Today, we are blessed with a post from a fellow knitter who God put in my pathway via a knitting newsletter that I subscribed to several years ago. Nicole Haschke is also a charity knitter. Like me, she enjoys quick and easy projects to bless people with. I hope you are as inspired as I am to try and find a place in your community where you can give and serve with a generous heart like she is doing. Thank you, Nicole for sharing!

Living Generously

Have you ever chosen a “word to live by” for the year? 

This is the second year I’ve done it. Last year, my original word for the year was “Design.” I chose a new one around June – “Anavah.” (“Anavah” is a Hebrew word meaning “humility,” or occupying your God-given space in the world.)

This year, I chose another Hebrew word. This one is “Tzedakah.” Its meaning is “living and serving generously,” and it is often translated in our English Bibles as “righteousness.” I’ve been trying to keep this word at the top of my head whenever I make plans for my month, my week, and my days. 

I had an amazing opportunity to learn more about how I could live “tzedakah” when my community’s local homeless shelter, called the Lighthouse, offered the public an opportunity to come to a luncheon and then take a tour of the building. I invited several of my friends from my church to come as well, and it was incredible to see what God was doing in our community through the Lighthouse. 

One of the things I most appreciated was that our tour was led by a case worker who originally had been a resident. He had also been an atheist! But while living at the Lighthouse as a resident, he committed his life to Christ. He then felt called by God to remain there to try to help others who were now where he had been. 

One of my goals for this year was to find ways to use my favorite hobbies to serve others. Since I love to knit, I was eager to uncover how my knitting might help the residents of the Lighthouse. 

I was thrilled to find out three different ways I could help: 

1)   I learned that when the residents need clothing, they receive vouchers for a thrift store downtown. So clothing donations are best taken to this thrift store, rather than to the Lighthouse. (What a great place for some of the more beautiful things I’ve knitted like hats, cowls, and shawls.)

2)   There’s one exception to this: they are evidently always in need of men’s socks. So that is my current project: knitting socks for men! I’ve found a wonderful pattern for spiral ribbed tube socks that fits a wide range of foot sizes. 

3)   Finally, I learned that the Lighthouse does have storage for items that they save for when residents are ready to leave and begin the next chapter of their lives. I immediately began thinking of what sort of special items I could create. I’m thinking blankets and dishtowels and dishcloths!

In the past, my charitable knitting efforts have been somewhat scattershot. That is, I’d knit for this need here and that need there. I didn’t really have a focused plan of action. I don’t know that my knitting efforts suffered as a result; I know that sometimes we just need to find our own way of contributing towards causes and people we believe in. 

But this year I’ve become more focused, thanks to the tour I took. I’m now so excited to knit for the people in my community who are in need, as well as those who are ready to take steps into new lives. 

In addition to this, I have another ongoing project. For the past 2 years, I’ve knitted pocket prayer cloths for our community’s Blue Christmas service. This is a special service specifically designed for people who, for a variety of reasons find traditional Christmas celebrations hard. 

Some may have lost loved ones recently. Others may have lost loved ones years ago, but right around Christmastime (making the season painful rather than joyous). Still others might be fighting a losing health battle or suffering a different downturn of fortune, like divorce or loss of employment. 

The last two years, I started knitting these cloths very late, and as a result I didn’t knit nearly as many as I would have liked. I’d like to change that this year, so I’ve already started! 

You can find the knitting pattern I use for these cloths here. I’ve also put together an eBooklet with this and three other quick knitting patterns you can use to knit for others; you can receive this eBooklet when you sign up for my Knitting Nuggets Newsletter.

I’ve found these cloths to be a wonderful way of letting someone know that you care about them and that you’re praying for them, especially when they’re going through a difficult time. I’ve sent them literally all over the world to friends who were hurting. They’re so much quicker to make than a prayer shawl, and they’re a lot more portable too. 

I believe there’s someone who needs whatever it is that you love to knit. Sometimes it just takes a little time, a little space, a little investigation (and a lot of prayer!) to figure out where you’re meant to serve. But if you have a heart for it, and you enjoy knitting… there’s a place for your knitting somewhere! 

Nicole Haschke

If you knit, I would encourage you to subscribe to Nicole’s newsletter. You can also find her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Dear Lord,

Thank You that You have blessed each and every one of us with a gift that we can use to spread Your love in our community. Open my eyes, ears and heart to ways that I can give generously to the broken and hurting in my corner of the world. Help me to live a life that treasures Jesus by leading a life that overflows with love and kindness. It is in the name of Jesus that I pray these things. Amen.

February Memory Verse

“The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace.”—Psalm 29:11 (NLT)

Please make sure you tweet @KnitPrayShare or share your projects on the Knit, Pray, Share Facebook page or Instagram using the hashtag #KnitPrayShare. Be sure to attach a tag to whatever gift you make.