New Years Greetings! We are still enjoying our remembrances of you through all the cards, pictures and newsletters. And as 1993 begins, 1992 has become simply memories that live in our individual hearts. For me personally, 1992 is a cause of joy over the ability to forget! But lately, I have thought a lot about the power of remembering. I had a real interesting experience with a newsletter from a family I have never actually met who live on Staten Island where I grew up.

When we got Tim and AnnMarie's letter, we read it with interest because of our friendship with Tim's parents who pastor a large church where Tim also ministers. But what caught my eye, was the address on the letterhead it looked so familiar! Stirring my memory and getting out my high school yearbook to confirm it, I realized it was my childhood address they lived in my house! I was so excited that for two days I thought of little else. I got out pictures and mentally reviewed every part of that house. It had been years since I had even given it a thought but now I was reliving it, cherishing it, telling my family all about it and reminding my dad who added a few more memories when I called him. I suddenly had a deep longing to see it again.

I started to write to Tim and AnnMarie but with my weak hand was frustrated because I couldn't say all that I wanted to. So that Saturday I called and talked to AnnMarie. It turned out that the man who rented us the house and lived in the basement was her grandfather! Stories about him and the house flew back and forth and by the end of our talk we were like family! I even had an open invitation to stay at the house if we ever come back to Staten Island and all of this from someone I had never even met! AnnMarie promised me pictures but I truly hope to actually go there some day.

Through this experience, I realized memory is a very special God given gift. And as I thought more about it the Holy Spirit reminded me of the emphasis God places in His word on remembrance of Him and His ways. It is through remembering that we draw closer and become more trusting and likewise, through forgetfulness that we drift away from God and His ways. That's why God told the children of Israel not to forget that it was He that brought them to the promised land and gave them power to get wealth. He knew how easily we forget. Much of His keeping power comes through remembrance. In the Old Testament God constantly had the people build altars and monuments to recount His ways. In the New Testament Jesus told His disciples as He served the Last Supper, "Whenever you do this, do it in remembrance of Me." In Psalm 103 we are told to bless the Lord and forget not His benefits. This is necessary if we are to walk in His blessings for God says His people perish for lack of knowledge. We see this in Psalm 78, one of the saddest of all the Psalms. It tells of when Israel forgot God's work and wonders He had shown them after telling them to remember and teach their children. The awful result was recorded in verses 61 62 where were are told, "God delivered His strength and power into captivity and His glory into the hands of the foe. He gave His people over to the sword and was angry with His heritage." What does this mean to us today?

Several months ago, the Lord led me to start each day by taking communion. I could write a whole chapter on the preciousness and meaning of communion as He has revealed it to me this great provision of remembering which leads to
continuous abiding and cleansing. The early church met daily around communion to keep the foundation of the Lord's broken body and shed Blood central in their lives. I believe that God has actually kept me physically alive and strengthened me to endure during this perilous time in my life through the renewing power of daily communion. And just as AnnMarie and I had a form of communion with each other as we shared remembrances of her grandfather and the house so we as believers commune not only with God but with each other as we remember the Lord together and encourage each other in Him. Our remembrance of God is so important to our walk in Him, our accurate knowledge of Him and even our provisions from Him. It is so pleasing to Him that Mal 3:16 tells us "then those who feared and loved the Lord spoke often of Him to each other. And He had a Book of Remembrance drawn up where He recorded the names of those who feared Him and loved to think about Him." Let us learn the secret of remembrance.

Does the future look frightening to you? For the world it is. Yes, judgment is already beginning and the whole world is in travail. But for us, the Lord of Hosts says "they shall be mine in that day when I make up my jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares an obedient and dutiful son." (Mal. 3:17) It is our prayer for 1993 that our names and yours will be recorded in God's Book of Remembrance. May we stir each other up and grow into the fullness of His purpose for this new year, redeeming the time for the days are evil. Amen. We love you and remember your partnership with us with joy before the Lord. May God richly bless you. We look forward to hearing from you soon.