Giving Christmas Away - Utah Idaho Southern Baptist Convention

Alive
Newsletter for the Women of Utah and Idaho
November/December 2012
And Joseph also went up from
the town of Nazareth in Galilee,
to Judea, to the city of David,
which is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and
family line of David, to be
registered along with Mary, who
was engaged to him and was
pregnant. While they were there,
the time came for her to give
birth. Then she gave birth to her
firstborn Son, and she wrapped
Him snugly in cloth and laid Him
in a feeding trough—because
there was no room for them at
the lodging place.
Luke 2
Giving Christmas Away
Christmas is here! It truly is the “Most Wonderful
Time of the Year!” However, as we reflect on God’s
goodness and the celebration of Jesus’ birth, there are many
who have no idea what Christmas is truly about. Recently, I
clicked on a You-tube video that was mind-boggling…..it
was from Black Friday shopping and featured mass chaos at
a department store as people were shoving each other out of
the way in order to get to the merchandise! However, a few
weeks ago, my 19 year old daughter called me and said,
“Mom, I just wanted to let you know that I really don’t need
anything for Christmas….I really want to give Christmas
away…..” I was a little dumbfounded as I processed the
change that has occurred in my daughter (she used to be
pretty high maintenance), as she shared about the inner city
ministry that she is helping with.
They have been
purchasing snacks each week out of their pocket for them,
realizing that many of these kids only ate when they
attended school. Some kids arrived at their church minus
socks and shirts and pretty filthy at times. (Their latest
adventure was discovering that they had picked up a few
lice bugs from numerous hugs!) She was insistent that the
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“Women on Mission: Armed & Dangerous—WMU”
Women on Mission: Armed &
Dangerous—WMU Annual
Conference was held just prior to the
start of the UISBC annual meeting at
Canyons Church.
Above are photos of ladies who shared
with the group about their ministries;
Heart Change Ministries, Holding Out
Help, Mormon to Christian and the
Need some ideas on
where to ‘give
Christmas away’…
Contact the ladies in the
photos above for ways
to be involved!
Pregnancy Care Centers of Salt Lake
and Ogden.
Janis Walton led our times of
worship. Mary McFarling, WMU
president for Utah/Idaho, presided
over our annual WMU portion of the
meeting.
I will praise You,
for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your
works, And that my soul
knows very well.
“Women of Worth”
WOW-Women of Worth
was held the second
weekend in November in
Roosevelt, Utah.
The event was kicked off
with a spa time for
minister’s wives.
Our two beautiful speakers for the weekend were
Deb Douglas, above, and Linda Edwards, below.
Break out classes were
held on Saturday with
topics ranging from “Can
Martha have a Mary
Christmas?” to “My
Husband, My Hero” to
“Ministering to Women
in Crisis”.
There was even
an entire track
devoted
to
youth girls.
A big thanks
goes out to all
the women of
Roosevelt
Baptist Church
who hosted this
wonderful
event!
Giving Christmas Away continued …
lice doesn’t change the hugging….these kids need
love, hugs, food, and most importantly, the stories
about Jesus! She read the Christmas story to her
‘little sister’ from Jackson, MS, as she gave her the
Christmas gifts she had purchased for her. The 9
year old had never heard about a baby in a manger
named Jesus….the light of the world….the Savior for
all mankind! She then shared with me about
another ministry called Oasis Ministries in India.
This ministry rescues and provides a home for
young girls who had been previously sold into the
sex trade industry. She asked if our family could
possibly provide Christmas gifts for these girls who
are in need of love, support, and healing. I have to
admit that God pierced and convicted my
heart…..it’s so easy to get caught up in what I give
my own kids, that I can easily look past the deep
needs right before me.
James 1:27 says “Religion that God our Father
accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after
orphans and widows in their distress and to keep
oneself from being polluted by the world.”
How about you? Is God speaking to your
heart about a local ministry in your area or
community that you can engage in? What is
He asking you to do? I will join you…..let’s
partner in doing something different this
year…..let’s give Christmas away!
Shayla Hurlbut—UISBC Women’s Consultant
Book reView:
Unwrapping Martha’s Joy
By Brenda Poinsett
In her new release
Unwrapping Martha’s
Joy, author Brenda
Poinsett helps readers
unwrap the best present
of all—a renewed sense
of worship in their heart
and home. Using Luke
10 and the beloved
sisters
Mary
and
Martha as scriptural
basis for the book,
Poinsett gives readers a
fun and lighthearted
look
at
Martha’s
personality and how her
homemaking skills were an actual benefit.
Through 25 brief chapters, readers will unwrap
the secrets of Martha’s joy. Readers will be
encouraged to embrace and adapt their own
Martha-like characteristics as they create a Mary
-inspired Christmas—a season where Christ is
the center of the holiday season.
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