Proverbs 11:25

Introduction

During the hustle and bustle of Christmas, we often find ourselves going from store to store trying to find the right gift for each person on our list. Some of us start early, and some of us start late. What would happen if we decided to skip purchasing gifts this year and tried something new and different?

Decoration and Food Ideas

Place lanterns or mason jars on a vintage world map or map scrapbook paper for centerpieces. Select foods that correspond with the featured country. If you have a guest, ask them for some local food suggestions from that country that you could replicate.

Ice Breakers

• What is your favorite thing about Christmas?
• Have you every traveled at Christmas?
• Have you ever traveled overseas for Christmas?

Education Ideas

• Contact an officer serving overseas, via Zoom or Teams, to speak to the women about how Global Sponsorships make a difference in the overseas country where they are serving.
• Invite a young person who has served on a summer mission service team to speak about the impact it had on their life. Have the person also talk about how the support from home is so important.

Global Sponsorships

Are you looking to change the way that you give this Christmas season? Here are a few ideas to make a difference at home and globally.

• Adopt a local angel: Ask the corps officer for a family to adopt.
• Pack a box for Samaritan’s Purse: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/
• Contact the Overseas Project Officer at THQ to adopt a child or family internationally.

Craft Ideas

Purchase clear Christmas bulbs from Hobby Lobby or Walmart. Provide old world maps or scrapbook paper with maps on them. Mod podge the paper onto the bulbs to make world map bulbs. You could sell the bulbs to raise money for World Services.

Notes of Encouragement

Send notes to officers who are serving overseas. You can find the current list at your territorial headquarters.

Overseas Missions

Many years ago, my husband and I felt the calling for overseas missions. After years of praying, the Lord granted us our hearts’ desire. In 2016 our family had the adventure of a lifetime as we served in Lisbon, Portugal. The excitement was unbelievable. We learned so much during our time in there, and our children thrived. It was a beautiful time of ministry. As we returned to the States after our appointment ended, there was a renewed sense of the importance of supporting our Salvation Army globally.

While in Portugal, we randomly received notes of encouragement and smalls boxes of treats from various corps in our territory. It was like Christmas morning receiving those small reminders and encouragements from home. I can’t help but think about the verse in Proverbs 11:25 that reads, “A generous person will prosper, whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

A generous person will prosper. I love this statement. Generosity is such a strong act of kindness. No matter how big or small the act of kindness, it has such power. I believe that God wants us to be generous with what He has given us. He wants us to use the gifts and talents that He has given us to be a light to others. And when we do that, verse 11 tells us that “whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” When we are generous with our time, our money, our things, we will be refreshed ourselves. It feels good to give. It feels good to go to the store and pick up a gift for someone or send a small note of encouragement. It feels good to be a light in the darkness. This Christmas season, we all can be generous. Whether it be with our time or money or talents, let us be used by God to bless others.

Blessing Others

What can you do this Christmas season to bless others? The Salvation Army has many officers serving overseas who could use encouragement. There are also opportunities to adopt children through our global sponsorship. I will never, ever forget the generosity of others during our time overseas. Will you seek the Lord in this moment and ask Him to show you how you can be a blessing to others? Will you be the one today who will bless another?