Latest / Neighbourly: Real Stories of Care and Community / Six Tales of Christmas | Lump of Coal

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Six Tales of Christmas | Lump of Coal · Neighbourly: Real Stories of Care and Community

• 0:02
  This is Journey with Care, official podcast of Care
• 0:06
  Impact. Johan here, and today, I will be your
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  guide. Welcome to the special series of Care Impact
• 0:13
  Christmas, where we celebrate the joy of the Christmas season.
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  As the snow falls outside and the warmth of the holiday spirit fills
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  our hearts, we invite you to gather your closest loved ones,
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  your kids, grandkids, friends, or family. Get
• 0:30
  cozy by the fire or snuggle up with a blanket and a cup of hot
• 0:33
  cocoa and get ready for something truly special.
• 0:37
  Today, we invite you to journey with us through a series of short stories that
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  capture the essence of Christmas. These tales are filled with
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  warmth, care, and loving generosity.
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  So take a sip of that rich hot cocoa, nestle into your
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  favorite spot, and let the glow of the firelight or simply of your
• 0:56
  Bluetooth speaker bring our stories to life.
• 1:05
  Episode 1, Lump of Coal.
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  Once upon a time, deep in the earth, where the rocks
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  are dark and the dust is thick, a little lump of coal
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  began its life. It
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  wasn't shiny or sparkling. In fact, it was
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  rather ordinary. But just
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  wait. This coal, this humble lump,
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  was about to become something far more meaningful than it can ever
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  imagine.
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  I'm just a lump of boring old coal in a heap of many.
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  Sure, some have gone on to crackling fireplaces, roaring
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  bonfires, or sizzling on a grill, cooking up steaks.
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  That's their thing. But me? I'm not into it.
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  I'm just here, keeping ordinary,
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  like all the others. But what if this lump of
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  coal wasn't as ordinary as it thought? What if
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  it was destined for more? Let's find out, shall
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  we?
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  One chilly December afternoon, a man named Elliott
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  walked into the coal yard. With a scarf that was just a little too
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  long and boots that were just a little too old, he
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  walked around trying to decide which lump of coal would be just right for his
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  little stove at home. And then,
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  He sees me. He's looking right at me.
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  Does he see something in me that I'm not yet feeling?
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  Yes, he he's reaching out for me. Here I
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  go.
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  Yeah. I I think this lump of coal will heat up
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  nicely alongside the others. Ahem.
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  Excuse me. I'm not much into that glowing and heating
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  up the room kind of thing. I'm I'm not so sure I even can.
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  Sure, I'd love to, but it seems kinda complicated.
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  Elliott took the lump of coal home. The coal was nervous,
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  unsure of what was about to happen.
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  But then it was welcomed into a heap of glowing embers
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  and before long, it was glowing radiantly, warming up many
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  people in its presence. Wow. So this is what that was
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  created for. This is what it's like to live for a purpose,
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  on purpose. As the night went on, the lump of coal
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  burned brighter and brighter, glowing warmly in the small
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  stove. It wasn't the biggest piece or the fanciest,
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  but it was doing something extraordinary. It was making a
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  difference. In its quiet, unassuming way,
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  it was giving comfort, light, and warmth to people who
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  needed it more than he realized. I always thought I was
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  just an ordinary lump of coal,
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  but tonight I learned something. I can be much
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  more. I can help others feel warmer. I can bring
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  light where there was darkness.
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  It's been a tough year, but tonight
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  tonight feels different. The love of coal was
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  more than it had ever imagined. It wasn't being big
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  or flashy. It was about being present, about
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  quietly changing the world one small, steady
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  glow at a time. And so this lump of coal
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  discovered its true purpose, to bring warmth and light to the
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  darkest of times. The lump once small and
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  and forgotten had found its place in the world.
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  But this is just the beginning of its journey. After all, there
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  were many other lumps of coal still sitting in piles in the coal
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  yard. I wonder what would happen if we had
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  them join in too. Well, I
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  I can't wait to meet them. Maybe I'll realize how special they
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  are too. Next
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  week, join us as we meet another humble champion that is
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  ready to make a big difference. Until then,
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  remember, sometimes the most unassuming things
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  can light up the world.
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  This Christmas, you can ignite extraordinary compassion in
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  ordinary people, bringing light and warmth to the most
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  overlooked in the community. Go to care impact christmas.com
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  to buy lumps of coal for everyone on your list. Whether they're naughty
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  or nice, your loved ones will be delighted to know that their lump
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  of coal is helping one chillaxing church goer get fired up with
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  our invigorating care journey small group experience. It's
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  igniting their heart and head and hands to make a real
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  difference in their community. When people tap into their god
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  given purpose, they're unstoppable. So your gift can
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  help make that happen. Help us reach our goal of a 150
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  lumps of coal by December 31st, and remember, your
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  generosity will be matched, doubling your impact.