Hi Folks,
I hope you had a super weekend!
Do you feel like you are losing your senses around Christmas time?
How do we keep a sense of calm in Christmas, keep Christ in Christmas and make an eternal difference in someone life?
In previous devot. on the blog I shared how one of Jesus' qualities was that of servanthood. He served others, thought of others and died for others. So how do we think of others and encourage those around us (esp. the kids and teens) to think of someone else other than themselves at a time when we think so much of 'what we are getting', rather than giving?
Below are some links of how you can make a difference in the life of a persecuted Christian, a child overseas this Christmas or other practical ways.
The first 3 places I help every year or have helped with and the first 2 places are also budget friendly, but very meaningful and meet a need for someone else. The first sent of links from VOM I esp. love, as they are ideal for getting your family, church, youth group involved in.
I also have underneath the links some practical and fun ways to keeping Christ in Christmas.
Pray you have a very blessed week!
Devot. https://www.intouch.org/read/
Useful, Practical Ways to Help:
Persecuted Church: (Links Taken from https://www.persecution.com/.
2 Orphanages/Christian Schools Overseas, 1 Ministry in the US (Link taken from https://dwministries.org/. I have been very excited to help with this for about 3-4 years).
Helping Children Overseas: (Link taken from https://www.worldvision.org/. Did this about 4-5 years ago.)
Help a Child Who is Waiting to Be Adopted: https://awaa.org/one-orphan/
(Link taken from http://awaa.org/ This is a good, Christian agency that is making a difference in the life of an orphan.)
If you are an animal lover like myself, donate a bit of money to a local animal shelter or rescue. Found this site a few years ago, and my mom has bought from it (good products).
They also sponser/support other causes as well. http://theanimalrescuesite.
(Link taken from
There is a also the Salvation Army that is around every year or local shelters.
Practical Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas:
~Put up a Merry Christmas sign on the front yard; say Merry Christmas; choose gifts that emphasize Christmas; pick cards that show a manger scene, has Scripture on it (good for gifts and cards: https://www.dayspring.com/) or send a Christmas e-card(https://www.dayspring.
~Put up a manger scene inside/outside the house and explain the true Christmas story to the kids, grandkids.
Tell 'em it's Jesus birthday!
(What my parents used to do every year when I was a kid was keep Jesus out the manger scene until Christmas Day and
then try to sneak Him into the stable Christmas morning without me seeing. It built the anticipation of Jesus birthday and focused on the True Meaning of the season. I now do this with the young ones in my life and they eagerly check the manger scene for Jesus' arrival.)
~Be courageous and put and Merry Christmas sign or Manger scene on your desk at work:)
~Go to a live Nativity, Christmas program or Christmas Eve service.
~Read Luke 2-the Christmas story- the night before Christmas. Read ahead of time and jot down questions you could ask the kids/grandkids to make sure they understand.
~Get an Advent Calendar for next year to count down the das to Christmas (FYI, Get a 'real', nativity calendar, not Hello Kitty or something else:) It defeats the purpose of emphasizing Jesus birthday.)
~Google for a list traditional Christmas carols, and try to learn one a week. Most, if not all, focus on the birth and even the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
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