Because the Luke 6:38 thing is so true it's absolutely nuts.
Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.
—Jesus (Luke 6:38)
It’s fascinating (to me) to look through years’ worth of posts and reflect on which ones are “popular” and which aren’t so much. I want to be careful not to profane this sacred space with analytics, but it is interesting to figure out what people like the most. Posts on motherhood (and how hard it is) are the favs, hands down. Ones where I admit something embarrassing about myself are a close second. (smile) On the flip side, another clear trend is that posts about giving to the poor usually receive the least Likes. Not pointing fingers or shaming anyone for not clicking the little blue icon at the bottom, just stating a fact. It could be that they are poorly written (a strong possibility), or include too much sentimentality or guilt-mongering. Certainly I’m guilty of all that to a degree.
But here’s the deal: At the risk of sounding like a greedy fool (also a strong possibility), I have to say that Luke 6:38 is just so crazy stinkin’ TRUE. Seriously. It’s nuts. I’ve shared a lot in Faithfully Frugal about downsizing and living on less, etc. etc. But here’s the thing: Jeff and I are constantly amazed because when we had our “big” (to us it was big) salary, we were always tight at the end. Sure, we put a lot in savings, but every month it seemed tight. We now make less than half of that, and I don’t know where the money comes from. At the end of each month I keep looking in my wallet and shaking me head—there’s still more left! Just last month we made a big gift that wasn’t budgeted. I had no idea how we would pay for it, but believed God had said to do it. Then this month as I was paying bills, not only did we have enough to cover everything, but I “forgot” about two checks (big ones!) that I’d forgotten to deposit. Um… What’s the deal, ya’ll?? The week before last I could hardly close the refrigerator we had so much food. Sure, there are some luxuries we’re going without. But none of them are food, clothing or shelter.
The whole pressed-down-shaken-together-running-over-poured-into-your-lap-thing? It’s real.
I’m pretty sure most of you get this. That giving first to God—that whole firstfruits thing—is the path of ridiculous blessing.
But if for some reason you haven’t taken this plunge yet; try it now.
If things are tight, it’s the perfect opportunity to give a little faith-gift that says, “I trust you, God.”
And we have a really cool opportunity to do just that, as part of the For Every Child campaign through World Vision. They have a big hairy audacious goal of raising $500 million dollars by October 2015, and they are well on their way with more than $328 million already raised. You can read more details about the campaign here, and today I thought it’d be fun to do a giveaway in conjunction, because even though you always receive something when you give, I want the fun of being part of the giving-getting equation this time by offering you a free book if you give to For Every Child today.
(Speaking of running-over-poured-into-your-lap, I asked World Vision if I could have a couple copies in order to do a giveaway, and some dear generous soul there sent me 36!)
So here’s the deal: For the first 36 people who give ANY amount to For Every Child today, I will send you a free book—either Unfinished or The Hole In Our Gospel. (If you haven’t read either one, I would suggest starting with THIOG. It should really be read first.) I’m not telling you how much, just give by faith and with joy. So here’s how to get your free book:
- Give any amount here.
- On social media: share the For Every Child site or this post, whichever you prefer. (The point is to let people know about the campaign.) » Click here to share this post on Facebook. Click here to share on Twitter.
- Fill out the form below so we can mail you your book!
- Watch and see how the pressed-down-shaken-together-running-over-poured-into-your-lap-thing happens in your life. It’s nuts.
Thank you so much!
With love,
Kari & Jeff
How Jesus' Story makes us do weird stuff
They asked us to remember the poor, the very thing we were eager to do.
—Galatians 2:10
Our story isn’t that remarkable.
His is.
When World Vision contacted us about sharing our story in their magazine, about coming up to Seattle to be in the DVD filming for Unfinished, of course we were thrilled. What an honor to share our story as a little part of His! And through the last few years, whenever we share our simple story of downsizing, moving, starting a church, endeavoring to live differently, we often receive two responses:
- Why would you do that?
- Are you telling me I have to do that?
My short answer:
- Jesus
- No, but when you get to know Jesus’ story you’re gonna want to do weird stuff.
Here’s the deal: Jesus’ Story (the Gospel) motivates us to good works.
Good works are not a requirement of the gospel they are the fruit of the gospel. They are the fruit of grace, the fruit of a free gift.
Have you ever received a free gift and you couldn’t help but want to pay it forward?
Right before Christmas I had the idea of buying the Jesus Storybook Bible for a few friends. We have been so blessed by that Bible and I thought it’d be fun to bless some young families. But when I added the Bibles to my cart the cost really added up. Hmm, I thought. Maybe not. I left the Bibles in the cart but never completed the transaction. Christmas came. We had a great day and that night tucked the kids into bed. Then Jeff reminded me that someone had given us a family Christmas card we hadn’t opened yet. I had tucked it in my purse and forgotten about it. So I pulled out the card and tore the envelope to see a Christmas picture of our friends. But instead I found a hand-colored picture of a beach and words that about gave me a heart-attack: “One free week in Hawaii.”
After jumping around the house like a crazy woman, you better believe the first thing I did was hop back on the computer and order those Bibles! It didn’t matter that they arrived after Christmas, of course I could be a teeny tiny bit generous after how someone else had been SO generous to us!
Do you see the connection? I wasn’t ordering the Bibles out of guilt or trying to “pay back” the people who gave us the trip – they didn’t even know about it. Besides, our tiny gift of a few Bibles was truly nothing compared to the riches we had received. It wasn’t about comparing what we gave with what we got. It was just about recognizing how much we have received in the glorious gospel of grace, and being genuinely thrilled at giving forward a teeny tiny bit.
ANY of our giving to the poor, serving, loving, sacrificing is nothing compared to the amazing riches we have received in Christ. But if we truly understand the greatness of the gospel we will be genuinely glad to give. That’s a hilarious giver.
But, consider this: We must have some inkling of how great the gift is. If I had never heard of this strange place called “Hawaii” I might not be that excited. I might not be inspired to give at all. I might not even want to accept the gift and go because I didn’t know if the destination was good or not. But Oh! I knew the glory of the island! I even knew the beauty of this particular place. Oh I knew what an amazing gift this was.
So too we must, as much as is humanly possible, understand how great is the love of God demonstrated in Christ Jesus. How great is the gospel of grace. How life is about Him, not us. How His story is the greatest tale of love and redemption and wild grace.We must ask God to show us the length and depth and width and height, the love of God that surpasses knowledge, so that we can continually be amazed at His riches and feel genuinely thrilled at giving to others.
That’s where the good works come from.
So too, when we “get” the gospel we will “get” a heart for the poor. HEART. Not “obligation” to the poor. Not “vague guilty feelings about the poor.” Not, “I have so much stuff, I guess I can give a little” to the poor. A HEART for the poor. A LOVE for the poor.
1 John 3:17 says, “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
Throughout the entirety of Scripture we see that God has a special love and concern for the poor, the widow, the downtrodden, the broken (James 2:15-16. Ex. 23:10-11, Lev. 19:10, Deut. 15:7-11, Jer. 22:16, Amos 2:6-7, Luke 6:36, 38, 2 Cor. 8-9.)
When His gospel grips our hearts we will have a special love and concern for those same people.
When we understand the gospel, what we’ve been freely given, we will freely give. God’s grace makes us just. Just as Peter urges Paul, remember the poor, God would urge us today, remember the poor. Do whatever it takes to remember them. Pictures on the fridge or prayer for them or going to where they are – remember them. We’ve been given so much.
When we’ve really seen and understood the gospel, that free grace is given to those who deserve it the least, we’ll want to help others by extending free gifts of grace. The true gospel motivates us to good works.
His story inspires all of ours.
{Thanks for reading.}
*Please take time to read the other stories from World Vision’s magazine this month and especially their For Every Child campaign. Also, Richard Stearn’s new book Unfinished released yesterday! Snag a copy today OR come back on Friday for a BIG (24 hardback copies!) giveaway. I’m working out the details and very excited to get this book in your hands. Thank you!
*More details about our journey are available in Faithfully Frugal.
You are beautiful {International Women's Day}
First off, THANK YOU. Thank you for your enthusiasm for Faithfully Frugal and for spreading the word so others can spend less, give more, and live more. Please continue to share, write a review, and spread the word about embracing this faithfully frugal way of life.
Now, let’s do this!
Today we have reason to celebrate. Today is International Women’s Day, which means that for this one day we get to shout YEEHAW! to the world about all things woman. Raise a chocolate bar in the air, swing your hips, turn your face to heaven and give your biggest smile to thank God for making you a woman. You are beautiful, you are cherished, you are celebrated, you are the crown of his creation. (Or, if you’re a man, thank God for making women and consider how you can bless one today!)
I’m so glad there’s a day to celebrate women worldwide … but let’s just say:
Not everyone is celebrating.
~
Yesterday afternoon my Bus Stop 32 friend Julie and I sat in my kitchen over steaming bowls of lentil soup. I watched her face light up as I sliced up an avocado and sprinkled it with salt. “My favorite!” She smiled, and as I looked across the kitchen at her, I couldn’t help but stop, struck by this one thought:
She’s so beautiful.
So incredibly beautiful. Yes, broken. Yes, addicted. Yes, in desperate need. But so am I and when I look at her I see her beauty and it’s a beauty that’s worth fighting for.
A beauty we must fight for.
Because every woman displays the beauty of God.
Yes, women show the world the beauty of God.
No, I don’t mean the beauty of a size 0 figure or flawless skin. The beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. The beauty of bravery and courage. The beauty of faith-filled trust. The beauty of sacrificial love. The beauty of vulnerability. And yes, even a woman’s physical appearance–in all sizes and shapes and ages–reflects the beauty of our God.
It’s a beauty that the evil one wants to destroy. Julie had told me last week that in her job-search she’d found an 80-year old man who said she could clean his house for $15. So she did. Then yesterday when I asked her about it, she got quiet. “Yeah, that’s probably not going to work out. I cleaned his house Monday night but then he wanted me to do other stuff. Take off my clothes and stuff.” She looked up at me. “I can’t do that. So I guess that job is probably gone.”
There is no doubt in my mind that Satan has a special hatred for women. We need look no further than the pages of history to see this focused assault. Stasi Eldredge says it like this.
The assault on femininity — its long history, its utter viciousness — cannot be understood apart from the spiritual forces of evil we are warned against in the Scriptures. That is not to say that men (and women, for they, too, assault women) have no accountability in their treatment of women. Not at all. It is simply to say that no explanation for the assault upon Eve and her daughters is sufficient unless it opens our eyes to the Prince of Darkness and his special hatred of femininity. (Captivating, 84)
But instead of sitting around and wringing our hands about the state of our world, we can take the LIGHT of Jesus Christ into the darkness and illuminate God’s women and lift them up so they too can be beacons of his beauty, love, grace.
Whenever we bring light into the darkness, we discover more and more of His beauty that we never even knew existed.
So today, for International Women’s Day, here are 3 ways you can shine light on the beauty of God’s women in our world:
1. Sponsor a Woman Missionary.
- For only $30/month (cutting out ONE restaurant-meal a month could free up this much cash) can sponsor a woman missionary through Gospel for Asia. Consider: Over 50,000 female children are aborted every month in South Asia. Females are often the last to eat and the most likely to be illiterate. They’re the first to work as child laborers and sometimes even sold to become one of 1.2 million child prostitutes. As they grow they gain little respect. They live in the most unreached parts of the world—places that have yet to hear the Gospel. And many women cannot be approached by men due to cultural customs, making their slim chance of hearing the Gospel even slimmer. Gospel for Asia has a burden to reach them. We believe that uplifting the lives of these women is one of the most significant things that can come about to transform families and communities for Christ.Today, if you will sponsor a woman missionary through GFA, Jeff and I will send you a FREE copy of Half The Sky. Just email me your receipt (kari at karipatterson dot com) and we’ll send you the book. (Jeff is offering the same thing on his blog.)
2. Watch the GIRL RISING trailer and request a screening in your city.
- WORLD VISION hosted Seattle’s red carpet premiere of this documentary last night, and Jeff and I have requested to have a screening come in April to the Hilltop 9 theater in Oregon City. Go HERE to request a screening in your city after watching the trailer:
3. Read Half The Sky.
- No, it’s not a light read. No, you won’t fall asleep with warm, happy feelings in your heart. But I believe you will have a better understanding of this focused assault on women, and be encouraged and inspired to do whatever you can to share the love of Christ with women in the margins worldwide. From the far reaches of Cambodia to the neighbor woman right down your street. ALL women are worth of God’s love and special care. It’s less than $10 on Amazon. Or, better yet——skip up to #1, sponsor a missionary and Jeff and I will send you the book for free! 🙂
Thank you to all you beautiful woman (and fabulous men!) for spreading the light of Jesus Christ to the dark corners of the world. Let’s pray this International Women’s Day finds a few more girls rising in the light of His love … Thanks for reading.
Gift-Giving Guide 2012: Less Proven Approaches
Continuing our Gift-Giving Guide by Kris Zyp. Catch up with the first and second posts here. Enjoy!
Justice
Many may wish to pursue a goal of not simply providing poor with alleviation from the problems of health and poverty, but providing them with justice. Certainly, justice is a critical component of society for productive, healthy, free, and happy lives. Justice can be an ambiguous term, with different meanings depending on who you ask. In the broad, social meaning of the term justice, virtually every effort listed here contributes to greater justice, combating the injustice of poverty and inequality. But in a narrower sense of restraining specific individuals and organizations that are engaged in oppression against others, justice is being pursued in very focused way by certain organizations. One group that stands out is the International Justice Mission (IJM), who works in various countries to rescue and prosecute perpetrators.
However, there are some specific reasons why this approach lacks proven credibility in significantly benefiting the poor. First, the number of people rescued per dollar spent through IJM is very low compared to other projects that are recommended. If we look purely at rescues, the return on investment is disappointing, dozens of lives can be saved through bed nets for the cost of one rescue through IJM. However, the theory behind much of IJM’s work is that the impact of prosecuting one perpetrator will go far beyond that single case, and will be a deterrent or set a standard for many other situations. The impact of setting a standard of justice could in fact be very significant, and be the type of push that bring broader access to justice for many. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to assess this type of impact. Furthermore, many of the activities of IJM are at least partly focused on fighting corruption. However, studies on corruption have found surprisingly low levels of correlation with reduced economic growth. While donating to IJM could have some significant impacts, there is not enough evidence for this to be a very proven strategy.
Micro-finance
Microfinance has become very popular in recent decades. There are a couple of key advantages to microfinance. First, rather than simply being a gift, it empowers an individual to build a business and become more financially independent. This, at least in theory, enables someone to live beyond dependencies, rather than become more dependent. Second, microfinance loans are usually repaid, and donated money can be reloaned over and over. Donations can have a long lasting impact in empowering many individuals, rather than just being a one-time gift.
However, microfinance has come under a lot of criticism recently. In some areas microfinance has had been very helpful in lifting people out of poverty, but in other regions, microfinance initiatives have had little to no effect on poverty. Often microfinance can give a small business a small boost, but moving beyond a single person company to having employees, and creating significant economic activity, can be a very difficult hump to overcome. There are even unintended consequences; another recent study showed that microfinance can increase child labor, as parents attempt to take advantage of the temporary financial opportunity.
Because of these factors, microfinance has potential to make a big impact, but it is highly variable, and isn’t a solidly proven aid effort.
Aid Research
Research on what is effective in fighting poverty allows us to develop and fund more effective efforts in the future. This moves us towards a future where organizations are more efficient, we can make more informed decisions about what to fund (so posts like this one are better informed!), and where wasted efforts can be avoided.
My pick for an organization in this area is Innovations in Poverty Action. This is not a Christian organization, but they are doing remarkable work researching effective efforts, leaning heavily on randomized control trials. In fact many of recommendations in the guide are based on the fruit of research activity that has given us a much clearer idea of how to truly have a positive impact for the poor.
Giving Advocacy
Another type of charitable activity is the “marketing” aspect. Businesses are usually very keen to the important returns that are generated by good marketing. Likewise, investing in efforts to advocate for the poor can generate significant funding as well.
Currently one organization that we have been working with is Live 58. They have produced an excellent film (http://www.live58.org/about/
International Aid and Justice Advocacy
International aid from governments far exceeds private funding, and in many areas certainly represents the bulk of the effort. Advocacy efforts can have a big influence on our representatives’ willingness and commitment to continue these funds. In other sectors, such as energy, pharmaceutical, and defense companies on lobbying because the simple (and probably unfortunate) reality is that the evidence indicates these investments pay off in spades. Some studies suggest (http://www.npr.org/blogs/
{Is your head spinning? I know, it can feel overwhelming. Again, digest what you can and continue to stretch your heart and mind, allowing God to lead you. Bathe everything in prayer. Thanks for reading; I’m learning with you.}
Always something better. {Giveaway}
I can’t believe I’m here right now.
The ocean is lapping soft against the sand just below my bedroom window. We drove up last night to Whidbey Island, to join the World Vision and Thomas Nelson crew in the filming of a DVD curriculum for Richard Stearns’ new book. Yes, Richard Stearns, the man who wrote The Hole in Our Gospel and who–by the power of God’s Spirit–completely ruined my ordinary life.
I’ll be forever grateful.
Grateful that God inspired Stearns to write the words, “What’s in your hand?” To cause me to look down and take inventory of exactly what God had entrusted to me, that I could lay down at His feet in worship. I’m so grateful God equipped him to share the stories of children–millions of them–all beloved by God, and dying by the thousands every single day. It was this book that served as the Tipping Point for us, and tipped us over into a life of living head-over-heels for the Kingdom (or at least trying to!). It was more than two years ago, and so much has changed.
Most of all, my heart.
It’s a simple truth, but it bears repeating: Whatever we “give up” for God He always replaces with something so much better.
And by “better” I don’t mean what the world means. Not merely health, wealth, and popularity. Not a bigger house or a higher-paying job, although He might toss that in just for fun.
We give up addiction and we get freedom in return.
We give up an empty pursuit of the American Dream and He gives us the life-changing adventure of the Kingdom-of-God-Dream.
We give up control and He takes us on a wild ride.
We give up our money and He provides for us in intimate, personal, unimaginable ways that woo us, make us dizzy with His love, bring us to our knees.
Really, God? I get to meet the man who you used to influence my life so greatly? I get to stay in a beautiful house on Whidbey Island, with my husband, and discuss the truth of how glorious you are and how you’ve changed our lives? Really?
And more than this. Really, God–we get to live this life, this adventure and watch you do greater and greater things, as you build your Kingdom and proclaim Your glorious gospel here on this earth?
Note to self: Remember this when all you can see if what you’ve left behind.
We all have those times. When all we can see is what we no longer have. Or what we never had but wish we did. Or what we’re asked to give up. When all we can see is the hill ahead and all we can feel are the burning legs and fatigue and Oh God, Why is this adventure so hard?
It is hard. But so worth it.
Because there’s always something better. God can always one-up you. He can always out-give you. He can always out-bless you. And although I am not there yet, I truly believe if we throw ourselves with reckless abandon, at His feet and enlist ourselves in His service, obeying His commands at all cost …
There will be something so much better. Suffering, probably. Loss. But also hope. Strength. Joy. Peace. Abundance.
Life.
(Lose it to find it.)
What is God asking you to give away? Status? Control? A habit? Money? What is there, in your hand, clenched tight with white-knuckled grip?
What would it look like to lose it, give it, let it go? What glorious thing might He have for you? Lose it to find it. There’s always something better.
{Have you read The Hole in Our Gospel yet? Want a free copy? Leave a comment and we’ll pick one reader to receive a copy, but only if you promise to pass it on to another friend when you are finished reading. Deal? Deal! Thanks so much for reading.}
Tea for me, food for them. {What One Thing Would You Give Up?}
I click the screen and see the Somali faces gaunt, hollow eyes of hunger.
Just this morning I told Jeff I need to lose a couple pounds.
Isn’t this a crazy world?
Every person on this planet fights a battle. Just different kinds depending where we live. We in America battle the beast of consumerism, materialism, overindulgence, comfort-addiction.
Or am I the only one?
Every day the beast of my flesh must be slain.
You too?
You know what’s funny? We can actually help each other fight the other’s battle.
Perhaps we often think that we can help Somalia. Perhaps we think they need us. (And we can and they do!)
But think for a moment how we need them. How they can help us. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that our adventure this past year of pushing open the doors of giving has helped us more than anyone else. Other have received the donations but the real gift has been ours.
When we willingly help fight the beast of hunger that Somalis battle we break the back of our own beasts: consumerism, materialism, overindulgence, comfort-addiction. Beasts are slain exponentially.
By us helping them, they are helping us.
And we do need help, friends. Are you kidding? I couldn’t even kick my coffee habit on my own! Which is why when I received the email from World Vision Bloggers — an awesome group of people committed to blogging about poverty across our world and raising awareness for those in need (us all) — I was thrilled. Yes, the Somalis would help me!
How? By providing the perfect opportunity to say no to myself and yes to them. We’ve already discussed the facts (F is for Famine, Fundraisers, Fourteen-year-olds and fifty-one photos), but here’s a refresher:
- 12.4 million are affected in the region
- More than 35% of all children in the region are now facing emergency levels of malnutrition
- Starvation is a real threat in famine-declared areas of Somalia
- Some 30,000 children have already lost their lives
- Worst drought in 60 years
- World Vision’s teams in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia are responding to this crisis with food, water, blankets and other critical needs for families
Ready for the fun part? I invite you to take part in World Vision’s 3-day awareness campaign Famine No More. Check out World Vision blogger Joy Bennett’s blog asking What one thing would you give up? so that you can simply send $10 to those in need. (click on graphic.)
See what I mean? We both have battles — we are helping theirs and they are helping ours. When we go without we are taking ground in the battle against consumerism and self-indulgence. Friends, we need this. We need them.
So what would I give up? I couldn’t think of anything at first. We live a pretty pared-down life and already give to World Vision on a regular basis, so I thought I could just add a little bonus to our next gift. But I wanted to do something that would daily remind me to put someone else above myself. (Goodness knows I can use some of that!) Then I thought of it — coffee. By quitting coffee for a few weeks I could remind myself every single morning that these Somali people are precious in the sight of God. That they matter, that their well-being is more important than my favorite morning perk. It’s silly perhaps, but I know of nothing else that cuts closer to the heart than caffeine. 🙂 (For the record, I’m not against drinking coffee–it’s just that it can save me a few bucks and remind me every morning … you get the idea.)
So I wrote myself a note this past weekend, taped it to my counter, a gentle morning reminder for my head and heart: Tea for me, food for them. By drinking tea (I have loads of it on hand already) I can send that $10, but more importantly, send my heart and my prayers.
What one thing would you give up? Once you decide, go ahead and text in your $10 donation to “FAMINE” to 20222 or visit WorldVision.org.
Lastly, PLEASE leave a comment here and let us know what you did! It’s always more fun to do these things together, so please take a second and let us know you joined in the fun. Have a blog? Link up here, or to Joy’s post, and share the What One Thing Would You Give Up challenge with those in your sphere!
And now, I’m off to drink my tea. Thank you, dear friends, for reading.
F is for Fundraising, a Fourteen-year-old and Fifty-one photos
Yesterday I picked blueberries with an experienced fundraiser and philanthropist. You’d never know it, and he’d never say it — he’s a quiet, humble guy. Maybe that’s why I like him so much.
That and I used to change his diapers.
Yes, he’s fourteen and the beloved son of my friend and discipler of many years. He piled in between my two kids’ carseats and joined us for a morning of blueberry picking in the beautiful foothills of Colton. This is the same boy who slept on my floor ten years ago (the day that Jeff broke my heart) and asked me, “Miss Kari, are you ever going to get married?”
But recently this shy guy has a bee in his bonnet about raising funds for those in need in Africa. So he and his two brothers got creative and started their own little MooGuyz ministry, working, selling stuff, and raising support to purchase a $1,000 cow for a family in Uganda. Their older sister, Hannah, had the joy of delivering the cow to the family in Uganda just a few weeks ago (All four pictured below)
Isn’t that so cool? It reminded me of this little 11-year-old boy in Ghana, who has made headlines by endeavoring to raise $13 MILLION dollars during his 8-week school holiday, walking office to office and approaching local businesses for donations. The skinny, soft-spoken boy says,
“There is no point for others to have so much to eat while others have nothing … There are hungry people in Ghana too but our situation is not as desperate as the people of Somalia,”
There is no point …
The part that gets me about this story? The boy’s father, a school-teacher in Ghana, gave his entire July salary: $500.
His entire month’s salary.
I look at that boy, at his father, at my little 14-year-old friend, and I say: That is beautiful.
And yesterday I clicked it again: That World Vision link that multiplies your gift times five and sends food and supplies to our Somalian brothers and sisters in desperate need. And I turn here to the 51-photos, to see for myself, and weep, again. Mother closing her lifeless child’s eyes. Four-year-old buried in a roll of carpet. 7-month-old baby weighing 7.5 pounds. Without even thinking the words escape from my mouth, “This is hell.”
One photo is first blocked by a warning message: The following image contains graphic content that some viewers may find disturbing. A choice: Do I click?
Will I be disturbed?
To disturb is to move, to “break up the normal arrangement.” Do I want to be moved? Do I want my normal arrangement to be broken?
Aren’t I so thankful that 11-year-old Ghana boy was moved? That his dad was moved? That my 14-year-old friend was moved? That they were all disturbed?
I don’t like disturbing things, but there are beautiful stories in the midst of the hellish Horn of Africa situation.
And all of them begin with being disturbed.
—
{Would you take some time today to look, and be a bit disturbed, for good? There IS hope. There IS joy. This IS the day that the Lord has made and He is GOOD. Will you continue to pray, give, spread the word, for those who desperately need hope. Happy Friday and Thank you for reading.}
F is for Famine (southern Somalia food crisis)
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat…” ~ Jesus
Famine was officially declared by the UN in two regions of southern Somalian on Wednesday. Relief efforts are complicated by the fact that Islamic militants aligned with Al Qaeda control the famine zones (Read more). Just this morning I read,
“The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice” (Proverbs 13:23).
At this point it is estimated that 3.7million people are in need of “emergency assistance.”
Just to put that in perspective: That’s the entire population of Oregon.
Can you even imagine? If the entire state of Oregon were on the brink of destruction? That’s how many people this affects.
I know it’s not simple, but here are three easy ways to do something. Not out of guilt, but for the glory of God. Remember Jesus’ words:
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
1. Pray
The greatest source of joy in my life lately has been the profound realization that our God is great, our God is glorious, and our God can do anything He pleases. He is not limited by our limitations, He is not bound by our weakness. Our God can work miracles, the greatest of which is the salvation of a soul. The greatest need of those in Southern Somalia is to know Jesus Christ our Lord. They will truly have nothing to fear if they know the One who saves their soul from death. Our primary responsibility is then to pray for the gospel to go forth in power in every region of Somalia.
We can also pray against corruption, against sin, against Islamic militants who are used by the evil one to bring death and destruction. Prayer isn’t our last resort it’s our first response.
Will you pray with me?
2. Give.
World Vision (and many others I’m sure) do have an effective aid-presence in Somalia and have reported that they will continue to provide help as they are able.
By giving here, your gift will be multiplied five times over and provided to those in the most need of emergency relief. Surely a few times skipping Starbucks and we can help, just a bit, the 3.7 million in need of emergency aid.
Will you give with me?
3. Go without.
I recently read a great post by a friend of mine who is currently in Rwanda. She talked about walking through the heat and becoming SO thirsty, and yet knowing that at any moment she could reach inside her bag and grab her bottle of clean drinking water. And yet, she remembers that there are a billion people who do not have access to clean drinking water. It’s one thing to read the number, right?
It’s another thing to get thirsty.
Going without a meal doesn’t make you any more spiritual, but it does give you a teeny tiny droplet of understand of what it’s like to not have food. It’s helps us, just a tad, to humble ourselves and remember our dear brothers and sisters who live like that everyday. Just one meal, perhaps?
Will you go without with me?
—
I do wish you a blessed and abundant weekend. He’s lavished us with extravagant love, hasn’t He?
{Thank you for reading.}
Multi-faceted Justice (1): Create Peace
Blessed are those who create peace.
Matthew 5:9
Justice, like love, is a multi-faceted jewel. I love how Richard Stearns and Timothy Keller could write two books, on essentially the same topic, which are completely different from one another. While I learn more toward one (prioritizing areas of absolute poverty), one thing I appreciated about Keller’s book was his closing chapter Peace, Beauty, and Justice. I love how he weaves these three together, showing them essentially as multi-facets of one beautiful jewel.
Keller writes,
“God created all things to be in a beautiful, harmonious, interdependent, knitted, webbed relationship to one another. Just as rightly related physical elements form a cosmos or a tapestry, so rightly related human beings form a community. This interwovenness is what the Bible calls shalom, or harmonious peace” (173)
Shalom, the biblical word for peace means “complete restoration, a state of the fullest flourishing in every dimension–physical, emotional, social, and spiritual–because all relationships are right, perfect, and filled with joy.”
This is the sacred mundane. Essentially living the sacred mundane means living a seamless life of shalom, first in our hearts and homes, and then in our cities, country, and world. To jump to generosity without first pursuing shalom is to miss the depth and dimension of truly doing justice. We seek peace in our bodies, in our finances, in our parenting and marriage and relationships. With our friends and neighbors, with our habits and in our hearts. We move outward to seek peace with our communities, all the while giving whatever we can to seek the peace of those overseas.
And here’s the cool thing–there are different ways to seek shalom in different contexts, which means that you can kind of contribute to them all at once.
- I seek shalom in my heart by abiding in the Vine. Confession, prayer, lifestyle repentance, gratitude, grace. It all brings shalom within my heart.
- I seek shalom in my home by speaking words that are kind and life-giving. By honoring and respecting my man. By lovingly and consistently discipling my kids. By teaching my children to be peace-makers with each other.
- I seek shalom in my neighborhood by simply being friendly to the same-sex couple down the street. Giving a warm smile and embrace. Praying for others. Taking fresh bread. Talking in the yard. Smiling.
- I seek shalom in my church by supporting my leaders. Praying for elders, contributing, serving, cultivating kindness and grace.
- I seek shalom in my community (at this stage in my life) by simply being all there in every encounter. A smile and “how are you today?” A choice to linger and not rush. A chat at the park. A casual invite to church.
- I seek shalom in the world by supporting (primarily financially) Africa New Life, World Vision, Compassion, and Next Generation Ministries.
See how fun this is? All of it matters. My smile won’t do anything for a starving child in Africa who cannot see my face. But giving a dollar will. Giving a dollar won’t do anything for a stressed and over-busy mom at the park. But a smile and unhurried chat just might.
Shalom is so beautiful because it’s so multi-faceted. Giving is so fun because there is such a variety of things to give—from a dollar to a smile to a firm but loving swat on the bottom (in the case of our little lambs), we have countless ways each day to promote peace wherever we are. Different situations call for different actions–how fun that our God gives us an endless supply of resources to disburse in His name!
Thanks for journeying with me as we do justice and create peace. How can you, today, create shalom in your sphere–heart, home, and world beyond?
Day Without Shoes: Results and Winner!
Amazing. You guys are awesome! I got up early this morning to count and sat there in awe at the number staring me in the face. Your generosity is such a blessing. When I hear all the stories you have shared about going to the bank, getting strange looks, going to work, school, church events, I am so inspired. Last night at Adorn seeing all of you lovely ladies setting up tables and chairs with your beautiful bare feet. You’re amazing.
Wasn’t this fun? We should do it more often!
So here are, total shoes, our grand total raised, and the winner:
::Total shoes:
Together, all of us that commented, own 722 PAIRS OF SHOES. Yikes! You guys, that’s a lot of shoes. Isn’t it crazy to take such an objective look at all we have? 722 pairs, an average of 30 pair per person (some of you rounded up or included your spouse’s, so it’s likely a little less, but still!) I love what one commenter said (who herself had 34 pair), “You’d think we were all centipedes!” 722 was also the year (BC) that Assyria conquered the northern 10 tribes of Israel. I wonder if our shoes are what will conquer us? 🙂
::Total given to World Vision to provide clothing and shoes for those in need: Altogether, including the $10 per comment and the generous 11times multiplication through World Vision and all that we each gave on our own, together we raised, in one day:
$11,297.00
What?! ELEVEN THOUSAND two hundred and ninety-seven dollars. And actually I know some of you gave a lot more than the number of shoes you had, so it number is actually more, but I hope this is encourages your heart! I know it does mine!
Thank you, Jesus, for your grace and faithfulness. This was such a blessed, fun event to do with you all and I thank you so much for your participation.
::Winner:
And the random generator gives us our book winner is:
Summer Bryan!
Woohoo! Thanks so much, Summer, for participating!
Thank you thank you thank you all for participating. I hope you have a blessed day with comfy feet tucked in those wonderful shoes and that we all have just a teeny bit more appreciation for the abundance that we have.
And if you’re just now finding out about all this, you can always count your shoes (or count whatever you want!) and give HERE to World Vision and have it multiplied 11 times for those in need. Let the giving continue!!
Blessings on you!