This advent season of 2020, families have a unique opportunity to gather in their homes and prepare to celebrate the coming of the Son of God to earth in the form of a baby. One of the best ways to learn about Jesus and His incarnation is by reading God’s Word together. The inspired Scriptures were written to be read.

Our very own employee here at CCM, Valencia DeLoatch, is back with DIY Christmas festivities! Check out the other crafts she's shared with us in our previous blog, "Deck the Halls DIY Style"! In this blog, Valencia walks us through upgrading charger plates to enhance Christmas spirit! There are many reasons to change the look of a charger plate. Maybe you are looking for a specific color or maybe the item you saw in the store was outside of your budget. Whatever your reason, at the end of the project you will feel a sense of accomplishment because you have made something new with your sense of style in mind. Also, the great thing about paint is you can use any color specific to the time of the year. Red, green, and gold are my Christmas colors this year! 1. You will need the following items. Charger plate (textured plate is preferred) your choice of acrylic paint, sponge brush, and glitter is optional, but you can use any other kind of decorations that suit your fancy. 2. Apply the acrylic paint to the top of the charger plate only and use the sponge brush to evenly coat the plate. Be sure not to use too much paint; you can always go back and add more if needed. Let paint dry between each coat (look at directions on the paint bottle for drying time). 3. Once you have gotten your desired color, you can stop there or take it a step further and bring in your own personality. 4. Take the glitter glue color of your choice or loose glitter. Take a clean sponge brush and go around the outside of the charger plate. If you use loose glitter you will need to go around the edge of the plate with modge podge and then apply the loose glitter. 5. Here is my finished product. Be creative and add your own pizzazz or just use more glitter!

Medi-Share is a community of people who share one another’s burdens and walk through life together. One of the best parts about this community -- aside from saving up to 50% or more on monthly health care costs -- is how committed members are to supporting one another and praying for each other too.

[As appeared on The Star Tribune] Time and time again in the Bible, the people of God share their stories and the stories of God’s people. This is an important part of how God ministers to His people. Our tendencies to forget who we are, to forget who God is, and to forget what He has done for us are pervasive. When we remind each other of our stories and God’s stories, we start to take on the perspective that God has for us. It is difficult to feel alone when we remember all the times God has been by our side. It is difficult to feel afraid when we remember everything God has saved us from. It is difficult to feel unloved when we remember where we came from and what God sacrificed to get us to where we are.

The Holidays have arrived and we could all use a little pick-me-up and some Christmas spirit, so why not keep things interesting and festive with a little DIY project? This one is so simple and will be a great addition to your home as well as a fun project to do with other family members too! Spread the "joy" and let's get crafty! One of Christian Care Ministry's very own, Valencia DeLoatch, has been with the ministry for 11 years in the Finance department. Her main role is assisting our Manna members. She is passionate about all things DIY that are related to home décor and crochet. She loves glue guns and glue sticks, glitter and anything with bling. She also loves yarn and crochet hooks. Most of her crafts are created for her loved ones with the hope of keeping them warm and putting a smile on their face. And now she's sharing it with our readers, too! 4 Easy Steps to a DIY No-Sew Throw Pillow Step 1: You will need two placemats for each pillow, glue gun, glue sticks, and buffalo snow. Step 2: Line up the placemats back to back. Step 3: Take the glue gun and glue down only 3 sides of the placemats (leave the fourth side open to stuff in the buffalo snow. Step 4: Once you have stuffed the pillow to your desired fullness, use the glue gun to seal the fourth side. You now have your No-Sew Throw Pillow! Now go grab your supplies, gather up the family, and comment below with your own crafty creations!

A new bench research facility survey finds that one-in-four adults have had trouble paying their bills since the coronavirus outbreak. In addition, domestic violence is on the rise due to coronavirus, and we are more divided as a nation than we have ever been.

Medi-Share believes our members deserve an affordable option for their family’s health care needs - especially when the savings allow you and your family to live the life that your heart desires. For Sarah, joining Medi-Share allowed her family to build a life they love, which included Sarah staying home and homeschooling her children.

By Stephen Myers