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This article will give you 19 ministering ideas for serving and loving others in January. January is one of the hardest months of the year. We are exhausted from our Christmas preparations and all the Christmas celebrations. In many areas, the weather isn’t always at its best in January. Many of us have feelings of guilt, sadness, worry, loneliness, or depression.
What can we do to combat all these feelings? Ministering to those around us can help both you and the person you are serving overcome the January blues. Here are a few ideas that can help you minister, and touch others’ lives in January.
This post is all about ministering ideas for January.
1. Spend Time with Them
You don’t have to a lot of money to brighten up someone’s day. You don’t have to show up with a plate of cookies to let them know you care. Even though all those things are nice and appreciated, spending face to face time can be some of the most memorable experience. Clear an afternoon or evening and go to their house. Time spent with others is healing, enjoyable and charitable. Your loved ones will remember those minutes you spent with them longer than that plate of cookies.
2. Send a Meaningful Text
When life gets busy and you don’t have an hour to spend at a friend’s home, send them a text. A meaningful text only takes a couple of minutes to write. You can accomplish that act while waiting in a doctor’s office or picking up a child from school. There are always a few minutes during the day to let someone know you are thinking about them. I always love getting a text from a friend I haven’t heard from for a while.
3. Shovel for a Neighbor
Shovel a neighbors walk or some other act of service that person may need. One of my family’s favorite snow days off school, was the day we went around the neighborhood and shoveled snow for those who would have difficulty doing it on their own. My children got their friends and after we were done, we watched a movie and had hot chocolate at our home. Making service meaningful and fun is a great way to involve children in your ministering efforts.
4. Ministering Ideas: Send a Quote
A quote, scripture or inspirational thought would be a great way to start off a new year.
“The Savior invites us to see our live through Him in order to see more of Him in our lives.” Sister Tracy Browning (Sees candy)
5. Ministering Ideas: Write a Note
Write someone a note or card telling them all the good things you saw in them last year. Tell them why you love and admire them.
6. Ministering Ideas: Gift a Planner
Give your friend a monthly planner with special messages written in it throughout the year and especially on their birthday!
7. Ministering Ideas: Gift a Journal
A Journal is also a great way to start the new year.
8. Write Goals Together
A goal planner may be a fun way to help your friend start the new year off. It would be a fun time to sit down together. The two of you could talk about goals and how to achieve them. It would be a great opportunity to get together often throughout the year and see how your goals are going. Just choose one thing that you could work on together. I know for me when I am accountable to someone else, I tend to do better with my goals.
9. Gift a Calendar
A beautiful calendar can also brighten a day. Each month as the person looks at their special calendar they will think their friendship with you.
10. Organize a Game Night
Organize a game night or day with several friends. Since January is usually a month when all the company goes home, people can feel lonely. Have a get together with those who are alone, play games and have a small treat.
11. Give a Watch to Someone
A watch would be a nice thoughtful gift at this time of year. Here are a couple of quotes that could go with it. Every time your friend puts on their new watch, they will remember your friendship and maybe even that it’s never too late to accomplish their goals.
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” —George Eliot
“Every moment is a fresh beginning.” —T.S. Eliot
12. Remind Someone that They are Special
After a stressful holiday season, sometimes we just forget who we are. Send someone a special reminder that you appreciate them. Here is a cute cup that says that exactly:
13. Give a Keychain
I also love this little keychain that you can hang on your purse, suitcase, keys, in your car or any where that will remind the person how awesome they are to you.
14. Host a Craft Night
Wouldn’t it be fun to get together and make a craft together. January is a fun time to start on new projects. Ask those you are friends with if they have a project you could help them with or maybe you could each work on your individual projects while hanging out together. This little snow globe kit would also be fun to make project to make with your friends or for them.
15. Send a Sunshine Basket
January always seems to be a gloomy month. What about adding some sunshine to someone’s life. A sunshine basket full of bright yellow items would be a delight to make and give to a special friend. It could include cheerios, potato chips, peanut M&M, juicy fruit, Golden Oreos, crayons, Fun Yuns, Starburst, Mr. Goodbar, lemon drops, lemonade, Swedish fish, Charleston Chews, Butterfinger, Skinny pop, corn nuts, Velveeta macaroni and cheese, honey, balloons, lotion, a ball, a sunflower, or anything else that would brighten a day. It could say, “A little box of sunshine to help you through the cloudy days.”
16. Read a Book Together
Find a good book that you both could read and then spend time together and discuss what you loved about the book.
17. Ministering Ideas: Go to Lunch Together
Another fun way to spend time with a person is to go to lunch together. For me, this has always been the best way to cement a last friendship. Food and laughter always bring great memories and lasting friendships.
18. Take Flowers
Another item that isn’t common in January is plants and flowers. Take a bouquet over to a friend to brighten their day. I love seeing flowers on my table in the middle of a snowstorm. It really can brighten a gloomy day.
19. Bake for Someone
January is also a great time to cook and bake. Make your favorite loaf of bread, cookies or soup and take it to those you minister and serve.
Ministering Quotes
Here are some great quotes that you could send to friends in a text, letter or card that will brighten their day. Add a small treat or gift from one of the suggestions above and you have just taken the time to minister. Remember kindness begins with you. Let’s Serve.
“Every year you make a resolution to change yourself. This year, make a resolution to be yourself.” Unknown
“In this new year, be grateful that God has given you victory over many things over the past year.”Steven M. Hitchcock, God Is Visible Every Day
“What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet.”—Anne Frank
“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. “ –Ralph Waldo Emerson
“No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again.” –Buddha
“You can get excited about the future. The past won’t mind.” — Hillary DePiano
“I hope you realize that every day is a fresh start for you. That every sunrise is a new chapter in your life waiting to be written.” — Juansen Dizon
“Be so busy loving your life that you have no time for hate, regret or fear.” — Unknown
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” — C.S. Lewis
“You do not find the happy life. You make it.” — Camilla Eyring Kimball
I love ministering to those around me. The more I minister to a person, the more my love for them grows. You can make life-long friends by chosing to serve someone you didn’t know. I had an experience once where I felt like I should text someone I had only seen at church once. I was nervous, because I didn’t know anything about them, and they didn’t know me.
The words from “We bought a Zoo” came to my mind, “You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.”
― Benjamin Mee, We Bought a Zoo
I texted this women. I continued outside of my comfort zone, as I went to lunch with a total stranger. She has become one of the people I admire most in my life and we have become great friends. We don’t get see each other that often anymore, because both of our lives are incredibly busy. We both know we are here for each other, if either of us need anything.
Most of my best friends have come from serving people, especially as they are going through hard times. That is where friendships are built. Take the time to find someone in need and serve them. Chances are you will become great friends.
This post was all about ministering ideas for January.