Christmas Letter 2010

Dear family and friends,

How can it be that this year is about to come to a close already? 2010 just flew by! This has truly been a year of monumental change, so let me start out with the highlights.

The Wedding

Russell and I just celebrated 8 months of glorious marriage. I can hardly believe our April 17th wedding will soon be something that happened a year ago. I wish time would slow down a little, but my grandma has always told me that it only goes faster as one gets older. Marriage was the first institution created by God, and if I do say so myself, it's the best thing He designed for the human race to enjoy…right up there with salvation. I'm understanding more and more every day the symbolism of God's salvation in the marriage relationship. They say love is blind, and it must be so, because Russell just continues to love me, even though he knows how unloveable I can be at times. It's the same with God. He knows all my faults, my sin and shortcomings, and He still loves me and forgives me, knowing what a wretch I am. If I was God I wouldn't put up with me, but He does, so I'm glad He is God and I am not! I'm thankful for the Lord's unconditional love…the love that caused God to send His only Son into the world of hateful mankind to sacrifice His life and save lost sinners.

Boys Home Battle

As many of you know, about 7 weeks after our happy union we encountered a huge and not-so-nice surprise. My father-in-law was the founder and director of Heritage Boys Academy, which has been in existence for about 15 years. After years of positive DCF (Department of Children and Families) investigations, the local authorities decided that with-or-without evidence of abuse, etc., they were shutting the Academy down. On June 4th the home was ruthlessly raided, the boys were interrogated, and then driven off in buses never to be seen again. It was a huge shock for Russell's family and all the employees. I just think about my dad's ministry, which was started basically around the same time as my father-in-law's, and how I would feel if the ministry he poured years into was destroyed in just one day. Bro. Buddy, Bro. Rob (the assistant director), and my husband spent that night in jail as their character was slandered over local TV and in the newspapers for days afterwards. Unfortunately the media isn't too concerned about the accuracy of their information and only proclaim what they think is truth…or what they want to be true. The truth of that sad day is that God used the evil schemes of a few gangsters within the academy to shut it down, because He wanted it shut down. We know that nothing happens without the approval of Almighty God, and everything He does is for a purpose and for His ultimate glory. We have the sweet comfort of God's promises… "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) "The LORD hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all." (Psalm 103:19) So pretty much right from the start of our marriage we've experienced things that your average newly-wedded couple never dreams of having to deal with. Sometimes I struggle with feelings of regret, because in some ways we were robbed of the care-freeness that should accompany the first months of marriage. I'm not going to lie and say it's been easy, because there have been times when it's been very, very hard. But God has a way of showing Himself in a more impressive way when His children are standing in the face of hardship, and He has certainly done so for us.

Starting Over

For two months Russell was without work and, despite the fact that he filled out job applications all over town, he wasn't able to obtain a job because of the impending charges on his record. By the beginning of August we were really needing an income again, and it was at that time that God provided Russell with a job. Donald Adams, the Christian owner of two Chick-fil-a restaurants in town, was made aware of our situation and offered Russell a position at his drive-thru restaurant. Russell has been working there for close to 5 months now and is doing an excellent job. I'm so proud of him! He wasn't supposed to get a raise until he completed his first 3 months, but within one month's time he got a raise. Then a month later he got another raise to work the odd-hour shift so his great attitude would cheer the other workers and raise the score. (Attitude is everything in the fast-food business.) With me being so far away from my family and being alone for a good chunk of the day and evening, which I still don't enjoy but am trying to get used to, I was having a hard time with Russell's new hours. Well, it so happened that a girl got fired and Russell was put right back in his 6:30am-2:30pm shift but STILL received his raise to work the odd-hours. Then Donald gave him another raise "just because." To top it off, Chick-fil-a has a great program which rewards good employees with a $50 bonus whenever a satisfied customer writes in to the Chick-fil-a Cares Corporation using the name of the employee who helped them. Russell has received several bonuses because of his name being mentioned as being a great worker; his managers have told him that that hasn't happened so many times to one employee in a year's time, let alone in just a few months. The Lord has been exceedingly good to us! We want to thank you, dear friends, for helping us through a rough time. On several occasions during Russell's time of unemployment (and even after that, because of my increasing medical bills) there were times when I didn't know how I was going to put a decent meal on the table, and just when I was starting to wonder if I should panic, a gift card for groceries arrived in the mail. The Lord, through you, has provided for our needs EVERY TIME, JUST IN TIME. Thank you!!!

Little Miracles

Perhaps you have heard stories of "angels unawares." Hebrews 13:2 mentions this: "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." There are times in life when you feel so desperate that believing just isn't enough…and a little miracle is necessary to carry you through. Let me share our miracle…

Russell was working at Chick-fil-a one day in September when an older couple walked up to the walk-up window and ordered 2 milkshakes. Russell took their order, and suddenly in the back of the store one of the workers cussed, using the name of Jesus Christ in their anger. Russell called back "Hey, it isn't His fault!" The older woman who had just ordered a milkshake exclaimed to Russell, "You are a Christian." He responded that he is, and she replied, "I thought so. In fact, the Lord told me to tell you something, but I refrained myself because I wasn't sure." Russell asked her what the Lord said to her. She responded, "He told me to tell you that 'Everything is going to be okay.' I hope that is a blessing to you." Russell thanked her and said it was. Well, after they got their milkshakes the elderly couple walked away hand-in-hand. Russell's manager, John, commented on the couple holding hands and said it would make a nice postcard or something. Russell took out his phone to snap a picture. The process of doing so takes less than a second, but when Russell looked up to take the picture he didn't see the older couple anywhere. They were walking much too slowly to have rounded the corner of the nearest building, and there was nowhere else for them to go. Russell asked his coworkers if they saw where they went. They, too, looked around for the couple, but nobody saw them anywhere. They just…vanished!

Makes me wonder if perhaps vanilla is angels' favorite flavor. =)

But the story doesn't end there…

That same night Russell's father was working at the bridge. There is a mental assylum close by, and a slightly demented black lady often walks the bridge and passes the building where my father-in-law works the controls to open the bridge for boats. That night this lady came to Bro. Buddy and wanted a dollar from him, because she was thirsty and wanted a drink. Bro. Buddy gave her a dollar and the woman turned to walk away. Suddenly she stopped and turned around and with unusual clarity in her eyes and speech she said, "Everything is gonna to to be okay." She then turned around and walked off, and I believe she has never spoken to Bro. Buddy in such a way since. It's like the Spirit of God---the same one who once, long ago, allowed a dumb old donkey to speak---whispered in that disturbed woman's ear to comfort the preacher with the same words of two elderly folk ordering a Chick-fil-a milkshake. "Everything is going to be okay."

Maybe you think that seems like a strange thing to take as a miracle, but don't forget 1 Corinthians 1:27-29. "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence."

I'm studying on that last phrase of the verse: "…That no flesh should glory in His presence." See, if it makes sense to our human flesh---to our earthly body and mind---then it probably isn't of God, because God is spirit and spiritual…and He works out of the ordinary, confounding all senses of what we "know" to be factual and capable of occurring, just to show us how great and powerful He is!

I'm reminded of…

1. The Foolish (Impossible) things of the world - That a virgin conceived without knowing a man.

2. The Weak things of the world - That Mighty God appeared to mankind in the weakest, most helpless form possible---that of a mere infant…a babe who could not survive without a young mother to hold, feed, and change it. The picture of weakness is that the Creator should entrust His livelihood to one whom He created. God, who needs nothing and is dependent on no man, allowed Himself to be frail enough to need.

3. The Base things of the world - That a young girl conceived a baby out of wedlock---a fact that should have gotten her shunned from all who knew her and stoned to death according to the laws at that period of time in history. The Pharisees considered Jesus base, which is evident here: "…Then said they [the Pharisees] to him [Jesus], We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God." (John 8:41)

4. The Despised things of the world - That Eternal God descended to mortal man…from a magnificent mansion to a simple stable…from a throne of gold to a crib of hay…from angel's adoration to the lowing of cattle…from the realms of praise, perfection, and joy to a world of hatred, sickness, and death.

Jesus stooped to our level so He could raise us up to His.

He became the despised and rejected, dying on the cruel cross of shame,

so we could become loved and accepted, living eternally, once forgiven of sin.

This is the reason Jesus came.

Jesus made the way to Heaven,

because He IS The Way to Heaven.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - John 3:16

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. - John 3:17

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. - John 3:18

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. -John 3:19

Our prayer is that the Light of Christ's salvation dwells in your heart, because without LIGHT, CHRISTmas has no meaning at all.

Merry Christmas and a blessed 2011!

With much love,

Russell & Hannah Maynard