Amish novels are so much fun to read! The characters are always taking walks, or cooking, or sewing! Many times the characters are ministering to someone else—someone who is sick or maybe just someone who is a bit lonely.
So what can you do to minister to someone you know? I came up with five ideas, but I bet in the COMMENT section you can give us even more.
1. Make a prayer shawl or afghan. I’m making one right now for a friend who has cancer. I emailed her and told her I was making it and praying for her as I crochet each row. It’s not about how well you crochet or knit. It’s about using a specific time to raise that person and their needs to the Lord.
2. Teach someone. I’ve had so many people tell me they’d like to learn to crochet or knit. I refer them to YouTube! But we learn best when someone is sitting right beside us, and what a sweet time of fellowship that is. I learned from a seventeen-year-old student when I was teaching high school. We started a knitting club after school. What a special time to spend together.
3. Say yes! Many times we make items but don’t know what to do with them. When God prods you to be generous to someone else, do it! I’ve even been contacted through Facebook, asking if I’ll donate a crocheted item to an auction. Sure! The things you make aren’t for your closet. They’re to bless people—loved ones, family members, and sometimes strangers!
4. Find a charity organization. Whether it’s chemo caps or preemie blankets, you can support a charity organization with your sewing. It’s a wonderful way to touch lives and share with them the love of Christ.
5. Be creative. Sometimes sewing isn’t really SEWING. For instance, I’ve started “cleaning” dolls from our local mission. I wash their clothes, maybe knit them a hat, wash them, and then add a small baby blanket. (You can cut four small doll blankets out of one baby blanket from Walmart.) Then I give the dolls back to the mission. Sewing isn’t always sewing. Sometimes it’s just looking at something and finding ways to turn it into a blessing for someone else.
Many of these things can be done while you watch television in the evening or for fifteen minutes of your lunch break. What I’ve found is that I’m the one who has received the blessing when I use my talents to help others.
Blessings,
Vannetta
Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines, receiving more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania. Her first novel, A Simple Amish Christmas, quickly became a bestseller. She now writes Amish fiction for Abingdon Press, Zondervan, and Harvest House. Chapman lives in the Texas hill country with her husband.
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I loved this line, Vannetta: “It’s not about how well you crochet or knit. It’s about using a specific time to raise that person and their needs to the Lord.”
That is so true!
Thanks, Caitlin.
So often we get caught up in “What a make isn’t good enough” or “no one would want this.” The truth is that God can use all we do to bless others.
Keeping my hands busy making hats for chemo patients is a blessing to me. My small church group makes prayer shawls too. At times it seems the more we knit the more we see the needs.
God bless you, Sandi. And I agree, the more we create things to bless others with, the more need we see.
Loved your post today. I often make things for others as well including prayer shawls.
I’m working on a prayer shawl now. Thank you for blessing others, Susan!
I really enjoyed your post today Vannetta. It isn’t what we do or how we do it…it is just doing it for others. I don’t knit, crochet, or do anything crafty but I found that serving others through a meal, or sending a card to someone means a lot to the receiver. Prayer plays a big part too. Praying as you crochet or knit a row is a great idea. Praying while you bake or address a card to send out is also a great idea.
Blessings!
Judy, you are completely right! Thank you for adding more ideas for our readers, and thank you for all you do!
What a terrific reminder, Vannetta! I always feel the same, “why would anyone want what I can do?” I guess because if I can do it, then somehow it’s not as special. But we all need to remember that any talent is special!
And God can use any talent. I think of that all the time when I play the keyboard at church. I’m certainly not perfect, but I’m willing.
Thanks for commenting, Amy!
I love your ideas, Vannetta. I’ve made prayer shawls in the past, and I’ve also made knitted dishcloths for Habitat for Humanity. When a new family moves into one their homes they are presented with some basic household goods, so a group of us spent one winter making dishcloths. I also try to purchase fleece from the local fabric stores, and make warm blankets for the homeless. No matter how little time you have available there’s always something you can do to help someone else.
Good point, Nancee. Not all projects take a lot of time. And thank you for reminding us about Habitat for Humanity. Awesome group. http://www.habitat.org/
My first time here. I see love in all you do, Vannetta, an inspiration to me. Your name is beautiful, but for all the love you give I think of you as “Valentinetta”. Hope you don’t mind. <3
Thank you, Jen! And thanks for visiting NQA. As far as my name, I’ve heard it nearly every way. They’re all good!