Just before Christmas, the BBC Elders placed specially marked bulletins for the ushers to distribute. Those who received a marked bulletin met with Pastor Tom after the service, and were given informational and financial resources to extend extravagant grace to others during the holiday season. Here is what Pastor Tom wrote to each person,
"You are being given this gift in the hopes that you turn around and give it away to someone in need the next couple of weeks. Use it in creative ways to extend grace to another person or persons as an illustration of God’s grace extended to you. We trust you will see life through the lens of the extravagant grace of Jesus. Pray for God to open your eyes to see not just the physical needs of people, but their greater spiritual and eternal need of Jesus. Pass along this booklet which is primarily the Gospel of Luke. Explain to them the importance of reading the Gospel for themselves. Be willing to follow up with them later to answer any questions they might have. Remind them that there are ‘no strings attached’ to this gift, just as there are no means by which we could ever merit the wonderful, extravagant grace of God."
Read the stories of how God used His people to show grace to others:
Submitted January 9th:
When I got the envelope for the grace gift, my mind went to a few people that could use the money. I wanted this assignment to be of God’s direction, so I did not automatically send the money to ones who first came to mind. I prayed every day for God to show me or direct me in the path of one who should get the money. It came to a few days prior to Christmas and I did not have any opportunities that seem directed to give out the gift. One person kept coming to my mind, so I called her sister to see how she was doing. As the sister was telling me more about the struggles with family health issues and recent death in the family, I knew that this gift should be given to her sister. Now was my area to grow in being a witness of God and have God arrange details to get the money to her before Christmas. I started my note by saying that Christmas makes me think of God’s greatest gift of grace to me, sending his Son. Not wanting to offend her, but wanting to extend a small token of grace to her, I wanted to share a small token of grace to her during this difficult time in her life. Next, God worked out for my husband to meet her at her sister’s house to give the card and booklet personally to her a few days before Christmas. I continued to pray that God would use this opportunity in a positive way. I saw her a few days ago and the first thing she did was thank me and let me give her a hug. Now I continue to pray for this lady that God will show areas of grace to her life.
Submitted January 10th:
I was one of the individuals who received the book and the $100.00 at Christmas time. The Lord laid it on my heart to give the book and money to my younger sister. She is a single mom with 5 children, 3 of which are living with her now. She was raised in a Christian home but ended up being the prodigal child. Four years ago, after our dad passed away, she just seemed to lose her mind and got involved with an abusive convicted meth dealer which started us on a long journey. She lost custody of one daughter and gave temporary custody of 2
of her children to our daughter and her husband. We tried to help her, but nothing seemed to work. We finally realized that we had to let her go and let God do a miracle because there was nothing
else we could do. About 6 months ago, as the Bible says, "She came to herself" and realized where she was going, what she had lost, and wanted to change her life. She became involved with a Christian organization in Lafayette, who helps people like her get their lives back. She is now working full time, for the first time in over 2 years and has an apartment. She started going to church again and you can see a real change in her life! Since she is trying to get back on her feet again, I felt like she could use the money to get things that they needed, including Christmas presents for her children. For the first time in 3 years, we had Christmas with her as a family. I praise the Lord for the change and feel like she has finally given her life to the Lord and will have a wonderful testimony for Him.
Submitted February 26th:
We used the money and purchased three Christmas gift baskets that contained meats, crackers, bread, and cheeses. We took them and gave them to our neighbors along with the Gospel of Luke. We told them that it was a gift from us and Bethel Bible Church. We wanted to use the gift to create open doors for further conversation and relationships.
Submitted February 27th:
I chose a lady where I work to help. She is a recent widow who lost her husband suddenly. She has many needs some are spiritual and she asked for prayer on her financial ones which I let her know we would pray (our church and Life Group). After praying on how to use this gift that was given to me this was the answer I got that would best help her. Three gifts: two temporary and one with eternal value.
1. One gift card to a major store.
2. One gift card to a local food store.
3. Bought her a ladies Bible ESV so she could have God's Word.
They were wrapped up with a Christian Christmas card, with an invitation to come to our church and our Life Group and an encouragement to keep her eyes on the Lord. I gave her the gift on Christmas eve.
Submitted December 2014:
I was shocked when we got the money in the envelope last year – but I also thanked the Lord for it – what a blessing to so many different individuals! I began to pray what to do with it – I kept getting one name during my prayer time – I did know this lady – but not very well. I know she fostered children but that was about it. So after some time I decided the Lord wanted to gift her this money. I was in the grocery store a week later and she was there – my opportunity is hand, the Lord says to me! I went up to her and she greeted me, and I said I have a gift for you. She was rather shocked – but said OK. I then asked about her family. Well, I seems that since the last time I had heard about her – she and her husband had adopted five children of the same family so that they would not be separated from one another.
WOW! Her mother was ill and in ICU at Indy and she had taken a voluntary time off to care for all these things. She also told me one of the kids had a birthday that day and she needed to get him a cake.
So I am here thinking – now I realize why I kept getting her name in my prayer time. I told her about the money and handed it to her – she was speechless! She wrote a very nice letter thanking whomever it was that had donated and for me to please pass along her thankfulness. I am sure she was blessed and very thankful.
Submitted December 2014
I want to say thank you for allowing me to participate in this idea. I have received many blessings and it was also another remembering that I am willing to wait and trust in the Lord. As I prayed for direction, the needs of your family just kept coming to mind. I would say yes Lord I will pray for them when I am done here but I really need Your wisdom in this money area first. Can you believe how foolish we are sometimes!! And when this kept happening over and over again, I got it!! God wanted me to use His money to help your family. I have such tremendous peace about this. It also taught me to wait on the Lord. Next time I hope that I fret less about waiting on His answer because I know that He has the best answer and the best timing. . Please accept His money know that so much prayer went before it. This whole situation has been a learning experience for me and such a tremendous blessing.
Submitted December 2014
In late December 2013, several church members were asked to “bless” someone with a booklet on ‘The Essential Jesus’ along with a gift of $100. I was in no ruch and wanted to pray about the potential recipient of this blessing. Do I think of someone totally unchurched, without any understanding of Christ and His teachings, or someone who really needed a monetary blessing. I considered the folks I came in contact with in the course of shopping etc. Finally I focused on one particular person who I knew had had some physical problems but seemed to be doing better and was able to work. I continued to pray for the ‘one’ particular person and even though I knew very little about him/her could sense the Lord gently leading me toward him/her. Twice I was near them, only in a public place, and did not feel led to proceed. Then yesterday, it is now February of 2014, when I was determined to get near enough to present my ‘blessing,’ he/she was walking to their car while I was waiting in the parking lot deciding whether to go inside, This was God’s moment, and after a little private conversation, I concluded that he/she was a church goer, but still did not know if he/she was saved. I offered my booklet and blessing which was received and will be expecting God to bear much fruit from my little ‘planting’. To God be the glory, great things He has done.
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