Making the most of Christmas cards

It's that time of the year. Many of us are surrounded by piles of the things. And the fact of the matter is that those cards simply must get written in the next few days! But much as it is lovely and useful to send out a picture of a nativity scene with a Bible verse attached, I can't help thinking that there are ways of making even more of these little pieces of paper which we send to our friends, near and far, in this festive season.

So, this year, I've made a promise to myself. I wont be just signing my name at the base of each card. I'll be aiming to write something meaningful in each one: something that spurs on my fellow-believers (Hebrews 10:24) or something that points my non-Christian friends to Jesus (Mark 16:15). If you still have yours to write, maybe you would like to do the same? Why not include one of the following?

1. A thank-you

Throughout 2011 there have been many people encouraging us: our preachers, home group leaders, those who run our childen's work, our friends who enjoy our company when we are having a good day and stick by us when we're not, to name just a few...Let's use our cards to make sure they know just how much we appreciate all they have done throughout the year.

2. An encouragement

We all know people who have had a really tough time in 2011 and those for whom 2012 is looking even worse. Those who are severely ill, those who have been bereaved, those whose key relationships are under pressure and those who are really struggling in their walk with the Lord... Let's use our cards to tell them that we are praying for them or to remind them of some great truth about God from his word.

3. An invitation

Christmas is a time of year when people who wouldn't normally go near a church or think about Jesus are willing to ponder him for a small moment. So let's use our cards to help them do that more by including a tract, a business card pointing people to the Christianity Explored website, an invitation to the next event your church is running or even an invitation to dinner so we encourage them in person.

We don't need to write essays ... a few words will do. But with just a little effort, we really can make the most of our Christmas cards this year.