Filling Our Rooms

by

“She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.” Luke 2:7 NLT

The very entry of the Son of God into this world was a moment of unwelcomed displacement because there was “no lodging available for them.” In fact, this little family was on the road in flight to Egypt when Jesus was still very young.

Jesus was also born into an environment of hostility, darkness, and danger. As we softly sing, “Silent night, holy night; all is calm, all is bright” in this season, we also remember that in sending His Son into this dark, evil, and broken world, God the Father was declaring an act of war on Satan, his demons, and all the evil in this life. Light broke into darkness!

More so than just an unavailable room for lodging, the very forces of darkness and evil recoiled at His birth. He was far from welcome in this territory of their current dominion.

They had reason to fear, for Jesus’ birth swung open the door for all who would receive this gift to be welcomed into the family of God. This is the astonishing “good news that will bring great joy to all people.” Luke 2:10b

Years ago, one of our Cadence founders, Dotty Hash, wrote the book Fill These Rooms. In it she described her and her husband Tom’s prayers for God to bring military people into their home, one of the first OCSC Hospitality Houses, so they could share this good news. God answered their prayers then, and He has been bringing military people into Cadence homes ever since.

One of those places, the Kaiserslautern Hospitality House in Germany will celebrate 50 years of ministry in 2022. Fifty years of military people and their families filling those rooms and being transformed by Jesus!

Cadence has rented the same German home for all these years (see photo). Now God is opening the door for us to purchase this house and secure these rooms for ministry for many more years to come! After so many years of hospitality, the house now needs significant upgrades, improvements, expansion, and general TLC.

Would you like to be a part of this ministry by contributing an extra gift this year toward the K-Town House Renovation fund? If so, go to Cadence.org/KTown. Thank you for considering partnering with Cadence in this new season of ministry in this home.

Friends, as we celebrate the arrival of our Savior and as we share this good news of great joy, may your rooms, our rooms, Cadence hospitality house rooms, and the rooms of our hearts be filled with people who will be loved, welcomed, and enjoyed.

Not all welcomed Jesus upon His arrival, but by His life, death, and resurrection He’s provided the opportunity for all to encounter Him in life-changing redemption and community.

Thank you for being a significant part of filling Cadence rooms with military people.​

David Schroeder
President