To the Editor:

Are you tired of trying to find that perfect gift for someone?

Maybe you have looked on the Internet, or books, or you have even been at sale after sale.

I have the perfect suggestion for everyone. You do not have to go shopping for it, you do not even have to leave the privacy of your own home. This gift has been here for thousands of years. There is only one way you can have this gift, and it is priceless.

Are you interested? Once you receive this gift you will want others to have it. So, let’s start by asking: “Just what is Christmas all about to you?”

Christmas is not about Santa Claus; it is not about going in debt with your credit cards, or driving yourself nuts over the perfect gift. So, what exactly is it about?

Let’s start at the beginning. Thousands of years ago, a young 15-year-old girl was told she was favored by God, and she would carry a son and he would be the son of God.

This young girl that gave birth to a child was no ordinary child; He is the son of God. He was born to save you and me from this sinful world. He gave his life so that you and I could live eternally with Him.

The true words of His birth can be found in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-20. He was not created by a human father and mother, but by God himself. All of this was done out of love, and it was the only way that you and I could be saved. We are all sinners, but we can all be saved by grace. Grace is something that we do not deserve from God. It is a free, unmerited favor, and love which is completely undeserved.

You see, God is the author of grace, a divine favor that only He can give us. Our Heavenly Father will one day come back for his people, and no one knows the day, or the hour he will come, but he does tell us to be ready.

So, you see, the gift that you can have is priceless, and I promise you that you will never have to stand in a line to return it, and it will never be on back order.

All you have to do is ask God to come into your life, and say the sinner’s prayer, and believe it completely with all of your heart.

There are no magical words that will save you, only faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection that can save us.

Just say: “God, I know that I am a sinner, I know that I deserve to pay for my sins. I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my savior. I believe that you died on the cross for me, and rose again. I trust in Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior.”

Jesus says “come as you are.” So, if you think that finding the perfect gift is hard to do, think again, and get the gift of life.

Deborah Britt Estienne

Suffolk