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Hey Friends –

Have you ever experienced a life-changing moment when you knew you’d never again be the same?!

That’s exactly what happened to me when I had the chance to distribute Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes many years ago.

In 2003, I was invited to serve at a church in overseas. For the safety of of missionaries currently serving there, I can only tell you in was in an undisclosed country. 

One of the many highlights of the trip was being able to pass out Samaritan’s Purse shoeboxes to the children living there.

Here I am (on the left) being escorted to the area where the children were waiting. And yes, that’s raw sewage running down the middle of the street.

When we arrived in the church and I saw all of the beautiful children, I was quickly moved to tears.

I asked one of our interpreters, “How do you say ‘Jesus loves you’ in Arabic?”

She responded “Jesus be hebec” (my spelling…not sure how you really spell it….)

And that afternoon, as I knelt in the dirt in 110 degree heat in a sweaty room jam-packed with kids (I should mention I was 4 1/2 months pregnant) and passed out the OCC shoeboxes…. I shared with each and every beautiful, precious child “Jesus be hebec, Jesus be hebec”

With tears streaming down my face, I knew at that moment that this was what I was created for!

I would surrender my life to share with anyone and everyone, no matter where God would take me, all about Jesus and His great love.

It is a defining moment in my life I will never forget. 

In the picture below, I am helping show the children what to do with the various items from the shoebox (sometimes challenging when we could only use our actions, and not words because of the language barrier). This little girl was given powder, but had no idea what to do with it.

I’ve also had the chance to pass out the shoeboxes in a refuge camp in an undisclosed part of the world. What a gift to spread the Gospel of Christ’s love one box at a time. 

In both instances, I experienced first hand the impact that these simple, inexpensives shoeboxes have on children —and their families— around the world.

And as I’ve journeyed with Christ followers who call these undisclosed countries home, they tell me how they see the shoeboxes as God’s provision and answered prayer to help build relationships with others in their communities with whom they would not normally have access. 

This holiday season, the Bultema’s will be once again be packing OCC shoeboxes. I’ve found this one way to  put our faith in action, while teaching compassion, kindness, and generosity.

Racine CRC packed 38 boxes!

Not only that, but we’re also packing boxes through GEMS Girls’ Clubs! 

GEMS has set a goal of 6,000 boxes in honor of our 60th birthday.

Learn how you can join us here. We’d love your support!

Every box has the opportunity to impact the life of a child for the Gospel. Woot woot!

I’m super excited to pack our shoeboxes, and hope you and your family will join us too.

It’s not too late.

You can pick up your plastic shoeboxes and shoebox gifts at your local Hobby Lobby just in time for National Collection Week on November 12-19!

For more shoebox packing ideas and to find your closest drop-off location, visit here.  

What’s your favorite thing to put in a shoebox?

If you could distribute shoeboxes in any location, where would you like to travel, and why? I’d love to hear from you!

Thanks so much for stopping by, dear friend! God’s richest blessings to you!

Hello dear friend 🙂

My 2017 Top 9

Happy New Year! How I have missed you! I wish we could share a cup of coffee and you could fill me in on your 2017—the good, the bad, the character-building parts.

{Until then, maybe you could leave a comment with the one word that best describes your 2017.}

We have much to catch up on!

Soon I’ll sit and share with you what God has been teaching me.

2017 was a year filled with highs, lows, and lots of “only God” moments sprinkled in between. I’m still processing all that God taught me last year.

But this I know…I’m ready for 2018!

I’ve been on vacation the past two weeks {woot! woot!} and have spent a lot of time creating a plan for a victorious, power-filled 2018.

If you know me well, it won’t surprise you to hear that involves lots of Scripture Memory work.

And this year I’ve prayerfully decided to memorize all of 1 John.

Want to join me?  Please?

Here are some ways I’d love to help you (and have you help me too.)

• I broke down 1 John into 52 parts, and created a calendar to keep track of the new memory verse(s). You can see/download the non-fancy 52 week schedule here: 1 John Memorization 2018.
• If you’d like a pretty copy that will help you get through our first four months, you can download it here: 1 John 2018 1 of 3.
• If you’d like a desktop screen saver of 1 John 1:1-4 (January verses) you can download below.
• If you give me your e-mail and/or cell phone number, I promise to personally email or text you once a month to see how you are doing. Send me a message to cindy@cindybultema.com.
• We can also have a check in on my FB Ministry page to encourage one another. (I need you to hold me accountable too!) Make sure we are connected here please. 🙂

Y’all know how passionate I am about memorizing Scripture. I’m not kidding – my life has been TRANSFORMED because my mind has been TRANSFORMED – and that has come by renewing my mind with His Word. If you are struggling with areas of defeat, discouragement, or just feeling “stuck” – God’s Word works, I promise!

Please give Scripture Memory a try, won’t you?

Don’t forget to leave me a comment with your “one word” from 2017. And please know I’m praying for you today, dear friend. May God fill this next year with oodles of His joy, hope, faith, strength, and power. You are so dearly loved!

In Him,

P.S. I’m opening up my Coaching Calls with Cindy for 2018 in a very limited capacity. I miss cheering speakers and writers on! Due to my new role at GEMS Girls’ Clubs (which I love by the way—yay God!), I am only able to take on 3 coaching clients at a time. If you’d like to learn more, please email my assistant Autee at autumn@cindybultema.com. I’d love to help pray for, encourage, and come alongside you as you step into all that God has for you, friend!

Hey Friends!

Happy October! I hope you’re off to a great start to fall!

Today I’m super excited to introduce you to my friend Sarah Forgrave. Woot woot!

Sarah and I met this summer at the Speak Up Conference, and from the minute I met her, I was drawn to Sarah’s sweet, compassionate spirit.

Sarah is a wife, mom, author and wellness coach. She worked in corporate America for eight years before health complications from pregnancy changed the course of her life forever. Sarah loves inspiring others toward their full potential. 

Enjoy her guest post today!

5 Ways to Support a Friend Who’s Going Through a Hard Time by Sarah Forgrave

Several years ago, I faced one of the darkest times of my life. I’d given birth to my son and dealt with medical complications that stayed with me for a year and a half. I was unable to work or care for my newborn since I was in and out of surgeries.

When I look back, I’m filled with memories of friends who stepped in to help. If you have a friend going through a hard time, you may feel helpless to know how to best support her. Here are some specific ways that come to mind.

1. Pray right now.

So many times I’ve said, “I’ll pray for you,” but then later forgotten. Whether you’re with your friend in person or not, pause and pray immediately when the words, “I’ll pray for you,” are on the tip of your tongue.

If circumstances aren’t right to pray with her immediately, let her know you’ll pray, and then schedule a reminder on your phone. When you pray later, follow up with a brief message to encourage your friend and let her know you were thinking of her.

2. Buy a thoughtful gift.

If your friend isn’t feeling well, think of creative gifts that will soothe and help her. Here are some ideas:

• Coloring book and gel pens
• Heated eye mask or neck pillow
• Uplifting book or devotional

If you visit her at the hospital, you might stop by the gift shop first and buy a healthy, portable snack she can keep by her side. Examples include nut mixes or dried apple chips. (For more hospital gift ideas, check out this post.)

3. Sit and listen. 

Pay attention to the location or posture of your friend and do your best to meet her on her level. Some of my favorite doctors have been the ones who sit on the edge of the hospital bed next to me, rather than standing at a distance “talking down” to me. Where is your friend sitting? Can you get close by and let her know you’re in this with her simply through your presence?

As you talk, remember the age-old advice, “You have two ears and one mouth for a reason.” Sometimes when we’re not sure what to say, we dominate the conversation to avoid awkwardness. Be willing to step outside your comfort zone. Ask your friend how she’s doing and then truly listen. Try not to jump in with your story, but let her do the talking.

4. Show up and help.

Asking how you can help may create more stress for your friend. The best thing might be to show up with a plan in mind. If you know she hasn’t been able to clean the house for months, show up with a bucket of cleaning supplies and get to work. It might feel awkward at first, but I guarantee she’ll appreciate it.

If she’s struggling to put meals on the table, show up with a pre-prepped freezer meal she can reheat later. Ideas include broth-based soups or stir-fry.

5. Do what you can. 

If time is tight and your life is busy, do what you can. Send a quick text with a prayer typed out or a simple note that says, “I’m thinking about you today.” If you can’t deliver a meal, you could mail a gift card for carryout or delivery.

Bottom line: Don’t underestimate the power of any gesture, small or big. Your friend is likely facing lonely hours each day. Your message or gift could make a world of difference in reminding her she’s not alone.

*********

Wow, thanks, Sarah!

And good news!

Sarah just released a book this week called Prayers for Hope and Healing (Harvest House, October 2017). You will want to check it out!

I’d also encourage you to visit Sarah at www.sarahforgrave.com, or at the following sites:

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahForgrave
• Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/SarahForgrave
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/SarahForgrave_Author
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/SarahForgrave

Here are some finally words from Sarah…

No matter the road ahead, you don’t have to face it alone. Even in the depths of your worst emotional and physical pain, God is right there beside you, offering His comfort, love, and peace…. Above all, know that you are never, ever alone.

Amen?! Amen!

Thanks for stopping by *She Sparkles*, sweet friend! I’d love to hear from you!

Leave a comment letting me know the kindest thing someone did for you in the midst of one of your hard seasons. I’ll pick one winner from the comments and send you a copy of Sarah’s new book!

God’s richest blessings to you—