In Search of the Perfect Gift

It's our anniversary! On December 28th, Deliberate Women will be celebrating TWO YEARS. We can hardly believe it either. We are so amazed at where God has taken us on this journey and we can't wait to see what's in store for year three and beyond. In recognition of this special week, the gifts are all for you, friends. Be sure to visit each day for a new post AND some great giveaways!

It’s just three days until Christmas. Can you feel it in the air? In my (Melissa) house, my kids are counting the days. And if you take a trip to your local mall over the next 72 hours, you’ll most likely feel the hustle and bustle of the season. You’ll find people scrambling to find that “one last {perfect} gift” or frantically grabbing anything they can find as this is the first day they’ve set foot in the mall this season.

And for those last minute shoppers, you can also pick up any number of magazines from the grocery store rack, open to any spread and find an article titled “The Perfect Gift for Everyone on Your List” (or something similar) with recommendations for the hostess, the cook, the gardener, the artist …

But what you probably won’t find at the mall or in those magazine recommendations is the ONE perfect gift for everyone on your list this year. It’s one that is easy to shop for and, best of all, always available.  And that is the gift of TRUTH.

What if this year, instead of searching the mall or online sites for the perfect gift, we simply opened our Bibles and found one perfect verse -- that one truth -- that each woman (and maybe even you!) needs to hear during this season?

For those people in your life right now -- the woman who longs for a closer relationship with God but is struggling with feelings of inadequacy, with burdens from her past, with questions about who she is -- would you share one of these verses from scripture with them? It may be the best gift she receives this Christmas!

For the woman struggling to find contentment
Psalm 37:3-5 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

For the girl who questions her self-worth
Psalm 139:13-14 You are the one who put me together inside my mother’s body, and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me. Everything you do is marvelous! Of this I have no doubt.

For the mom who wonders whether all of it is really worth it
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

For the stressed-out friend
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

(And because I think there may be many of us out there who fit into this category, I’m including another!)

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

For the one who thinks she needs to do it all
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

For the woman who experienced a loss this season
Psalm 23:4  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
 
For the one who thinks she needs to be perfect
Psalm 73:26  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

For anyone feeling weak
2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 

For the friend feeling burdened by her past mistakes
Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

For all of us
Luke 2:11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

AND

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

(This is by no means an exhaustive list. For every situation, there are many other verses that are applicable and even more that we didn’t share. Perhaps there is another that speaks more powerfully to you. If so, would you share your go-to verse in the comments section? We’d love to share the words that encourage you, too!)

Merry Christmas!

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