Blessings.
That is what God wants to shower on me, and shower on you. Just like a parent loves to bless their child. Just like its not hard to to watch a child open a gift, so giddy.
If you’ve ever witnessed a child tearing open a gift, wide-eyed, you will know that the best experience is not in the receiving…
But the giving.
Jesus talks all through the gospels about giving. Giving our tithe, time, food, clothes, ideas, literally giving ourselves. Not ever because God NEEDS us to give, (I’m pretty sure God can fend for himself), but because Jesus knew the real experience was in giving. Jesus knew that the key to really living a full, joyful, vivid life was in giving it away. Any and all of it, at any of time. Anything selfishly kept for ourselves really makes our world so small, congested, closed and so empty.
Blessings can come in many shapes and sizes.
My favorite giving story happened in a high school chapel. Missionaries were informing us about child soldiers in Africa. Kids were being taken from their houses, brainwashed, and trained to kill. We’re talking about kids that are like 6-12 years old. Not exactly army ready. It was sad, it made me mad, I wanted to do something. But what could I do at 15? I prayed for God to let me help out. I heard a small whisper, “Give whatever is in your wallet.”
I was a little disappointed, first, because I was looking for a little more action, second, I was not looking to give away my life-guarding money. I had little of my own money and I would rather use my money to take a girl out on a date or blow it on movies and pizza. Something important.
But God pressed in, “Trust me.” Hard words to hear, because you know that trusting him will be the best thing, but you also know what you’ll be missing out on. But since God made the Earth, me and money, he probably knows what is best to do with it.
I opened my wallet, $80 inside. My jaw dropped, I was expecting $25, I never ever had or carried that much with me.
Long story short, I gave it and moved on. The next day, my buddy Matt asked me to babysit with him. I wasn’t much of a babysitter, but he said that it was a bunch of kids from a few families and that we pretty much would just sit around and do nothing while they all played with each other. That part was true. We watched Detroit playoff basketball and ate pizza all night. I wasn’t expecting to get paid, but when the parents got home they gave us $160. My eyes bulged, I didn’t know you could make that much from babysitting, I was thrilled for Matt. We walked out the door, He said, “here ya go Jake,” and handed me $80. The same $80 I gave away the day before was again in my hands. BUT with the gained blessing of giving, hanging with Matt, watching basketball, eating pizza, and helping kids in Africa. Priceless. All packed into one empty wallet gift.
So lets take a risk shall we?
This World Race mission trip I am on now is similar to the child soldiers project in Africa, there are some people that go and help free the child soldiers, (like World Racers), and others who help by funding them from home.
Two of my teammates (James Muller and Grace Kerr) are in need of financial specific gifts. They have raised enough money to begin their 11 month missions trip, but have prayed and relied on God to raise the rest while they are serving. They both need to hit an $11,000 mark to move onto Asia next month. James needs to raise $1600 and Grace $1500 in the next two weeks.
Seems like a big amount, but not really. It is just as easy for God to use people to provide $4 as it is to provide $400,000. Its all the same to him. Split between our team we each can fund raise $450 so James and Grace can continue to serve in Asia. I believe we can blow that out of the water. I am praying boldly that they each get funded for Asia with some generous donations from the same people that went out on a limb to support me.
Ask God, He might just empty your wallet, and fill your soul.
Support must be giving in two weeks (so checks/donations have time to process).
You can get to know what them and donate easily on their blogs under the “Support Me!” tab on the left hand side.
jamesmuller.theworldrace.org
gracekerr.theworldrace.org
I’m not trying to guilt anybody into giving, but I am all about trusting God, and living in abandonment of us and our possessions, so we can see Him work wonders. This is an incredible opportunity to do just that.
Thank you and Be Blessed!
Jake
