Sharing the Good News

I am sure that you are very familiar with leaving a Christian tract in hopes that it will be used as a divine tool in sharing the gospel. This is something that I love to keep handy and distribute as I go about my way.

However, here is an excellent small inexpensive book that makes a perfect gift. Use it as you would a Christian Tract.  I have a label machine and I like to Print out a label and attach to the back on the book.  It reads:

"Who So Ever Will may Take This Book." 

 Read, Enjoy, and Share

The 3:16 Promise: He Loves. He Gives. We Believe. We Live.
by Max Lucado

Expecting a Divine Appointment

Ephesians 2:10: "For we are "His" workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

As Christians we know that we are commanded to show our "Good Works" to others as a fruit that grows from the root of our faith. As James so clearly states in James 2:18: ...and I will show you my faith by my works.

Preparing for a "Divine Appointment"

What is a Divine Appointment?

A divine appointment is God orchestrating the time, place, and event for you to be used by Him to serve another person.

John 3:16 (New Living Translation)

 ¹⁶ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

One of the greatest needs of people today is for God to become visible. Yes, his might and his majesty are visible to all of us through his creation. However, nature can not convey God's great love for each of us personally. Unless God's love can be conveyed, God's fullness remains invisible. That is where you and I come in; we can be the mirror that reflects back to others a mini-glimpse of God's love.

I am enjoying exploring new and often overlooked opportunities in my personal life to interact with those I meet. I am looking for additional ways in which I can demonstrate God's love and passion through acts of kindness and giving as I go about my daily routines. In my search for new qualifying ministries, I am not including the charities and mission activities that I may participate in as a member of our local church or community activities. I whole heartily and continually support these outreach programs and ministries. However, the situations that I am wanting to partner with are new and additional experiences that God will choose to orchestrate and direct. I am seeking God to direct me to "His Divine Appointments" on an on going basis.

I have recently been  inspired,by reading Bruce Wilkinson book, You Were Born For This. The book encourages us to walk out our door each morning believing that God will use us to deliver a God- connected-necessary-miracle today. This is something that I can get excited about and really promote in my life.

How to Prepare for a God Connected-Divine Appointment:
I have decided to prepare before hand for these "Expected Divine Appointments". I will carry an assortment of "Just for You"cards in my purse.. Some of these cards will be for sharing the gospel, and other cards will contain money to help meet some one's need (known as "God Pockets" in "You Were Born for This"). Then I will stay alert and wait for God to make the appointment.

Want to read more about Bruce Wilkinson's book that helped inspired this idea:
You Were Born for This: Seven Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles

I will post updates and share more details as God directs my thoughts and opens new opportunities. I am excited about this new adventure in Faith and invite you to come along on my journey.

Update on "Don't Pass Me By" Grab Bags

The video featured above touched me to see how deeply this man was touch by the kindness showed him from others.

"Don't Pass Me By" Grab Bags

 

As Christians we need to be sensitive to the needs of others. Since I have started taking the time to make sure that I have lunch bags packed with food to hand out to anyone I met along the way, I have been bless by the joy that is shared between the giver and the receiver as you help to met an immediate need. .  I packed six more bags this morning and have them ready for distribution this weekend.  I have added a small New Testament Bible or Gospel of John, along with a tract. Now I can enjoy praying for those we pass-by to come to know the one who will supply much more than lunch.

Bible that I am using in Grab Bags:

NLT Hungry Planet Bible, New Testament, Paperback By Tyndale House An ideal New Testament perfect for bulk donations to homeless shelters and soup kitchens!Page for writing a personal message to a homeless person * Articles explaining the Hungry Planet Bible Project, what it means to be spiritually hungry, and ways to help the poor * List of Internet resources and organizations * Size: 5" x 7.5" * 272 pages, softcover from Tyndale

Don't-Pass-Me-By: "Instant Replay"

Making more "Don't Pass-Me-By" Grab Bags

Yes, many of you have been asking, "How did it go handing out the food Grab Bags"? 
Well, I can say that it felt 100% better than reading the sign "Hungry" as I went flying pass. Then wondering if the homeless person I had just passed by may have "REALLY" been hungry.

We had prepared small lunch size paper bags with food items and had them with us in the car as we travel around town.  We had exhausted our supply and this morning we made our second batch of bags. Now, we are ready to distribute more food bags as needed.

"Don't- Pass- Me- By": bags ready to go

Toys, Treats and Tracts: "To-Go"

Toys, Treats, and Tract Bags

This morning Mom and I had a lot of fun stuffing treat bags for kids.  Halloween is the perfect opportunity to give neighborhood kids treat bags. Many will come to your door on "trick or treat" night.  However, you can give out small treat bags to children you meet everyday; the same way you would hand out a gospel tact.

First, we stuffed a small size gift bag with a gospel activity book and candy treats.  Next we filled small party favor bags with small toys, whistles, candy and a Halloween gospel tract.

We plan to have a few bags with us as we go about our daily activities. I am sure we will be lead to some hungry kids. It should be great FUN!

Children Treat Bags

We have been, pleased, with the finished product of our "Don't-Pass-Me-By" bags. I have one final step to recommend.  Be sure to plan to have the bags with you as you go about town. I have left mine in the closet, twice, only to come face-to-face with an opportunity to give one away later in the day. That feeling of disappointment is hard to shake off.  So now, I will travel with the tote of finished bags in my car. We are going to add a larger size "family bag" with assorted groceries. This will give us an option to select a bag according to the need presented.

Now, that we are in the mood to give out "Grab-Bags". We are planning to make treat bags for kids. The plan is to gather some puzzles, toys, candies, whistles, etc... and make fun bags for children. The focus point of the bags will be to offer a gospel tract, note, or Bible. This is a good way to turn the tradition of Halloween "Trick or Treat" into an open door for the gospel. I will post pictures of our finished project as we assemble.
Now, I am going to go and check out some tract websites for a few fun things. Here are a few of my favorite sites: http://www.livingwaters.com/ and http://www.atsdirect.org/epages/atsdirect.sf

Making:"Don't Pass-Me-By" Grab Bags

This weekend my Mom and I shopped for  single-serve food products and  travel size hygiene items that would be appreciate to put into lunch size brown paper bags. We labeled, packed, and stapled the bags closed. They are now stored neatly in a tote bag in the closet ready for distribution.

Items we choose:

Ensure bottled chocolate drink

Oatmeal package ( instant)

Small box dry cereal

Vienna sausages canned

Apple sauce cup

Plastic spoon

Zip-lock snack bag with travel size: toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, wipes, chapstick
Christian Tract: Gospel Message

We printed out labels for bags:    "Don't-Pass-Me-By"
                                                              Grab Bags