Help, Hands, and Hope

Saturday we had a chance to help.

Saturday we had the opportunity to lend a hand.

Saturday we had the chance to share some hope.

Saturday we had fun...

In the normal flow of life, this time of year it's hard to find time to do much extra. With Christmas parties, shopping, extra events around town, and the Holiday rush, things seem to be crazy.

Saturday all of that stopped.

First Baptist Church here in good old Branson partnered up with Convoy of Hope out of Springfield to pass out 5,000 bags of groceries to folks who needed a little hope, help, and a hand. Not only was it fun, it was life changing...for those who came in need and for those of us who helped.

I had the opportunity to sit, talk, listen, and pray with a man who had been in prison for 16 years, an unmarried and pregnant 15 year old, three young adults who all needed work, a 14 year old girl heavily involved in the Wiccan cult, and another young man who was unmarried with a child and struggling to start over. All of them needed a hand, and all of them needed some hope.

As my partner Chris and I teamed up to listen, we joined over 275 others who provided food, medical help, fun and candy for kids, and at the root of it all, the hope of the gospel. I can't imagine a better way to spend a Saturday in December. That's what Christmas is really all about.

Honestly, unless my pastor would have stopped me long enough to think about it, I am not sure I would have slowed down. I have a long list of things to do on Saturday and not much free time(broken cars, wood to cut, chores and errands, not to mention two kids with basketball games). I am glad that he did though. It really did give me perspective. It helped me capture the real meaning of Christmas and live it.

Don't miss keeping the gospel at the center these next few weeks. Helping others with our hands and with a message of hope is where we need to be spending our time every day.