Inter-Europen Division Women's Ministries Year-End Greetings

As the year comes to its close we would like to share a message of encouragement from the pen of Dagmar Dorn, EUD WM Director:
Do not be afraid! This is a sentence we find so often in the Bible. It’s an encouraging and reassuring appeal. In the Christmas story, we hear it three times. The individuals in the story experience challenging situations they never thought of, and weren’t sure if they could handle them.
There is Zacharias, whose lifelong desire was fulfilled in his old age, at a time when he never expected.
There is Mary, who was entrusted with the greatest task of her life, raising the Son of God.
There is Joseph, who stayed faithful to Mary against all odds and became the foster father of Jesus.
There are the shepherds in the fields who were marginalized in society. All of these persons had encounters with an angel and were called to stay calm! "Do not be afraid, Fear not!
And there was so much that they could have been afraid of.
That was their situation and it is still the same.
The times we are living in are so uncertain and so fragile.
We have fears and anxieties and challenges.
But Jesus delivers this message to us, just as he did 2000 years ago: Fear not!
Cling to that promise! Take it with you into the new year. “Do not be afraid! Fear not!” God is with you. He has promised to be with you!
And then we can sing and shout as Mary did in her song reported by Luke: I am bursting with God – News I am dancing the song of my Savior God.
May God bless you in this season and in 2023!