It is time to work on another birthday theme letter! I am sending it to all our sponsored children! This letter is focused how God uses hardship to form us and work in our lives.
This year I am doing a two-fold birthday letter approach. A few months before each child's birthday, I plan to send a devotion from Louie Giglio's Indescribable book (that is the letter pictured here), and then on the child's birthday week, I plan write out a prayer for that child's life and send it via online birthday card!
“Nothing sparkles like a diamond. But they aren’t just pretty to look at; diamonds are also the hardest natural substance known to man. In fact, the word diamond comes from a Greek word that means “unbreakable.” Only another diamond can make a scratch on a diamond. They’re so tough that they’re sometimes used in tools for cutting, grinding, and drilling. Diamonds are rare and expensive because they form only under very special conditions.
A diamond is made from pure carbon, like graphite (which is your pencil lead). But in order for a diamond to form, extreme pressures and incredibly hot temperatures are needed over a long period of time. This usually happens at about 100 miles below the Earth’s crust—so volcanoes make good diamond “factories.” When the volcanoes erupt, the diamonds “shoot” up towards the Earth’s surface.
So… in a very dark place, under a lot of pressure and stress and heat… something beautiful and unbreakable forms. Have you ever been in a dark place? Under a lot of pressure and stress? Could it be that God is using that time to make something beautiful and unbreakable? When you feel as if you’re being pressed on every side by trouble, do not give up. God won’t let you be crushed. He’ll use those hard times to make you stronger and to teach you to depend on Him. Trust Him, especially when it’s hard. He’s making something beautiful and unbreakable—your faith in Him.”
To go with the online letters for the Compassion children, I used Google Images to find a photo of a volcano and of some diamonds. I also am including a paper craft, a 3D Spider-Man for the older boys, superhero mazes for the little boys, and a Jasmine paper doll for the girls.
For my Manna 4 Lempira children, since I have more options for paper goodies, I am sending stickers, bookmarks, fun birthday cards, and handmade art work to the older kids, along with a paper doll Jasmine or Spider-Man printable.
Our younger sponsored kids are getting coloring pages, and printed short story, along with stickers.
