Dear Nieces & Nephews,

Whether you’re of the 81 who call me aunt from my family line, or you have a parent who is (or will be) my brother or sister in Christ, you are mine. You are big in my heart. Always, but especially this week.

We love our friend Rubi. She stayed up all night during camp making our infomercials videos into full-blown "Camp Fire Productions." She was in God’s presence WITH us during our revival services, playing the keyboard and singing a beautiful harmony. Now she’s fully in God’s presence WITHOUT us. Too soon. How could this have happened?

We are walking in the valley of the shadow of death this week. We can't seem to think about anything else. All I can think about is what Jenn and Adrian are going through.

Emmanuel, please meet them in their unfathomable pain. Show them you are with them. Your name means God With Us. Be Emmanuel to them today. And to Mrs. West's family. And to Eliana's as they reach out to you for her brother's healing. And all the others too.

How do we celebrate Christmas in this dark valley? Festivities are suddenly so empty. Everything is empty.

Except Emmanuel. That moment in history when the horrible things separating us from God were obliterated. No matter how much sin and tragedy and pain and fear we are tangled up in, EMMANUEL. If THAT'S Christmas, maybe we can celebrate it after all.

If you went to Camp Fire in August, you know what it feels like when Emmanuel breaks through into our consciousness. You felt his love. You experienced his healing. You saw angels and demons. You know that even though demons are all around us, they are outnumbered created beings that have no power over us in Christ unless they can trick us into believing their lies. You know we don’t need to be afraid if we don't listen to their voices.

Not be afraid when someone we love, who listened to this teaching with us three months ago, just got killed?

This is where the rubber meets the road. Do we REALLY believe what God says? Because this is what He says:

“Even through I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” (Psalm 23:4).

EMMANUEL, break through into our hearts. Where our own faith is weak, pour yours into us as a gift.

This summer my heart was heavy because some of my loved ones were making choices that were hurting people. I didn’t know how to respond anymore. I didn’t know how to pray anymore. I didn’t know what to think anymore. Then early one morning as my mind climbed from sleep into consciousness, these words fell deep into my heart:

“They’re listening to the wrong voices.”

I knew it was God speaking. NOW I knew how to pray. NOW I knew how to think. NOW I knew how to respond.

Let the voice of Truth ring louder and clearer than the voice of the enemy.

The voice of Truth brings life. This was worth all my effort, and I decided I'd spend my life on it.

Remember talking at camp about life and death being in the power of our tongues? We have the opportunity to speak life so clearly that it fills the atmosphere and drowns the voice of death. We can encourage the people around us. We can pray and prophesy life by asking the Holy Spirit to speak through us ... scripture, and also really specific things from his heart straight into specific people and situations.

BUT WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHAT WE FILL OUR MINDS WITH. Because out of the overflow of our hearts, our mouths will speak (Luke 6:45). And our hearts will overflow what we've filled our minds with (Romans 12:2).

Remember the dinner plate “TNR PLAEP”? This is what Philippians 4:8 reminds us to fill our minds with. Whatever is:

• True
• Noble
• Right
• Pure
• Lovely
• Excellent
• Praiseworthy

Let’s fix our gaze on the beautiful things Rubi brought into our lives, her beautiful music and her artwork. Her love of animals. Her willingness to stay out of the limelight and bless us. Let's think about heaven, and what it must be like. Let's think about the ways God may want to use us to bring Truth and Life. Let's watch for the open doors.

The temptation will be, as we muddle our way through the fog of our pain and grief, to fixate on the ugly details. The manifesto. The mistakes parents may have made. Whose fault it was. Who should have been where or done what and how differently things could have turned out. Whether schools should have metal detectors. And so on. Meanwhile, the devil is prancing about, acting like he’s an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) while he flings accusations in all directions, getting people mad at each other and even themselves. This is his military strategy. And if we fall into his trap with our tongues, we're killers too.

Can we unite and turn his own strategy against him? Are we strong enough to reject lies, fear, finger-pointing and blame, and pit those lying demons against each other so THEY self-destruct instead of US?

YES!

Yes, we can and yes, we are.

The more of my loved ones that have died, the thinner the veil between heaven and earth seems in my mind. Sometimes I can almost see to the other side. Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of Thaddeus’ biological mom’s death too. The middle name she chose for him is Emmanuel. This prophetic act has a powerful rippling effect that I believe will impact generations.

I think Rubi is playing keyboard and singing harmony in heaven. I think she's drawing family caricatures and making our life movies more fun to watch. Only now she's doing it more fully in God's presence, and it makes me almost feel like I'm there myself. I kind of am, actually, because ...

EMMANUEL.

This is Rubi's legacy, or at least one of them. May it ripple through the generations.

I love you all so very much,

Aunt Michelle