When purchasing a gift for someone, you want to be intentional and authentic. Intentional so the receiver feels like special and authentic so you, the giver, has offered a thoughtful remembrance. The great thing about a gift is it can be for any occasion – birthday, anniversary, holiday or just because. Sometimes even though our hearts are in the right place, finding the perfect gift can be a difficult task and stressful because we as givers want to make sure the item is fulfilling a need. To help you with the gifting process, we’ve polled Christian women and asked them what do they want? We’ve asked them to tell us what is on their lists and which gifts would make the difference in their every day. We’ve put together a list of options that you can choose from based on the occasion and your budget. Each gift also has an array of options – you have the ability to choose how simple or extravagant you’d like to make the gift.However, we made sure to keep Matthew 5:14-16 in mind when we comprised our list because we believe God should always be at the center. “You are the light of the world. A town build on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Check out our favorite Christian women gift guide suggestions.
Journal

Whether it is a gratitude journal, a prompt focused journal or a daily meditation exercise, journaling can make a huge difference. Journaling is an excellent stress management and self-exploration activity that feeds the mind and soul. There are so many different journals to choose from. Target, Paper Source and Walmart are stocked with all of the great options – you can even personalize the journal with a fun family photo or your loved one’s favorite inspirational quote.
Consider whether or not your lovely lady would prefer leather bound, paperback, a journal with a pencil/pen insert, colored or gold foiled paper or even the size.
Book Gift Card

Fun Shirt

Sometimes it’s a T-shirt and jeans sort of day – and on those days, how awesome would it be to have a cute t-shirt that represents and shares faith. “Not Today Satan.” “Jesus and Coffee. Amen.” “I Like Jesus, But I Cuss a Little.” Those are just a few of the fun phrases printed on so many shirts scouring the Etsy feeds or even the Target women’s department aisles.
If your loved one has a favorite scripture or saying, search on Etsy to see if a store can make something custom. You’ll be surprised how many options are available and what these small business owners can create.
Printable

This is a great gift option, no matter what your budget is. Gifters can be as simple as finding a free inspirational Christian scripture or quote printable on Pinterest and framing it themselves or search Christian shops (both online or brick and mortar) for an already prepared option. Whether your loved one is going through a difficult time or not, there are a number of options to choose from – choose a scripture that you believe will inspire your friend or select an inspirational quote that you know is their favorite.
One of our favorites in this space is Jess Connolly’s company All Good Things Collective. Jess has an array of printables that you can hang or even carry around with you.
Decorative Wall Sign

Soft Blanket

Everyone, at some point in the day, uses a blanket. Whether it is for a nap or just sitting on the couch to enjoy a few minutes of solace, everyone uses a blanket. The gift of a soft blanket is like giving a hug to a loved one – over and over again.
When researching your purchase, consider your friend’s favorite decorating color and try to buy something that they can use in any space. Check the reviews and make sure the blanket doesn’t shed or pill easily. Also, check sizes – you want to make sure the blanket isn’t too small or large for everyday use. (Amazon reviews are super helpful with covering all of these points.)
Outdoors Activity

Box Subscription

Devotional

Music Gift Card

Planner

Water Bottle

Jewelry

Letter Board

Back in the day, we would just use chalk boards or white boards to write friendly reminders or inspirational sayings; however, Pinterest followers have developed an option that’s more decorative and photogenic – letter boards.
Letter boards come in so many different sizes, but they have an assortment of felt letters and can be modified to display and saying you’d like to see on a daily basis or would like to share with your family and friends. Some people display this within their homes and others may even keep it up at their cubical at work. What’s great about these boards is the accessibility – you can adjust these without taking off a glass frame or having to worry about wiping away streaks.
A Donation

How many times have you received a gift and wished that the money was spent on something more useful? Do you have a friend who is very passionate about a specific cause or is passionate about a church initiative? Instead of stressing yourself out with Googling for the perfect gift, offer up a donation in their name for a cause that is near and dear to their heart.
Write a note in a card sharing the news of the donation. Not only is this gift option incredibly thoughtful, but it will also show your friend that you care about the same things that are important to them.
Gifts come in all shapes and sizes. Before you decide to purchase a gift for your friend, make sure that you’re gifting from the heart. Corinthians 11:4-6 says, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” No matter what you decide to gift, make sure it’s something that displays your thoughtfulness and authenticity because that is what means the most in the end.