A group of Christian women decided that we would show love to those in our surrounding community. “How can we bless those outside the four walls of our church, and who can we bless?” Ideas were compiled, such as making food baskets, handing out Christian tracks, working in a soup kitchen, volunteering in a food drive, making clothing bags with sock, t-shirts, jackets, hats, small personal care items, and snacks for the homeless or those on street corners, to blessing the first responders, those who work in public health areas, and people in our local neighborhoods. It felt like when Jesus told the seventy to go out into the surrounding areas and preach the gospel, then come back and report on what they had done. Luke 10:1-9,17.
We finally decided on making God Story bags and distributing them to the community and neighborhoods in our area. Our focus is letting people know that they are appreciated, and that others are not forgotten. John 4:35 says, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest?’ Behold, I say to you, lift-up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” Paper bags were decorated with scriptures, others with Christian stickers, and others a scripture placed inside the bag. Then we filled the bags with small snacks, candy, cookies and booklets titled Book 9: GOD STORIES And More... Divinely Directed. Each
of us are believing the recipients will be individually touched by the Holy Spirit.
Two hundred and ten bags are ready to go out into the “field” by Valentine’s Day. Calls have already been made to hospital charge nurses, administrators, managers, security guards, fire chiefs, and office personal so that access permission has been obtained prior to delivering the bags on Valentine’s Day. Bags will be distributed to the ICU and emergency room nurses and doctors at a local hospital, to two different rehab centers, a therapy facility, to the command center for emergency calls, a fire station, an EMS station, two different trailer parks, to people seen on the street, and the homeless.
We titled our outreach group, “Boots on the ground.” A labor of love? Definitely. But easy, because the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Maybe you are wanting to implement something similar to bless others and desire to give out "goodie bags" that have treats, encouraging messages, scriptures and a GOD STORIES booklet inside.
If so, contact Gayle and Myrna Brogdon at life4educators@aol.com for more information and/or to obtain GOD STORIES booklets.
Suzanne Soto
La Feria, Texas
Comments