A Stable Christmas

The space was less than ideal with cold concrete floors and the smell of tire dirt, dog food and trash cans. I pushed aside tools, stepped over bikes, and warmed a dark corner of our garage with night lights, a portable heater and my favorite Christmas music.

Do you remember last December? It seems like yesterday, to me.

I was tucked away in our garage, hiding a project I was working on for Christmas.

I wanted to gift our girls something unexpected, joyful, personal, and timeless to foster their desire for Truth and to help them THRIVE in uncertain times.

Not much felt stable last Christmas. I don't know about you, but I felt as if I was watching foundations crack all around me; families, marriages & churches dividing, government & medicine making promises they couldn't keep… Did you feel the shaking, too?

I felt the urgency to give something firm & trustworthy to stand on; A gift they could hide in their hearts - so that no matter what was shaken, this would remain.

They didn't mention new bibles on their Christmas lists, and to be honest, I had no idea if they’d even like this gift.

To my surprise, our girls loved the gift and spent Christmas Day pouring over their new “fringed” Bibles. I saw their excitement for the Living Word, and something came alive inside of me!

The girls shared this picture —>

on social media.

The days & weeks following Christmas , several of their friends began asking if I could add “fringe” to their bibles, too.

Was I really being invited to foster a love for the Truth in the next generation?! I was honored to "fringe" a few more.

“Mom, you should start a business!”

Reality reminded me that I had no room in my life to start or manage another thing!

Holy Spirit reminded me of the times we were living in and that “people perish for lack of wisdom”. Hosea 4:6

I couldn't overthink this. If it was on God’s heart for His Word to go out so that more of His people could find stability during uncertainty, I just needed to make room for him to move through my mess.

Well, to make a long story short...he moved my garage crafting corner into a laundry room, and eventually, my husband's perfectly tidy home-office transformed into a holy mess of color & creation. 🤭

One turned into to two, two to four, and yesterday I counted 136 "fringed" bibles that have been sent out (so far) this year. 😭

“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah 55:11

How many times have I missed moves of God because my life feels too messy or

has no room ?

It seems that God’s purposes are birthed in lowly, humble, hidden places…

like dirty stables

and perhaps the corners of a cold garage.

“Living in the Fringe” was birthed last Christmas.

The name comes from the stories we read in the gospels of real people with messy lives who were made whole when they “touched the fringe of His robe”. The tassel bookmarks and “fringed” bibles are a tangible reminders of spiritual truths.

It is such an honor to see you and your families making room and drawing near to Jesus through His word. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

He is our firm and steady foundation when everything around us feels shaky and uncertain.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall rest upon His shoulders..." Isaiah 6:9.

This Christmas, I'm reminded that things don't have to be perfectly ideal.

I just need to make room.

Jesus enters into our messes and makes them holy.

And His presence is the most STABLE place to be.

Thank you all for "Living in the Fringe" with me.

Merry Christmas!

love, Amy