10/01/2026
On Tuesday, Judy, the leader of our Friday afternoon quilting and crafts ministry, took a group of us to visit Crossfire Ministries here in Colorado Springs.
Many years ago, when my daughters were young, I was part of a single momsā ministry through a local church. I was raising my girls alone, without help from their father or from family. During that season, we received food from a ministry pantry, and the volunteers there ministered to us in ways I have never forgotten.
Because I had already lived through that experience, I didnāt expect touring Crossfire Ministries to affect me the way it did.
But as I watched people waiting in line to enter the food pantry, and then saw them coming out carrying their groceries, it felt like I had stepped back in time. The memories and emotions came rushing back in a way I wasnāt prepared for.
Up until that moment, building Creative Acts of Praise had mostly felt like a logical exercise: building a website, gathering donations from our quilting and crafting group, learning how to create products, figuring out social media and marketing, and trying to understand all the moving pieces that go into building something new.
Then I stood there at Crossfire Ministries and saw the people being served. I met the volunteers who give their time to care for them. And suddenly Creative Acts of Praise felt very different to me.
I realized what a privilege it is to work alongside friends who are talented crafters and creators, women who have spent years developing their skills, and to use the work of our hands to help support ministries that are already serving people in our community.
It reminded me of the biblical truth that we are all parts of one body. We do not all have the same role, but each part matters. Some people serve in food pantries. Some welcome and encourage. Some organize. Some sew, quilt, crochet, knit, and create.
Creative Acts of Praise can be our part.
That visit reinvigorated me. It reminded me why I want to keep building Creative Acts of Praise and why the work matters. We have an opportunity to take the gifts God has given us and use them to partner with ministries that are caring for people in our community every day.
And Iām very happy to tell you that the proceeds Creative Acts of Praise gives from our donated-item sales will be going to Crossfire Ministries.
The beautiful things our friends create with their hands can become groceries on someoneās table, encouragement for a struggling family, and practical help for someone walking through a difficult season.
For me, that brings the giving circle full circle.
Someone creates and gives. Someone else purchases and enjoys that creation. And the proceeds go back into our community to help someone who needs them.
I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of that kind of help. Now, all these years later, God has given me the privilege of being part of giving it back.
If youād like to learn more about Crossfire Ministries and the work they are doing here in Colorado Springs, you can visit their website:
https://www.crossfireministries.org/
I hope youāll join me and see just how far the work of our hands can reach.
