It’s a different kind of holiday season this year.
We haven’t been thinking too much about shopping…we are missionaries serving in Germany, so gifts are not much of a possibility and therefore not as big of a focus as in years past. We aren’t going to see any family since international travel is so expensive. And it just so happens that we have several thousand refugees from war-torn regions living in close proximity to our apartment.
There’s a shift happening.
The naïveté of days gone by doesn’t fit anymore. If I were not sure before, it is completely clear now that my life isn’t all about me. In fact, it’s more about what I can pour out than about anything I can collect or consume. And the funny thing is, this just sits right with me. I have no regrets for saying yes when God asked us to move to a far off place and love His kids who don’t know Him yet.
Seeing the faces of refugees who have ended up in my city is a sobering thing. They are not scary—they are people with feelings and hopes and dreams just like you and me. Most of them have been on the run for the past few months, if not longer, simply trying to stay alive. And now they are trying to build a new life in a new place where they don’t know a soul and can’t speak the language.
I am ruined by this.
My children’s school just started its first Welcome Class of refugee students—10 teenagers who speak no German or English, some of them who came from their home countries on their own without any parents. They have no backpacks, no pens or notebooks, no winter coats. Their hearts ache to be understood and to belong.
I am ruined by this.
Our ministry team has just “adopted” a refugee home in our area to help in every way we possibly can. We will be helping with building maintenance like painting and caring for the grounds, we will serve at a special Christmas party the directors are organizing for the 34 families who live there, and we will start helping with kids’ activities and social events as the weeks go on. We just did an online fundraiser to be able to purchase Christmas gifts for each family, and each child by name, and were overwhelmed with donations from generous people in the USA.
I am ruined by this.
Maybe the best thing we could get for Christmas this year is a little ruin in our lives.
A ruining of life-as-usual where “those problems” aren’t mine. A ruining of isolationism so that we can reach out and connect with people in a meaningful way. A total smashing of preferences and political jargon that masquerade as Christianity. Yeah, a little bit of ruin could be a very good thing.
We must be ruined for the ordinary. Things have shifted—time is running out. If you have ever tasted the goodness of God, don’t be ordinary. Get up and do something! You were made for more than punching in and punching out—it’s time to find out what’s really going on so you can make a difference. You might not have refugees next door, but you have someone. Get to know them. Love them. Pray for them. Embrace them.
This year, I’m ruined for Christmas. My world is not tied up in a pretty bow, but it is one of the most precious gifts I have ever held in my hands.
Have you been ruined this season by the reality of everything going on around us? How can you overcome feelings of hopelessness with the hope that Christ brings at Christmas? How can you and your family make a difference in your sphere this year?
Hi friends! Jess here. I’m popping in on Crista’s amazing post to tell you a little about her. I’ve known this amazing woman for over 20 years! She loves the Lord fiercely and it’s no wonder to me that he using her in such an intense way. . .in such an intense environment. If you’d like to learn more about the work the Ashworth family is doing in Germany, please visit them on their website and consider giving to their ministry via Allegro Solutions {use code “Euro-Ashw.TCA” in the designation field.} I’m so thankful for families like the Ashworths who have been ruined for ordinary and are actively sharing the love of Jesus with the world. God doesn’t call all of us to go as they have gone but he can use them to inspire us to action in our own backyards!
I so understand your blog today. I served with my family as missionaries many years ago in Kenya. Our children had no wish list for Christmas because we did not have TV ads engulfing them daily, stores or money. Our gifts were mostly homemade, but we did celebrate the season in true fashion. I remember being awakened just three months into our new home with Christmas carolers at our bedroom window. I had no idea what to do or what was expected of us. No hot chocolate to serve and no cookies. I later discover the carolers were collecting an offering for the church. We learned a lot very quickly that Christmas morning, as they only began caroling at midnight Christmas Eve. Thank you for being ruined for Jesus. May the Lord bless you and keep you as you serve Him.
Wow! It’s amazing the things we encounter and the places we thrive when we take that runnning leap into Jesus’ arms! Bless You, my friend, for your faithfulness and your dedication to our Savior!