December 2024 Student Pastor's Note

by Lilly Hunter

Merry Christmas! It is truly a joyous time to be at Calvary.

One of my favorite parts of the Christmas season here is the Christmas AWANA store. The kids work all year long to earn AWANA bucks for attendance, memorizing verses, answering questions, and more. They then choose to spend those bucks to pick out Christmas gifts for their loved ones. It is so precious to see the children carefully consider what gifts their parents or grandparents would like- each one comes from the heart.

What strikes me the most is their generosity. They earned these "bucks" yet choose to spend them to give to another- a new experience for almost all of them. Their generosity reminds me of Jesus teaching in Matthew 6:19-21 " not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

The AWANA children know that storing up treasure in heaven means a life marked by generosity, one that considers relationships above material things.

We store up treasure in heaven by considering our treasure here on earth a tool for the goodness of God. In the holiday season, we become accustomed to giving gifts, volunteering, and even bringing cheer to those around us.

My prayer for us is that the generous spirit would not end as the year comes to a close but that we would be models of a heart bent on giving all year round.