ow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 15:13) According to Paul, hope begins when you trust in Him and grows as your trust in Him grows. As you trust Him, you are filled by the Holy Spirit with joy and peace which overflows your heart with hope. The challenge for us is to look for opportunities to trust God every day. Do you and your family look for ways to exercise your trust in Him? Do you look for ways to be a blessing to others so that God may draw others to Himself through you? If you want to increase your hope, look for opportunities to serve and bless others and share your hope with them. “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Rom 5:5)

Jesus has also given us the incredible gift of forgiveness. This gift can be received over and over again. John tells us that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Forgiveness is offered to us as many times as we need through confession. However, this gift comes with one caveat…it must be given as freely as it is received. Paul tells us to “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Eph 4:32) Jesus warns us that this gift can be revoked if it is not given. (Matt 6:14-15) In fact, forgiveness is so important that it can hinder our worship. Jesus says that we should reconcile with our brother before offering worship before God. (Matt 5:24) The Christmas season is the perfect time to reconcile (if possible) with a brother or sister. Look for opportunities to share the gospel with someone and help them receive the gift of forgiveness this holiday season.

The PAACH board wants to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We pray that you experience the gifts of hope and forgiveness through Jesus Christ this year. The board also desires to help and support you throughout your homeschooling journey. We also desire to help you disciple your children by providing encouragement, wisdom, and resources that will enable you to be Godly parents who lead your children towards Christ. We pray that your family learns together, grows together with others in community, and glorifies Christ in everything you do.

James Cox
PAACH President