Day 3 brought more participants to the Challenge. Families all across America (and even China, I hear!) are jumping on board to spread the spirit of generosity.
There were some inspiring stories shared on the Facebook wall and also on blogs. I will share a quick one of my own:
Last night, as I often do, I was watching the Dave Ramsey Show before bed. The topic of the show was actually GIVING. Perhaps Dave heard about my challenge, huh? {giggle}
Anyway, it was a wonderful show, and totally solidified the mission of the challenge for me. One charity in particular that Dave mentioned briefly happened to grab my heart.
This website:: www.freechildslaves.com was started by a 9 year old boy who was inspired to help stop child slavery in Ghana. So today, I checked out the site and made a donation as part of my personal giving challenge.
Not three hours later, I received an email that I had won a $50 Gift Card in an online drawing I don’t even remember entering! I was blown away by this unexpected blessing.
Dave concluded the show with this statement:
Remember to live like no one else, so later you can GIVE like no one else.
I love this! When we choose to honor God with our finances by spending less than we earn and eliminating consumer debt, we ultimately have more to GIVE.
I do want to reiterate that it is not necessary to give financially during this challenge. You can give your time, your talents, or simply perform an act of kindness for a stranger.
Paula at Lone Star Lifer posted this poem that is a perfect fit for today:
When seeds of kindness are sown prayerfully
in the garden plot of our lives,
we may be sure that there will be a bountiful harvest
of blessings for both us and others.
~ W. Phillip Keller
With 27 more days of intentional giving ahead, let’s keep the momentum going! Share your stories here in comments if you wish or tweet them with the #30dayGC hashtag.
Day 3. http://lonestarlifer.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/30-day-giving-challenge-day-3/
.-= Paula @ Lone Star Lifer´s last blog ..30-Day Giving Challenge. Day 3. =-.
I am seeing the hearts of my children change already. It is a beautiful blessing.
.-= Erin´s last blog ..Of Blessings Received =-.
Thought I would share a WAGS experience I had last Friday: I was rifling through my RR’s to use at the register and the gentleman behind me asked if he could have one. I am sure he was joking BUT I said why not and gave him one to use on the soda he was buying. “Paying it forward” can take many forms but each has the same reward (I felt soooo good). Afterwards we stopped at Payless Shoes to pick up empty shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child – we ended up with over 30 boxes (which just happens to be enough for our church to meet the goal we set for this year – hmmm…)!!!!
Heidi- I had no idea Payless Shoes is willing to just give away shoe boxes! That is fabulous. Thank you for sharing, I am sure many are looking for those empty boxes right now!
I love reading these stories – I have a friend who lives on the street and he knows my truck – he also knows that I will always have something for him whether it be a couple of cans of soup, a warm blanket, fresh socks…..he calls me his angel but I think he is my angel because I always feel so blessed after giving him his care package. I will also stop and pick up a hot meal for him from Popeye’s chicken or we will bring a plate from Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. It doesn’t happen everyday – he will disappear for days on end and I will begin to worry and then he re-appears. It always seems to be when I’m feeling blue or discouraged. I don’t know his name but I do call him my friend.
.-= Nancy´s last blog ..Tiaras & Tantrums Progresso Soup Giveaway =-.
I don’t have a blog…but here’s a list of my first four days’ worth of giving–donation of a tree for Haiti (www.feedthepoor.org); donation of a coat to Salvation Army (a very cute little furry pink coat that we could no longer use—I decided the sentimentality for the item shouldn’t equal actually keeping a little girl warm this winter); flowers sent to my mom & snacks for the crew@work; donation to medical services (www.haitianhealthfoundation.org). I am loving this challenge.
KTB
Day 4. http://lonestarlifer.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-30-day-giving-challenge-day-4/
I felt really convicted help someone yesterday as I walked home from taking my girls to school. A running acquaintance of mine’s wife has been in and out of the hospital recently. She’s in this week and as I walked past their house, I realized their leaves needed raking. I wanted to go over and do it without anyone knowing it was me, which really held me back from doing it. In the end, I went over and got it done – I’m feeling it today 🙂 Anyway, this afternoon, there was a knock on our door…my old boss was there with two bags of his famous, wonderful cookies. Better than that, we got to visit for a little bit, which really made my day.