Merry Christmas from the Shaky Isles

As you may have heard, one of New Zealand’s many volcanoes erupted last week killing more than a dozen tourists plus a couple of local tour guides. It was a tragedy and a reminder that our time on earth is short. So make the most of it this Christmas. Treasure your families. Make memories. Live fully. Love deeply. Tell your kids about Jesus, who remains the Reason for the Season.

This year has been a challenging and shaky one for us. But we come to the end of it full of gratitude and hope, knowing God is our solid rock in uncertain times. And because of his unchanging faithfulness, we are confident that the coming year will be awesome.

What’s in store for 2020? Here are three things to look forward to:

1. UPDATED DATE: April 5, 2020. If you’re in New Zealand, keep this date free for the official book launch of The Chocolate Gospel. And as we never had an official launch for Letters from Jesus, we’ll include that one too.

2. The Women’s Book. (Sorry, I don’t have a better title yet.) I am super-excited about this one. Draft chapters for my next book are already going up on Patreon, and I will post short extracts here on E2R as well.

3. In a few weeks, Escape to Reality will be ten years old! As we approach this anniversary I have been praying for wisdom about the future. What’s next? More of the same or something different? (If you have suggestions, I’d love to hear them.) In any case, we will celebrate the milestone with some big giveaways. Stay tuned. UPDATE: Check out my big hairy audacious goal for the coming decade!

Gratitude is the language of faith and it’s a language I aspire to master. As always, I am grateful that I get to tell people the good news of Jesus. I am grateful to you for reading and sharing what I write. I am grateful to everyone who takes the time to comment, whether it’s to tell me how my words have changed their lives or how I quoted the wrong scripture! And I’m grateful to our supporters and partners who make it all possible. In particular, I would like to thank the following patrons on Patreon:

Adam Goldfinch, Adam Tanti, Adebare Adedigba, Adriaan Hattingh, Al Babcock, Al Jennings, Alan Pearson, Alison Gilbert, Alonzo García, Amanda Henderson, Amy Van Buskirk, Andre de Haan, Andy Manuel, Aney Mathew, Annalee Reyes, Anne H Hoover, Anthony Collins, Arie Duister, Asit Parida, Bank Akinmola, Becky Georgeff, Ben Dailey, Benny Sunjaya, Bik Hou, Bill Fowler, Bill Pruitt, Bill Shoemaker, Bob Fricke, Bob Paroski, Bobby Jean Perry, Brandon Petrowski, Brian Jones, Brian Page, Bruce Chittick, Bruce Christopher, Bruce Fulton, Bruce Leane, Bruno Dammann, Caleb Brubaker, Carl and Sara Petee, Carol Milhous, Cary Geno, Cecil H Paxton, Cecilia Lim, Cecilia Villanobles Lim, Chad M. Mansbridge, Cherine Rossman, Chris Esparza, Christine Duckett, Christopher Gordon, Christopher Johnson, Chucks Obinna Ugoihe, Claude (Bill) Schanuel, Clint Byars, Connie-Louise Alexander, Corinna von der Mühlen, Cory Smith, Craig Hodgins, Craig Hunt, Crisostomo L. Martin, Dale Edwards, Damon Jackson, Daniel Clarke, Daniel Cox, Dave Feather, Dave Tremblay, David Cheong, David Edwardds, David Nelson, David S, David Suiter, David the Beloved, David Wong, David York, David Åleskjær, Dawn Strom, Debby Katz, Deborah Long, Debra Hardy, Deirdre M Rogers, Denis Paquette, Dennis & Denise Capra, Derrick Darden, Diane & Eli Listort, Diane Peterson, Diane Roman, Diane Schakola, Dollice Chua, Don Beeson, Dottie Hicks, Ed Crenshaw, Ed Elliott, Ed N Diane Pacheco, Edward McCarthy, Elias Struik, Elly “Singer” Kraai, Eric and Nancy Holman, EricThon, Erik Grangård, Erika Degen, Esther van Dijk, Eveline Hotz Gamonez, Ezzy Austine, Fabio Digian, Farrah Cox, Fernando D. Impang Jr, Garry D. Pifer, Garvin Willemse, Gary Wells, Georg Zönnchen, Geraldine Unger, Gerry Macabuhay, Gilbert Gatdula, Gilly Stott, Gloria Roring, Gord Penner, Grace Grace, Greg and Raelene Race, Greg Morneau, Hannah Hoffmann, Harry Finn, Heather Gill, Helen Kearney, Helen Teichroeb, Hennie Nolte, Henry HS Yeo, Ian Anderson, Jack and Janet Surrett, James Davis, James Goss, James M. Tuttle, James Miller, James Mullier, James W Smith, Jan Bing, Jana Mings, Jane Hunckler, Janice Best Bright, Jason Eugene, Jason Foo, Jason Whitaker, Jax Hill, Jay Bradley Reed, Jay Treat, Jean-Paul Parenteau, Jeffrey, Jenifer Powell, Jenna B North, Jennifer Herkommer, Jenny Beauchamp, Jer Wei Low, Jeremy Deaton, Jerry Williams, Jim Firzlaff, Jim Gaines, Joe May, John Adriaans, John Gardner, John Williams, Jon Bonner, Jon Onabowu, Jonathan and Christina Ybarra, Jonathan Gould, Jordan Hammond, Jose, Judy C Ervien, Judy Krug, Julia Vockrodt, Justin Hopper, Karissa Bedford, Kathleen Ault, Kathy Haecker, Keikilani Wong, Keith Forwith, Keith Pinke, Kelly Davidson, Kenneth Crum, Kenneth Hamner, Kent Gilge, Kevin Barnett, Kim Gehring, Kimberly Russell, Kitty Kata, Kris Page, Kristi Gorrod, Larry & Helen Wilgus, Laurence Brill, Lauri Kinnunen, Lee Tyler, Leon C. Bramlett III, Leon Minton, Leonard John Ransil, Lester Blair, Lew Gervais, Lidia, Lloyd D McCaskill, Lois Granbery, Lyle Geck, Lynn Alford, Marg and Merv Knott, Margaret Eargle, Maria Sanders, Mark and Mary Beth Cain, Mark “Barefoot” Buckland, Mark Wolfe, Marshall Kim, Mary Anne Tango, Mary Ellen Serafine, Mary Salisbury, Mathew Stokes, Mel & Clare Sanders, Melanie Theilig, Melissa Keewee, Melissa Shands, Michael & Julie Lipparelli, Michael and Kim Vizza, Michael Folsom, Michael Gragg, Michael Kelehan, Michael Miller, Michael Morimando, Michael Scroggs, Michelle, Michelle Cormier, Michelle Lavette French, Miguel, Stephanie and Estelle Gonzalez, Mikael Jonsson, Millie Morrison, Nancy Paquette Poulin, Nata Isr, Nathan Cooney, Nick Atkins, Nizam Khan, Norah Brown, Norin Lumungking-Weier, Oladipo Awoyinfa, Oscar Rios, Pagasa De Mesa, Patty VanderVeen, Paul and Chantale Roxanas, Paul F Eilers, Paul S Frey, Paul Sheldon, Paul Woodrich, Penny Creery, Peta Donegan, Peter Dybing, Phil and Martha Yutzy, Polly Darrell, Rachel Peters, Rachmat Permana, Randall George, Randall Harmon, Randy and Shandra Montague, Randy and Julee Armstrong, Randy Parry, Raymond Glossop, Real Paquette, Rebekah K. Watson, Red Burgos, Rene Bouwer, Renee Woodward, Rhea Cooper, Richard Elson, Richard F De Souza, Richard Lee, Richard W Evans, Rick and Judi Manis, Ricky L Cain, Robert Jones, Robert Marshall, Robin Waller, Rolyn James, Ron Clark, Ron Roudebush, Ronan, Roshan Easo, S Kunnath, Sam Bouwer, Sam Griffith, Sandra Osei-Gyamfi, Sara Wilson Hughes, Shane Fulmer, Shannon Carroll, Sharon Collins, Sharon Stiles, Shelly Hakspiel, Stephanie Kirtland, Stephanie Turney, Stephen Caldwell, Stephen Wright, Steve and Sandra McCollom, Steven J Shane, Steven Kotsonis, Steven Mann, Susie Dunlap, Suzanne Sherritt, SweeHeng Chee, Tamara Barker, Tanya Nareau, Terence Koh, Terry Maupin, Terry Myers, Tertia Oosthuizen, Theresa M. Benischek, Thierry Bras, Thomas E Wiseman, Todd Hardy, Tom and Kay Stocking, Tom Ludemann, Tom Tepandi, Tommy, Tony Cutty, Tony Ide, Tony Portell, Tony Vogel, Toshiko Johnson, Travis Taylor, Twila, Uschi de Bruyn, Wesley Matsell, Will McCulloch, William Lowery, and Yvonne Beukes.

May joy and peace be yours in abundance as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. May the Lord reveal himself as your rock, your fortress and your deliverer, a God in whom you can trust.

Merry Christmas!

Paul