[GP Tract]

Merry Christmas

to you and yours‚

and best wishes

for a holiday season

filled with warmth

and love!

Whether Christmas to you represents time off from work, partying with friends, frantic gift shopping for loved ones, a religious commemoration, or all of the above, this message is for you.

Have you ever trudged through store after store‚ searching for the perfect gifts for those dear to you? When finally the presents are all wrapped and under the tree, something still seems to be missing. You're tired. Maybe you worry about losing your job in today's rumble-tumble economy, and you wonder how you're going to provide for yourself, or your family, next year. Or perhaps relations with those close to you are strained, and your heart is crying out for some peace and the simple joys of life.

Wait! You've forgotten about some other gifts—gifts from Someone Who loves you very much; gifts for your loved ones and gifts for you. These are gifts that can never be found in a store. Though they are invaluable, they cannot be bought with money. In fact, they are free! The gifts I'm talking about are designed by our Heavenly Father; they are gifts of love, joy, peace, and happiness.

The reason we celebrate Christmas at all is because God gave us the greatest gift anyone could give—His Son, Jesus. Though Jesus came into the world as a tiny baby‚ He brought with Him all of God's wonderful gifts. As He grew older, He unwrapped these gifts for us, one by one, by teaching us how to love God and each other. Then, when Jesus died for us, He gave us the greatest gift of all—freedom from fear of death, and a promise of eternal life in Heaven when our time on Earth is done.

Do these gifts sound too good to be true? The world is becoming such a hard, cold place to live, and sometimes it may seem God's love is too far away to touch your heart. The wonderful truth is that God is waiting for you, His arms full of gifts, and all you have to do is ask Him for them. Each gift has your name written on the tag, because God sent His Son to Earth so that you could have them. Yes, that's right! He did it just for you.

If you would like to have these gifts in your life‚ and share them with your friends and loved ones, all you have to do is ask your Heavenly Father. Just pray this simple prayer with your family and friends, or on your own, if you prefer:

"Dear God, thank You for thinking of us at Christmas. Please give us these gifts You have promised—gifts of love, joy, peace‚ happiness, and the best gift of all, eternal life with You and Your Son, Jesus. We open our hearts and ask You to fill them with good things. Amen."

God bless you with the best Christmas ever, as you enjoy your new gifts from Heaven!

To know more about God and His wonderful gifts for you‚ please write us today at:

Visit our WEB site: http://www.thefamily.org

or E-mail us at: family@thefamily.org