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Dear First Family and Friends,

I’m a “New Years Resolution” person. This year’s resolution – get in shape. My physical body has been struggling to keep up with the demands I put on it so, time to get back in shape. And so far, so good. I’m still doing the walking, running – er … jogging – and weightlifting I resolved to do. I’m not trying to get my 20- or 30-something body back. I’m just trying to get the one God has given me back in shape so I can do the things He’s called me to do in this life.

No matter how hard I, or any of us, do that workout thing; we’re faced with one common inevitability. Our physical bodies will degrade. It’s one of those certainties we all face in this life. However, because of our faith in Jesus, we also rest assured in one more sure thing – when Jesus returns “Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:21). When Christ returns, He will bring us and all who believe in Him into His new creation and eternal life with all the saints.

A question on some of our minds as we hear these words might also be, “What’s that glorious body going to look like?” I would answer that by saying this … it’ll be more glorious than you can even imagine. Take your best day … it’ll be infinitely better than that. Hear God’s promise to His children, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away … Behold, I am making all things new … these words are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:4-5). The important thing isn’t what our “glorious body” will look like – it’ll be fabulous beyond words – it’s that it will be in the true, living, eternal presence of God.

                                                                                        In His Love,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim