Day 200 - December 31 - Our letter to you

For those who asked - to mark the end of 2008, here's the text of our Christmas letter. It was enclosed with an 8x10 print of the above image...

Christmas 2008

Another year. Another Christmas. Another Christmas letter! This one will be a bit different than previous years because events have so intertwined our individual lives that it’s difficult to separate them all. So, here goes…

2008 is proving to be a difficult year to sum up. As most of you are aware, our family has been significantly shaken this year, to the point that I feel like I need to name it something significant – “The Year of Suffering”, perhaps, or “The Year of Pain”. I have even gone so far as to refer to it as the PG&E year, and I don’t mean “Pacific Gas & Electric”, but rather “Pain, Growth, and Exhaustion”. But I can’t do it. I despise “poor me” Christmas letters, and I don’t honestly think that our pain is all that significant in the big scheme of things, anyway.

Let me fill you in. Two big things happened in the life of the California Williamsons during 2008 that will forever alter who we are. The first happened on June 16th, when our 18-year-old son Connor ran into a lake in the Sierras to go swimming and came out a drowning victim with a broken neck. He remains largely paralyzed and unfeeling below his neck, and is dependent on a ventilator for his breathing. The good news is that after four months of ICU and rehab, he is back home and remains the indomitable, good-natured young man he always was. You can imagine the impact this has had on every aspect of our lives, but God has proven Himself gracious, faithful and merciful, and Connor is hopeful and courageous as he struggles to adjust to this (what we believe is temporary) situation. I don’t think I’ve ever been as proud of him as I am seeing him wrestle with this unthinkable change in his life. He handles himself with much more maturity than I can ever imagine myself doing.

My magnificent and gorgeous wife Cherié bears the brunt of this situation. Where once her days were filled with music and band rehearsals and gigs, she now devotes 24 hours a day caring for the boy. But she will be the first to tell you that she has grown closer to the Lord through this, and that she now has a greater appreciation for God than ever before. And that’s appropriate, because I see Him manifesting His love, patience, and grace through her every day. I cannot conceive how our family would remain intact if it weren’t for her steadfast love for each of us in the midst of trial and exhaustion, and I thank Him daily for such an amazing helpmate.

Now for the other significant event this year. Our daughter Joélle, now 20, took a semester off from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago this Fall in order to stay close to her Brother. This much-appreciated sacrifice not only pushed her graduation back six months, but also took her away from her long-time boyfriend, Alan. We are, however, pleased to announce that this October he surprised her with a ring, and we are looking forward to their wedding in June 2009! Alan is a good man, Connor loves him like a brother, and he makes a welcome addition to our family.

So, in the midst of suffering, hope. And that’s what I think 2008 needs to represent for our family, and for you as well. Christmas, despite all the “Peace on Earth” proclamations, is not only about Peace – it’s also about Hope. Hope that redemption has come. Hope that despite pain, hurt, and anguish, there is better ahead. I’ve learned more about faith and hope in the last six months than I ever knew, and I am confident in the future. In the words of the Psalmist, I believe that I shall see the goodness of God in the land of the living, and so we stand firm in that hope; our hearts take courage, and we wait on the Lord.

In this season, in whatever situation you find yourself, take hope. Trust in Jesus Christ - for your health, for your family, for your salvation. God is indescribably good. He loves you without question, and He will provide for you in every single situation you can imagine. So rejoice with us in this, The Year of Hope.

May God bless you as He does us,

The Williamsons
Eric, Cherié, Joélle & Connor

Thank you all for your words, your prayers, and your help. We love you all. May the Lord be gracious to you in the new year.

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