Friends, this is the season of Holy Days, gatherings, and gifts.

Still for many of us, our hearts are heavy.

There's turmoil and tightening economic conditions abroad and at home.

For many of us this year, there's distress and grief.

We long for abundance and peace,

yet so often it seems our lives are ruled by scarcity and loss.

As God's people, it's good we remember that we are not defined by what we achieve nor by what we lack.

Rather, we are defined by God's achievements through Jesus for us and for all the world.

Despite the storms of this life, we are a people whose lives break forth in Thanksgiving.

For even now, despite all that we face, God's riches in Christ fill us to the full and beyond.

As King David wrote in Psalm 23, my cup overflows.

This year, 1517 has been richly blessed.

With your generous support and encouragement, we published 13 new books, including everything

from daily devotionals to New Testament commentaries and Christian

fiction, as well as more than 400 original articles on theology and scripture from over 50 different contributors.

Together with our podcast network, which doubled in listenership and had over 5 million

downloads, 1517 reached hundreds of thousands of people with the good news of Christ and his completed

work of salvation.

We are so grateful for you and the many people like you who give regularly and generously to support

this work.

We don't take any of this for granted.

And so here at years end, despite the happenings of this world,

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