Hello ,
I recently had a conversation with a member of a church that purchased 100 copies of the CD in the picture above. I was excited to learn that their congregation has already passed
out this special Christmas Audio CD to members of their community. It most certainly warms my heart to know that so many people will have an opportunity to hear the scriptures read to them about the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
For so many people, this time of the year can be such a
lonely experience. I meet so many folks that struggle through the holidays, because they have lost someone dear to them, or because they are all alone. I know that losing my own mother in September has caused me to feel a void in my heart this year.
I wanted to send out a reminder to each of our Open Word Subscribers,
that during this time of the year, it's a wonderful opportunity to reach out to those who might be struggling through the holiday season. I'd like to encourage you with a number of ideas that might help you to do just that. I'm sure that you can think of more, but if even one of these suggestions helps someone, I'm wanting to send them along.
Ideas for reaching out during the holiday season
1. Volunteer to ring a bell for a non-profit organization.
It's not glamorous work, but it does help those who might need a hand up during the holiday season, or throughout the year.
2. Give some homemade goodies to someone who isn't on your gift list.
I have a daughter who is an excellent baker. She often shares her baked goods with people that may not always have the opportunity to receive them. Cookies or a loaf of homemade bread if such a blessing to some people.
3. Join a literacy
program that helps adults learn how to read.
My wife Roberta did this years ago, and it was a huge blessing to reach out and assist an adult who desperately wanted to learn how to read a simple book. You might be surprised at how many adults struggle with basic literacy. Helping them pays huge dividends...and may have an amazing impact in your
relationships with another human being.
4. Make a phone call to someone who is home-bound.
In our fast-paced society, phone calls just aren't as common as they used to be. Your willingness to ring
someone's phone who is struggling with their health might bring some real sunshine into their lives.
5. Send a hand-written note.
I'm always intrigued when I see a hand-written note in my mailbox, and the personal touch
of someone sitting down and writing out something encouraging to me has always brought a smile to my face.
6. Give a Christmas audio CD.
If that's of interest to you, click the CD picture above, or
click this link. this upcoming week, my church is going to hand out 50 of these audio CD's to our friends and neighbors. It has high-perceived value to the recipient, it's Christ-centered, and there's still time to order a quantity of them at reduced prices (if you should wish to go that route). Just contact me if you wish to
purchase more than 10 copies...and I'll help you get a great price on them.
7. Invite a friend to subscribe to the Open Word Daily e-Devotionals.
Here's the link that will take them to the subscription page, and being a subscriber is still FREE. The closer I get to Christmas, the more I will be sending out holiday messages that are Christ-centered. I DO hope that people will be blessed!
8. Shovel a
sidewalk.
If you're physically capable (and you live in a snowy climate), shoveling someone's walk is a wonderful way to connect and show them that you care.
9. Offer to wrap a few gifts for someone who struggles
with their mobility.
They might even only struggle (like me) with doing a wrapping job that looks decent on the gifts that they purchased for someone else. If you're talented in this department, it can be a relief for someone to know that their packages are being taken care of.
There are SO many ways that we can reach out to others during the holiday season.
Jesus wants us to care about those that we come in contact with. The holiday season is a wonderful time to connect with those that might be struggling. I'm going to
praying for you over the next month, and I hope that you will pray for me as well. We have a wonderful opportunity to show the love of Jesus to a dying world. Let's do what we can to bring His love to others.
Warm Holiday Regards,
