“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing full of love.”—Ephesians 4:16 (NLT)
On my blog from March 10, Active Witness, I mentioned a friend whose sourdough breadmaking is a ministry for her. After reading the “how to” instructions, I soon realized it wasn’t for me. However, last month God laid it on my heart to attempt to come up with some kind of bread bag/small market tote pattern she could use when she gifts a loaf of bread.
Once the bread has been eaten, this would be a tangible reminder of what she had given them. She came up with the following tag to attach to it:
A loaf of sourdough to feed your day,
A bag knitted the handmade way.
But more than bread, may you always know—
Christ is the Bread of Life wherever you go.
on the other side it reads:
Jesus is the Bread of Life—
may this loaf remind you of His love,
and the bag be a hug to hold it.
Still trying to adjust the pattern instructions, I picked up a skein of red, white, and blue yarn. While praying over it, I prayed, Lord, let the person who receives this feel the freedom they have in Christ. If they don’t know You, may this bag along with the bread, open their eyes to the True Bread of Life.
In addition to the tag, I felt led to include the following scripture: For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.—2 Corinthians 3:17 (NLT) If God impresses on my heart to include a specific scripture, I will. With the leftover yarn from the bag, I have made several hair scrunchies including this verse as well. So far I have been able to bless two ladies with one.
With July 4th around the corner 2 Corinthians 3:17 is also my verse to focus on for the month of July. Jesus came to set us free from the Old Testament laws. By allowing the Holy Spirit into our hearts, we no longer have the burden of living under the constraints of those rules. The new covenant with Jesus is one of Grace. The indwelling Holy Spirit empowers us to live the life God intended for us….sharing the Gospel to bring others to Christ.
This little partnering with my friend Karen, is another way I can do my part. For me, knitting and designing the bag (click here for the free pattern) was the easy part. My friend, Karen, not only labors over the bread but also asks God to reveal to her who should receive it. Together, we are able to live out Ephesians 4:16.
God has put a desire in all of our hearts to love Him and others. It is His call for each of us. Wherever God has placed us is an opportunity to share the love of Jesus. Do you have another brother or sister in Christ who you can collaborate with to share the Gospel?
If you knit and have a friend that bakes bread, cookies, brownies or some other specialty, the small tote I have designed could easily carry a baggie full of baked goodies for them to bless someone in their community. If you or your friend bakes homemade bread, here is the link for the tag to print for you to attach to it.
Father God,
Forgive me when I ignore Your nudges to join another to share Your love. Your Word tells us in Ephesians 4:16 that You have made the whole body of Christ to fit together perfectly. You have designed each of us to use our gifts to help us grow in our faith. Thank You for the brothers and sisters in Christ You have placed in my life to make this possible. May my gifts be used to bless someone who is seeking more in life. Soften their hearts and open their eyes to the freedom they can find in Your precious Son, Jesus. I pray these things in the might name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
July Verse
“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing full of love.”—Ephesians 4:16 (NLT)
If you are knitting or crocheting gifts to give away, 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.