Already we are several weeks into this New Year, 1971. The challenges and tasks ahead are many but we are thankful for life and youth to avail ourselves of these opportunities in service and worship t our God. The following prayer is appropriate for us all as we go together into this year. “Teach us, good Lord, to serve Thee as Thou deservest; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to ask for rest; to labour and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do Thy will. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
From Hudsonville, Michigan:
The following young people have made confession of their faith: John Bouma, Mrs. Sue Haveman, George Postmus, Linda Holstege, Al Holstege, Bonnie Holstege, Jerry Lubbers, Terry Kamminga, Rachel Lubbers, Doug Miedema, Gary Bykerk, and Vern Haveman. “Whosoever shall confess me before,men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.”
Miss Mary Lynn Bodbyl and Mrs. George Postmus were united in marriage.
From Hope in Walker, Michigan:
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Kamps rejoice in the birth of a son.
From Hull, Iowa:
Mrs. And Mrs. Henry J. Hoksbergen rejoice in the birth of a daughter.
Because of the extreme shortage of news this month there is room here for a few quotations from which we all might profit. “The more you try to keep of yourself, the less there is to keep. The more you give yourself away, the more there is to give. To live the abundant life you must die to yourself, be alive to Christ, and share with others. If we live in this way we are born to eternal life.”
“God is love; he who dwells in love is dwelling in God, and God in him…There is no room for fear in love; perfect love banishes fear. For fear brings with it the pains of judgment, and anyone who is afraid has not attained to love in its perfection. We love because he loved us first.”

Originally Published in:
Vol. 30 No. 9 January 1970