What Will You Do With Your Gift?
December 2, 2009
Merry Christmas! Yes, I know it's only December 2, but I couldn't wait to give you a gift of encouragement from writer and speaker, Mary McKenzie. So what makes Mary so special? Well, besides being a devotional writer, novelist, and speaker, Mary is only 18 years old!
Mary is the daughter of Aidan and Cindee McKenzie, and Aidan is the Executive Director of the non-profit organization, Reconciliation Ministries (www.proclaiminghim.com). Mary not only writes a teen devotional column, Thoughts for Teens, for the Reconciliation Ministries website, but has almost finished writing her first book, and has spoken in several churches in the southeast!
It's a joy to be able to encourage Mary by sharing her words with you. I hope you'll unwrap the gift she brings and let the Lord speak to you today.
December by Mary McKenzie
The Christmas season is all about gifts. I wanted to share a story about one of the smallest gifts ever given. It's in John 6. It starts out that there was a great crowd following Jesus. They followed Him up onto a mountain. One of the first things that Jesus did when He saw how many people there were was turn to Philip and ask, "Where are we to buy bread, so that they may eat?"
Philip looked at the mass of people, an estimated 20-25,000. Philip turned to the Lord in bewilderment. "Two hundred denarii (wages for 200 days of work) worth of bread is not sufficient for everyone to receive a little." He was saying even if they worked for two hundred days and spent everything they earned, it wouldn't be enough.
Did Jesus ask this because He was just as overwhelmed as the disciples and needed some ideas to bail them out of the mess they were in? No. He had a greater plan. He was going to strengthen their faith by revealing more of His power. So He kind of put His disciple into a state of panic trying to figure out ways to feed so many people.
Then Andrew came to Jesus with a little boy. "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?"
This is where the story gets good and the point I wanted to bring you to. There is an estimated twenty-five thousand people to feed, so the disciples are trying to figure out a way to put food in their mouth.
And a little boy steps out of the crowd, grabs Andrew, and holds out his little lunch. How many of us would be embarrassed to bring such a small gift to such a great teacher?
"What is such a small lunch for so many?" some might have snickered. "How foolish for him to give away his lunch. With it being so close to the Passover, there won't be anywhere for him to buy any food." Others might have whispered.
How many of you feel your gift might be too small? How many think your efforts are not enough? Let me encourage you dear precious writer (and reader). The Lord does not give gifts too small; He doesn't shun those who bring gifts that seem too small. He is looking for you. He is looking at the huge crowd of people waiting to be fed and He is watching and waiting for your little gift.
The end of the story? After the little boy had brought his little lunch, a miracle happened. Jesus blessed it and the disciples distributed it. When they were done they still had leftovers.
The following story illustrates the beauty of different gifts:
Someone once imagined the carpenter's tools holding a conference. Brother Hammer presided. Several suggested he leave the meeting because he was too noisy. "If I have to leave the shop," Brother Hammer replied, "Brother Screw must go also. You have to turn him around again and again to get him to accomplish anything!"
Brother Screw then spoke up. "If you wish, I will leave. But Brother Plane has to go, too. All his work is on the surface. His effort has no depth."
To this Brother Plane responded, "Brother Rule must leave, too. He does nothing productive; he is not able to cut wood or hold it together!"
They all fell silent when they saw the Carpenter of Nazareth walked in to do his day's work. He put on His apron; He went to the bench to make a pulpit so He could share the gospel. He used the hammer, screwdriver, plane, rule, sandpaper and all the other tools. After the day's work, when the pulpit was finished, Brother Saw stood up and remarked, "Brothers, I observed us working together today with the Lord."
God has made everything different. Your writing style might be different. Your articles shorter, your ministries smaller; but just like Jesus took that little boy's insufficient gift to use, if you're willing to give--no matter how inadequate it may seem--He can also use you.
Vonda here: What a great reminder, Mary! Thank you for sharing your words of encouragement with us. I have a feeling I'm not the only one who has been reminded that we each have something to offer. Yes, our voices may be different, but our goals should be the same: to reach out to others in the name of Christ, regardless of our ages, our preparation, or our past. We all have something to offer.
If you'd like to talk with Mary, you can reach her at mary@proclaiminghim.com. I hope you'll visit the ministry website or by snail mail at:
Reconciliation Ministries
P.o. Box 4052
Greenville S.C. 29608
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And the Book Goes to...
Ann Wayne! Congratulations, Ann! You're the winner of Sharon Hoffman's A Car Seat in My Convertible? Giving Your Grandkids the Spiritual Ride of Their Lives! I'm especially excited for you since you have that new grandbaby on the way! Please email me through my website (www.VondaSkelton.com) with your mailing address and Sharon will send you a signed copy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm Looking for KUDOS!
Okay, gang! It's that time again! Have you received some good news? Had an article published? Received a book contract? Won a contest? If so, we want to celebrate with you! Just send (via my website @ www.VondaSkelton.com) the details (your name, state, website, publication, month published, cover art, if available) and you'll be included in next week's kudos. Let us join you in praising God for His blessings!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where Will I Be?
The busy speaking season is almost over and I must say, I have mixed emotions about it. One the one hand, I'm so ready to have time to get my new book proposal finished and to my agent. But on the other hand, I'll really miss meeting new people and talking about the Lord and/or writing. But for everything there is a season, and this season is about to end. Here's where I'll be during the next two months:
* Moore, SC. December 2 Poplar Springs Baptist Church Women's Christmas Banquet. Call the church for more information: 864-576-0623.
* Simpsonville, SC. December 6. Westside Church Dinner Theater. I'm thrilled to be part of the cast of "Christmas Crosstalk," a humorous reminder that Christmas isn't just another holiday, but the opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Savior. And I get to play a snooty talk show host! (Oh, I LOVE drama!) The Westside Children's choir will be supplying the music and dinner will be served! Donations of any amount and a canned good are requested. Call the church at 864-963-7262 for more information.
* Rock Hill, SC. December 13. Eastview Baptist Church Women's Fellowship and Tea Party. Call 803-324-4025 for more information.
* Orlando/Tampa, FL area. January 11-16, 2009. I'll be in the area for a taping of the Herman and Sharron Bailey Television Program and will be coordinating several other events. If you're in the area and would like to have me speak to your church, school, or writer's group, please contact Kathy Willis at KCW Communications, willisway@aol.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christmas Book Sale for the Entire Family!
If you're considering giving books for Christmas, I've got some good news! It doesn't matter if you need books for men, women, or kids, I can take care of the whole family--and save you money, too! And you don't even have to leave your house. ;-)
From now until Christmas, you can get a free, signed copy of Seeing Through the Lies each time you purchase a set of three Bitsy books and a copy of Embrace of a Father. Yep--you get a copy of Seeing Through the Lies for FREE--NADA--ZERO!
IMPORTANT--To get this special sale, do NOT place an order for Seeing Through the Lies! If you order the book, you will be charged!!!
Simply place your order at my website (www.VondaSkelton.com) for the other books and be sure let me know how you want all of them personalized (including Seeing Through the Lies). Each time I get an order for three Bitsy books and an Embrace of a Father, I will automatically add a Seeing Through the Lies to the box--and I'll pay the extra shipping, too. ;-)
Thank you for your encouragement and support this year!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And in this season of gift-giving, let's remember to use our gifts for the Giver of all good things.
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. I Peter 4:10-11
I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your heart,
Vonda
Merry Christmas! Yes, I know it's only December 2, but I couldn't wait to give you a gift of encouragement from writer and speaker, Mary McKenzie. So what makes Mary so special? Well, besides being a devotional writer, novelist, and speaker, Mary is only 18 years old!
Mary is the daughter of Aidan and Cindee McKenzie, and Aidan is the Executive Director of the non-profit organization, Reconciliation Ministries (www.proclaiminghim.com). Mary not only writes a teen devotional column, Thoughts for Teens, for the Reconciliation Ministries website, but has almost finished writing her first book, and has spoken in several churches in the southeast!
It's a joy to be able to encourage Mary by sharing her words with you. I hope you'll unwrap the gift she brings and let the Lord speak to you today.
December by Mary McKenzie
The Christmas season is all about gifts. I wanted to share a story about one of the smallest gifts ever given. It's in John 6. It starts out that there was a great crowd following Jesus. They followed Him up onto a mountain. One of the first things that Jesus did when He saw how many people there were was turn to Philip and ask, "Where are we to buy bread, so that they may eat?"
Philip looked at the mass of people, an estimated 20-25,000. Philip turned to the Lord in bewilderment. "Two hundred denarii (wages for 200 days of work) worth of bread is not sufficient for everyone to receive a little." He was saying even if they worked for two hundred days and spent everything they earned, it wouldn't be enough.
Did Jesus ask this because He was just as overwhelmed as the disciples and needed some ideas to bail them out of the mess they were in? No. He had a greater plan. He was going to strengthen their faith by revealing more of His power. So He kind of put His disciple into a state of panic trying to figure out ways to feed so many people.
Then Andrew came to Jesus with a little boy. "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?"
This is where the story gets good and the point I wanted to bring you to. There is an estimated twenty-five thousand people to feed, so the disciples are trying to figure out a way to put food in their mouth.
And a little boy steps out of the crowd, grabs Andrew, and holds out his little lunch. How many of us would be embarrassed to bring such a small gift to such a great teacher?
"What is such a small lunch for so many?" some might have snickered. "How foolish for him to give away his lunch. With it being so close to the Passover, there won't be anywhere for him to buy any food." Others might have whispered.
How many of you feel your gift might be too small? How many think your efforts are not enough? Let me encourage you dear precious writer (and reader). The Lord does not give gifts too small; He doesn't shun those who bring gifts that seem too small. He is looking for you. He is looking at the huge crowd of people waiting to be fed and He is watching and waiting for your little gift.
The end of the story? After the little boy had brought his little lunch, a miracle happened. Jesus blessed it and the disciples distributed it. When they were done they still had leftovers.
The following story illustrates the beauty of different gifts:
Someone once imagined the carpenter's tools holding a conference. Brother Hammer presided. Several suggested he leave the meeting because he was too noisy. "If I have to leave the shop," Brother Hammer replied, "Brother Screw must go also. You have to turn him around again and again to get him to accomplish anything!"
Brother Screw then spoke up. "If you wish, I will leave. But Brother Plane has to go, too. All his work is on the surface. His effort has no depth."
To this Brother Plane responded, "Brother Rule must leave, too. He does nothing productive; he is not able to cut wood or hold it together!"
They all fell silent when they saw the Carpenter of Nazareth walked in to do his day's work. He put on His apron; He went to the bench to make a pulpit so He could share the gospel. He used the hammer, screwdriver, plane, rule, sandpaper and all the other tools. After the day's work, when the pulpit was finished, Brother Saw stood up and remarked, "Brothers, I observed us working together today with the Lord."
God has made everything different. Your writing style might be different. Your articles shorter, your ministries smaller; but just like Jesus took that little boy's insufficient gift to use, if you're willing to give--no matter how inadequate it may seem--He can also use you.
Vonda here: What a great reminder, Mary! Thank you for sharing your words of encouragement with us. I have a feeling I'm not the only one who has been reminded that we each have something to offer. Yes, our voices may be different, but our goals should be the same: to reach out to others in the name of Christ, regardless of our ages, our preparation, or our past. We all have something to offer.
If you'd like to talk with Mary, you can reach her at mary@proclaiminghim.com. I hope you'll visit the ministry website or by snail mail at:
Reconciliation Ministries
P.o. Box 4052
Greenville S.C. 29608
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And the Book Goes to...
Ann Wayne! Congratulations, Ann! You're the winner of Sharon Hoffman's A Car Seat in My Convertible? Giving Your Grandkids the Spiritual Ride of Their Lives! I'm especially excited for you since you have that new grandbaby on the way! Please email me through my website (www.VondaSkelton.com) with your mailing address and Sharon will send you a signed copy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm Looking for KUDOS!
Okay, gang! It's that time again! Have you received some good news? Had an article published? Received a book contract? Won a contest? If so, we want to celebrate with you! Just send (via my website @ www.VondaSkelton.com) the details (your name, state, website, publication, month published, cover art, if available) and you'll be included in next week's kudos. Let us join you in praising God for His blessings!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where Will I Be?
The busy speaking season is almost over and I must say, I have mixed emotions about it. One the one hand, I'm so ready to have time to get my new book proposal finished and to my agent. But on the other hand, I'll really miss meeting new people and talking about the Lord and/or writing. But for everything there is a season, and this season is about to end. Here's where I'll be during the next two months:
* Moore, SC. December 2 Poplar Springs Baptist Church Women's Christmas Banquet. Call the church for more information: 864-576-0623.
* Simpsonville, SC. December 6. Westside Church Dinner Theater. I'm thrilled to be part of the cast of "Christmas Crosstalk," a humorous reminder that Christmas isn't just another holiday, but the opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Savior. And I get to play a snooty talk show host! (Oh, I LOVE drama!) The Westside Children's choir will be supplying the music and dinner will be served! Donations of any amount and a canned good are requested. Call the church at 864-963-7262 for more information.
* Rock Hill, SC. December 13. Eastview Baptist Church Women's Fellowship and Tea Party. Call 803-324-4025 for more information.
* Orlando/Tampa, FL area. January 11-16, 2009. I'll be in the area for a taping of the Herman and Sharron Bailey Television Program and will be coordinating several other events. If you're in the area and would like to have me speak to your church, school, or writer's group, please contact Kathy Willis at KCW Communications, willisway@aol.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christmas Book Sale for the Entire Family!
If you're considering giving books for Christmas, I've got some good news! It doesn't matter if you need books for men, women, or kids, I can take care of the whole family--and save you money, too! And you don't even have to leave your house. ;-)
From now until Christmas, you can get a free, signed copy of Seeing Through the Lies each time you purchase a set of three Bitsy books and a copy of Embrace of a Father. Yep--you get a copy of Seeing Through the Lies for FREE--NADA--ZERO!
IMPORTANT--To get this special sale, do NOT place an order for Seeing Through the Lies! If you order the book, you will be charged!!!
Simply place your order at my website (www.VondaSkelton.com) for the other books and be sure let me know how you want all of them personalized (including Seeing Through the Lies). Each time I get an order for three Bitsy books and an Embrace of a Father, I will automatically add a Seeing Through the Lies to the box--and I'll pay the extra shipping, too. ;-)
Thank you for your encouragement and support this year!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And in this season of gift-giving, let's remember to use our gifts for the Giver of all good things.
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. I Peter 4:10-11
I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your heart,
Vonda
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