Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Multiplying!


 Yesterday, all of the donations were moved into storage and look what happened overnight. And more came in after this! Please keep praying for God to match the amount of gifts to the amount of kids. 

Dear Lord, We thank you and praise you for calling us to help You in this ministry. Each day, it becomes more plain that You are providing donations and the other things we need to make this a fun and encouraging experience for the families we will serve. Thank you for bringing in the "just right" gifts for each child. May we watch and enjoy the way You make it all come together on Saturday. 

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

God is the Project Manager!


Last week, Alex Toys in Canton, donated this pile of cartons of toys, New toys! And they have another pile for us to pick up tomorrow.

We had two Moms so excited about shopping for Christmas presents that they came a week early. Don't you love that excitement is building?

Today we got a donation of two pre-lit Christmas trees. One is already set up in the east lobby where shopping will take place. Join us in asking God if there is a family for whom He earmarked it.

Keep watch, God is showing His hand in this ministry!


Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for the ways, both large and small, that You are showing us that You will make this ministry a success. Help us to step back and watch You work. Please guide us in the final preparations, and help us to fix our hearts to look at this ministry and those we will serve with compassion and encouragement.

We want nothing more than to show Jesus to our guests, through compassion and encouragement. Teach us to do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard our guests as more important than ourselves.

In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.



Monday, November 30, 2015

Toys!


Oh yes, I am having fun with the toys! We have gotten quite a large pile of donations so far, and more to come, I pray. 

If anyone asks what they can contribute, please say that we are lacking gifts for older kids. Somehow we have gotten a ton of preschool and baby gifts and that was not even on our list. I am sure God has sent them for a reason, but we are trying to service kids K-12, so we could use some stuff for bigger kids. Remember, they probably do not have electronics.

Some ideas: 
  • a visit to Five below...you can find all kinds of things for preteens and teens there for $5 and less.
  • go to Jo Ann's and buy a yard of polar fleece. Cut it into four 9" strips. Cut fringe into the ends and you will have 4 scarves.
  • Look in dollar bins for blank books/journals, pens, stretchy gloves. Who knows what great dollar stuff could be put into a gift box?
  • Art or journaling supplies: drawing pads, colored pencils, paint and brushes and a small canvas. Get a coupon for Michaels, Hobby Lobby or Jo Ann's. Art supplies are plentiful, and a 40% off coupon makes them affordable. 
  • $5 or $10 gift cards to fast food stores or any of the places mentioned above.
  • Nail polish and manicure stuff for girls
  • Inspirational non fiction paperback books
  • Fun costume Jewelry 
What else can you think of? Please comment below.


Dear Heavenly Father, We thank You and praise You for the generosity of our donors. We thank You for sending us what we need to match whomever will come shopping. 

We ask You Lord for all of the families we will serve to be in Your keeping. May they be moved to answer the invitation to the Marketplace, and find You there. We pray for contacts and relationships to be built, with new friends, and with You. 

Please guide and direct us Lord, that we might do work that is pleasing to You, and that serves someone who really needs Christmas help as well as some encouragement and freely given friendliness.

In Jesus' name we pray,
Amen


Sunday, November 22, 2015

Donations Begin


It has been one week and the donations have started coming in! Praise God! 

This morning, Pastor Dave finished a sermon series on the capital we have that we might invest in the others, with a message about financial capital. He reminded us that the things we think we own, really belong to God and we are just stewards of these things.

II Corinthians 9: 6-15
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”[a]
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

This Adam Ford cartoon sums up this 5 part sermon series in one sentiment, "There's no telling the impact we might have when we invest our spiritual (or relational, physical, intellectual, or financial)  capital in other people."


Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for the reminder that You give us so much, so that we might share it. Please encourage our donors to the good stewardship of all of these things You give, that we might bless others. May we make connections and start relationships. May we contribute time and energy. May we speak your message when asked why we do this for people we have never met. May the parents and children who struggle to celebrate Christmas be impressed on our hearts. 

We pray that You will show us ways to share Your words with those who need Your grace, Your hope and Your promises. Thank you for this opportunity we have to love, meet and share with people who are lost in our system and lost in Your kingdom. Help us to use this divine appointment to show these parents and children who You are.

Guide us in the way You would have us go.
In Jesus' name we pray,
Amen









Sunday, November 15, 2015

Announced and Begun



The announcement about the Christmas Marketplace was made this morning to favorable response. Stephanie stood at the table, handing out donation lists and answering questions. A few volunteers signed up and more inquired.

Dear Lord, we pray that each person you call to help on this project will answer in obedience. Please send a group of people who are excited to donate gifts and time. We also pray for each family that will be touched by this event. Keep them happy, healthy, and together, and may they see You when they come to shop. Amen.


Saturday, November 14, 2015

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas


The tree is up in the lobby at CBC....with only a few grumbles about how it isn't even Thanksgiving yet. The announcement will be made to the congregation tomorrow, and we are off and running. 

I do not yet have final numbers of invitees, but it looks like it will be between 100 and 150 families/parents. That means we need A LOT of donations. That is our immediate prayer need!

Dear Heavenly Father, our prayer today is for donations. May You call all of the families who need these donations, and may we meet all needs. Please do a great work in the congregation and our friends and families to donate what they can and maybe even a little more. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Let us kneel before our Lord,
Kim

Please join this Community Working and Praying for the Christmas Marketplace



I am starting this quickie blog for all of us involved in any way in the preparation of the Christmas Marketplace 2015. It will be a place we can pray together, follow the progress of the event and maybe fill a need.

You can check in every couple of days, or you can go to the sidebar and enter your email to receive notification when new posts are added.

Please feel free to comment, including adding prayers of your own.

Share this with anyone who would like to join our prayer team. We have less than one month to make this all come together in service to the nearly 150 families we will invite to the event on Saturday, December 12. God will provide, but we must be diligent.

Let's pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for calling us to this ministry. We pray that you will make the Marketplace an amazing success. May we draw near to You in prayer and obedience as we serve these families, and not forget that this is Your project, not our own.  In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Thank you all for joining the prayer team and taking on additional duties as well!
Do all in the name of Jesus,
Kim