God's presence brings joy and peace!

Welcome back to Graceville, where God's love is everywhere. It's me, Pastor Anastasia. And I'm so excited that you've joined me today as we learn more about our best friend, Jesus. Today's special feature comes to us right here in the United States, where my friend, Andrew, has prepared a joyful song just for us. Let's listen in. Wow! That was great! I am Melanie with a special news from Graceville. Please join us at our Christmas concert. At 4 p.m., featuring boys and girls from all around the world. And I'm in it too. Be sure to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel to get a reminder. And if you want to be part of all the fun, we are here at Graceville. Please contact Pastor Anastasia. It's nature time! And our friend Ryan from Canada is back. Hey, boys and girls. It's Ryan from Nature Man at Graceville. And welcome again. Today, we have Jordan from the Bahamas. And he has something really interesting he wants to show us. Let's see what he has for us. Hi, my name is John, and today we're here to talk about my friend, the donkey. Donkeys are mentioned a lot in the Bible. In Bible times, donkeys were a symbol of industry, peace, and at times, wealth. Donkeys are fondly the horses. Donkeys are a good way of transportation. Mary was riding a donkey, looking to find an inn to give birth to baby Jesus. All the inns were full, so they had to give birth in a manger. Once donkeys feel comfortable with their owners, they will do almost anything within their limits. Another bonus, donkeys need minimal training. As a donkey, we need to trust Jesus the leader and always follow his task, no matter how hard or easy it may be. Hey, guys. Let's see what Nico is up to. I want to know how he's enjoying his holidays. Let's go! Can you believe it? I got the PS5 for Christmas! That's great! I know that's what you really wanted. Yeah, but it's the only thing I got. Oh, I see. It's nice to receive gifts, but that's not what the holiday season is all about. The greatest gift we could ever receive came in the form of a baby lying in a manger. Having Jesus in our lives is all we truly need. It is only he that can fill our hearts with true joy. Hey, that reminds me of our theme for today, which simply says, God's presence brings joy and peace. Let me hear my friend, Samaya, say it. God's presence brings joy and peace. Awesome! And our memory verse for today is found in Romans 15, verse 13. And it simply says, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. Let me hear my friends, Nathan, Nadia, and Naomi from Waldorf say it. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. Romans 15, verse 13. You did it! All this talk about presence reminds me of the wonderful gifts that Jesus received to celebrate his birth. Wait, what? Jesus got gifts too? Of course! That's why today's story is about three men who traveled from very far just to see baby Jesus. Can you guess what today's story is about? Oh yes, I know this one. It's those guys who brought gifts to baby Jesus, the three wise men. That's right, Easton! Today's story is about the three wise men! Jesus was born in Bethlehem, where the evil King Herod ruled. The night he was born, a beautiful star appeared in the sky, shining so brightly that the three wise men from the east noticed. It was the sign they had been waiting for. The Savior was born! So off they went to find baby Jesus. When they arrived in Jerusalem, they asked King Herod, Where is the King of the Jews? We saw his star in the sky and came to worship him. This made King Herod very angry because he wanted to be the only king. So he came up with an evil plan to kill baby Jesus. But it did not work. The wise men continued following the star until they found him. They were so happy our Savior was born that they even brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh for him. Peace and joy filled their hearts as they worshipped Jesus. Whoa! I wish I could give a gift to Jesus too! Actually, you can! Really? How? God doesn't need material things like PS5 or any other fancy toys. All he really wants is for us to give him our heart. When we invite him in, we'll discover that his presence brings joy and peace into our lives.