Between last-minute shopping, wrapping presents and holiday get-togethers, my Christmas calendar quickly fills up.
Though I know Christmas is really about Jesus, it’s easy for Him to take a backseat. Before I know it the season’s over, and I’m left wondering if I ever stopped and truly celebrated the coming of my King. Did I spend my time the way He would’ve wanted me to?
I don’t want to wonder this year. Here are 12 ways we can stay focused on Jesus and give back this holiday season:
- Mark the season using an advent calendar. Open one per day and prepare your heart for worship. Begin praying for friends and neighbors who don’t know Christ.
- Ask your friend, neighbor or family member to an outreach event at your church, such as a Christmas drama or musical.
- Host a Christmas Gathering; it’s an outreach idea for women to have friends and neighbors over for a party with an eternal purpose.
- Initiate spiritual conversations through Facebook and other social media.
- Help elderly neighbors by putting up their Christmas lights, taking them shopping or shoveling their walkway.
- Feed the hungry by volunteering in a soup kitchen, a local rescue mission, or by delivering meals to shut-ins.
- Contribute clothes such as socks, hats, winter coats and blankets or the homeless and help distribute them through opportunities with the inner city ministry of Cru.
- Give care packages to military personnel that are from your church, or prepare them for college students headed back to school after Christmas break.
- Buy Christmas gifts for a needy family, for children at a local children’s home, for those who have a parent in prison, or for a child overseas through Operation Christmas Child.
- Send Christmas cards that are all about Jesus instead of about Christmas commercialism.
- Visit nursing homes with a group. Sing Christmas carols to the patients and help them worship God.
- Show your children’s Sunday school class The Story of Jesus for Children film.
