My love for giving (and receiving) gifts is one of the reasons why I’m passionate about inAWE Handmade. It all started, by God-incidence, more than 20 years ago when all these things intersected:

1. I was involved in a weekly class at my church studying this book which taught me that God gives us a specific passion for a reason. We should use it in ministry to others.
2. My girls were small, and in my “spare time” I documented our photos in scrapbooks.
3. A lady in our church, Sandy, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I didn’t know her well nor did she know me, but she was the first person I ever encountered that was forced to face the certainty of death every day.

I couldn’t get her out of my mind. I kept thinking someone who faced death like this deserved to have something beautiful to look at every day. I didn’t have the money to send her flowers every day, but I thought that’s what she deserved. This is when it occurred to me that I could make her cards with Bible verses - maybe not as beautiful as flowers - but still something.

I made her small cards using colored card stock with stickers, embellishments, etc. and included an encouraging Bible verse on the card. I decided I would send her one every day. But since she didn’t really know me, I thought it would be weird if she knew they were from me, so I decided to send them anonymously.

I don’t remember how long I sent them on a daily basis, but it was for several months. I heard through the church grapevine that she was receiving my cards and had no idea who was sending them, but they were encouraging her. My heart almost burst with the joy of knowing they brought her some happiness.

A couple of weeks after she passed away, her husband (who also did not know me) approached me and asked if I was the one who had sent the cards. I told him the truth. He expressed his gratitude and said they both looked forward to each day’s card and had a great time trying to figure out who was sending them.

GOD TAUGHT ME A VALUABLE LESSON 

And just like that, God showed me how to use what I was passionate about to bring Him glory and share His goodness with others. Since then, I’ve continued to make things that combine my love for paper crafting with the truth of His Word. Because of this lesson He taught me, my life has been incredibly blessed in ways that I could not have even imagined back when I was creating and sending cards to Sandy.

Here I am more than 20 years later, working with my husband every day from our home, making things that point to God’s goodness and truth, and actually making a living! How gracious our God is 🥰

I also learned that the only thing better than gifts is a gift from an anonymous source. Maybe you’re not involved in a secret sister program; there’s no reason why you can’t pick something from this list and send it anonymously to a “sister” who could use some encouragement. This idea is what motivates me to share this list of secret sister gift ideas with you.

3 things from Amazon because sometimes we need a gift right now

3 items from other creatives because they are handmade and/or designed by real people

3 products from inAWE Handmade because they are unique gifts and we love making them ❤️

9 SECRET SISTER GIFT IDEAS

In this list of secret sister gift ideas, I’ve included the price at the time of posting since I appreciate having that information available to me. But, as you know, prices do sometimes change, so just a heads-up.

You can click on the images or links in the headings to see the actual product listing of the gift you are interested in purchasing. I hope this guide will inspire and help you find a secret sister gift that will make her smile 😍

 

Bible Verse Book from inAWE Handmade

I’ve personally given so many of this handmade book to friends and family. We recently gave it a much-needed update. You can read more about his product and its origin here. [Price starts at $29.80]

Scripture Cards from SwayGirls

I love everything designed by SwayGirls. Shan has an amazing collection of Christian gifts. I know I would love to receive any of her scripture cards, and I’m guessing I’m not alone. [Price is $11]

Personalized Leather Bookmark from WithMeGifts on Etsy

This bookmark is available in several lovely colors and offers so many personalization options. Plus the name of this Etsy shop and its meaning are spot on ✝️ [Price is $10.79]

Prayer Journal from IntegrityGraphics on Etsy

Again, this item made the list because of all the ways you can customize the journal to fit the personality of the recipient: pick from lots of different covers, decide what kind of pages you want inside the journal and a personal message from you on the dedication page. [Price starts at $20]

Handcrafted Prayer Book from inAWE Handmade

 

Our handcrafted prayer books include 30 prayers - one for each day of the month. Bless your secret sister with a tool to pray for the loved ones in her life. We offer 10 book cloth colors and several personalization options. [Price starts at $22.80]

New Morning Mercies - Daily Devotional Book by Paul David Tripp

So far in life, this daily devotional book is my all-time favorite. You can read an excerpt from this book on this blog post. It continues to bless, challenge and teach me - even after reading it multiple times. Each day has a one page devotional that is brimming with gospel-centered theology. Don’t just buy a copy for your friend - purchase one for yourself, too! You’ll be so glad you did. [Hardcover Price is $17.99]

USB Rechargeable Electric Candle Lighter on Amazon

This rechargeable candle lighter paired with a candle makes a practical gift that your secret sister will adore. She will still be able to use the lighter long after she’s burned up the candle that you pair with this lighter. My favorite place to buy candles is either TJMaxx or HomeGoods. They always have a wide selection and great prices. [Price is $7.99]

Christian Coloring Book on Amazon

This coloring book is a great stand-alone gift, and you can order it from Amazon and have it shipped straight to your secret sister. You could also pair it with some Crayola Twistables or a watercolor paint set. I have to admit that I really want to add this to my next Amazon purchase. I can’t resist a coloring book with the large images like the ones featured in this book. [Price is $12.99]

Christian Affirmation Book from inAWE Handmade

Last, but not least, this Christian affirmation book is sure to be a hit with your secret sister or as an anonymous gift for someone special. It contains 30 Biblical affirmations along with the Bible verse “address” that inspired it.  If you’re looking for Christian gifts in bulk, this is a great option because we offer a buy five, get one free. Details are in the product description. [Price is $19.80]

FREE SECRET SISTER QUESTIONNAIRE | SECRET SISTER FORM

If this post has sparked a desire to start a secret sister program within your church, Sunday school, weekly Bible study or friend group, you can download this secret sister questionnaire for free.

Also, I love the idea from this blog post where the older women are secret sisters to younger women in a church group. How fun would it be to bless the high school or college girls in your church! I wish I would have thought of it when I was working in college ministry. 

I think the most important thing to remember is that you don’t have to be part of a formal group to secretly bless a friend. (Side note: If you'd ever like to send an inAWE Handmade gift secretly to a friend, we are more than happy to make that happen.)

I hope by sharing the story about Sandy you will be inspired to bless a friend with an anonymous gift. It doesn’t have to be something from this secret sister gift guide. A simple card with a Bible verse and one postage stamp might be all she needs.

I am, as always, inAWE. 🩵