I remember as a little girl being bright-eyed with wonder at the candlelight service on Christmas Eve. The dark sanctuary filled with families and neighbors and sweater-clad strangers standing shoulder to shoulder — waiting. A single flame started in one corner. A tiny flicker in the dim expanse. Then the glowing wick from one candle would touch the waxy tip of the next and the flame would pass.
At the same time, the soothing melody of Silent Night rose from one voice. The crowd joined in. Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright. I waited anxiously, twirling the white candle between my palms. I loved being part of transforming the darkness, of passing on the source of warmth.
One by one, each person dipped their lit candlestick forward to bring light to the next person. The flames quickly multiplied as one became two, and two became four, and four became eight until all five hundred worshipers were reached.
I look back through my mind’s eye and see my six-year-old freckled face aglow with Christmas awe.
Thirty years later and that scene still gets me. How we, the body of Christ, the church, have the joy and privilege of gathering in celebration of the greatest gift ever given because of Christ’s body — the Son of God turned human infant, born to live and die in love and sacrifice. Yet our purpose as believers is not only to gather but to respond, to help spread the Light.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but this picture of Christmas is at the forefront of my mind. Today we conclude our #1000mercies movement in support of Mercy House Global. At the time of writing this post, together 718 of you have given $28,735 to help provide dignified jobs for women rescued from devasting poverty off the streets of Kenya. You guys, this is incredible!
When I listened to (in)courage cofounder Stephanie Bryant’s recent interview with Mercy House Global founder Kristen Welch, part of me honestly felt completely overwhelmed. I cannot fathom the brokenness, the despair of a woman’s life where survival prostitution is the only choice. It pains me to imagine a reality where babies die from starvation if not from forced backseat abortions.
But hearing Kristen’s story of how Mercy House started and the work they are doing also filled me with a whole lot of hope.
One candle makes a difference in the darkness. One spark has the power to multiply and impact hundreds of lives. That is what we’re doing with #1000mercies. It’s an invitation to pass on the light. Alone, our reach is small. But together we can light up the darkness. Together, we can bring hope to the hopeless in tangible ways in Jesus’ name.
We set out with a goal to get 1,000 women to take part in this mission. We still have a ways to go. But the day is not over. If God is stirring your heart, will you join us? If you donate $15, we’ll send you a hand-stitched ornament made by a Mercy House Global artisan as a reminder of how providing a dignified job is Christ’s mercy in action.
Click here to join the #1000mercies movement.
Visualize it with me: A dark sanctuary lit by 1,000 flames. One thousand women from the (in)courage community standing shoulder to shoulder. God’s daughters making a difference together.
One of our greatest gifts is linking arms with sisters in Christ. #1000mercies is an invitation to do this today.
Next Thursday, after my belly is full of turkey, I can’t wait to decorate my Christmas tree. I will hang my felt nativity ornament on an evergreen bow with a prayer of thanksgiving for Mercy House, for the woman who stitched my ornament, and for each of you.
Want to learn more about the Mercy House story and how your donation will bring light to a dark place? Watch this.
Note: If you’re having trouble giving, try using a different Internet browser. #1000mercies is still open for donations!
Together, we can bring hope to the hopeless in tangible ways in Jesus' name. -@beckykeife on #1000mercies: Click To Tweet Leave a Comment
Please help. I was trying to donate money this morning, but each link I click on takes me to the same page. When I click the “join the movement” buttons, I find no where that just says “give”. Where am I missing it?
I had this problem yesterday , first click where you see joining and create an account & password. Then to the home page and click donate. You’re profile will come up and takes a minute to donate load your card # etc.. easy and good to be registered for future updates & events
Margret, Thank you so much for trying; maybe try again, but in another browser?? The “Donate to this Fundraiser” box is on the right side, just under the 1000 Mercies header (in green). Different browsers can give you a different experience sometimes, so when I can’t get something to work in my current one, I’ll launch another.
Thanks, Sadie, for chiming in, too! (and for giving!!)
Margret, there was a glitch on the giving page this morning, but it’s all fixed now! Thank you so much for wanting to partner with us! Use this link and then click the Donate to This Fundraiser button in the right hand corner: https://www.purecharity.com/one-thousand-mercies
Sadie, thank you so much for jumping into help and for linking arms with us for #1000mercies!
So grateful for you both this morning. xx
I’ve been trying and trying to make a donation. I joined Pure Charity with password, etc. and have been scouring the page for a button to push for “donate”. Can’t locate one. I’m not a tech person but I still don’t think it should be this hard. Other non-profits seem to make it so very easy to donate. Sorry, but what am I missing?
Marilynn,
Thank you so much for responding to this invitation to donate! Unfortunately, the #1000mercies campaign concluded yesterday. (Friday, when this article published, was the last day to give.) So you’re not doing anything wrong and the Pure Charity site is working just fine; donations are no longer being accepted. Sorry for the confusion. And thank you again for being part of the (in)courage community! If you’re interested in finding other ways to support Mercy House, you can visit their website at http://mercyhouseglobal.org/.
Blessings,
Becky
So sorry I missed the deadline. Thank you for letting me know. Apparently I missed Thursday’s email. I will go on their website to see if I can be of help in another way.
The candlelight service was my favorite as a child too!! When I got older and was away from the church I grew up in, I used to seek out a candlelight service on Christmas Eve. It was almost like Christmas was not Christmas without it. So much more goes along with that, but that’s another story for another day. 😉 I love how you used that experience as a child to bring a connection to Mercy House and how we as Daughters of the King are lighting the candle of hope for them. Beautiful. It creates a heart connection to Mercy House that some readers may not have had before this. I am unable to give this this year, but every year I have hope that I will. One of these years God will make it possible because it is a desire of my heart that lines up with His.
Michelle, thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement this morning. You ARE linking arms with us in this by sharing your beautiful words and generous heart. I am grateful.
Becky,
I love how In Courage is working to help woman find meaningful jobs & a better life for them & their families. I am reminded of John Wesley’s quote: “Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.” We must all help the widows, elderly, homeless & helpless. I do my part by sponsoring a little girl from Ninos De Mexcico. That is a Christian orphanage in Mexico. They take in children from broken homes. These children could be orphaned, abused, etc. They receive a Christian education & are loved & seen as human beings. A few years ago my little girl got baptized.
Blessings 🙂
Beth, that quote is perfect! Thank you for sharing it. I love how you are doing your part exactly where God has led you to. Beautiful. xx
I tried to donate to #1000mercies but it says it is no longer fundable.
Oh, dear…it IS still fundable (that is SO odd!). I recommended to Margret (above) to try another browser; it’s so frustrating to see anyone having a problem with giving, and we’re so thankful you’re trying!! DO try again? THANK YOU so much!
Dorrae,
There was a glitch on the giving page this morning, but it’s all fixed now! Thank you so much for wanting to partner with us! Use this link and then click the Donate to This Fundraiser button in the right hand corner: https://www.purecharity.com/one-thousand-mercies
WIth joy and gratitude!
I was at a Mercyme concert a week ago, and at one point, the lead singer of I think Tenth Avenue North (they were opening the show) told us to all turn on the flashlights on our phones. This was in a gigantic stadium that made me a little scared of heights at the beginning, and all or almost all of the people turned on their flashlights. It was incredible! The stadium looked like they had turned on the floodlights, and it reminded me of this as well. Thanks for this reminder of God’s faithfulness and power, to light up the world.
Emily, what an awesome moment that must have been. I love picturing it now.
What a perfect conclusion to #1000Mercies, Becky. I can just see your darling, little girl face aglow by the candles. 🙂 One flame is bright, but oh! the beauty of a thousand :). Thank you, too, for sharing Kristen and Stephanie’s FB live again! I couldn’t see it in real time, and it’s great to have it conveniently shared right here <3.
xo
Robin, thank YOU for sharing your heart for this ministry and spurring us all on to use our collective power for kingdom work and the good of others. It is a gift to link arms with you, sister.