Give Some Away

Sometimes I am so overwhelmed at all that God has blessed me with. I sleep in a big, warm bed every night. I never go hungry. I have a wonderful (and equally weird) family and group of friends. I have a job that not only meets my needs, I actually enjoy it!!!! I really could go on and on.

I don't want glorify myself, so please don't take this as that, but one of the things I love about being blessed with so much is that through all of it, God has enabled me to give some away to those in need. There are specific times in my life, like distributing groceries in post-Katrina New Orleans and giving money to missions when I really couldn't "afford" it, that I felt more so than ever before that I was in the center of God's will and closer to who He wants me to be . I'm not sure what steps I will need to take to achieve my dream of a career in international development, but I know that is where my heart is one hundred percent. Meeting the most devastating of physical and spiritual needs., while living a life that isn't defined by what I possess. It sounds idealistic, but that is at the center of my heart, and it will only be by God's grace that he helps me grow into that person.

Tonight Hillary, Bethany (my roommates) and I are going to deliver a Thanksgiving basket to a family in need, as part of a n outreach at my church. I'm praying that we'll have a chance to just show God's love and the recipients will see that love for what it is.

Finally, a challenge for anyone who is reading this (all two of you). Please consider donating some time or money to an organization that is meeting needs during this holiday season. Of course we all know that Convoy of Hope is my favorite, so I encourage you to visit their Web site, where you can make online donations. They have been responding to many of the recent domestic and international disasters. Their international director spoke briefly in chapel this morning and said they are making plans for Bangladesh, where the cyclone killed 3,000 people last week and left countless thousands homeless.
www.convoyofhope.org

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.