In 2015, our little crosses traveled great distances and graced many people. We can’t begin to tell you how thankful we are to you for making such a ‘King‘ sized difference in so many lives. Without your help, many, many people would not have felt God’s boundless love this year and received Him as their Savior!! What a Christmas present this is to us all!! For everyone, we say ‘Thank You!’
Here is our recap of the states and countries that received our crosses (if I’ve left anyone out, please let me know!):
The states are:
Alaska, Arizona, California, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin
The countries are:
Canada, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Japan, Sudan, and Thailand
And, we are thrilled to acknowledge the following for bringing others into our CTW family by sharing God’s cross during the month of November:
Christelle – MN
Beaver Tree Service – Longville, MN
Cedar Valley Church – Bloomington, MN
Curtis – MN
Central MN Adult & Teen Challenge – Brainerd, MN
Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church – Benson, MN
Bill – MN
Mary Ann – MN
Dodie – MN
Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church – Cornville, AZ
Diane – AZ
Buddy – AZ
Lake Union Covenant Church – Dassel, MN for mission work in Alaska
Grasston Baptist Church – Braham, MN
Bibles for Missions – Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada for mission work in northern Canada
Trinity Lutheran Church – Cedarburg, WI
Bev – MN
Narrows Community Church – Outing, MN
Two churches in Dolan Springs, AZ recently experienced fires set by an arsonist (who is currently awaiting trial) … the Dolan Springs Baptist Church (which received extensive damage) and Mount Tipton Community Church (which was totally destroyed). One of our CTW church families sent us the message that 50 crosses were sent to the people of these churches to comfort them and also to remind them that ‘they are still a church, even without a building’. Bless this family for spreading their love to these people whose hearts have been broken by the fires; God is truly at work!!
“Yes, they came to my inn at Bethlehem, and how well I remember the couple; it seems but yesterday.
He was a manly sort of a man, the kind that would cause you to look again if you saw him once; kindly and dignified, with a long beard; a strong man with quiet manner. There was something that charmed me about the woman who was with him, and … well, I just can’t tell you … anyway, one could see that she might soon become a mother.
It rather worried me that I didn’t have a place for them, but so many had come for the registration, you know. Sanballat, rich merchant, had come down from Damascus; Thaddeus, one of my old customers, had come up from Gaza. A party from Hebron came just at nightfall, and, since I knew them all, I could not turn them away.
Joseph told me that he was from Nazareth, up in the hill country of Galilee. He thought, of course, he could have a place to stay. And, as he asked me, he looked toward Mary and knew that I would understand.
I did understand, and I tried to think which of the men I could ask to move and make place for the couple. But how could I ask these customers of mine to inconvenience themselves; after all, I did not know Joseph and Mary. I said to myself, ‘Oh well, somebody will look after them. I must not disturb the others, and it is a beautiful star-lit night.’
‘Here, I have it,’ finally I said to myself, ‘we can make room for them in the stable, and some way they will get along.’
I have wondered a lot about them since they have gone. He was a manly sort of man with his long beard and dignified look and quiet manners. And the woman, she was like a princess. I wish now, that I had said to the men in my inn, ‘We must make a place for this man and this woman from Galilee!’
But I didn’t, and I am sorry. After all, they might have been people of consequence.”
– The Innkeeper
From our hearts to yours,
CROSS THE WORLD 