Director Bill Edwards plays Santa and
anticipates gifts with children at the Mission’s event last year.

A year of blessings As the year comes to a close, I ask: What are you grateful for?

I am grateful for the amazing provision of the Lord Jesus for the Mission this past year. Our prayer for the Mission is for the Holy Spirit to put us on the hearts and minds of our community and to provide for us all that is needed to raise up disciples of Jesus.

In Acts 1:8, the Bible reads: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

We are the witnesses in our local cities, witnessing to the lost, hurting, and broken, announcing the Lord Jesus and His blessing of salvation! When the shepherds saw the star, they celebrated, and when the angel of the Lord appeared, they knew.

You see, our men’s and women’s Life Recovery Programs are discipleship programs. We are helping our residents to understand the relationship they have with God: that He is a loving God that they can rely on. And when they understand this, they can then learn what it means to love and follow Him as a disciple.

I have had the privilege to watch this process take place and transform lives over the last 14 years with Rescue Mission Alliance Victor Valley.

There is a saying “to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” I often think about this in reflection to the work of a missionary. We plant seeds of faith we may never see grow, but someday in heaven, God will show us all the fruit of our faithfulness to Him produced. Oh, what a sweet day that will be.

Volunteers prepare for the Mission’s toy giveaway last year.

Many of us are gathering with family and friends to share our blessings and celebrate the Christmas season. When I count my blessings, I hope you know I will consider you. Everyone at the Mission is grateful for your faithfulness. We are blessed by you, our donors, seeing the need in our community for outreach and discipleship. We wish you and your families a Merry Christmas blessing with Romans 15:13:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Blessings, Bill Edwards Director Rescue Mission Alliance Victor Valley