Christmas Party for Nashville Rescue Mission Women

The annual Christmas party, dinner and concert for the homeless women and children of the Nashville Rescue Mission was held in the Student Center on Dec. 17th. Four buses were chartered to pick up more than 200 women and children and bring them to our campus for a night they wouldn’t soon forget.

In addition to being served a delicious dinner, every woman was given a personalized gift of a new winter coat and the children were each given a new toy. The kids each made craft gifts for their mothers, while the women enjoyed an entertaining concert by Ronnie Freeman and friends. The volunteer turnout for this event was slow coming, but as we let the body know that we had an urgent need, many responded. We give a special thanks to the 500 volunteers who made this great night happen. An extra 100 volunteers that wanted to help had to be turned away.


Journey Toward Peace Begins With Visit From Fellowship Woman
Kathie Littleton was at the Nashville Rescue Mission for chapel in October and met a woman named Melissa. She was in a difficult place and was distraught over her children being taken from her, as well as her own battle with addiction. “I remember praying with her that day about what was happening in her life and that God would help her get through it,” Kathie explained. Melissa began to cling to God in a deeper way and has spent the last two months getting clean.

“At the Christmas party for the ladies of the NRM, I glanced at the table to the left of where I was sitting and saw Melissa sitting there. I remembered her! She looked so radiant and covered with peace.”

She told Kathie how she has been relying on God for her strength and understanding, and how she had been praying for God’s peace in her relationship with her son and daughter. “She’s also been writing her mother letters and telling her what God has been showing her and is praying for reconciliation.”

Melissa shared that she had asked God that very morning to show her His peace in her life. She walked into Fellowship that evening for the party and saw the banner that read, Isaiah 9:6 –“And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Then Larry Kayser opened the program with his message on what peace is and about how peace isn’t the absence of chaos or conflict, it is the presence of the Lord. “She was overwhelmed with the Lord’s answer to her prayer for peace!”

A God of Details
Judy Beaudin was helping to prepare the gifts for the women and children who were expected to attend the NRM Christmas Party. She found out shortly after the children arrived at church that there was an unexpected four-year-old girl who wasn’t on the original registration list. Since she had helped package all the children’s gifts earlier that day, she knew that there was nothing left to give the little girl.

Her heart sank at the thought that this little girl might not receive a gift. Judy said a prayer and decided to walk to the Christmas tree in the Learning Center and check one more time—just in case something might be there. She looked under the tree and miraculously found an African-American baby doll that she hadn’t noticed earlier in the day! The little girl told her mom that it was exactly what she wanted! Praise God for how deeply He cares for all the details of our lives.