Many people have asked me about the Gift Bags that the Harvey family put together to give away to needy people (described in Chapter 21 of my book, “Elephant in the Room.”). I’ve been making them for years with my daughters and friends, so I’m happy to share some instructions with you. Continue reading
After reading the first five chapters to get to know our protagonist, Joanna Everly, in the second five chapters of this Christian fiction novel, the gospel of Jesus Christ is presented. Here are some Bible Study Questions and Book Club Discussion Questions based on Chapters 6-10 of “Always a Bridesmaid,” a free book available here to read as a Seclusion Serial from Kristen Harper Books. Continue reading
California government has mandated no gatherings of more than 250 people for the rest of March because of the contagious coronavirus. Therefore, in submission to government (Romans 13:1) and to demonstrate kindness to our community (1 Peter 2:12), my large local church will be closed for gatherings on Sundays for a few weeks. With modern technology, we will still be able to access a live streamed sermons on Sunday morning, but as a Sunday School teacher, I’m going to miss my classroom of students! I really want to encourage families to have Sunday School at home. Continue reading
Now is a great time to declutter our e-mailboxes. Don’t be afraid of missing out on important things. Instead, find and focus on your favorite things. Continue reading
Do you keep saying that you spend too much time on your electronic device but don’t know how to stop or what you’ll do instead? In the Bible, God’s model for making changes is to put off the wrong things and put on the right things. Here are some tips to break your connection with social media. Continue reading
Welcome to my special Bible study, “Let’s Talk about the Elephant in the Room – Gluttony.” For each chapter of my Christian fiction novel, “Elephant in the Room,” I have written one Bible Study Question in order to consider one of the issues presented in that chapter. Throughout this online study, you can click on any Bible verse reference to read it on BibleGateway.com. Grab your Bible and a notebook, and let’s get started! Continue reading
Many people have asked me about the Gift Bags that the Harvey family put together to give away to needy people (described in Chapter 21 of my book, “Elephant in the Room.”). I’ve been making them for years with my daughters and friends, so I’m happy to share some instructions with you.
Rather than try to write out detailed directions to assemble the bags, I have made a four-minute video with my friend Charlotte showing you How to Make a Gift Bag for the Needy! CLICK HERE to view the video.
Charlotte and I had a fun time together making a video about How to Make a Gift Bag for the Needy!
I hope you find that video helpful so that you will try making Gift Bags and give them away at the next opportunity. For more information, I have also provided some free printed documents that you can download (just CLICK on each item below):
Please comment below if you make and give away some Gift Bags. Or share your ideas of how you can meet the needs of hungry and hurting people in your community.
Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Fires. These natural disasters have dominated our attention lately. Because they have hit close to home, those of us who dwell in safety right now are looking for ways to help others.
That’s me – Kristen Harper – with the former Volunteer Coordinator for CHF, Liana Hofer.
I would like to highlight my favorite charity: Children’s Hunger Fund. It was the model I used to write about food distribution to the needy in my Christian fiction novel, “Elephant in the Room.” Since 1991, 97% of all donations have directly supported programs that serve suffering children and families. CHF has received a score of 100% from Charity Navigator for accountability and transparency. (Source: childrenshungerfund.org/disasterrelief/)
Children’s Hunger Fund has an ongoing ministry to deliver hope to suffering children by equipping local churches for gospel-centered mercy ministry. They accomplish this by distributing food and care items in Food Pak boxes to churches whose members personally deliver them to families to meet their physical needs, along with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to meet their spiritual needs. In the wake of the recent natural disasters, CHF has activated its already-established ministry networks to deliver food and care items in the affected regions of Mexico, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Florida and Texas.
So, what can you do?
1. Volunteer: give time. If you’re near Chicago, San Antonio, Dallas or Los Angeles, please consider spending a couple of hours at Children’s Hunger Fund.
2. Donate: give money. Here’s a link to CHF’s Disaster Relief fund.
3. Collect: develop a habit of redistributing your resources
You might be feeling fearful in these uncertain times. Just like all of the victims of these disasters, someday you will die. (See the video 10 Out of 10 People Die.) Now is the time to consider what you will say when you die and meet God at His judgment throne. If you take the Good Person test, you will know that you are guilty and deserve to go to hell. But God is offering to you the free gift of salvation. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). Read your Bible to find out more. Then live like you know that you’re going to heaven!
With all this attention on the global disasters, we don’t want to overlook people in our communities that need help, too. Next week, I will share a video about how to make gift bags for the homeless.
When I was first thinking about writing a novel, I had a clear idea for the story line, plus I knew the title: “Elephant in the Room.” Today in our Book Club, let’s talk about this idiom as it relates to the hot topic of gluttony. Continue reading
Today is Friday, September 1, and my book “Elephant in the Room” is ready for sale! Continue reading
Kristen Harper Books and Bible Studies 