The Session: What Christmas Means for Vulnerable Children, from an article by Helen Richardson, Focus on the Family.

What Christmas Means for Vulnerable Children - Focus on the Family

Psalm 103:8 – “The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.”

Ways to make Christmas special for vulnerable children

• Be intentional and proactive. This includes putting time and energy into it.
• Gifts purchased or made with the vulnerable child in mind has an incredible impact
• Being proactive and intentional includes connecting with ministries that are providing Christmas for vulnerable children
• The extra little bit of time and effort put in makes a huge difference in helping the child feel loved, as well.
• Meaningful gifts like a child’s Bible or a magazine, put out by a ministry that speaks to children like Brio
• Ask them what would be a special Christmas present?
• Facilitate them providing a Christmas for someone who is less often than they are
• Give them as much ownership of what happens enduring Christmas as possible

Help displaced, vulnerable children feel more comfortable in a new environment

• Help them see Jesus was also displaced Luke 2:7 and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.
• It’s hard to remember that Jesus was a baby and a child as well as a teenager😊😂

Be intentional and proactive about their bedroom

• The vulnerable child will feel more empowered when the child gets to fix up their room the way he or she wants it for Christmas

Tom’s Thoughts

There is a theme throughout Helen’s article on acceptance and approval. Make sure they receive presents that are given with them in mind, it be even more special.

We were designed to be accepted and improved by God

There are core values that we have that can only truly be filled by the presence of the Holy Spirit in us Jeremiah 31:3: The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying; “I have loved you with an everlasting, love; You with my unfailing kindness!”

Psalm 147:3 – “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.”

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To reach Tom Russell, go to https://www.heritagechristiancounselingofmansfield.com.