A Christmas Message from Paul
A year ago I asked a question. “Lord, I’ve been writing E2R for years. What’s next?”
It’s not that I was tired of telling people about grace; far from it. It’s just that blogging wasn’t as challenging as it used to be. I wanted to try something new.
The Lord answered my prayer with three new challenges.
The Grace Commentary was launched in March 2021. In hindsight, it was a no-brainer. I had been working on a commentary for years, I just didn’t realize it.
Building the commentary has been a ton of work but a lot of fun. My goal for the year was to upload content for 1000 verses and by the grace of God we’ve done nearly double that. We still have a long way to go, but we’ve made a good start.
The Grace Glossary was a bit of a surprise. We launched in August 2021 and it has proven more popular than I expected. Like the commentary, it’s pretty rough, and I’m not sure where it’s headed. (A book? A sonnet?) It will be fun to see what happens next.
I started writing Jesus Scripts for my family at the beginning of the year. I had no plans to share these with anyone, but that changed in October 2021 when we launched the website. The jury is still out on this one, but if your kids enjoy the scripts as much as ours do, I will be delighted.
Reading about these ventures, you may think they are all part of some master plan. There is no plan. My only plan is to tell people the good news of Jesus any way I can. I am not a preacher or a poet so I write. And I am very thankful that I can do that.
That I get to give away thousands of books while writing full-time about the love of God on these various platforms would not possible without the generosity of my supporters on Patreon and Donorbox.
If you have been blessed by what I write, these are the amazing people you can thank:
Bill Fowler, Caleb Brubaker, Tom Ludemann, Christopher Gordon, Randy & Julee Armstrong, Michael & Julie Lipparelli, Ben Dailey, John Williams, Jon & Shannon Bonner, Helen Kearney, Emanuel Bulugu, Theresa M. Benischek, Wes Prosser, Amanda Henderson, Don Beeson, Tom & Kay Stocking, Craig Hunt, Tony Vogel, James Kerr, Erika & Klaus Degen, Mikael Jonsson, Julia Vockrodt, Marshall Kim, Rachmat Permana, Robin Waller, David Edwardds, Michael & Kim Vizza, James Mullier, Erik Grangaard, Jerry Williams, Derrick Darden, Justin Hopper, Jason Whitaker, Keith Forwith, Keith Pinke, Anne H Hoover, Jack & Janet, Jer Wei Low, Dottie Hicks, Norin Lumungking-Weier, Miguel, Stephanie & Estelle Gonzalez, Steve & Sandra McCollom, Kenneth Crum, Marion Carter, Janice Best Bright, Jana Mings, Diane Peterson, Claude (Bill) Schanuel, Tanya Nareau, Carl & Sara Petee, Christopher Johnson, Bruno Dammann, Kathy Haecker, Aney Mathew, Rick & Judi Manis, Al Jennings, Brandon Petrowski, Ron Roudebush, Dawn Strom, Jennifer Herkommer, Paul & Chantale Roxanas, Sam Bouwer, Rachelle Reeve, Andrew Maulding, Sarah, Corinna von der Mühlen, Adam Tanti, Lyn Packer, Ted Nelson, Craig Hodgins, Jim Powell, Mia Young, Cathy Barnett, Bonnie Weaver, Ginger Banks, Donna Sweigart, Abhishek Chougule, Mathew Stokes, Terry Tripp, Joneen Gentilini, Charles Law, Elizabeth Crews, Philip Yutzy, Elly “Singer” Kraai, Renee Woodward, David Nelson, JB & Carrie McKoy, Henry HS Yeo, Ricky L Cain, James Davis, Susie Dunlap, Real Paquette, Andy Manuel, Lloyd D McCaskill, Nick Atkins, Jeffrey, Rene Bouwer Benny Sunjaya, Toshiko Johnson, Lyle Geck, John Adriaans, Karen Moffett, Oscar Rios, Jay Bradley Reed, Patty VanderVeen, Adriaan Hattingh, Dennis & Denise Capra, Pagasa De Mesa, James W Smith, Raymond Glossop, Mary Ellen Serafine, Diane Schakola, Larry & Helen Wilgus, Cecil H Paxton, Dr. Shelly Hakspiel, Bruce Fulton, Melanie Theilig, Alison Gilbert, Dollice Chua, Paul Woodrich, Dave Tremblay, Eric Thon, Mark & Mary Beth Cain, Penny Creery, Nata Isr, Greg & Raelene Race, Lois Granbery, Michael Morimando, Chris Esparza, Ely Esparza, Annalee Reyes, Clint Byars, Michael Scroggs, Kimberly Russell, David York, Al Babcock, Trevor Lovegrove, Yvonne Beukes, Judy Krug, Debby Katz, Michael Miller, Cary Geno, Melissa Shands, Bill Shoemaker, KP Wong, Kitty Kata, Lynn Alford, Richard W Evans, Jon Onabowu, Liz Collard, Linda Essaff, JoNell, Grace Grace, Kath Wells, Rick Cowdery, Stella Emmanuel, Mathavan Rajkumar, M. Caleb Sannoh, Nizam Khan, Aaron Ashby, Theodore Heintzelman, Ralph Kassen, Patricia Walker, Greg M, Judy C Ervien, Melissa, Jonathan & Christina Ybarra, James Davis, Margaret Miller, Carolyn Coates, Dave Orrison, Collins K Raj, Joseph Adedeji, Joyce Rapier, Tim Milstead, Marie Robison, David Cheong, Agalliasis O.R., David Åleskjær, Cliff Miller, Tex Cox, Lynn Rogala, Jun Yu, Judy Eshenko, John Nankervis, Charles Graham, Leon Esterhuizen, Mike, Sadie Hasenkamp, Stephanie Smith, Starr Stephens, Gordon & Linda Dornink, Isaiah49er, Andrew, Adebare Adedigba, R B Thomas, Sonja Brown, AJ, Lydia Moorhouse, Jarod & Anita Darashah-Borman, Rebekah K. Watson, Edward McCarthy, Marie, Richard Lee, Bank Akinmola, Cory Smith, Mary Salisbury, Brian Page, Asit Parida, Lidia, Leonard John Ransil, Kent Gilge, Adam Goldfinch, Sara Wilson Hughes, Chad M. Mansbridge, Will McCulloch, Chucks Obinna Ugoihe, KL Oei, Kristi Gorrod, Connie-Louise Alexander, Andre de Haan, Tommy Miles, Bill Pruitt, Lewis Sage, Randy & Shandra Montague, Stephanie Kirtland, Diane Roman, Tony Cutty, Crisostomo L. Martin, Jenifer Powell, Margaret Eargle, Brandon Scott, Roland Stamey, Beverly Bowman, Sue Crissman, Alex C, Nelson, Elaine DeLones, Trice Seargent, William Conroy, Dana Daigle, Peter M Claffey, Glenda B Crawford, Larissa Hamel, Paul Burton, Kimberly Weeks, Frederick Johannes Botha, James Yaranon, Eder, Sharon Stark, Mimica, Hannah Lui, Dana K Griffin, Matthew Miller,Yvonne, John Daigle, Amon Viki Zwane, Craig Ballard, William Undi, Heather Gill, Deirdre M Rogers, Jane Hunckler, Georg Zönnchen, Charles & Sheilla van Wijk, David Slayback, Geoff Powell, Ilva Sturlese, Mel & Clare Sanders, Terry & Janelle Myers, Harold Dueck, Greg Brown, John Ikard, Anne Lyttle, Allan Faalavaau, Mark Testerman, David Slayback, and Elizabeth Ferguson.
I would also like to acknowledge those readers who give anonymously. You know who you are. Your generosity is changing lives, and I am truly grateful to partner with you.
I have some exciting projects planned for 2022 which patrons will hear about first. Until then, thank you for sharing the journey. If you have read, shared, or commented on my work, I appreciate it.
May your family enjoy the peace and favor of God as we celebrate the birth of our King and Savior.
Merry Christmas!
Paul
Escape to Reality 
Paul: Words cannot say enough for my gratefulness of discovering this site and then reading The Gospel in Ten Words. My understanding Grace made the scriptures come alive and to finally understand Gods enormous unconditional love for me has changed my life as well as my wife, family and many friends. We pray for you and your family every day and love you all. Merry Christmas dear brother!! It’s an honor to support your ministry and only regret it’s not more than we do.
Keith Pinke
Thank you, Keith, for the encouragement throughout the year. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Thanks to all! Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas, LJP. Thanks for all the wise and encouraging comments over the year.
Thank you, that is especially encouraging coming from someone I respect and regard so highly. All the best to you and your family.
And a very merry Christmas to you and your family Paul. What a blessing you have and continue to be to our household. Continue the Lords work. God Bless
You have done well, Paul! I appreciate and share your newsletters often. Here’s to an even greater 2022!
(and please, get rid of the masks on the image, for heavens’ sake!)
Thank you, Roland. The innkeeper says the masks are mandatory. He’s also pushing for social distancing.
Blessings to you and your family, and all our fellow brothers and sisters and patrons who love and share this amazing message! Merry Christmas…
Merry Christmas, Edward.
Thanks for all our good work Paul! It is a pleasure so see how you are able to tell the world about the goodness of our Wonderful Daddy in so many different ways. It is an honour to be able to support you! Have a blessed Christmas and a productive New Year. Erik & Robbie
Thank you, Erik, and Merry Christmas to you and Robbie. Our pohutukawa are starting to drop their flowers so I guess yours are now in full bloom.
Love it!!! What a wonderful resource this will be!! Tks for all you do 😀 Merry Christmas 🎄 Love Gideon
PS one new thing for you may be to come to Chch and peach in our church one day!!!!!!! 2022??
Merry Christmas, Gideon.
Hey, Paul! You’ve been a gift to me since I was sent to your site by divine urging in October 2015. Love you and what you do for all of us here : )
Don
Thanks, Don. Merry Christmas.
Paul, I enjoy what you put out. However the masks on Joseph and Mary are very offensive to me. Please remove the mask picture.
Hi Elizabeth. Have you changed your name or has someone hijacked your account? (You are normally called Ruth.) Masks are mandatory, I’m afraid.
Hey, Paul. I like the masks : ) it’s a sign of our times! The only thing that really counts ultimately is believing that Christ has already done enough to make it possible for us to have eternal life now and in the future to be with Him. I was taught and tried to obey so much and shed countless tears and anguish when I didn’t — missing for decades what should have been my response and resting in His work instead of living in dismay and regret over mine.
God started showing me differently in 2009 but it was you He used to ultimately show me His love and grace.
The omicron variant is definitely spreading here in the western part of the United States. I wear masks anywhere I go. I know many people in the healthcare field here and they are definitely concerned about the situation and our hospitals are full of Covid patients and others. Usually at this time of year our hospitals don’t have that many people in them. It’s one of the slowest times of the year generally.
Some great comments, Don. I’m honestly not sure what is offensive about the masks in the picture. In my view, Mary and Joseph are regular people like the rest of us. Unfortunately, it seems masks have become a political topic for people who are both for and against them, when it really shouldn’t be a political issue at all. We certainly shouldn’t allow it to be something that comes between Christian brothers and sisters. If you are for masks, view the picture as Mary and Joseph are being responsible. If you are against masks, view the picture as taking a shot against them, because if the Christmas story happened today, Mary and Joseph would be required to wear a mask. Merry Christmas!
I agree with you completely , LJP! Merry Christmas to you also : ) We’ve known each other I think for over six years! It’s been great reading your comments and interacting with you during that time :->
Don
Thanks, Don, I always enjoy your comments. Thanks for sharing them!
I didn’t want to make a big issue out of the masks, but it seems I’m not alone in my sentiment about the picture. Paul, “mandatory” means that the requestor wants a mandate to which you have to agree for it to become an enforcible requirement. Politicians deceptively use this term to confuse people into thinking they have comply, which is not true. There is also no validated science for masking against virus (at least not the simple masks fearful people are wearing) and slapping them onto Mary and Joseph implies that they also submitted to the political schenanigans of the oligarchs of the time (which would probably be the Priests, Pharasees and Sadducees), which they clearly didn’t.
Supporting the manipulative and deceptive forces that litterally destroying people the world over should not be part of your otherwise excellent channel. It also doesn’t support the message of the birth of Christ as saviour and redeemer.
Hi, Roland. I do have to take issue with what you said. Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem to submit to Rome’s mandatory census. Jesus when asked about paying taxes said render to Caesar what is his and to God what belongs to Him. The face on the coin was Caesar , and Jesus paid the tax. The apostle Paul said we were to obey our government, that it was instituted by God.
So , yes, I do believe they would have worn masks and complied with the mandatory order.
We , as humans , have had nearly 2000 years to muck up the gospel. God is using people like Paul Ellis to woo people back to its original intent. Let’s support Paul and stop the political nonsense.
Masks are a contentious topic precisely because they’ve been made mandatory, either by peer pressure to conform or by actual enforceable laws (I don’t care or even notice what shoes my neighbor wares, but if their preference in shoes was made mandatory for everyone, that would change how I relate to shoes). With the world government’s lock step collaborative overt and irrational reaction (causing astronomically more societal destruction and death than the problem they claim to be addressing) to the situation afforded by the media generated fear over health concerns the past 2 years, many people have been taking a closer look at the institutions they have trusted and relied on their whole lives and found them to be deeply corrupt and motivated by something other than our best interest. This is causing a global mental shift concerning those who steer society. An awakening, if you will, to the ever increasingly centralized world power structure hell bent on bringing about their “Great Reset”.
However, evil’s covert plot was foiled 2000 years ago. Evil will never have the upper hand on Jesus. The Incarnation -the Christmas story- was the Great Reset. God is with us, and he will never leave us or forsake us! Grace! As we toil about trying to manipulate the world to bend to our will and desired structure, the Holy Spirit is dedicated to our discovery of who we are in Christ and how much we are loved by our Father. Jesus absolutely has our best interest in mind. And he forever demonstrated it at his cross, our cross. God bless the masked and the maskless alike!
Merry christmas, may you continue to grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
Thank you, Stella. Merry Christmas to you too.
Happy Christmas time E2R family! Thank you, Paul, for writing good stuff to show us the way of Grace. Thank you commentors for sharing your thoughts. I come here often and scroll through and reflect on what folks are thinking and saying concerning our Lord Jesus. This site has been a meaningful part of my personal growth in life over the past decade. Love and Peace to you all.
Hello Paul. Can you please contact me immediately…
Hi Wes, I have messaged you (via Patreon).