Soul Kitchen

It's the time of year once again for churches and schools to start with the boxes for Operation Christmas child. Our family enjoys doing this each year and we talk about the kids these boxes will touch. I thought about these children on the receiving end. How exciting it must be to be presented with a box and not know what is going to be inside.... the gift that is handed to them is specially for them.

Jesus Christ is our gift and it's the best gift you can ever have. I've had the priviledge of growing up in a Christian home but even though I've known who God was my whole life I still had a day come when I had to choose Christ and make my parent's faith my own. I still needed to remove the layers of wrapping paper to see and accept the gift inside.

John 3:16 says. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

God loved ME so much that He sent His Son to die FOR ME so that I could LIVE FOREVER in eternity WITH HIM. That is pretty profound and not something that is easy to grasp.

As exciting as it is to open a gift, it's more exciting when we walk with Jesus and know He lives in our heart.... when we ask Him to be Lord of our life.... that's the best gift you'll ever have.

What do we give up to put this gift together for these children as we fill up shoeboxes? Time to shop for the items and money we could be putting towards our families. For us it's just a small "sacrifice." God gave up so much more than we ever will experience in our lifetime. I know this is extreme but would we be willing to surrender our child to let these children have the greatest gift of all? God did that for us. He surrended His Son so we could have the best gift ever - eternal life!

I am so excited when I think about my life's journey and if I had to have done it alone - without Christ. Christ is my rock and my strength. He can be yours too if you ask Him. He's waiting... ask Him today! You won't regret ripping all the layers off to receive the best gift ever - the gift of life. Allow Jesus to change you today.