Tricia Goyer HomepageTricia Goyer

Living God’s Word One Step at a Time

You are here: Home / Archives for service

service

by Leave a Comment

Five Simple Ways to Lift Your Spirits

**Scroll below to win The Giving Manger for your family!**

This Christmas you can use these five simple ways to lift your spirits and the hearts of those around you as well. By choosing to look outside yourself, you–and your family–can be blessed and be a blessing in this season of the greatest gift of all-time–the birth of our Savior. We are grateful for this guest post by Allison Hottinger who loves sharing the true gift of Christmas with others. 

Five Simple Ways to Lift Your Spirits

Have you cried more this year than you ever have before? If you answered yes, you aren’t alone.

If you look around at your neighbors, friends, and strangers, you will see hints of worry, sadness, and loneliness on their faces.

Now think for just a second: How would it feel if someone came along to lift you up right now?

What if they dropped a chocolate bar at your door?

What if they dropped a notecard in the mail for you?

If someone even noticed me at the grocery store right now, it would lift me up.

In some ways, it’s never been harder to lift the cloud hanging over us, but in others, it’s never been easier because a small gesture can go a long, long way. We have to do something to lift the people around us.

Five Simple Ways to Lift Your Spirits

Here are a few simple ways to practice kindness and giving to others that will not only lift the spirit of those around us, but will bring joy to our own hearts as well:

  1. Mail a letter to a senior in a nursing home


It’s as easy as printing out this service project packet, having your kids color a picture, and popping it in the mail. Getting letters are sure to make a senior smile when they can’t have visitors this year.

  1. Poinsettia doorbell drop off

five simple ways to lift your spirits

We all loved doorbell ditching as children, but have you done it as an adult with your kids? Pick up an inexpensive poinsettia (some stores have them as low as $5 right now) and drop it off at a neighbor or friend’s doorstep to make their day!

  1. Don’t complain for a whole day

five simple ways to lift your spirits

Have you ever tried to go a whole day without complaining? It’s tough. Choosing joy when we have the opportunity to complain is a quick gift to those around us and will often lift our own hearts.

  1. Leave a note on someone’s pillow.

The words “I love you” hit different when written intentionally and left on a pillow. A small gesture that can’t help make someone in your house feel treasured.

  1. Start a tradition together

Five Simple Ways to Lift Your Spirits

The Giving Manger is a fun and interactive Christmas tradition that will help families focus on giving and the true meaning of Christmas. By putting a piece of straw in the manger each time an act of kindness is completed, hearts are encouraged and excited to look for opportunities to give. The tradition is complete when on Christmas Day they place Baby Jesus in a manger full of straw, representing all the service and kindness shown leading up to the day!

Five Simple Ways to Lift Your Spirits

Do the tradition with a friend and share stories of kindness along the way!

 

This year, let’s remember that tears are temporary but memories of giving last forever.

Five Simple Ways to Lift Your SpiritsAllison Hottinger and Lisa Kalberer are sisters who are passionate about giving back. As they began to raise their own families, they realized that the true meaning of Christmas and the spirit of giving was getting lost in the hustle and bustle of the season. They put pen to paper, wood to the saw, and clay in their hands to create the book, manger, and Baby Jesus that make up The Giving Manger–a complete tradition to help families focus on the real meaning of Christmas. They hope that The Giving Manger can spread kindness and promote service as families come together and shift the focus of Christmas from getting to giving. Allison lives in Ladera Ranch, California, and Lisa lives in Austin, Texas.

 

Learn more at www.thegivingmanger.com and on Facebook (@thegivingmanger)

Win The Giving Manger — Due to postal shipping, US mailing addresses only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

12 Days of Christmas Sales are here!!!!!

​
Day 12: when you purchase Made With Love you can get Planted with Hope and Sewn with Joy for 75% off! Put all three books in your cart. Use the discount code: CHRISTMAS12
Day 11: Buy Lead Your Family Like Jesus get Mommy and Me Prayers for FREE! Put both books in your cart and use the discount code: CHRISTMAS11​
Day 10: Buy A Secret Courage and get A Daring Escape for FREE! Put both books in your cart and use the Coupon Code: CHRISTMAS10

​Day 9: Buy Praying Through the Bible in a Year and Balanced: Finding Center as a Work-at-Home Mom for 50% off! Put one or both books in your cart and use the coupon code: CHRISTMAS9 at checkout.

Day 8: Order The Swiss Courier, you can get Chasing Mona Lisa for FREE! Chasing Mona Lisa is Book 2 in the series. Put both books in your cart and use the coupon code: CHRISTMAS8 at checkout.
Day 7: Buy my novel From Dust and Ashes and get Arms of Deliverance for FREE! Put both items in your cart and use the coupon code: CHRISTMAS7

Day 6: Get the novella collection An Amish Garden FREE ($10.99 value) with the purchase of Where Treetops Glisten! Put both items in your cart and use the coupon code CHRISTMAS6 at checkout!

Day 5: Purchase Beside Still Waters, you can get Along Wooded Paths and Beyond Hope’s Valley for 50% off!Put all three items in your cart and use the coupon code CHRISTMAS5 at checkout!​

Day 4: Buy a copy of The Grumble Free Year and get a copy of Calming Angry Kids for Free! A $14.99 value! Put both books in your cart. Use the coupon code: CHRISTMAS4 at checkout.

Day 3: If you buy my Titanic novel By the Light of the Silvery Moon, you can get my WWII suspense novel Songbird Under a German Moon for FREE! ($13.99 value!) Put both books in your cart. Use the coupon code: CHRISTMAS3 at checkout! (*limited quantity)

Day 2: 50% off Prayers that Changed History or Whit’s End Devotional (each or both!) https://tricia-goyer.myshopify.com/collections/historical

by 7 Comments

I’m Passionate about Teaching My Children . . . Service to Others

climbing tree

I’m Passionate about Teaching My Children . . . Service to Others

Last week my children and I were visiting the doctor in a questionable part of town. (This doctor believes in caring for inner-city kids, which I love!) We were in a small strip mall, and I’d just loaded up all the kids when my 3-year-old daughter, Alyssa, noticed a man in a wheelchair approaching us. He was an older, African American man with only one leg. He was thin, but he had kind eyes. He motioned to me, and instead of starting my engine I rolled down the window.

“Ma’am, do you happen to have a few dollars for food? I’m so hungry.”

Personally, I don’t believe in giving out money. I’ve seen what it’s used for by those whose addictions have a hold of them, but I will—when it is possible—help with food.

“Sir, I don’t have cash to give you, but I have some food here.” And I did! It “just so happened” that after Bible study that morning, my leader gave me a sack lunch because she knew I couldn’t stay for fellowship. I handed over the sandwich and cinnamon rolls.

I also had donuts. You see, it also “just so happened” that I’d found a Mexican bakery that morning and had bought some special treats for my grandma. After handing over the lunch, I pulled the largest donut from the box and handed that over, too.

“Ma’am?” the man asked, his eyes bright. “Is this cream-filled?”

“I’m not sure, sir.”

How can you teach your kids #service to others? @TriciaGoyer shares her tips:

Click To Tweet

He didn’t wait to check. He stuck his finger into the donut and a smile lit his face. “It is!” He thanked me, and then he rolled out of the way of the car and started eating that donut with gusto.

My children ages 6, 3, and 3had been quiet during the whole exchange. But as soon as we pulled out, Alyssa piped up, “Mom, we need to pray for that man!” And then, without hesitation, all three children began praying for him, out loud. It was like a mini tent revival happening in the backseat!

We’d driven just a few blocks away, when Bella, age 6, piped up next. “Mom, does that man have a home?”

I told her I didn’t know.

“Mom, we have to go back. We have to put him in our car!” Tears filled her eyes. “He can live with us, Mom. We have an extra bed!”

Tears filled my eyes, too, at her compassion. Yes, we did have an extra bed—the bottom bunk in her room. No, I wasn’t going to go get the man and have him sleep there, but we talked then about keeping extra snacks in the car for situations just like this.

Find out why I felt guilty while raising my three older children by clicking HERE.

I have a few books on sale right now! The Swiss Courier and Chasing Mona Lisa are only $1.99! The Promise Box is only $3.99! And Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

by 3 Comments

Nurturing Helpful Hearts in Your Children (From Toddlers to Teens)!

Little girl under umbrella

Nurturing Helpful Hearts in Your Children (From Toddlers to Teens)!

  1. Read a story about people who have helped each other (try Mark 2:1-5). Point out to your kids how kind and loving behavior is appreciated.
  2. Make one evening a week “Share-the-Load Night.” Tackle household projects together like washing the dishes, stacking wood, or helping the children clean their rooms.
  3. When you find litter in a public place, encourage your child to help you pick it up. Explain that you’re providing a clean area for others to enjoy.
  4. Make helping each other fun. With younger children, take turns buttoning one another’s coats. Let older children rake the yard together and jump in the leaves all they want.
  5. Have a “Big Helper” contest. Make a simple chart and keep track of family members who have helped each other. At the end of the week, reward all helpers with a family prize, such as an ice-cream outing.
  6. Help your child create “serving coupons” to give as gifts. A younger child could include coupons for helping Mommy sweep. An older child could offer coupons good for walking the dog or reading a story to his little sister.
  7. Each morning, encourage your children to think of one way they can help someone else during the day. At bedtime, talk about their acts of service and thank God for the specific ways they helped.
  8. Remind your child that praying is also a form of helping. In situations when we can’t physically assist others, we can ask God to help in his own special way. Teach your child that God is the best helper of all.
Teach your kids to have helpful, #servant hearts with these 8 tips from @TriciaGoyer:

Click To Tweet

Did you hear the good news? My new book Balanced is available now via Amazon and Barnes & Noble for only $2.99 (digital only)!

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram. 

Verified by MonsterInsights