Giving and Encouraging

3rd and 10th of October

David and I went to Maple Leaf care home a few month ago and introduced ourselves to two ladies who were selling craft they had made for the funds of Maple Leaf. I invited them to our Home League to talk about how and why they do it. So, they came along with their crafts, and explained how their father had become ill with Alzheimer's, to the point where they had to make the choice to put him into a care home. 

They did their craft originally for therapeutic reasons, and then quickly realised they could sell them and give the proceeds to the care home. They wanted to give something back for the wonderful care that their father was receiving. This would also be a blessing and encouragement to the staff, they could see how much they were appreciated. 

Our group were enthusiastic and bought some of the bags and hair clips the ladies had brought with them, the ladies were thrilled, and they themselves felt greatly encouraged by our ladies' generosity and interest. 

The following week our Home League all got together to fill shoeboxes for the Christmas Shoebox appeal run by Samaritans Purse. 

Whilst we may never see the results in person, it is wonderful to go online and see the laughter and joy on the faces of the children who receive the boxes. And hear the wonderful stories from those now grown who received a box as a child and how it impacted their life knowing that someone cared and loved enough to do this for someone they didn't even know. 

We are told in scripture to be cheerful givers, not to do it grudgingly, 

but in all the things we do to do it as unto the Lord. 

2 Corinthians 9:6-7

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, 

and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, 

not grudgingly or of necessity; 

for God loves a cheerful giver.

Giving comes from the heart, it is not a duty, and neither is encouraging one another, and building one another up. We have no idea what impact our giving and encouragement might have on another person. 

Lejla's Story

We don't have to be big and lavish in our giving, and our encouragement, the smallest gift, the kindest word when done in love can make such a difference to someone's day, and even their life.  God bless you, and may your giving and encouragement be always to the honour and glory of the One who gave the greatest gift

What can you Give

It is now January 2016 and Christmas 2015 is now a memory. For the Salvation Army Christmas is a very busy time of year and so it was for Ripley Corps with various activities, Christmas Fayre, singing carols and sharing the truth of Christmas in various places, Christmas parties. Making up Christmas hampers and toy parcels for the less fortunate in our community and a host of other things. 

The home league, went out for a meal as well as having a ‘fuddle’ at the hall where we shared food and fellowship together and thought about the greatest gift that was ever given. 

One of the carols we sang was in the Bleak Mid Winter, the last first being:

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

Major Tim asked us if we had given Jesus our heart, for when we do then we have given Him our all.

The Home League since March have had once a month a shoebox shop, 

various toys, stationary, toiletries etc were donated to the shop that the ladies could buy to put in a shoebox for the Operation Christmas child Appeal. The money raised from the shop goes into the Home League Helping Hands Appeal. We had been thinking at past meetings about love, and how whatever we do if we don’t do it with a motive of love for the Lord Jesus and the people we are doing it for then it is in vain. 

But when we love the Lord, then we love others and are prepared to help others. Giving in love can have far reaching effects that we may never know about. A shoebox given to a child in the name of Jesus, says a lot to the receiver. We may never know what happened to the child who received our box but Jesus does, we don’t have to know the end result all He asks of us is that we give from the heart. The greatest gift of Christmas is the Lord Jesus Christ who is God manifest in the flesh. He gave His life for us, He paid the debt for our sin that we might be forgiven, we can never repay that debt of love but we can show others the love of Jesus in a simple way like filling a shoebox with goodies for a child. You can find our more about Operation Christmas child here: OCC

Christmas may be over but the gift of God's love is with us everyday when we come to know 

Jesus as our Lord and Saviour.