The Gift of Giving Begins Early for Seven Christian Teens
By: Maliya
When was the last time you did something nice for a total stranger? Or have you ever? Well in this article, there is a story that is sure to touch your heart. It will show you the true gift of giving, and how holiday spirit and love is really meant to be.
Recently, a group of seven Christian girls emerged with a special story that is sure to get you in the giving mode for the holidays (if you're not already). It all started after a special Youth Group meeting when the "Secret Seven" decided to get together for a girl's night out. On Saturday, November 28th, the girls did as most teenagers would do and went out for pizza, and afterwards, while searching for something to do, came up with the most powerful idea for having fun and showing their faith in God at the same time. "The mall seemed too boring at the time," one girl said. "We wanted to do something more exciting that would make us feel good and have fun." The seven left the restaurant and ventured to Wal-Mart. But what is there to do at Wal-Mart? There's more than you think!
The seven girls walked inside the door and went straight to the cooler full of flowers. Carefully, each girl chose two single roses, making sure they were the prettiest. Next, they journeyed back to the isle where the paper and pencils were located. By the time they left the store, each girl had two roses (one extra for a special Youth Group teacher), and two pieces of paper each. When asked what the girls did next, they told how they excitedly walked outside and crammed all seven girls into one car. The young ladies sat there patiently for about 10 minutes, writing short letters to go with each rose. What were they doing with these roses, though? Well, this group of magnificent young women had decided to put their Christianity and love for God and their holiday spirit to use by handing out these beautiful roses to complete strangers, just to wish them a good evening. What did the letters say? Some said something as simple as "Hope you have a good day!" and others mentioned how special even a stranger is, and to be grateful that somebody cares. After finishing their letters, the girls stepped outside of the car, stood in the parking lot, hands joined, and prayed for a successful night of happiness and to feel closer to God. The girls split into groups and headed to each exit. There, they waited for the right people to walk by. When asked how the girls knew who to give them to, one girl replied, "You just knew… Some people walked by you with a smile and you knew they deserved a rose. Others looked sad or lonely, and needed to be cheered up." The young ladies handed out their roses, along with a friendly smile, and gathered in a circle to discuss what had happened. "Their smiles just meant so much," one said. "It just makes me want to cry!" Some girls received hugs, some made a person's face light up, and others got just a smile and a 'thank you'. Every girl, though, received their own personal happiness and the satisfactory of doing something good for someone else.
The girls spent the remainder of the evening talking and laughing together, and sharing their story with a few friends. "You'll be amazed," said their Youth Group leader, "at how much you have brightened someone's day and made them feel so much better!" So you see, in order to make someone feel good, you don't have to spend a whole lot of money, if any at all, and you don't even have to know the person you're doing it for! Thanks to these seven girls, there are now seven more people in this world who have been blessed by feeling loved by a stranger. Could you do the same? Next time you're in a store, buy a single flower or a card and hand it to a stranger on your way out. Get someone else in the holiday spirit!
