Families Helping Families

My divorce was final right as I rolled into the holiday season four years ago.  I remember wondering how I was going to pay all of my bills, let alone have gifts under the tree specifically from me to my son and how I would serve him any sort of traditional meal.  My entire family was in another state and it looked like that Christmas would be a true test of my inner joy of Christ.  Would I truly praise Him through the holidays despite my uncertain circumstances?  Would I be able to praise Him even if I was serving my son macaroni and cheese on Christmas?  I will admit that it was very difficult to find joy everyday considering I was still grieving for the breakup of my family unit, but God blessed me that Christmas more than I could have imagined.

I made a decision for joy despite any circumstance.  I truly believe that even if the plan for us that Christmas was indeed macaroni and cheese, that God would be glorified through Thanksgiving and through Christmas.  That year however was a true testament of how people help other people confirm the joy that we have in Christ.  Through invitations to gatherings, presents from relatives and a visit from a very close friend, my son and I had a great Christmas.  It wasn't because of anything I did or didn't do, but it was because that despite everything I chose, joy.

Here we are again in another holiday season.  Hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner, but in that same thought I exclaim, "Christmas is right around the corner!" This time of year is my absolute favorite.  The joyous carols, lights and gatherings are all very dear things to my heart as an expression of the greatest gift ever given to us, Jesus.  A very large reason that I love this time of year is specifically because it is a time for GIVING.  A time to bless others with gifts out of love, gifts for happiness or even gifts that are tangible.

I have been very blessed to be a part of an initiative put on by Family Talk called, Families Helping Families.  During the Christmas season we ask for individuals who are hurting or in need of help this Christmas to write in with their story and what gift someone could give to them to help confirm their joy in Christ.  Not all submissions are able to be met with a donor, but all of them are prayed over extensively. Our prayers include that the individuals who write in will find joy even if our program could not help in the way they had hoped.  We place all of the stories anonymously on our website and as gracious donors step forward, we connect the two parties and rejoice in an answered prayer.

Will you join us this season?

If you are finding yourself in a situation where you could really use some help,  consider writing to us with your story and how someone could give your family a special blessing.

Or maybe you have been blessed this past year and you are in a position to help others this season. We pray earnestly for people like you who will step forward in faith and bless someone in need.

The stories we hear are truly amazing of how families are uniting to help one another.  God bless you and God bless your families!

For more information on Families Helping Families please visit http://www.drjamesdobson.org
*Families Helping Families is a December initiative.