Part 5 in our "12 Days of Christmas" series

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Dec. 29, 2014) -- Macon Sloan is a five-year-old missionary. At such a young age, this old soul is already reaching out in care and concern to her community and leading her church at St. Paul United Methodist in Fountain City to do the same. 

It all started with the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. Macon's preschool teacher, Gina, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She shared with the students that she would need to take time off for treatment and rest. When Macon got home that day, she told her parents about her teacher’s illness and said, “I love Ms. Gina. I want to help." The subtle nudge of the Holy Spirit spilled over into her parents’ hearts and a plan was formed.

During her 5th birthday weekend, Macon and her family got busy turning their home into an ornament factory. Everyone had a job, including her visiting family. The ornaments were brown felt hearts decorated with snow, holly, and bells. Bound together with thread, hopeful prayers and a lot of love, the "Hearts for Gina” were created and ready to be sold. 

The following Sunday, the second Sunday of Advent, Macon bravely stood up and shared about her love for Ms. Gina and invited her church family to help her reach her goal of selling 50 ornaments. The ornaments were $10 each and Macon hoped to give Ms. Gina $500 to help with medical costs.

Kingdom projects always start with a nudge but the Holy Spirit has a tendency to be contagious. Everyone was inspired by this mission project and wanted to respond. And so it was that Macon sold more than her goal. She sold 100 ornaments! As a result, her beloved teacher received $1,000 to offset cost for treatments, along with a whole host of prayers as the "Hearts for Gina" were given as gifts and adorned trees all over town.

As it is written: "The wolf will lie with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together, and a little child will lead them."-- Isaiah 11:6

The Rev. Sarah Varnell is pastor at St. Paul United Methodist Church, Fountain City.