MY Jesse Tree all started when…
I quit working full time to raise my 2 boys, ages 4 and 2.
With the lifestyle change- I started to volunteer more.
One day, I was volunteering in my church - and I was talking about a book I love dearly -
The Bible.
Maybe I was going on & on too much??
Instead of my listeners agreeing, or commenting on my wonderful insights -
A mom responded by recommending that I join a certain Bible Study - “I think you would really like it”
I had never heard of the internationally known Bible Study she mentioned, I had free time - so I went to the church and I checked it out…
I enjoyed the introduction class and I committed to joining. I was really excited to study individual books of the Bible in a group setting!
But, I was wait-listed. The class was completely full with no room for me or my 2 children.
It wasn’t until the late Fall that a spot opened up, and we attended the overflowing class.
I was excited that I ‘got the call’, and went off to the church with my boys in tow…
So, as I attended each week, you know how when you’re in a group, or a class, and EVERYONE grabs the same spot each time as they sat in the week before?
In this Bible Study, that happened.
There was a woman that sat next to me each week.
It was near Thanksgiving time, so she offered up a book to those who sat near her -
The book was about 30 years old at the time, but her Mom had written it -
She said it was a fun Christian Activity for kids during the Christmas time.
It had never crossed my mind to do a Christmas Devotional with my young boys-
AND I really didn’t want to say, “NO” to her - (her Mother had written it)
Excitedly, I paid her $5 for the paper book and took it home.
The book was:
Jesse Tree Devotions
A Family Activity for Advent
By Marilyn Breckenridge
c. 1982
WELL! I loved the book & the activity -
My family of now - 4 children - have been doing it ever since that Christmas.
For years, before Christmas time, I would buy many of these books -
1 batch of 50 from the Author’s daughters home!
I would speak at our church and resell the books at Mom-related events.
I would stay in touch with the Moms and gather feedback from their experiences.
I enjoyed getting the word out & knowing that other families now had a new tradition.
Every year they had a fun and easy way to chronologically review the Bible stories -
with their children.
I am SO thankful to Marilyn for making her book all those years ago for her Sunday School
class she taught in Edina, MN. <I could insert a photo of her & I together here>
I am thankful for all the events that occurred so that I could enjoy Christmas in a deeper and
more meaningful way - with the purpose to SHARE it with others!
Could this be your heart cry too? ….To get to know God, so that you can share Him with others?
It’s a Gift -
What God offers to us are GIFTS..
What we are able to do with His gifts to us -
It’s a Gift - a gift with greatest of meaning, and purpose!!
Do you want to lay hold of a real treasure?
This treasure lasts, and the Bible says that it is SO valuable that even GOLD can’t buy it.
Many Mothers would use the Devotional, and stick to it -
But, there were many that did not.
Busyness, and being overcome by worldly things is VERY deceptive - I battle it everyday.
We all have a choice about how we are going to spend our days.
It is MY HOPE that with this Jesse Tree Devotional - coloring poster and website —
That God will become more known to YOU and your family!
May He richly bless you, as you draw closer to Him!
May the Jesse Tree be a helpful resource for you to review what God has done!