12/17/25, 6:00 PM

Joy is not sustained by ease. It is sustained by presence.

In Philippians 2, Paul invites the church into a joy rooted in shared life: “Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” (Philippians 2:2) This joy flows from a profound truth we return to again and again: Emmanuel—God with us. Not distant from hardship, but present within it.

Recently, CareNetworkCR received a call from a single mother of young children, walking through significant financial and relational hardship. She shared urgent needs—stable housing, livable employment, and security for her family. And yet, what anchored her most was not certainty—it was communion. She spoke of her desire to remain close to Jesus and to trust His body—the church—to walk with her day by day, moment by moment. Her faith and joy was quiet but steady, rooted in the assurance that God was with her, and that His people were not walking away. Because of faithful donors and supporters like you, we were able to walk with her—listening carefully, praying together, and discerning next steps for housing and employment alongside her.

Communion reminds us that we belong—to Christ and to one another. At the table, joy is strengthened because relationships are restored. We are reminded that Christ gave Himself for us and that we are bound together as His body. Communion is also a heavenly reflection—a foretaste of the restoration God promises. In the midst of uncertainty, it points us toward a future where all things are made whole. As C.S. Lewis reminds us: “Joy is the serious business of Heaven.” When we give, we participate in that joy—not as saviors, but as fellow image-bearers, united in Christ.

At CareNetworkCR, your generosity does more than meet physical needs. It creates space for presence, prayer, and relationship. This approach reflects the wisdom of the Chalmers Center: “We must stop doing things to people and for people, and instead learn how to work with people.” Because of you, help is not rushed or transactional. It is relational. It mirrors Emmanuel—God who comes near.

C.S. Lewis once wrote: “I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I am helpless. It doesn’t change God—it changes me.” Prayer, communion, and generosity all shape us in the same way. They draw us into dependence on God and deeper connection with one another. They remind us that joy is not found in control, but in trust.

Thank you for being part of the table.

This mother’s story is still unfolding. Housing, employment - building a business for sustainable income, and stability are still being pursued. But joy is already present—because Emmanuel is present, and because you have chosen to walk alongside her.

Your generosity is an extension of the table, a reflection of heaven touching earth and a living testimony that God is with us.

Rejoice. Emmanuel is with us. And thank you for being part of this sacred work.

Photo: watercolor from local Cedar Rapids Christian Artist, Lynn Winkel