It was my third Blue Christmas Service this Christmas season.

I drove to the small farming community. It had one stop sign. No traffic light, restaurant nor gas station. They would need to drive to the city where I live, about thirty minutes away, for all of their shopping.

The church  building, constructed in the 1800's was beautiful and full of history. The parking lot was surrounded by farmers fields.

Seven people gathered for the service in addition to the pastor and me.

One family said goodbye to their mother and grandmother last week. A widow mourned her first and second husband who preceded her in death. She also mourned two sons, one who was a prodigal. Another woman mourned the loss of her mother and the other attendee grieved her husband. They all thanked us for the service. The pastor grieves the suffering his wife endures as a cancer survivor and the victim of a seizure disorder.  It was in December that my mother died and my niece committed suicide.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. I felt His presence. I should say there were ten of us in attendance.

In our world where big seems to mean significance, this small gathering was sacred and personal, like when Jesus came to earth to be born in a manger. On the first Christmas, and angel, surrounded with great brightness, announced esus birth to lowly shepherds. Then "A great company of the heavenly host appeared saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, good will to men,"  (Luke 2:13,14). The shepherds were "abiding in the field." I wonder if it was as dark and the fields of the farming community where I was.

When we devote ourselves to caring for people and we go to where the needs are, we are often led to places that are made holy only by the presence of God and the meaning of the moment. It may be in a hospital room, a hospice room, the hospital bed of a dying person placed in the living room of their earthly home. Or, it could be providing a meal at a homeless shelter, or delivering one to a widow, or giving your presence to mentor a young person who has no father.  Maybe it is lighting a candle at a small service on the longest night of the year where people receive the light of Jesus into the darkness of their lives.

Care ministry settings usually feel small and the results are immeasurable.

While the question swirls in our hearts, "What did I accomplish?," God comes close and whispers, "It is what I accomplished through your presence and it is beyond measure, more than you can ask, think or even imagine." (Ephesians 3:20, 21)

Like the Oak in the acorn, the big grows from the small.

Big is not bad. Often it is produced through the faithfulness in the small things. It is just that in our culture, the value of the small is often overlooked or missed completely. The older I get the more I see the oak in the acorn acts and seasons of my life and ministry.

Please let me take this opportunity to switch gears and make a request.

Would you make a financial donation to Best Care Ministry? Every size of a donation, $10, $25, $50, $500 or $5,000, matters and you can make a one time or  recurring donation here at the website (www.bestcareministry.com/donate).

While every year is important, this year is especially important as our content has matured and we are ready to produce a product line of materials to equip and train ministries and organizations. And we want to increase the size of our team to support the growth of care ministry and help many more people care effectively.

Your care matters. Please take this step to participate with us in the cause of caring for people.

May the little Baby of Christmas have a big impact in your life and may his gentle light shine brightly in your darkness and through you.