This is one of my favorite blog posts about our Christmas Eve tradition of giving gifts to Jesus. (original post date January 19, 2012)
She must have been chattering to me for 5 minutes or so. I was a bit distracted, but I could have sworn I heard her say “Borneo” and something about chickens. “Mommy!” She exclaimed louder than before. “I want to give my birthday present for Jesus to Borneo.” What? Did my five year old just say Borneo? “Okay honey, let’s see what we can do.” I said while Googling where in the world Borneo was located. {FYI. Indonesia. Borneo is located in Indonesia.} “How perfect is that, sweetie. Mommy has a friend named Joy who lives in Indonesia. I will send her an email and ask her how close she lives to Borneo.” I informed my determined girl.
And here in this every day kitchen conversation with my 5 year old, God amazed me with how He works.
Guess where Joy lives…. Borneo. Joy lives in Borneo. My five year old was not surprised. She knew God was in this. I was able to connect with my friend Joy – who happens to live in Borneo, Indonesia – in a matter of seconds through email. I explained our tradition of giving our girls $30 on Christmas Eve to buy a gift for Jesus. I told her my five year old would like to give a gift for Borneo. She replies with a couple of choices for my girl. We discuss. My five year old chooses. I cry. I know Jesus will love His birthday gift of chickens for Borneo.
See, I’ve said before that God is all over his Social Media thing. I met Joy through her blog and we connect every week on Twitter. We chat on Facebook and email back and forth. I met her in real life at Relevant . She truly is my sister in the Lord (Remember her amazing Grace Story?) And this week, God is using her to show my five year old, when you listen to God stir your heart, He will show you great and mighty things. Do you want to know the rest of the story? Trust me, you do. It is even better than the beginning. You can read it over at Joy’s blog called The Grace Full Mama right now!
Updates: Joy now lives in Uganda with her beautiful family. The last time I asked her about the chickens they were doing well. God continues to cultivate my Caroline’s heart with compassion. I love seeing him work in her heart!
Stacey, what a great story! And a wonderful testimony of how your family chooses to focus on Christ at Christmas. Thanks so much for sharing!
I am amazed Lisa at what God can do when we listen to Him stirring our hearts and the hearts of our children. We serve a great big God!
I should also mention that my other girls gave gifts as well. One gave clean water for one year – enough for 30 people through the organization Living Water (you can find out about them through my friend Michelle at Somegirls Website). My oldest gave her gift through our church, who is working with local schools and operating a food pantry for students.
Love this story…read the rest of it on her blog. Not a bit surprised that your girls have a heart for the Lord, the world and chickens 🙂 NEVER FORGET THIS!
Love it sweet friend! You bless me so much!!
Thank you Joy for being our hands and feet! And for your willingness to be used by God. I know this was no small task for you – but you have helped my girls see Jesus at work in the world! I am eternally grateful!
Oh Stacey! What a mighty God we serve! He who places the unknown into the hearts of children and arranges meetings and connections and uses chickens to point to Himself! I love it … and I love you!
You know I just stand amazed by Him! He is so in the details! And the truth? Without Social Media I would never have met you sweet friend!
WOW. WOW. WOW. I love God.
That’s all.
a
I know. I know!
Stacy, what a great testimony. I am so thankful to know you and jump into your blog.
I can see how God use you to teach your children about Him, His love for the world, and His mission.
Thank you for praying and thinking about those people in Borneo. I’ve been there several times since 2004, fell in love with Borneo since that day 🙂
Blessings to you and your family!
Helen so nice to meet you here! God has shown me the neatest lessons through being their mom! We are praying for this sweet woman and those chickens to thrive! 🙂
I first read your story this morning on Gracefullmamas blog- it was beautiful! Your sweet daughter has inspired me. It IS a beautiful thing to see how God is working. Thank you for sharing your story 🙂
This just fills me with so much Joy. What a story, what a gift. Thank you so much for sharing.
shaking my head back and forth, “wow, wow, wow” … nodding up and down, “of course, of course, of course!!”
i simply LOVE how God works. love! and a story involving Jesus touching the life and heart of a five year old … blesses me to the core! hopping over to joy’s to read the other half of the story …
I was telling C about all this today, and how her gift was encouraging an inspiring others and she said, “Mom, that is what Christians do. We go places and help people.” And once again I was the one being schooled in faith!
Blessings friend!
This is so, so precious! I am going to share the story with my boys {almost 5 and 3.5} I think it encourages them to have hearts to give when they hear of others their age doing the same thing.
This year my turning 5 yr old has decided that instead of birthday gifts for himself he’s going to ask his friends to bring socks and underwear for a missionary gift store that provides clothing items for free to missionaries on furlough.
As parents we will of course be giving him gifts, but I just love seeing that he’s willing to give up his party gifts for others.
And I LOVE your idea of giving the kids a certain amount for Jesus’ birthday for them to spend on something … wonderful idea!! 🙂
I love that Jessica because he is setting an example and getting his friends involved, too! Love his heart!
i love the christmas gift! (i’m slow, i just read the story!). isn’t it great to give gifts to other parts of the world and realize how much we take for granted?