Merry Christmas, Hebron Family! This was a very rich year for us of learning about expectations and faithfulness.
This year, more than any since moving here, was more of a “settled-in-and-settled-down” year. We have felt more settled as empty nesters, home owners, Pittsburghers, Hebronites, and Steelers fans (lol). We are really enjoying the full, blessed staff at the church right now, and we are seeing God’s faithfulness to us on a multitude of levels. It has been a good, peaceful, and joyful season. The Lord has been so faithful to us; we are simply blown away.
Our adult children (Sabrina and Isaac Linton and Jason) are thriving in Christ in eastern PA. That is everything to us; their passionate pursuit of the Lord in their churches and lives. Sabrina is a brand-new middle school Bible Teacher at Delaware County Christian School. Isaac continues to be a new son to us through marriage that we deeply enjoy (except for his Philly sports fanaticism!), and Jason travels all over the country with his engineering work. God is so good!
It has been a year of expectation. How would God move and work? How would we go about some very difficult decisions and navigate Hebron’s discernment process? It’s been a season of eagerly anticipating—expecting God to move and work in our midst to the praise of His glory. We have had some high highs and low lows (as I’m sure you can relate as well). Here are a few things relating to expectations we have been learning that we wanted to share with you:
- Only God will not disappoint. Everything human will disappoint.
- Only God is the perfect promise maker and promise keeper. No one else.
- Only God can deliver what we are truly needing and longing for. Christ alone satisfies.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. ~ Psalm 118:8
Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. ~ Jeremiah 17:7
We have had a multitude of opportunities this year to see God at work—and we eagerly anticipate what He will do into 2025! We are thankful for times of rest this past year which included time with our dear Lucy (Mom!) in Florida, mountain climbing in Rocky Mountain National Park, visits with our kids and ongoing Thursday Sabbaths (which involve activities such as biking, reading, canoeing and hiking). We are people of Christmas Hope—the expectancy is all wrapped up in the Promised Christ Child, Jesus. The only One who is faithful and the only One who surpasses all of our expectations.
Blessings, The Knapps