Several years ago—Christmas Eve of 2014—I was out doing some last‑minute shopping. I stopped into Lifeway Christian Bookstore, and the place was almost empty. The manager looked at me and said, “Hey, do you know anyone who could use some stuffed animals?”
I asked him what he meant, and he explained that he had a bunch he wanted to donate. He had taken them to Children’s Hospital, but they wouldn’t accept them.
“Why not?” I asked, and he said, “Because of the message embroidered on the foot.”
“What does it say?” “Jesus Loves Me.” Right then I understood. I told him, “I have an ambulance I use for ministry, and I’ve got connections in the fire service. I can get these passed out.”
So, I loaded up the ambulance and drove them over to Children’s Hospital Colorado. When I arrived, a lady came out to look at them. She took one glance and said, “Ew… oh… no. I don’t think we can take those.”
“Why not?” I asked. “Because of the message on the paw.” “What’s the message?”
“Jesus loves me.” “Well… He does,” I said.
She replied, “I know, but not everybody believes that.”
I told her, “Let’s think about that. Maybe not everybody believes Jesus was who He said He was, but He existed—history documents that—and the Man loved everybody. So the message is valid. It’s not telling anyone they’re wrong or bad. It’s not preaching at them. It simply says, ‘Jesus Loves Me.’ And He did.”
She paused, looked at me for a moment, and finally said, “Okay… I’ll take them.”
That simple moment turned into something I never expected. What started as one conversation on Christmas Eve became an annual ESM tradition of purchasing and delivering stuffed animals with the message “Jesus Loves Me.”
As of Christmas 2025, ten years later, we have purchased and delivered over 10,000 stuffed animals at a cost of more than $50,000. Every single year has been a blessing, and people have stepped up in incredible ways to help make it happen. My daughter and grandkids help with the drop‑offs, which now take three days leading up to Christmas to cover all the locations. Before that, we spent a couple of days prepping each animal, checking every single one to make sure they’re safe.
It’s become a meaningful part of our family’s Christmas every year and a steady part of ESM’s ministry rhythm.
Funny how God can take one procrastinator’s last‑minute shopping trip and turn it into a divine appointment, and eventually, an annual ESM event that continues to bless children, families, and seniors across our community.
