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CHANGE YOUR LIFE. CHANGE YOUR WORLD.
 THE TRUECHRISTMAS
 This door opens from theinside
CHRISTMASANGELS
All you need is love
A CHRISTMASPROMISE
Hope takes an unexpectedform
ctivated
 
Personally speaking 
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E
DITOR
Keith Phillips
D
ESIGN
Giselle LeFavre
I
LLUSTRATIONS
Etienne Morel
P
RODUCTION
Francisco Lopez
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December 2003© 2003 Aurora Production AGAll Rights Reserved. Printed in Thailand.
www.auroraproduction.com
Unless otherwise indicated, allScripture quotations in
 Activated 
arefrom the New King James Version of theBible © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc.When other versions are quoted, sometypographical changes have been madefor the sake of clarity and uniformity.
As I was selecting material for this Christmas issue, I cameacross the following story by an unknown author. It conveys a won-derful truth: God often deputizes people to help answer prayers.
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Late December is cold in New York City, but this day wasexceptionally so. A boy about ten years old stood in front of a shoestore on Broadway, barefoot, peering through the window andshivering with cold.“What are you looking at so intently?” asked a woman whohadn’t taken her eyes off of him since she had rst noticed himwhen she was still half a block away.“I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes,” the boy replied.The lady led the boy into the store, and rst asked the clerk forhalf a dozen pairs of socks the boy’s size, then for a basin of warmwater, some soap, and a towel.The clerk had never had such a request, but he soon foundeverything the woman had asked for.She found a spot in the rear of the store, knelt down, andwashed and dried the boy’s feet. By this time, the clerk had returnedwith the socks.When the boy had pulled on a pair, she bought him a pair ofshoes. Then she helped the clerk put the other socks in a bag, paidfor the socks and shoes, handed the bag to the boy, and gave hima smile and a pat on the head. “You will stay warmer now” was allshe said.As the woman turned to go, the astonished boy caught her bythe hand, looked into her face, and with tears in his eyes asked,“Are you God’s wife?”
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May you and yours share such joys with others this Christmasseason.Keith PhillipsFor the
Activated 
Family
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“MOMMY, I THINK YOU LIKE THOSETOYS MORE THAN WE DO,”
I remembersaying to my mom as we shopped ata discount store. The way she wouldinspect each toy, carefully read througheach book, count puzzle pieces, andput together toy sets (discount items tendto miss pieces), I was sure she lovedthose toys every bit as much as we kidsdid. She was always on the lookout forsales so she and my hard-working fathercould put presents under the Christmastree for us kids.But my parents’ giving wasn’t limitedto things. Sometimes their gifts were“hands on,” like when they took us to apark to play a favorite game together,or trekked by our sides through thewoods, or took us to visit some historicalsite.Looking back I can clearly see thatmy parents didn’t love the toys andall the rest as much as I thought theydid—they just loved
giving
. They were
always
giving. Whether it was their timeand attention, help with our schoolworkor projects, or lending a listening ear,they never ceased to give from theirhearts.As Christmas approaches, I can’thelp but think back and marvel at thosesimple, love-lled gifts. They still standout to me, many years later. Their givinghelped set my standards of what Christ-mas is all about. The Christmas presentsthemselves I hardly remember, but Momand Dad’s enthusiastic love for giving Iwill never forget!Of course, gift giving is a timelesstradition and a wonderful way of show-ing love. And gifts are always especiallythrilling for children. Perhaps that iswhat our heavenly Father had in mindlong ago on that rst Christmas, whenHe gave us His love in the fashion Heknew we would understand best. Hegave us the most precious and enduringgift ever given in such a simple, humbleway—His love and Spirit in the formof a gentle baby. Jesus was and still isGod’s great Christmas gift to us all.Modern marketers have found somany holidays to celebrate with giftgiving, and they come around so fastthat it’s sometimes hard to rememberwhich one we’re shopping for or why.But stop for a moment, won’t you, andrecall the most memorable gifts youhave ever received and why you stillhold them dear. Were they the things you could see and hold, or the lovethose gifts were wrapped in?This Christmas and always, mayour heavenly Father’s example be yourguide to giving.
h
LINDA SALAZAR IS A FULL-TIME VOLUNTEERWITH THE FAMILY IN THE USA.BY LINDA SALAZAR
giving
The guideto giving
Stop for amoment, and recall the most memorablegifts you haveever received and why youstill hold themdear.
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