The Money

As we start out the New Week in this 3rd week of December let's take head to these words of wisdom Read: Matthew 6:24–34 Bible in a Year: Hosea 9–11; Revelation 3 You cannot serve both God and money.—Matthew 6:24 Early in my career while doing work that I saw as more of a mission than a job, another company offered me a position that would give a significant increase in pay. Our family could surely have benefited financially from such a move. There was one problem. I hadn’t been looking for another job because I loved my current role, which was growing into a calling. But the money . . . I called my father, then in his seventies, and explained the situation. Though his once-sharp mind had been slowed by strokes and the strain of years, his answer was crisp and clear: “Don’t even think about the money. What would you do?” In an instant, my mind was made up. The money would have been my only reason for leaving the job I loved! Thanks, Dad. Jesus devoted a substantial section of His Sermon on the Mount to money and our fondness for it. He taught us to pray not for an accumulation of riches but for “our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11). He warned against storing up treasures on earth and pointed to the birds and flowers as evidence that God cares deeply about His creation (vv. 19-31). “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,” Jesus said, “and all these things will be given to you as well” (v. 33). Money matters. But money shouldn’t rule our decision-making process. Tough times and big decisions are opportunities to grow our faith in new ways. Our heavenly Father cares for us. —Tim Gustafson Never confuse temptation with opportunity. INSIGHT: One of the most remarkable aspects of today’s reading is the harmony our Lord maintains between a heavenly perspective and the practical issues of daily life. He uses examples in nature to show how our heavenly Father tenderly cares for animal and plant life. Since we are of far more value than they are, Christ counsels us to trust Him to care for us one day at a time (v. 34). Dennis Fisher

The Gift of Encouragement

It's the end of the week it's FRIDAY! here are some words of wisdom to help us reflect on the fullness of Gods goodness Read: Acts 4:32–37; 9:26–27 Bible in a Year: Daniel 11–12; Jude Joseph . . . whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.—Acts 4:36–37 An old Merle Haggard song, “If We Make It Through December,” tells the story of a man laid off from his factory job with no money to buy Christmas gifts for his little girl. Although December is supposed to be a happy time of year, his life seems dark and cold. Discouragement is not unique to December, but it can be amplified then. Our expectations may be higher, our sadness deeper. A little encouragement can go a long way. Joseph, a man from Cyprus, was among the early followers of Jesus. The apostles called him Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.” We meet him in Acts 4:36-37 when he sold a piece of property and donated the money to help other believers in need. Later, we read that the disciples were afraid of Saul (Acts 9:26). “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles” (v. 27). Saul, later called Paul, had formerly been trying to kill the believers, but Barnabas defended him as a man transformed by Christ. All around us are people longing to be encouraged. A timely word, a phone call, or a prayer can bolster their faith in Jesus. The generosity and support of Barnabas demonstrate what it means to be a son or daughter of encouragement. That may be the greatest gift we can give to others this Christmas. —David McCasland Thank You, Lord, for the gift of encouragement. May we encourage others as they have encouraged us. Encouragement may be the greatest gift we give this Christmas. INSIGHT: When Saul of Tarsus met the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, he was transformed into an apostle of Christ. Needless to say, the Christian community was fearful and skeptical about Paul’s apparent change of spiritual loyalties. It is in this context that Barnabas provided a wonderful service of bridge-building. Barnabas was central to Paul’s acceptance by supporting Paul’s conversion story and accepting him as a brother in Christ. Here we see Barnabas showing a spirit of generosity and encouragement. How can you plan to be a blessing to others through an intentional act of encouragement? Dennis Fisher

Christmas Lights

So here we are in the 12 month of the New Year starting the New Week off with these words of wisdom Read: John 8:12–20 Bible in a Year: Daniel 1–2; 1 John 4 I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.—John 8:12 Each year for several weeks around Christmas, Singapore’s tourist belt, Orchard Road, is transformed into a wonderland of lights and colors. This light-up is designed to attract tourists to spend their money at the many stores along the street during this “golden month of business.” Shoppers come to enjoy the festivities, listen to choirs sing familiar Christmas carols, and watch performers entertain. The first Christmas “light-up” ever was not created by electrical cables, glitter, and neon lights but by “the glory of the Lord [that] shone around” (Luke 2:9). No tourists saw it, just a few simple shepherds out in their field. And it was followed by an unexpected rendition of “Glory to God in the Highest” by an angelic choir (v. 14). The shepherds went to Bethlehem to see if what the angels said was true (v. 15). After they had confirmed it, they could not keep to themselves what they had heard and seen. “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child” (v. 17). Many of us have heard the Christmas story often. This Christmas, why not share the good news with others that Christ—“the light of the world”—has come (John 8:12). —C. P. Hia Lord, help me this Christmas to reflect the light of Your presence and goodness to others. Read more of the Christmas story in God of the Stable at discoveryseries.org/hp145. The gift of God’s love in us can bring light to any darkness. INSIGHT: The gospel records fall into two categories: the Synoptic gospels and the gospel of John. The “Synoptics” (which means “with a common view”) are Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Although they offer varying details to help them tell the story of Jesus in a unique way, they still have a common perspective because they often tell the same stories. John’s gospel is very distinct from the synoptics, with 92 percent unique material. One distinctive of John’s gospel is the emphasis on the themes of light and truth. John expresses the reality that Jesus is the embodiment of truth and light. Bill Crowder

Make IBDvisible for Crohn's & Colitis Awareness Week

Here is our CCFA Last Newsletter for December 2016 issue as we are Celebrating Crohn's & Colitis Awareness Week. Letter from our President & CEO It's difficult to adequately describe how debilitating Crohn's and colitis can be. The symptoms and complications that patients experience are, for the most part, invisible to the average eye. On their exterior, patients often don't look sick, even though on the inside they're suffering. That's why people refer to Crohn's and colitis as invisible illnesses. Today marks the start of the fifth Crohn's & Colitis Awareness Week. Over the next seven days, we will be sharing resources, stories, images and more to help make IBDvisible. Each day will focus on a specific topic—such as pain, fatigue, complications and mental health—in an effort to make visible the reality of living with IBD. There are a variety of ways that you can get involved to help make IBDvisible. Visit our website to see all of the different options, and read about a few of the opportunities below. Sincerely, Michael Osso President & CEO Larry Nance, Jr.'s Story It's hard to imagine there was ever a time when Los Angeles Lakers power forward Larry Nance, Jr. didn't play sports. However, in the years before he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, Nance suffered from debilitating fatigue, which prevented him from doing anything—including practicing or playing sports. Read Nance's inspiring story about how he coped with the fatigue, and how he has blossomed as an NBA rookie in spite of this debilitating symptom. READ MORE ► Make the Call Today! We are dedicating TODAY, the first day of Crohn's & Colitis Awareness Week, to IBD advocacy. You can be an advocate by participating in our National Call-In Day. Take a few minutes to call your legislators, share your IBD story with them, and encourage them to join the Congressional Crohn's & Colitis Caucus. LEARN MORE ► Let's Chat about IBD We're hosting several social media chats during Crohn's & Colitis Awareness Week about different IBD topics — we hope you can join us for one! Twitter chat with Mike McCready, Pearl Jam's lead guitarist and Crohn's patient, TODAY from 5-6 p.m. EST. Tweet your questions using #IBDvisible. Facebook Live video chat about IBD and advocacy TONIGHT (December 1) from 8-9 p.m. EST Twitter Chat about mental health and IBD on December 5 from 8-9 p.m. EST. Tweet your questions using #IBDvisible. Twitter chat with Olympic gold medalist Kathleen Baker on December 7 from 2-3 p.m. EST. Tweet your questions using #IBDvisible. JOIN THE CHAT ► Join the Holiday Gift Match Your tax-deductible donation will be matched, up to $500K—and have 2X the impact on fighting IBD. Want a Quick, Easy Way to be #IBDvisible? Add our Twibbon to your social media profile picture in honor of Crohn's & Colitis Awareness Week! All it takes is a few minutes, and a couple of clicks, to support our campaign. LEARN MORE ► Join Our Thunderclap Another easy way to spread the #IBDvisible message this week is through Thunderclap. Simply "donate" a Facebook message, tweet, or Tumblr post—and on December 7, all of the messages will be sent out at the same time, creating a social media "flash mob." Sign up here! LEARN MORE ► Share Your Story We want to hear about your relationship with IBD and how you're being #IBDvisible during Crohn's & Colitis Awareness Week. Tell us your story—and you might see it featured on our website in the future! LEARN MORE ► Walk to Win! Take Steps is giving away an Apple Watch or Samsung smartwatch to one lucky Take Steps participant. Register for your local walk and donate $50 by the end of Awareness Week to be entered to win. Get all the details at www.cctakesteps.org/smartwatch. LEARN MORE ► Have You Seen Our Updated Advocacy Site? Check out our updates to CCFA's advocacy website, including new action alerts for 2017 and more information to help you communicate with your legislators. LEARN MORE ► December Webinar On Wednesday, December 14 at 8 p.m. EST, we'll discuss the latest advancements in IBD with gastroenterologists Dr. Eugene Yen from NorthShore University Health System and Dr. Robert McCabe from the University of Minnesota. Sign up today! SIGN UP TODAY ► CCFA provides a comprehensive database of studies, clinical trials, and other research opportunities on Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Here are a few of the recently added studies: A Phase 3 Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Vedolizumab Subcutaneous as Maintenance Therapy in Patients With Moderately to Severely Active Crohn's Disease Who Achieved Clinical Response Following Open-Label Vedolizumab Intravenous Therapy An Open-Label, Multicenter, Postmarketing, Milk-Only Lactation Study to Assess Concentration of Vedolizumab in Breast Milk of Lactating Women With Active Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's Disease Who Are Receiving Vedolizumab Therapeutically Deciding whether to participate in a clinical trial is an important personal decision, best made with a full understanding of the drug development process and a participant's role. 7​33 Th​ird Av​en​ue, Sui​te 51​0, Ne​w Y​ork,​ N​Y 10​01​7 www.ccfa.org | 8​00-​93​2-​2​423

Quiet Conversations

So here we are in the 12 month of the New BOY! How time has flown we are ALL getting ready to head into a whole New Year but before we do let's take a moment to reflect on these words of wisdom in this 12 month of the New Year which is December Read: Psalm 116:5–9 Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 42–44; 1 John 1 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.—Psalm 103:2 Do you ever talk to yourself? Sometimes when I’m working on a project—usually under the hood of a car—I find it helpful to think aloud, working through my options on the best way to make the repair. If someone catches me in my “conversation” it can be a little embarrassing—even though talking to ourselves is something most of us do every day. The psalmists often talked to themselves in the Psalms. The author of Psalm 116 is no exception. In verse 7 he writes, “Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” Reminding himself of God’s kindness and faithfulness in the past is a practical comfort and help to him in the present. We see “conversations” like this frequently in the Psalms. In Psalm 103:1 David tells himself, “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.” And in Psalm 62:5 he affirms, “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.” It’s good to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness and the hope we have in Him. We can follow the example of the psalmist and spend some time naming the many ways God has been good to us. As we do, we’ll be encouraged. The same God who has been faithful in the past will continue His love for us in the future. —James Banks Dear Lord, please help me to stay in touch with Your heart today by reminding myself of Your faithfulness and love. Reminding ourselves about God’s goodness can keep us filled with His peace. INSIGHT: From this marvelous passage of Scripture, we can see the truth that bringing the God of the Bible into our daily experience alters our perspective. His grace and truth is available in our ever-changing circumstances. Even in our most difficult life circumstances, He is present and available to deliver us. Although our heart may endure trauma, it can still find a place to rest through looking at the past faithfulness of God. Fear of death, emotional anguish, and the struggle for daily direction all find their remedy in the faithful care of the living God who made us. Life for God’s children should be spelled with a capital L since He energizes, directs, and protects us. Dennis Fisher

NBA Power Forward Larry Nance, Jr.'s Story

Here is NBA Los Angeles Lakers Power Forward Larry Nance Jr. story of dealing with IBD in the NBA. Larry Nance, Jr. is a force on the basketball court – as a power forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, he had an impressive rookie year in 2015, playing in 63 games and averaging 5.5 points per game. Now, following a wrist injury, Nance is ready and raring to go for the 2016 NBA season. Standing at 6 feet 9 inches tall and 230 pounds, it’s hard to imagine Nance as anything but the impressive athlete that he is today. But there was a point, not too many years ago, when Nance could barely get out of bed, let alone play basketball. Nance was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when he was 16 years old. However, for several years before he received an official diagnosis, he suffered from symptoms of the disease – painful cramping, weight loss, fatigue, and stunted growth - with fatigue being the most debilitating. The extreme tiredness, a common symptom experienced by patients living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, impacted his life majorly. “I didn’t deal with [the fatigue] well. I laid around the house all day, I had no energy [to do anything],” he said. “I slept in class and I wasn’t that kind of kid… I didn’t have the energy to practice or play [any sports].” After several years exhibiting symptoms, his parents realized that something was seriously wrong and took him to see the doctor. After performing a few diagnostic tests, Nance was diagnosed with Crohn’s. Based on his doctor's recommendation, Nance began a treatment regimen of infliximab (Remicade) and methotrexate, both of which he is still on today. He said the difference in how he was feeling was night and day after beginning the medications. “Once we got [my disease] under control, I blossomed and started on the path that I’m on now [as a pro-athlete],” he said. Nance grew nine inches from the time of diagnosis to today, and has gained nearly 100 pounds. But most importantly, his fatigue became almost non-existent. “I’ll experience it very randomly but as long as I stay on track with my medications, it’s managed,” he said. And when the fatigue does reappear, he tries to log as many naps as possible. “Any time I can pick up a little sleep, I try,” he said. “If I don’t get it, my symptoms start to show up again.” Now, instead of being consumed by fatigue, Nance is focused on the start of his second year in the NBA and helping other IBD patients. He often interacts with pediatric patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center when he receives his infliximab infusions. His advice to others experiencing debilitating fatigue and other crippling IBD symptoms? “Find what works for you and stick by it,” Nance said. “[IBD] is very personal. You need to make your illness work around you. You still control yourself, don’t let Crohn’s define you.”

Beautiful

As we are wrapping up this Thanksgiving weekend lets take a moment to be Grateful but to also reflect on ALL that GOD has done in our lives, as we start this New Week out before we head into the 12 month of the New Year lets take a moment to think on these words of wisdom.Read: Luke 7:36–50 Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 33–34; 1 Peter 5 She has done a beautiful thing to me.—Mark 14:6 Picture two teenage girls. The first girl is strong and healthy. The other girl has never known the freedom of getting around on her own. From her wheelchair she faces not only the emotional challenges common to life, but also a stream of physical pains and struggles. But both girls are smiling cheerfully as they enjoy each other’s company. Two beautiful teenagers—each seeing in the other the treasure of friendship. Jesus devoted much of His time and attention to people like the girl in the wheelchair. People with lifelong disabilities or physical deformities as well as those who were looked down on by others for various reasons. In fact, Jesus let one of “those people” anoint Him with oil, to the disdain of the religious leaders (Luke 7:39). On another occasion, when a woman demonstrated her love with a similar act, Jesus told her critics, “Leave her alone . . . . She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Mark 14:6). God values everyone equally; there are no distinctions in His eyes. In reality, we are all in desperate need of Christ’s love and forgiveness. His love compelled Him to die on the cross for us. May we see each person as Jesus did: made in God’s image and worthy of His love. Let’s treat everyone we meet with Christlike equality and learn to see beauty as He does. —Dave Branon Dear Lord, help me to see people as You see them—not important because of what they can do or how they look, but because they are made in God’s image and You loved them enough to die for them. Everyone we meet bears the image of God.