Page 4 - Moravian Messenger - January 2022

A New Year Letter Dear friend I'm taking pen and and paper (which I I I rarely do nowadays) and and writing to you you I I I I will type it it it up later I I I wonder wonder how you you you are are doing? I I wonder wonder if if you you you you are sitting comfortably on on your sofa or or if if you you you are are surrounded by the the snow-capped mountains of the the the Himalayas or or are you anywhere else in in the the world?
As the new year is just about to to begin I thought thought it's good to to share some some thoughts with you You know sometimes I ask myself: What is is going going on on in in in in in life? life? And And what is is going going on on in in in in in your life? life? And And in in in in in the the lives of other friends and and neighbours known known and unknown Today when speaking to some other friends I've asked them 'How is life for for you? What What are your your aspirations for for the the new new year? year? What What would be your your message to people for the new new year?'
One One said 'This morning I've met a a a a a a young lady who has has two children One One has has a a a a a a a a brain tumour and and the the the the other one is is disabled The The husband - - the the the the the the father of the the the the the the children - - left them They They live with her her her her brother but they can't stay there They They simply don't know what to do do ' ' ' ' And she added 'I felt so helpless and and I I I learnt anew to appreciate what I I I I have and and the way I live ' Soon after this conversation my my mobile rang and my my daughter Tamara was at at the the the other end After talking about a a a a a a a a a a a a a few things I I asked her her the the the same questions and she replied 'Each time I I I I think about life I I I I am so so grateful I I I I may not be rich but my health is reasonably good I I I I have family and and friends and and I I am am just grateful for life ' And then I talked to to another friend who said 'My message to to people for the the the new year would be: Be happy be be kind and help others We don't know what other other people go through so be kind anyway Look after yourself and your your loved ones Support those who are in need ' My dear friend when you you have some time please let me me me know what your thoughts are are How is life going for you? Are you you you you under pressure right now or or are are you you you you you relaxed? Maybe you you you you you have problems with with your your health in your your family or or at work? Or maybe you you you you you are just content with with whatever life throws at at you? Are your thoughts dark or or light or or mixed?
You see I I I have many questions I I I would like you to know that I I I am thinking about you you you and and I pray that you you you may get the strength energy and and wisdom you you you you need in in order to live your life in in the best possible way I don't know know how much you you know know about German German politics But you you may have heard that Germany has a a a a a a a a a a new government The outgoing chancellor Angela Merkel urged people in in her farewell speech to 'always see the the the world through the the the eyes of others too' and to to work 'with joy in your hearts' I too would like to to to encourage you you to to to keep this joy deep in in your your heart - whenever possible even when when you you you you find yourself in in in in a a a a a 'black hole' I can hear you you you saying to to read read The more more he he he he read read the more more peace and joy came back into his heart One night Martin thought he he he he he heard the voice of God telling him him that he he he he he would visit him him the next day The next morning Martin was sceptically looking out of his window hoping God would come But he he he only saw the the old Stepanitch shovelling away the the snow Martin invited him in in in in in for a a a a a a a a a a a warm drink and and they talked Stepanitch later left and and thanked Martin for for the the the food both for for the the the soul and body Later Martin noticed a a a a a a young woman outside with a a a a a a a a baby They shivered in in in in the the cold He invited them in in in and and gave some food and and warm clothes Then he he he he saw a a a a a a a a a young boy stealing from an an an older lady He went outside and settled their argument That night while Martin wondered why God had not visited him the three figures appeared in in in in in his dream and he he he he realised that by inviting them he he he he he invited God in in in in in in And the the the joy and the the the peace remained permanently in his heart Dear friend I wish you the same peace and and joy joy in particular when life is is is tough But this peace and and joy joy can only take root if it is is is shared It is is is for everyone Recently Pope Francis visited Cyprus He spoke to several hundred refugees After he he he had finished his his prepared speech he he he put his his manuscript aside and spoke freely 'We all see what is is is happening And the the worst is is that we get used to other people's suffering 'Ah' people people people say 'today a a a a a a a a a boat capsized Many people people people are missing ' ' ' The fact that we get used to to this is is is like a a a horrible illness ' ' My friend do do you think we can do do something together in in in order to to share peace and joy with as as many people as as possible?
Happy New Year to you you you you May God bless you you you you and and and you you you you and and and you you you you all of us us and and and the the the whole earth earth because 'the earth earth is the the the Lord's and everything in in it ' ' ' (Psalm 24:1) With love Joachim
https://www tagesschau de/ausland/pa pst-migration-appell-fluechtlinge- 101 html
Br Joachim
Kreusel
Minister of Leicester and Ockbrook Moravian Churches
'How can I I do this? Is this this at all possible?'
I wonder if a a a a a story from the Russian poet Fyodor Dostoevski can give - - at least partly - - an an an answer to to these questions It is is is called 'Martin the the the Cobbler' or 'Where love is is is there God is is is also' When you have time please do read the whole story I will try to to summarise it here:
Martin the the cobbler was living and working in in in in in his basement Through the the the window he he he he he could only see the the the feet of people people But he he he he he recognised most people people by their shoes as he he he had had repaired so so many Martin's wife had had died and also their children In his grief he he denied God Somehow he he got hold of a a a a large-print bible and began
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