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Jesus Gift included: homemade raspberry jam, applesauce, peanut brittle, fresh fruit and a variety of good books and CD’s

One of my favorite Christmas memories while growing up I will never forget…it was the year we surprised a needy family with Christmas gifts. The joys of giving that Christmas stick vividly in my memory. I remember the excitement me and my siblings experienced while we picked out fun Christmas toys for the kids. I remember the enthusiastic response we received from our recipients as they opened the door to our surprise – a basket full of treasures. It was amazing! To this day I know this event had a serious impact on my life and was another seed planted in my heart with a passion for generosity.

This Christmas we had the joy of seeking out another such needy family to which we could provide a little Christmas joy this year. We don’t have much to give, but it is the gift of Christ’s love that makes each small gift a fragrant aroma before Him and to the recipient. The thought of ministering mercy – the thought of experiencing the true joys of taking part in being His hands and feet to a needy world – fills me with such wonder and awe! It’s not about us! It’s all about Him!

We heard of a needy family behind in their mortgage payments, experiencing multiple health issues amongst their children and the father suffering under severe shortage of work opportunities. We called them up, asked for a wish list of specific needs and desires, gathered a few other families alongside us to meet the needs. Just last night we brought our Christmas baskets of goodies to their home and joyfully praised the Savior together. It was heaven! After experiencing this I really felt like this is what it is all about! Just one more encouragement and motivation for me to continue striving to live on less in order that we might give more generously!

I share this not to boast in our giving, but rather to plant the seeds in your heart…to testify before you that it is indeed more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35)! How can we cut back on our living rather than our giving even in the midst of this economic downturn?

Each Christmas we have been purchasing a classic Christmas movie for our family, and what a blessing it was to me to find a wonderful copy of A Christmas Carol this year to add to our collection for a mere $5.99. We have seen most of the different editions of this movie, and we really enjoy this version for its almost perfect accuracy with the original book by Charles Dickens.

After viewing this film, I was greatly challenged afresh to see how easily mammon can become an idol in my own life as Scrooge experiences in this story. I fall into that hording tightwad mentality as a frugal mommy so easily, especially in the current state of our economy. I fail to realize that Christmas,  and all year round for that matter, presents many glorious opportunities to communicate how deeply Christ sacrificed for us in coming to dwell among us and that true joy and satisfaction that comes by sharing that love and giving my time and resources for the benefit of those far more needy then myself. How much more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35)! It seems such a backwards truth and yet it is so true and beautifully pictured in this movie.

While reading a wonderful Christmas story in Dr. James Dobson’s book, A Family Christmas (an excellent family collection of Christmas stories), I was struck by these words:

‘The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matt. 25:40)

“There is no higher privilege, no deeper joy, than to become Jesus Christ – if only for a moment – to someone who needs Him in a moment of trouble or deep distress. It’s more than just speaking or teaching about Him. It is actually stepping into His place, becoming His hands and feet. It is allowing Him to so fill your heart and empower your life that your touch becomes His touch…your voice becomes His voice…your compassion and mercy and tenderness becomes his, poured out to a hurting world.

“And when we do these things…when we feed the hungry, take in a stranger, clothe the naked, or visit the sick or the prisoner in His name and His power, something mysterious happens. The King tells us, ‘You did that for Me. You touched My life, in My need, and I will remember it for eternity.’

On a Christmas long ago, He came as a light into a hopeless world. Through our yielded, available lives, His love continues to push back the darkness.”

Did you know that 1 in 4 Christian Protestants does not give at all? Oh Lord, change our hearts! May we be Your hands and feet to a hurting world! What a glorious opportunity we have before us. How can I become Jesus to someone today?

For an excellent sermon on giving this Christmas and during this difficult economic time for many of us, please check out Mark Driscoll’s sermon titled Generous on 2 Cor. 8-9.

Sunday we hosted our annual Mission Sunday event at our church. Our mission team did an awesome job working together to put this on!

Aaron dressed up as a Sihk and I as a Turkish woman

We had a blast encouraging folks to come in international attire. We had a cultural cuisine as well for our shared meal following the church service and various international games for one and all.

My mom & dad are on the right in their Goth attire

I would consider it a success! This year we had a special focus on encouraging families to see the needs in their own communities. We invited a few local ministries to set up booths and share about their work. It is amazing how much is taking place around you when you just open your eyes to look! Mercy ministries is a passion of my heart…reaching out to meet felt needs of others and sharing the gospel through our actions!

Here are a few more fun pictures:

I want to extend an invitation for all of you to visit our new blog: Extending Our Reach, with a special focus on missions everyday and everwhere. Alongwith a team of individuals from our mission group, we are working together to blog to increase mission awareness. I recently wrote a post titled A Call to Mercy Ministry, which is my cry and something we can all do wherever we are at! Please check it out! We would love your feedback as well.

“It’s not the tea that makes teatime special, it’s the spirit of the tea party. It’s what happens when women or men or children make a place in their life for the rituals of sharing. It’s what happens when we bother with the little extras that feed the soul and nurture the senses and make space for unhurried conversation. And when that happens, it doesn’t really matter what fills the cups or holds the liquid.”

~Emily Barnes

Serving tea is such a simple tool to bring people together to rest, relax and take time to encourage one another in the Lord. I have always enjoyed hosting teas since my early teens (Mother’s Day, Christmas teas, etc) with the simple desire to extend hospitality and love.

I have slowly collected a tea cup here and a tea pot there (many coming from Goodwill or ebay actually), but it wasn’t until I read Emily Barnes’ book, If Teacups Could Talk: Sharing a Cup of Kindness with Treasured Friends and selections from Practicing Hospitality and The Mission of Motherhood as I shared last week, that I realized that these tea cups were collected for a purpose and be used to extend warmth and hospitality on many more occasions than these larger gatherings. Why not consecrate these tea cups to the Lord’s use? Why not have a cup of tea with a friend that needs encouragement? Or share a cup of tea with a son or daughter to build your friendship? Tea and scones can make these occasions inviting for your guests.

Tea time is a forgotten art that I hope to stir back up as an opportunity and means through which to strengthen friendships, extend hospitality, and just share the love of Christ through opening my door and sharing my tea cups. It’s not about tea but rather the spirit that it stirs up.

For our Autumn tea, I prayed for a little inspiration, and the Lord faithfully assisted me in creating a fall theme and menu. It is so good to acknowledge my complete helplessness and lack of creativity before the Lord and see Him work! He grants the grace I need time and time again.

Autumn Tea Menu

Spiced Apple Tea (served with cinnamon sticks as stirrers)
Grapes & Oranges
Cucumber Sandwiches (layered cream cheese, sliced cucumber and a dash of white pepper)
Avacado, Bacon & Tomato Sandwiches (these were fabulous! I used a simple pre-made pesto sauce to keep it simple!)
Egg Salad Sandwiches
Pumpkin Scones
Applesauce Bread

You want to join me for tea? My house is open and my friendship’s free!

Whatever tools God has given you…whether it be tea cups or not…ask yourself, “how can I consecrate these for the Lord’s use?”

“O taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (Psalms 34:8)

For more tea and menu ideas, read about our Summer tea.

Taking a pause from my simplifying series due to my child’s needs at our house…

Curious as to the history behind Halloween? For an very interesting read, sit down with your family and discuss this article. It started out as a pagan festival by the Celts of Ireland, and progressed to be a holiday to remember the dead by the Roman Catholic Church.

Halloween has become a time that encompasses darkness and fear. The Bible tells us that God is light and therefore we are let our “light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in Heaven.” (Matt. 5:16)

Although our family has concluded not to “celebrate” Halloween in the traditional way, we still want to let our lights shine from our doorstep or by going out together and distribute the truth. Whether or not you decide to celebrate this holiday is a decision you need to prayerfully make as a family, but overall there are souls to be saved that are flooding out in force on this one evening of the year.

Rather than just turning out all the lights and closing the doors, have you considered how you might minister the love of Christ to the children in your neighborhood?

What if I live out in the country and no one comes to my door? Have you considered going to them? I honestly have never lived in large housing developments to have children come to our doorstep, so have ignored the holiday for the most part, but I am asking myself this year, why could we not go to them? Find a lively neighborhood, dress up in biblical characters if desired, or simply go and hand out treats and tracts and share Christ’s love.

Gospel Resources

Free Tract – check out this free printable tract to go with lifesavers! This is a great idea!
Make your Own Scarecrow lollipop and tract – a fun family activity and devotional. Make your own candy gifts to distribute.

Other Halloween tracts that you could purchase:
American Tract Society
Living Waters – this company provides a wealth of fun tracts for all ages. Throw in a 10 commandment coin with the candy!

“Healthier” Candy Options

When choosing candy, check out some more nutritional “healthier” options. Spare them the overload of artificial colors, dyes, and replace with a more healthy naturally sweetened alternative

Yummy Earth
Pure Fun
Sunspire
You can get a 100 piece PureFun Halloween assortment candy pack for just $20 here.

Read this encouraging story of a godly woman who did not “celebrate” Halloween but took advantage of the opportunity to share the truth by handing out candy, tracts, and showing a large outdoor presentation of a Veggie tales movie. What a witness!

Will you join us? Gather some friends together and let’s make this a fun Christ-glorifying evening!

Do you have any creative ideas of sharing the gospel during Halloween?

This is an article written to participate in the Modesty Carnival hosted by my sister, Christa Taylor.

I was 18 years old, freshly graduated from highschool, had just seen my older brother and one of my closest friends get married to another close girlfriend of mine, and I was off. Off to Cambodia to spend two months on my own! I was unprepared for all the Lord took me through that summer as I served alongside Warm Blankets and Children of Promise in reaching out to the significant population of orphans and widows ravaged by wars, landmines, and communism.

I saw thousands of sick and hurting individuals come through medical clinics and hear the truth of the gospel, I witnessed thousands come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I observed thousands of orphan children passionately worship the Lord amidst the wonderful families that had been established for them with widows as mothers and the pastors of the church as fathers. They are being raised to change their nation and they are determined!

Continue Reading →

A few months back I shared a little bit about the importance of reaching out to new neighbors as a means of bringing the gospel to our communities, but since this post a godly sister in my church challenged me on one point…am I actually speaking His name or is this just a nice gesture? Did I include the truth in those baskets in any shape or form?

By God’s grace, we are seeking to be creative in reaching out in our neighborhood this summer. The Lord has been challenging me to speak of Him in all that I do. I don’t want to just be know as a nice family in our community, but rather a godly family! A few weeks back, the overabundance of whole wheat cinnamon rolls (thanks to Laura’s recipe!) I made gave amble opportunity to distribute some to our neighbors.

Rather than just giving them the plate of goodies, the Lord challenged me to include a note together with the goodies including Scripture verses. I was nervous and scared, but was inspired to step out in faith. I wrote a note saying, “May the sweetness of this treat speak of the precious Ultimate Gift of Christ Jesus who gave Himself for us!” Karis did a little scribbling and I wrote a Bible verse. My friend encouraged me to include Karis in the project now even when she is young, and allow the Lord to work through all of us. When she gets older, I will have her write out Scripture verses and more creative drawings for others and pray the Lord would use her sweet gifts to bless those around us.

Don’t they look yummy?

I am so thankful for the good work He is doing in my life. It’s not about me, but all about Him! Why should I be ashamed to speak His name in all that I do?