by Carolyn Knarr, MSW, LCSW, Director of Children’s Therapeutic Services That first Christmas night God knelt down and placed his newborn son in a small barn with no heat, no electric lights, and no red carpet welcome, just mice, straw, the chill of the night and the stench of animals. That is how much He loved us. That is the message of Christmas. Fast forward over two thousand years. We stand as Ghosts of Christmas Future in the living room of an American home. Halloween is barely over. The glossy ads from Best Buy are strewn over the coffee table with a Dell computer, iPhone, and the newest Apple iPad…

by Carolyn Knarr, MSW, LCSW, Director of Children’s Therapeutic Services From Genesis to Revelation, God reveals that He is relational. Because of his love for his people, he does whatever it takes to protect relationship with them, to the point of sending His only son to the cross. He understands their weaknesses and temptations. He seeks them out when they turn away from him. This relational aspect of the Gospel is a primary difference between Christianity and other religions. Christ responded to those he taught by caring, touching, healing, engaging. He not only had a significant effect on those he came into contact with. He was affected by them as…