THIS MONTH'S IMPACT
This month’s Faithbox contains several items that are meant to serve as a reminder of the importance of family and recognizing God’s many blessings in our lives. Our families—whether by blood, adoption, friendship or in Christ—are incredible gifts from God to help us throughout our lives.
With beautiful home decor, a joy-sparking wearable pin and a book that cultivates a heart of thankfulness during advent season, each product in this box points us back to the One deserving of all our gratitude. We hope you enjoy each item and are reminded of all of God’s goodness in your life!
FAMILY
Hey Faithbox Family,
Welcome to this month’s edition of Everyday Faith on the theme of Family! This month, we have a special Everyday Faith edition written by Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman. You’ll hear from them about how the dynamics in their own family have changed and expanded as they welcomed in three adopted children. Knowing the gift that family has been to them, they started a nonprofit called Show Hope to advocate for orphans and families praying to adopt. This month, the Chapmans share Biblical wisdom and personal stories about their own life and the lives of those impacted by Show Hope, and celebrate the blessings and miracles that God provides through family!
-The Faithbox Team
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When we were approached by Faithbox to partner together in curating a Faithbox, we were honored! As our discussions first began, we grabbed hold of the vision with greater passion learning that the month we had been selected for had already been assigned the theme “family.”
The theme of “family” has, for some time, been deeply intertwined for the Chapman family. Steven and I (Mary Beth) have six children – three children by birth and three children who came home to us through adoption. As recounted in Steven’s book, Between Heaven and the Real World, our adoption story set a trajectory for our lives that would become the catalyst for the nonprofit work we continue to remain involved with to this day—Show Hope.
As Christians, we believe in the inherent dignity of every individual. Made in God’s image, we believe that dignity—the preciousness of our individuality—should be acknowledged and affirmed. For many of us, this has been affirmed through the nurture and connectedness of a loving family. For countless others, the space that should have been occupied by a loving family has been replaced by disruption and loss.
Still there is hope. As Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” The body of Christ—the corporate body of believers—is an expression of family and belonging for so many worldwide. And what we have seen through the work of Show Hope, is the body of Christ responding with great love as they care well for children who have been orphaned by exploring adoption or other avenues of advocacy.
“God has reminded us what a treasure our children are and the importance of making the most of the time we have with them.” – Steven Curtis Chapman, Between Heaven and The Real World
What you will find in the following pages is a combination of things near and dear to our hearts in reflective, motivational, and devotional material centered on the theme of “family.” Many of these thoughts and reflections come from the heart of our oldest daughter, Emily, who we consider to be our “resident Theologian,” both in the Chapman family and in our Show Hope family. Also included throughout are a handful of Show Hope stories, highlighting the impact of the work of helping children in their journey to find a loving family through adoption.
As you reflect on the theme of “family,” how God has ordained it to be the very genesis of expressing belonging, it is our prayer that this month you will remember the inherent dignity YOU have been given by your Creator. And in that, you would find great hope!
Until all are home,
Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman
Advent Conspiracy by Greg Holder, Rick McKinley, and Chris Seay
Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, Love All
Over a decade ago, three pastors— Chris Seay, Greg Holder, and Rick McKinley—were lamenting how they’d come to the end of an Advent season feeling burnt out by the endless to-do lists in preparation for Christmas and missed the awe-inducing, soul-satisfying mystery of the incarnation. Similarly, the holiday season tends to be the busiest time of year for all of us, and we struggle to find the connection between our overwhelming schedules and the story of Jesus’ birth.
So in 2006, Chris, Greg and Rick created the Advent Conspiracy Movement. They came up with four tenets—Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, Love All - to guide themselves, their families, and congregations through the Christmas season and prevent stress from overtaking the worship and celebration we owe to Jesus. It’s all about substituting consumption with compassion.
The movement started small with just a handful of churches trying their experiment to make the Advent story personal again. But that first Christmas they got creative, changed their traditions, and ended up raising enough money for a water-well in West Africa.
The news spread quickly, a book was written, videos were created, and along the way a revolution was born. Now, thousands of churches are celebrating with the Advent Conspiracy Movement and channeling even more resources to the poor, marginalized, and forgotten.
Their prayer is that more churches join together to live out the story of Jesus’ sacrificial love. God is not finished with our world and He is inviting us deeper into the Christmas story. Christmas can still change the world when you, like Jesus, give what matters most—your presence.
Meet the Authors
Greg Holder
Greg Holder is a speaker, author, and the lead pastor of The Crossing, a multi-site church in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the author of Advent Conspiracy, The Genius of One, Never Settle, and was a contributing writer for The Voice translation of the Bible. Greg is passionate about the local church and how God designed us to thrive in healthy community.
Chris Seay
Chris Seay is a church planter, pastor, president of Ecclesia Bible Society, and internationally acclaimed speaker. His six previous books include The Gospel According to Lost, The Gospel According to Tony Soprano, and Faith of My Fathers.
Rick McKinley
Rick McKinley is the author of Faith for this Moment: Navigating a polarized world as the people of God and This Beautiful Mess. He is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Community in Portland, Oregon, a church creatively demonstrating the faithful presence and prophetic witness of Christ in their city. Rick and his wife, Jeanne, live with their four children in Portland.
“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.”
"This is Us” Vinyl Wall Sticker by BorderBytes
Home decor with purpose
BorderBytes’ “This is Us” Vinyl Wall Sticker can be used to decorate a blank wall to add a personal touch to your home. It serves as a reminder to be grateful for your family—whether those that are related to you by blood or that God handpicked to be in your life.
BorderBytes is a family-owned business with all wall stickers designed and printed in the USA. Currently owned by the Locklin family in Casa Grande, AZ. They also own and operate Goodruby Christian Bookstore and Three Lions Gaming. God has blessed them with the ability to employ a handful of other believers, and the owners and staff seek to serve God through all our endeavors—as a business and a family.
BorderBytes is offering 20% off at Goodruby Christian Bookstore (where BorderBytes wall stickers are available!) and 10% off at their Christian card game company, Three Lions Gaming, for any orders placed through the end of 2024, so you have some great opportunities for Christmas gifts! Just use coupon code "faithbox", which you can share with your friends, as well.
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”
Family Wooden Talking Stick by Matr Boomie
Handmade pieces that make a difference
This month’s box features a beautifully, handcrafted wooden decorative talking stick carved with the words: “Thankful. Grateful. Blessed.” The handmade sign can be placed in your home to bring joy and gratitude for all of God’s many blessings each time you see it. This particular Matr Boomie item was made in North West India with sustainably sourced wood materials. To make it, the artisans first season and treat the mango wood, cut it into required sizes, finish the wood, engrave it by hand and then add the final finishing to complete the piece.
Matr Boomie began in 2006 with the mission of creating opportunities for women and minorities to realize their creative, economic and leadership potential. Their passion has enabled them to build a credible force in the fair trade market while making critical differences in the lives of partner artisans, their families, and surrounding communities.
With new international markets open to them through Matr Boomie’s fair trade partnership, artisans are gaining economic stability for future generations. There were 5 Matr Boomie artisans working on creating this item for our Faithbox this month. This order creates over a month of employment for the artisans to support their families.
Through partnerships with companies like Faithbox and many others, Matr Boomie continues to transform communities and families by providing dignified work, fair living wages, long term employment, and community support programs like health care and free eye glasses.
Matr Boomie is offering a 20% off discount code just for our Faithbox family. Type in ARTISAN20 at checkout to receive the discount. Code expires 12/31/25.
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name.”
Recycled Heart Pin by Global Crafts
A touch of joy
This Dancing Girl Heart pin in this Faithbox has a red printed tin can body in the shape of a heart with copper wire arms, legs, and head, opaque beads for eyes, and a safety pin closure. This delightful dancing heart pin was handmade made by artists in Kenya from recycled tin and copper wire. Each piece is hand-painted and accented with colorful Maasai beads. Maasai beads have a long and colorful tradition that reflect the strong culture of the Maasai women who represent the Kenyan tribe. Artisans are trained to twist and manipulate the wire into whimsical shapes to add a touch of joy to all who wear them.
For over 20 years, Global Crafts has worked with marginalized artisan groups in 8 different countries with a mission to create economic opportunities that empower individuals and transform communities. Global Crafts is a member of the Fair Trade Federation and is committed to fair trade principles when working with partners.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity into man's heart… I perceive that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live.”
Custom Watercolor Art Designs for Family
Art for your home, office, or friend.
This month, Madeline’s art card offers a visualization of family bonds and helps us see what can happen when we rally around each other. Family is a gift from God, and when we come together as a loving family with Christ Jesus at the center, everything changes. As you and your family grow in your faith and in your relationship with the Lord, it’s our prayer that your love and gratitude for one another would also increase as you keep your focus on Him.
Madeline is a hand-lettering and watercolor artist from Saint Louis, Missouri. She combines her love for art with her Christian faith to create beautiful art with meaning and purpose. As a teenager, Madeline started her company, Inspired Inks, with the intention of using her art as a means to uplift others with encouragement while supporting various organizations who are fighting for justice, supporting law enforcement, strengthening families, and, most importantly, sharing the Gospel!
This month’s Faithbox includes two 5”x7” cards hand-drawn and designed to encourage you throughout this month’s theme. You can display them on your desk, refrigerator, or place them in your favorite picture frame for a more decorative look.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
Spiritual Inventory
Our Spiritual Inventory Card is intended to help you get the most out of your faith by being able to track how you’re growing and where you’re going. As you start the new month, take time to reflect on each area and identify where you are doing well and where you can commit a little more focus.
Time with God: More than anything, a relationship with God is exactly that: a relationship. This area focuses on the ways you connect with God. It can include things like prayer, scripture reading, meditation, and reflection.
Relationships: You have been placed in the lives of others to make a difference! Take time each month to consider who God has placed in your life, how those relationships are developing, and what your role is to make a positive impact in their lives.
Generosity: Generosity is at the heart of who God is and all that He does. This area is about the opportunities you have to make a positive impact financially. No matter how large or small, giving financially to an organization or person in need makes an impact.
Serving: A life that’s moving forward is a life that is concerned with the needs of others. In this area of focus, consider where or how you can get involved to serve others in your life, your church, and your community.
“The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.”
Faithbox Stories
Do you have a story you'd like to share?
We'd love to hear it!
All you have to do is write 3-4 sentences letting us know how Faithbox has impacted you or someone you know. Then email it to stories@faithbox.com and we’ll share it with the whole Faithbox Community in an upcoming Impact Guide.
“I continue being a Faithbox subscriber because of the community and new ways of refreshing my faith and strengthening my relationship with God. Each box seems to come at a time that the topic is relevant to my life, or someone close to me that I can share it with!”
“I always look forward to the handmade items from women around the world. To be able to support them in their dreams is very important to me. I also really enjoy sharing my faith by using the items I receive as gifts for others!”
You Are Not Alone.
We encourage you to join our prayer group on our Everyday Faith App - where you can share prayer requests of any kind, and encourage one another through our prayers and support.
Our team prays for you weekly and we believe God is working everything together for your good!
"Let us not grow weary in doing good."
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All you need to do is refer a family member or friend to sign up for Faithbox using your referral code and your next Faithbox renewal will be absolutely free!
To get your referral code, login to your account at faithbox.com/login, select “Refer Friends,” and invite your friends directly or share your personal link on Facebook, Instagram, or through email.
Once your friends sign up, we’ll take care of the rest!
Community Info
Faithbox Need-To-Knows:
While we do our best to ensure you receive everything listed in your Impact Guide, from time to time we have to swap out products or replace an item due to constraints or circumstances out of our control. While these occurrences are rare, we promise that whatever is provided in place of an item will be of equal value and impact. We know how much you love your Faithbox, and we’re committed to making sure you enjoy everything inside!
Your Faithbox is a monthly subscription that will automatically renew at the start of each month. If you have questions, want to know when your subscription expires, or for cancellations, you can contact stories@faithbox.com.
Did you know?
Maybe this month’s Faithbox isn’t your favorite or doesn’t resonate with where you are in your journey, but it’s possible this Faithbox is intended for someone else in your life. Every month we receive messages from people who have been regifted a Faithbox from a subscriber and the impact it’s made on them. If this box doesn’t suit you, consider who you can give it to and how it could make a difference in their lives.
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