Dear Children (Yes, young men and young women, too):
This is my first letter to you. Not that long ago, we didn't know of each other's existence, but through the power of love and friendship, I got to know you and carry you in my heart. I am so glad to know each of you, even if we're still growing to know one another. Thank you for your video updates and sharing parts of your world.
I want to be clear, this power of love that brought us together is God's love for you, and this friendship that connected us started with God's friendship with me and Auntie Emma that He wants to extend to you, too.
The friendship that Auntie Emma and I have allows us to love each other deeply as sisters who have not seen each other face to face yet, but are loved by the same Father in Heaven. We belong to God's family not just because He created us - God created all people and all things - but because we accepted the invitation of His Son, Jesus, and were born again into God's family!
Neither of us had great relationships with our fathers, though I do now, and my dad gladly, excitedly, and lovingly supports this work to make sure you are fed, clothed, and educated. His name is Mr. Smith and he sends his love.
But regardless of the disappointments our parents on earth have sometimes caused, God is the perfect Father, who seeks us out, picks us up, cleanses us off, heals our hurts and spends the rest of our lives with us, until we move on to spend eternity with Him. God is a good and loving Father. He does all of this for us through His Son, Jesus's demonstration of friendship and love for us. (John 15:13)
God did not forget you when He made you – and He did make you with thought, attention and care. God has been making all things work together for good for you, because of love, because He is calling you, and because He has purpose for you.
Yes, "all things" including every win in your life and every hard and hurtful thing that this world that doesn't acknowledge God has thrown at you. Our God can use anything and everything to make good happen for you because He has a purpose! (Romans 8:28)
All of this is in the Bible I believe in and I hope you get to learn and believe, too.
I was reading something today in a letter that the Apostle Peter wrote in the Bible. (Peter was one of Jesus's first handpicked followers sent to start the church.) Peter writes to people who gave their hearts and lives to Jesus, but now through hardships, had to live in different parts of the world.
Peter says in this letter (1 Peter chapter 1, verses 8-9 in the Bible):
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Their faith amazed Peter because he had lived and walked with Jesus before Jesus died, rose again, and lifted to Heaven in glory. Peter witnessed those things in his own life, and he was writing to people who believed those things were true, just like he did, but without ever seeing them for themselves. They could believe because they were experiencing the joy that came from their faith.
I thought about you. You don't know me here in America and the life I live or why I took interest in you. Yet, you suddenly know of my existence. I think you know that I care about you personally very much and love you, even if you don't know why. Likewise, I hope you're experiencing hope, joy, and a sense of security and support since coming into the My Rafiki Around The World family.
What you're living in and experiencing with us is real, but it's also an example of what it's like to be in relationship with God the Father through Jesus his Son. God has demonstrated His love for you. This is how God's love works! We go through our lives unaware that God in Heaven is looking for us to have a relationship with us and has already shown His love to us. This God sacrificed His beloved Son, Jesus, to have a relationship with you! (Don't worry, Jesus is alive and agreed to be a part of this plan because he wanted to pay off the debt sin caused that was keeping us from friendship with God). This God can be trusted. You can safely love a God like this.
I just wanted you to know about this friendship and love that unites us and reaches out to you. I will tell you more about me and about this relationship you can have with God the Father, in future letters. I encourage you to ask Auntie Emma or myself any question you want. We're here for you and you don't have to wait for letters or videos to learn more.
Love you very much.
Yours truly, Auntie Jayne
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