Christmas on the Corner

In this Christmas UPGRADE, Life Coach and retreat guide, Letitia Suk, writes about a time when God had a plan for her when she visited her local CVS.

Letitia says, “Most of my God shows-up moments do not happen in church!

I (Dawn) know what Letitia means! Sometimes, I almost missed ministry opportunities because they didn't exactly look like "ministry."

Letitia continues . . .

The season of Christmas is filled with the FAMILIAR. Takes so much decision fatigue out of a usually overbooked season to know what’s coming next.

Take Christmas Carols for example. Whether we hear the tunes as the soundtrack of the mall or blasting on our car radios, we can usually sing right along—familiar.

Hard to like a new Christmas Carol, right?

This story doesn’t change either.

Everyone knows the parts, the characters, the set, what happens next, who says what, the beginning and the end. Go to a Nativity play in any part of the world and you’ll recognize the plot.

Want a fresh perspective? Get inside the story.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night (Luke 2:8).

These guys weren’t going angel hunting or trying out for a part in the Greatest Story Ever Told. They were just going to work that night. 

They kissed their wives goodbye, grabbed their midnight snack and walked to work. Probably a lot like you did today, different line of work,

• Zechariah was doing “his priestly duty.”  Why? Because he was a priest! Just like you do duties associated with your jobs.
• Joseph was sleeping.  Doesn’t get much more mundane than that!
• Mary was likely doing chores of some sort.
• The Magi were doing their astronomy because that’s what Magi did.

What are YOU doing each day? Count on it that God will bust in on your world at any time and place.

God intersects with our world exactly where we are.

Like the time I stopped into the pharmacy after work. Don’t you do that too?

On my way into the store, my eye caught a $20 bill on the ground. At first. I thought it was fake, but it was a very real $20 bill.

Right away I heard something like, “Don’t get too attached to this—it is not for you.” My interest was piqued!

The sound of crying was more obvious that the carols. A very distraught international college student who was informed the clinic closed a little early. Too late for her to be seen despite her desperate pleas. She broke down. I headed towards her and heard the story.

She was a vocalist with a performance the next day and a very sore throat. She was hoping to get to the clinic, get treatment and sing the next day. (Aren’t we all hoping for something?)

She had borrowed $20 from her roommate for the cab to get there and now, the clinic had turned her away.

She had no treatment, no $20, no ride home, and no apparent options.

I thought she had a valid point and pounded on the clinic door to plead for her. They wouldn’t reopen for me either.

I got the manager involved and he was kind and offered me 20% off any purchases. I wasn’t the one who needed help.

With no other plan, I invited her into my car and drove her home. On the way, I told her about the $20 and gave it to her.

She seemed a bit incredulous. Me too.

Feeling bold, I offered to pray for her. Maybe because she was trapped in my car, she agreed and mentioned no one had ever prayed for her before.

I have no idea what happened after that as I never saw her again, but somehow, I think she got her treatment after all.

God knows where you are at all times. Expect that He will use you in mostly familiar settings.

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places that they should live (Acts 17:26).

In those places, he will tap you on the shoulder and invite you into something bigger.

Especially this time of year, look around and listen.

You are about to step into the story.

How has God used you in a familiar place?

Letitia (Tish) Suk invites women to create an intentional life centered in Jesus. She is a blogger and author of 100 Need to Know Tips for Moms of Tweens and Teens, Getaway with God: The Everywoman’s Guide to Personal Retreat, and Rhythms of Renewal. She is a speaker, personal retreat guide and life coach in the Chicago area. Visit Letitia at her website.

Graphic adapted,

Christmas Ministry That Makes Jesus Smile: Part 2

Yesterday, Dawn Wilson shared six creative ways to make Jesus smile as we think about Christmas ministry and outreach. In Part 2, here are four more ways to think outside the gift-wrapped box.

7. Share gift coupons.

Many fast food restaurants have inexpensive books of coupons. These can be purchased in bulk and kept in the car's glove compartment to share with the homeless or others in need. Clip them to a Christmas tract or New Testament.

Some beauty salons and barber shops offer coupons for free haircuts for the needy. What other kinds of gift coupons can you find to purchase and share?

8. Prepare Ziploc® Gift Bags ... or Purses.

The Bible tells us to be wise and prepared, not foolish and lazy (Proverbs 6:6-8).

When we are prepared to minister, God will give us opportunities.

Store some gift bags in your car for the homeless. Things that will be helpful to them to take care of themselves (new toothbrush and toothpaste, hand sanitizer, etc.). Add a couple of food bars and a tract or New Testament.

One variation on this is to purchase used-but-good purses at thrift stores and use them to store helpful items in your car trunk. (Since these are for women, add sanitary supplies.

I once had a young mom in a parking lot beg me (with tears) for sanitary supplies. We chatted as I walked her into the store to buy a good supply of them and was shocked when she told me she was using old ripped-up clothing she found in a dumpster!)

9. Relieve Some Christmas Fatigue.

Be alert to ways you can ease some stress in Jesus' name.

Offer a night or two of free childcare to a weary single mom so she can go Christmas shopping ... or just take a nap! Take a young mom or low-income widow (or widower) a ready-to-cook meal or two for their freezer. 

If you can afford it, ladies, give your pastor's wife or another church staff member's wife a visit to a spa! Christmastime can be super stressful on minister's wives. (If you can really afford it - go with her! You may need some relief too!)

Think about how God has comforted you in stresses and hurting times, and consider how you can extend the same kind of comfort to others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

10. Offer your expertise.

Use what you know!

• If you are a hairdresser, consider offering free haircuts to the homeless or the needy.
• Handymen can offer one hour of "fixing" things around the house to widows at their church.
• An auto mechanic might tweak someone's car.
• An organizer could help a "messie" get organized for the holidays.

Opportunities are directly linked to your God-given gifts, and your learned skills or expertise.

Consider this question: "What is in your hand?"

It's a question God challenged me with one Christmas season: "What's in your hand, Dawn? What is right in front of you that you can use for My glory?" It's a question God asked Moses (Exodus 4:2) to get him to notice what the Lord might use to perform miracles!

For Moses, it was his simple, everyday shepherd's staff. For me, it was my pen and computer. As a writer, I ended up helping a (writing-challenged) Christian friend write her Christmas newsletter that year. And a couple of times, I've helped a friend by researching a topic for a biblical presentation to use at her Christmas tea.

Whatever God has blessed you with, consider how He might want you to use it to bless others during the holiday.

What is in your hand?

Do you have other ideas for Christmas ministry that would make Jesus smile?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God(with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is the Director of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in MInistry (NEWIM San Diego). Dawn is the co-author of LOL with God and contributed "The Blessing Basket" in It's a God Thing. She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, image courtesy of tiverylucky at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Christmas Ministry That Makes Jesus Smile: Part 1

In this Christmas UPGRADE, Dawn Wilson helps us think of creative ways to make Jesus smile as we think about Christmas ministry and outreach.

In essence, we want to think of ways to be the heart, hands and feet of the Lord during the holiday season. There is no doubt God cares about the poor and needy and Christ-followers should care and help them too!

Operation Christmas Child (with Samaritan's Purse) and Angel Tree Christmas (with Prison Fellowship) are two familiar, popular ministry outreaches during the Christmas season.

World Help offers an entire catalog of ideas for offering practical support (internationally) as a way to touch people with the love of Jesus. I highly recommend this outreach.

Beyond these, there are many local ministry opportunities to consider during this time of year.  

Here are just ten other ways to think outside the "gift-wrapped" box!

1. Set up a Gift Wrap Station.

Get creative to think of ways to raise funds for your favorite ministry.

For example, some department stores are willing to allow you to set up a free Christmas gift-wrapping station. Schedule ahead of time, ask stores to donate the wrapping paper, and then accept donations to benefit a local charity or international ministry (again, like one I trust, World Help!).

I know one child who baked cookies (accepting financial donations) in her neighborhood ... and a seamstress who gave her time and expertise in an announced "mending" day (again, for donations).

2. Deliver trees to low-income families.

Some Christmas tree lot owners are willing to give trees away a few days before Christmas if they know they will go to needy homes. Use pick-up trucks and get some tree stands, and deliver these free trees to the financially-stretched ... maybe to a poor, single-parent family. Add a note or Christmas card, or even a special Christmas tract or booklet.

You might also add some decorations. (Buy nice ones from Goodwill, The Salvation Army, or Amvets to help their organizations.) As a bonus, offer to pick the trees up after Christmas for disposal.

3. Participate in your church's food drive.

My church collects food for the hungry all year long, and there is a big push for food during the holidays.

Consider giving canned vegetables, beans and fruit, canned soup, canned tuna or chicken, rice or dried beans, boxes of cereal or crackers, peanut butter and jelly. Be sure they do not have expired dates!

4. Make a "from Jesus" Christmas Basket.

Fill a big decorated basket with Christmas dinner for a needy neighbor or friend. Include cans or boxes of food to prepare and cookies. (If you're certain it won't be spent on alcohol or cigarettes, add a gift card for your local grocery store so they can buy fresh meat and produce.)

Let them know the basket is "from a frend, in Jesus' name" (Colossians 3:17). Include a tract or booklet (see suggestion #2).

5. Send Christmas Cards to the "Forgotten."

We're to remember the poor (Deuteronomy 15:11b; Proverbs 31:20; Galatians 2:10) and those mistreated or imprisoned (Hebrews 13:3) all year long.

As part of our remembering, we might send Christmas cards to prisoners, the military overseas, Vets in hospitals, orphans, children's wards in hospitals, or people in nursing homes.

(Contact organizations for suggestions, or do this through your women's group or Sunday school. Prison chaplains are especially eager to lift inmates' spirits at Christmas-time.)

6. Contact a Missionary - Fill a Need.

It's not always a cash gift missionaries need. Ask them!

For example, one missionary who visited my church needed measuring cups, measuring spoons and tea towels to give away in a "cake ministry" the Lord has given her in Africa. She helps women in impoverished areas learn how to make simple cakes (a special recipe she created) and then gives them the tools they need but can't afford to buy. Our Sunday school class collected a bunch of these items for her ministry.

My husband and I once sent taco seasoning packets to a foreign missionary couple. They were craving tacos and had meat, vegetables, cheese and flat tortillas, but couldn't get the right seasoning where they were serving.

One ministry needed blank journals for an outreach. Another wanted "pillow case" dresses for little girls. Another, shoes for children. Another, socks and blankets for the homeless.

(NOTE: Remember to add in the cost for shipping to the missionaries.)

Part two of this post continues tomorrow.

Meanwhile, be thinking: What are YOU doing this Christmas to minister in ways that would make Jesus smile?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God(with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is the Director of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in MInistry (NEWIM San Diego). Dawn is the co-author of LOL with God and contributed "The Blessing Basket" in It's a God Thing. She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, image courtesy of tiverylucky at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.