Gifts for Someone Returning to Faith

Sometimes a person does not walk away from faith because they have stopped believing in God.

Sometimes they are simply hurt.

Over the years, as a pastor's wife and through many years of serving alongside God's people, I have seen people become discouraged and distance themselves from church. Sadly, sometimes that hurt has even come from other Christians.

Maybe you know someone like that.

Maybe she once faithfully attended church. She prayed. She read her Bible. She loved the Lord. But somewhere along the way, something happened. Someone disappointed her. Someone hurt her. Life became difficult. Little by little, she found herself farther away from church and from the daily walk with God she once knew.

For the sake of this article, let's call her Grace.

If you love a Grace in your life, you may be wondering: What can I give her that will genuinely encourage her without making her feel judged or pressured?

I believe one of the most meaningful gifts you can give someone returning to faith is something that gently puts God's Word back in front of her every day.

Not to preach at her.

Not to remind her of where she has failed.

But to remind her of Who has never left her.

Before Choosing a Gift, Remember What She May Be Carrying

When someone has been away from church, we don't always know everything that happened.

There may be disappointment, embarrassment, guilt, loneliness, or hurt beneath the surface.

This is why I believe a gift for someone returning to faith should be chosen with tenderness.

Our job is not to fix her.

Our job is to love her and point her toward the One who can.

The Lord Jesus Christ has not changed because another Christian disappointed us.

Hebrews 13:8 says:

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

That is where I would encourage someone who has been hurt to begin.

Look back to Jesus.

Go Back to the Benchmark

When someone tells me she wants to return to church or become close to God again, I believe one of the first things she should do is go back to the benchmark.

What do I mean by that?

Go back in your mind to the day you were saved.

Remember the day you received Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour.

Think about what God did for you that day.

Remember how your heart felt.

Remember the change He made in you.

Remember that He saved you.

Remember that He gave His life for you.

Remember that He loves you more than you could ever love yourself.

The mistakes of another person cannot undo what Jesus Christ did for you.

Your disappointments cannot undo it.

The years you have spent away cannot undo it.

If you belong to Christ, start by remembering your Saviour.

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus, Not People

One of my favorite pictures of this truth is found in Matthew 14.

Peter saw Jesus walking on the water, and Peter stepped out of the ship to go to Him.

For a moment, Peter did the impossible.

But then something changed.

Matthew 14:30 says:

“But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.”

Peter had been looking at Jesus. Then he began looking at what was happening around him.

Isn't that something we all do?

As long as our eyes are fixed upon the Lord, we remember where our strength comes from. But when our attention becomes consumed with people, circumstances, disappointments, and hurts, we can begin to sink.

If another Christian has disappointed you, don't allow that person's actions to determine your relationship with Jesus Christ.

People will fail us.

Jesus will not.

Why Scripture Gifts Can Help Someone Return to Faith

This is one reason I have such a heart for Scripture products.

At Kinsman & Company, we put King James Version Scripture on everyday items because I believe there is something powerful about keeping God's Word before our eyes.

A Scripture gift is not a replacement for the Bible.

It is not a replacement for prayer.

And it certainly isn't a replacement for being faithful to a local church.

Instead, it can be a small daily reminder.

A Bible case she picks up before church.

A tumbler she reaches for in the morning.

A notebook sitting beside her Bible.

A coffee cup she sees before the day's busyness begins.

Each one can quietly put God's Word in front of her again.

And sometimes we need those reminders.

[PRODUCT PHOTO SUGGESTION: Add a warm lifestyle photograph here showing several Kinsman & Company Scripture products beside an open KJV Bible. Keep the setting peaceful, welcoming, and natural.]

A Gift for When She Cannot See the Road Ahead

One gift I would especially consider for Grace is from our Green Eucalyptus collection, featuring Hebrews 11:1:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

What a fitting Scripture for someone finding her way back.

We will not always be able to see the path directly in front of us.

Sometimes we want God to show us the whole road before we are willing to take the first step.

But that isn't always how faith works.

Sometimes we simply have to seek Him and trust Him with the next step.

A Scripture gift featuring Hebrews 11:1 can be a beautiful way of saying:

You don't have to know exactly what tomorrow looks like. Keep seeking Him. Keep trusting Him. Take the next step.

[PRODUCT PHOTO SUGGESTION: Add a clear product or lifestyle photograph of the Kinsman & Company Eucalyptus Gift Set here. If possible, make Hebrews 11:1 easy to read in the photograph.]

A Gift to Remind Her Where Her Strength Comes From

Another beautiful choice is something from our Purple Lavender collection.

Our Purple Lavender Scripture gifts include items such as Bible cases, tumblers, and journals featuring the words of Psalm 28:7:

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped...”

I especially love this message for someone returning to her faith because she may feel as though she needs to become strong enough before she comes back.

She doesn't.

We don't have to be strong in our own might.

He is our strength.

When the pains and difficulties of this world come against us, He is our shield.

What a comforting truth to put before someone every day.

[PRODUCT PHOTO SUGGESTION: Add a photograph of the Purple Lavender Bible case, tumbler, and notebook together. A second close-up image could highlight “The LORD is my strength and my shield.”]

The First Step I Would Encourage Her to Take

If Grace were sitting across the table from me and asked, “What should I actually do first?” my answer would be simple.

Go back to church.

Hebrews 10:25 tells us:

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another...”

I believe faithfulness to the local church is one of the places where we begin growing strong again.

We hear God's Word preached.

We receive instruction from our pastor.

We worship.

We fellowship with other believers.

We find encouragement among people who are also seeking to follow Christ.

If you have been hurt by Christians before, walking through those church doors again may feel difficult.

Take the step anyway.

Don't go back because Christians are perfect.

They aren't.

Go back because Christ is worthy.

Then Begin Rebuilding Your Daily Walk With God

Returning to church is important, but our relationship with the Lord cannot exist only on Sunday.

We need Him every day.

If you have been away for a while, don't make rebuilding your daily walk unnecessarily complicated.

Begin simply.

• Open God's Word every day.

• Read it and allow Him to speak to your heart.

• Think about what you have read.

• Pray and bring your supplications before Him.

• Ask Him for wisdom and direction.

• Keep coming back tomorrow.

I believe it is more important for us to hear what God has to say to us than what we have to say to Him.

That is why I would begin with His Word.

Then pray.

A Spiritual Growth Journal or Walk with God Prayer Journal Gift Set can be a wonderful companion during this season — a place to write what God is showing you as you read and pray each day.

As we continue in Scripture, we begin growing stronger. We don't want to remain forever on the milk. We want to grow into the meat of God's Word.

And Don't Forget Forgiveness

There is another part of returning that can be difficult.

Forgiveness.

If someone hurt you, you may have carried that hurt for a long time.

But holding onto yesterday's hurt does not change yesterday.

It only allows yesterday to keep reaching into today.

Jesus taught Peter about forgiveness in Matthew 18:21–22:

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

“Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”

Forgiveness does not mean pretending something never hurt.

It means we refuse to allow that hurt to keep us separated from the fellowship, growth, joy, and grace God desires for us.

Whatever happened in the past is in the past.

Give it to the Lord.

Let it go.

Rise above it.

And keep walking with Him.

The Best Faith Gifts Encourage Rather Than Condemn

If you are choosing a gift for someone who has been away from church, I would be careful not to choose something that makes her feel as though you are pointing out everything she has done wrong.

A gift should not say, You need to straighten yourself out.

It should say, I love you. I'm thinking about you. And I want you to remember how much the Lord loves you.

This is why encouraging Scripture is so important to me when we design products for Kinsman & Company.

We want God's Word to be present in ordinary moments.

We want the woman carrying her Bible case to see His Word.

We want the woman drinking her morning coffee to see His Word.

We want the woman opening her journal to see His Word.

Because tomorrow she may need that verse in a way she doesn't need it today.

[PRODUCT PHOTO SUGGESTION: Add a lifestyle image here of a woman using one of your Scripture products during a quiet morning Bible-reading or prayer time.]

What I Have Seen Through the Years

Through the years, I have seen people return many times.

And there is something I want anyone who has wandered away to understand.

God is a forgiving God.

He is a loving God.

Think about how we love our own children.

When one of our children has been away and comes home, we don't stand at the door telling them all the reasons they shouldn't have left.

We welcome them home.

There is a beautiful picture of this in Luke 15, when the prodigal son finally decides to return to his father.

Luke 15:20 says:

“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion...”

He came home.

And his father received him.

I have also seen God's people welcome Christians back into the fold.

Sometimes fear tells us that everyone will be looking at us when we walk back through the church doors.

You may be surprised to discover how many people are simply glad to see you.

Maybe This Article Isn't Really About a Gift

Perhaps you came here because you were searching for a gift for someone else.

But maybe, as you've been reading, you realized you are Grace.

Maybe you're the one who has been away.

Maybe you're tired.

If so, I want to speak directly to you for just a moment.

All you have to do is take that first step toward the Lord.

Aren't you tired of carrying your burdens all by yourself?

Aren't you tired of being separated from your Heavenly Father?

Who gives you wisdom and discernment?

Who holds you in the palm of His hand?

Who cares for you like no other?

Who is there for you day and night?

Proverbs 18:24 reminds us:

“...there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

You don't have to have everything figured out before you turn toward Him.

You don't have to make yourself strong enough first.

You don't have to see the entire road ahead.

Take the first step.

Just Come Home

Go back to the benchmark.

Remember the day Jesus Christ saved you.

Remember what He did for you.

Put your eyes back on Him.

Open your Bible.

Talk to Him.

Forgive.

Find your way back to a Bible-believing local church and begin growing again.

And if you are choosing a gift for someone you love who is making that journey, choose something that doesn't remind her of how far she wandered.

Choose something that reminds her of Who is waiting for her when she comes home.

God's Word has not changed.

His promises have not changed.

His love has not changed.

His Word is still there.

His grace is still there.

And He is still there.

Aren't you tired?

Just come home.

Scripture Resources

The following passages from the King James Bible are referenced throughout this article. Each link opens directly to the KJV text at Bible Gateway.

• Hebrews 11:1 — Faith and trusting God when you cannot see the path
• Matthew 14:22–33 — Peter walking on the water
• Hebrews 10:25 — Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together
• Luke 15:11–32 — The prodigal son returning home

King James Scripture Gifts from Kinsman & Company

If you are looking for a meaningful gift for someone returning to faith, these collections were designed with her in mind.

• Christian Gifts for Women — Browse our full collection of King James Scripture gifts
• Women's Bible Covers — Beautiful Bible cases to carry God's Word with her every day
• Spiritual Growth Journal for Women — For daily Bible reading, prayer, and reflection
• Walk with God Prayer Journal Gift Set — A beautiful gift set for someone beginning her journey back
• Scripture Tumblers — A morning reminder of God's Word with every sip