Community and care in our Christmas celebration by Claire Musters

I know that there were many who wanted to come to our ACW Christmas lunch and couldn’t. You were certainly missed and I look forward to the time when we can meet up again. 

 

Today, I just want to take the time to acknowledge what was a beautiful, and somewhat healing, focus to the lunchtime. Thank you to those who arranged it – and to those who stepped in last minute to help out.

 

We were each asked two questions: What are you working on currently? And what one positive from this year do you want to take forward to 2021? After we answered, someone was asked to pray for us.

 

Now, I know meeting up in person is a huge highlight to these lunches, and having some great Christmas and writerly banter is good fun too. But, in light of the year we’ve had, I felt the lunch was pitched just right. It gave us all a chance to pause, reflect and then acknowledge and celebrate with one another the ways in which God’s hand has been on us even through this most difficult of times.

 

Yes, there was a chance to be totally honest (right at the start we acknowledged the losses that some of us have experienced this year), but there was also permission to celebrate the good things happening in our lives as writers (and, praise God, there was much to rejoice over). 

 

Being able to share openly about our work and hopes going forward, and then to receive support through prayer, emphasised so much of what is great about ACW. I so appreciated the lunch, and came away feeling refreshed in what has been an exceedingly busy – and quite difficult – time. 

 

It also made me reflect on what a wonderfully supportive, and prayerful, bunch you all are. So thank you – one and all – for being a part of ACW and for interacting whenever you can. We need each other – so I hope and pray you have a restful festive season and look forward to ‘chatting’ with you again in 2021, in whatever form that takes.

 

Take care – Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  

Claire is a freelance writer, speaker and editor, mum to two gorgeous children, pastor’s wife and worship leader. Her books include Taking off the mask: daring to be the person God created you to be, Cover to Cover: Ezekiel A prophet for all times, Cover to Cover: 1–3 John Walking in the truth, Cover to Cover: David: A man after God's own heart, Insight Into Managing Conflict, Insight Into Self-acceptance and Insight Into Burnout. Her latest addition to the Insight Guides series, An Insight into Shame, was published in May 2019 and her latest Cover to Cover: Exodus God’s epic rescue was published in April 2020. She has also written a devotional on disappointment and loss (available as an eBook or physical book) and has just finished writing a book on marriage alongside her husband (due to be published May 2021). She also writes Bible study notes and magazine articles. To find out more about her, please visit www.clairemusters.com  and @CMusters on Twitter.