I am happy to announce the winner of the give-away is Lisa Roark! I will be contacting you shortly and the book will be sent in the mail. Congratulations,and thanks to everyone who participated!
Merry Christmas
Tag: Christmas
Simply Christmas – A New Holiday Devotional by Tama Fortner
Look what was just delivered into my inbox! It is Tama Fortner’s fresh, new Christmas devotional for busy moms, and it is a treasure!
31 days worth of inspiring devotions along with practical advice to help you keep your Christmas this year simple, yet meaningful!
I loved how Tama incorporated tips to be mindful of others (like at holiday celebrations when you are feeling self conscious) as well as shared reminders about what is really important (like quality time with your kids). Her writing has an authentic tone and is very relatable!
If you have ever compared yourself to others and felt inadequate, Tama has some insights for you from the Bible. I absolutely love the verses she selected for each day! It is such a beautiful thing to read the Scriptures and have God’s Spirit speak to your heart.
So…
This Christmas season, check out this devotional! You won’t regret it! (Scroll down for order link)
Here is the press release description:
Between holiday baking, decorating the house, shopping for the perfect gifts, and hunting for the most picturesque tree, Christmas can be anything but peaceful for moms. Too often, the stress and busyness of the season make it difficult for them to find time to simply rest and dwell on the wonder of the Savior’s birth.
Fortner’s 31 short yet beautifully written devotions offer moms an opportunity to indulge in a few minutes of calm each day as she takes them back to that long-ago first Christmas. With warmth and wit, she also shares tips for leaving perfectionism behind and becoming the “keeping-it-real mom” instead.
“When I was starting out as a mom, it seemed as if everywhere I looked, there was perfection,” Fortner says. “Perfect clothes, perfect kids, perfect meals, perfect homes. And I tried to keep up with that. And I realize now that much of the pressure I felt was self-imposed. I had to grow into feeling comfortable in my own role as a mom…and that happened as I grew in my faith and my understanding of who I am as a daughter of God.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tama Fortner is a bestselling writer with more than 35 titles to her credit. As a ghostwriter, she has collaborated with some of the biggest names in Christian publishing to create inspirational books for children, teens, and adults. But her greatest accomplishments happen in a happy little home on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives with her family and an incredibly lazy dog who doubles as a footwarmer. For more information, visit www.tamafortner.com.
Order the book online at this link
**Tama, I wish you all the best with this new release! I think it has the potential to touch many hearts!
Need a photo frame craft for kids?
This is an sample craft from my Free Downloadable Teaching Guide/Activity Kit available to accompany my book Mouse’s Christmas Gift.
Isn’t Mouse cute?
Step 1: Collect the needed items.
Idea: Let the kids decorate their own frame. You can purchase any Christmas foamies or use markers.
Step 2: Take the photos. Option: Have the kids pose with a battery operated candle, or the book.
Step 3: Print pictures, attach pictures to the frames, and give to the families the following meeting.
Need a fun idea for a family ministry outreach?
Need a fun idea for a family ministry outreach?
Idea: Host a “family” gingerbread house building party!
In early December I attended a fantastic event at Harbour Shores Church in Indiana. I was so impressed with how it was organized, and saw great potential for other churches to duplicate the morning with the families in their churches.
Step One– Invite families
Families registered online and decided if they ordered one, two, or more gingerbread house kits. They prepaid for the event.
Step Two– Buy supplies, light refreshments, and prepare the work space
Event organizers made sure to have work space set up in the church gym, and enough gingerbread kits for everyone. In addition to the gingerbread house kits, extra frosting and toppings were provided and laid out at each work station.
Light breakfast food was served as the participants arrived. The menu included fruit, muffins, doughnuts, juice, and coffee.
There was also a station to do a sticker/coloring craft if the participants wanted to do so.
Families mingled, found their work stations, and ate their refreshments.
Step Three– Read a Christmas story and present the gospel
I attended the event and read Mouse’s Christmas Gift. This was a great way to introduce spiritual truth into the event. After the story, I took approximately 10 minutes to present the gospel, using an object lesson.
Step Four — DECORATE the gingerbread houses
After the devotional time, families worked together to decorate their gingerbread houses. So much fun and so many smiles!
The entire event lasted just under 2 hours.
Christmas Craft Idea from Mouse’s Christmas Gift Activity Guide
Interested in the contents of my FREE DOWNLOADABLE Mouse’s Christmas Gift Teaching Guide/Activity Pack?
Here is a SNEAK PEEK!
It’s easy! Draw a face on a small clothespin and wrap with a piece of felt. Tie with a string. Then use a tissue tube cut in half to make the manger.
This sweet friend of mine enjoyed it! I bet your child will, too!