Giving Tuesday

Yesterday, as we continued homeschool and prepared our hearts for the season of Advent…I mentioned to my kids that it was Giving Tuesday. 

 
 Giving Tuesday was established in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y in New York City. It is observed globally on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving by groups and individuals promoting acts of kindness. 

What a wonderful day… In the middle of the hustle and bustle of Christmas, when consumerism is at its peak… we are prompted to pause and take a moment to GIVE. 

Because really, isn’t that the reason we celebrate anyways? We celebrate because a child was born… A Son was Given. 

I shared the same story of Giving Tuesday on social media yesterday… And I love that one of my aunts actually loved the idea so much that she has decided to make every Tuesday a “giving tuesday.”  What a fabulous idea! Perhaps we all should! 

Giving doesn’t always have to be monetary. We can also give our time, talents, a handmade gift or service to others. I agree Aunt Patsy, if we all “gave” or did a random act of kindness once a week for the entire year… The world would be a much more beautiful place. And as far as giving monetarily goes, it doesn’t mean you have to give your last penny… You can 😉… But even the smallest amount helps if we all reach into our pockets and give a little. A lot of littles added together equals a whole LOT! 

If you would like to rally around the idea of giving this season and need a few ideas of where to contribute, I can recommend several that are near and dear to my heart… 

A21 Campaign is on the very front lines providing water, clothing and shelter to Syrian Refugees. They work hard to prevent trafficking, to rescue and restore lives of survivors. 

No Hungry Children is a ministry ran by my sweet friends Brandon and Kim Smith. Their ministry feeds children every school day in Nairobi, Kenya. 

My dear friends Jimmy and Melanie Gunderman (along with their 4 adorable children) are missionaries in India, working with Daughters of Hope. 

Those are organizations/ministries that you can partner with abroad and please let me know if I can help you contact them in any way… But also look around you… There are so many ways to help on a local level too. (Through a local church, school, homeless shelter, and even in your own neighborhood). 

My prayer for our family and for you is to use this season of Advent as a catalyst to remind us to always have a Spirit of giving…to extend a hand and the love of Christ during the 4 weeks of Advent… But to also stretch our giving hands into all 52 weeks of the year. 

Remember, Christ is the best gift of all, and through Him, we can make every Tuesday, Giving Tuesday. 

Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV):

For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given,

    and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

  Of the greatness of his government and peace

    there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

    and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

    with justice and righteousness

    from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty

    will accomplish this.

   

 

A season of Advent… Finding the light at the end of the tunnel.

There is always a light at the end of the tunnel… 

After a wonderful thanksgiving break in Nashville with family and friends, with full hearts (and bellies) our fam (#paul6adventure if you follow us on social media) said our goodbyes “for now”    

 and are headed on a short trip to Charlotte, North Carolina.

During the rainy, yet beautiful drive through TN into NC, we drove through two tunnels. Tunnels always bring excitement… And yes, I always honk my horn when we drive through them 😜. It’s the kid in me, I suppose. 

  
 As we entered the first tunnel, we had no idea how long it would be, how curvy it would be or how things would look once we came out the other end. And the same thoughts crossed my mind as we approached the second tunnel. But this time, I paused long enough to be reminded of the upcoming season of Advent. 

Advent creates space to pause and wait. 

It creates a time to be expectant for what is to come… For what lies ahead in the distance. 

A time to hope,

A time to see past the darkness and peek into the glorious light. 

Advent.

I don’t know about you, perhaps you are in the middle of despair, the recent death of a loved one, a diagnosis or depression may consume you… 

The thoughts of hoping again, looking up, or even smiling may seem to hard to bear. 

May you be encouraged today as we approach the season. There will always be a light… It may look gloomy and dim at first like the light at the end of our tunnel during our drive… But it’s there… You just have to look for it. You must pause and be still, even in the darkness… Keep searching for the light and you will find it. You will find it when you look up. There will always be a light at the end of the tunnel. 

And perhaps you are beaming with joy and gladness… You feel as though your “cup runneth over…”

Everything is good in your life, everyone is healthy and all things are falling into place just as you had hoped and dreamed…

During this season, may the Lord use you to shine that light to those around you.  Bring light into those dark places. Spread hope to those in despair. Help turn joy into gladness and bring beauty from ashes. 

Matthew 5:16: “Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven.” 

As we lean in to the season of Advent, get ready to see His light, shine His light and prepare our hearts for what is to come.

 I would love for you to journey with me through this season of Advent right here on the blog. It is my desire to post here regularly during this season and to lean on the words prompted by the Holy Spirit to stir our expectant hearts towards what is to come… Christ… Our Savior. 

John 1:9-14 (NIV): The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

His favor rests…

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men in whom his favor rests.”

The above is a famous passage from the book of Luke.  Luke 2:14, to be exact.  Perhaps you read it, and are thinking… hmmm. “This passage sounds very familiar… but why?”  Well… let me give you a few clues… picture a tree… presents… family gatherings… a baby swaddled and lying in a manger… are you following me?  Christmas!!! This is a very famous scripture that appears on many a card during the Christmas season.

We are still months away from this celebratory day.  115 (ish) days to be exact…. but when I read this chapter from Luke recently…it was as if these words jumped off the page to me.  I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit saying…
“Heather, rest in my favor daily.  Allow my peace to consume you 365 days of the year and not just on that one special day in December when all seems to be right in the world.”

When we realize His favor rests upon us and we allow His peace to consume us… we automatically bring glory to His name.  I have been challenged to rest in His peace… and to rest in His favor.

This past week I was able to experience this very same favor from God as He poured His love over my oldest son.  And the best part about it is that my son realized it too!

A few months ago, our family was invited to a Labor Day pool party at the home of one of my oldest son’s best friends (and some of our best friends too).  Initially, I thought the date of this party was the same day as our yearly family reunion/low country boil.  I reluctantly told my son that we were not going to be able to attend the pool party because our family function would have to come first.  Much to his dismay, he obliged to this decision.  As a few weeks passed… and as many days of my son begging me to change my mind passed… my husband brought it to my attention that the pool party was the day after the family reunion.  Woo Hoo! My son was beside himself with excitement!  He exclaimed “God loves me so much that I get to go to both the reunion and the pool party!”  (Yes He does little man, Yes He does!)… fast forward to the day of the family reunion… and the day before the pool party… my husband gets a text with an offer for 2 free NASCAR tickets for Sunday August 31st… (THE DAY OF THE POOL PARTY).  My oldest LOVES NASCAR so my husband wanted to take him to the race.  My son had a tough decision to make… NASCAR or the pool party… NASCAR or the pool party.  He even asked me what choice I thought he should make.  I told him that it would have to be his decision… but I was sure his friend would invite him over to swim some other time.

My husband saved the day when he told us the race was in the evening so we would be able to go to the pool party for a few hours prior to their leaving for the race.  God is sooo good and my little guy’s heart was full!  He rejoiced in the fact that God loved Him so much that He worked it out for him to attend the family reunion… pool party AND the race (and even blessed them with FREE NASCAR tickets).  The favor of the Lord rested upon my precious Jonah… and I am so glad my son felt this love.

Ephesians 3:18: grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ…

Thank you Jesus, that with his child like faith… my son realized that it was You all along behind each blessing as you opened up and allowed Your favor to rest upon him. 

I learned a lot from watching my son this past week.  I love that he acknowledged the Lord’s favor upon His life through this situation.  Reading it, yes… it may sound very small and not too life changing compared to most things in life… but for a 9 year old boy (and his mama) what God did for my son was HUGE!

I think the favor of God rests upon us much more than we even realize.  We often miss out on acknowledging His favor because we fail to rest in His peace.  I am beginning to see that His favor and His peace go hand- in- hand…. and when we rest in the middle of those two things…we bring glory to His name!

Luke 2:14: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men in whom his favor rests.”

Bold faith like Bartimaeus

Luke 18:35-43: As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

The above section of scripture tells a story of a blind beggar named Bartimaeus. In the book “Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life,” Donald S. Whitney teaches this story as an example of spiritual discipline. He explains that we need to place ourselves in the path of God’s grace and seek Him much as Bartimaeus placed himself in Jesus’ path and sought Him. If we want to be Godly we must have the same discipline as the blind beggar.

Reading this story makes me want to run out into the streets of our home and community and proclaim the name of Jesus to every person that passes by. What boldness Bartimaeus had! He had heard the good news, felt the presence of the Son of God nearby, and he wanted to recklessly abandon all things and make sure Jesus knew he was there. He recklessly abandoned any apprehension and hesitations. He didn’t care what others thought of him nor what they might say. He was desperate for saving grace. He wanted a taste of that which was good. With his eyes, he could not see, and he knew just the right person who was soon to be in his path that could heal him of this iniquity. He yelled out for Jesus. “Son of David, have mercy on me! Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The locals tried to quiet him. As DW states in his book, “Those who were leading the procession, perhaps some of the local dignitaries, were embarrassed by the beggar’s disruptive behavior and sternly told him to keep quiet.” This “hushing” from the crowd only made him proclaim his desires for Jesus even more so. I love that Jesus heard this beggars cries, called out for the poor man and healed him of his blindness because of his faith.

Are you holding back or are you shouting on the rooftops and proclaiming your love for Jesus? Just like the leaders asked Bartimaeus to keep quiet, to calm down his longing for a healer, we often feel like we have to keep quiet and suppress our boldness for Christ. Prayer has been taken out of schools and sports, we often feel like we are not the majority but the minority and I don’t want to be quiet. I am ready to stand up for Christ and be a Bartimeaus. Are you with me? Let’s be loud!! Let’s not allow others who may not believe like we believe hinder our desire to worship the Son of David. He is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. He wears the crown and we worship Him alone. Don’t be quiet. Don’t be afraid. Cry out with me “Son of David, have mercy on me! Son of David, have mercy on me!” I know He hears his children. I know He is answering our prayers. I know He is coming to heal and redeem those whom He calls His very own.
Call out to Him! Call out to Him!

Virtuous woman with a servant’s heart

Thanksgiving Day is a little over a week away so it is only fitting that we continue along with our time looking over the Proverbs 31 woman by learning from her example of being a woman of service. Proverbs 31: 13-20 speaks of the many tasks this woman sets out to accomplish. Not only does she see to the affairs of her own home and cares for her immediate family, but she also extends her hand to the poor. Please join me in reading verses 13-20:

¹³ She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

Just reading over that scripture makes me short of breath. What about you? As I have mentioned time and time again, do not allow her eagerness to serve make you feel bad or belittle who you are. Once again, remember that this is just an “ideal” bride for a mama’s son and she obtained these characteristics over her lifetime. Although I am not sure that in my lifetime I would have accomplished half of these tasks. What an amazing woman the Lord inspired through scripture for us to glean from as we strive to become the woman of God that Christ desires for us to be.

One thing that I love most about this woman is that she has a heart for service. I can so relate. It brings me great joy to serve others and reach out to the needy. However, if I were to take a glance at my life currently, I am not able to serve as much as I would like to. When I was single and prior to having children, I was able to put many more hours towards serving others and reaching out to the needy, than I am now, having three small children at home. It took me a long time to come to grips with the inability to reach out and serve like I used to. The Lord revealed to me that my hours of service are “for such a time as this,” is spent serving three small children who depend on me to meet their every need. I know that sooner than I want, my children will be older and there will once again be time to spend more hours serving others. In the meantime, my job is to serve my family and along the way teach them about serving others by involving them in acts of service that we as a family can participate in. I love finding ways that my family and I can serve together. We find things to do that would allow us to involve our young children. I have been involving my children in service since they were very young, and now it is so neat to see them desire to reach out and help others. I am now able to serve with that child like faith through the eyes of my children.

As women of God, how can we be examples of noble servants? Can you think of ways you and your family can reach out to a family in need or serve during the holiday season this year? I know times are tough and our lives are so busy, but I guarantee you it will bring you great joy to serve others.  Last year my kids wanted to do something to raise money to send to Haiti.  They decided to have a lemonade/cookie stand and used the money raised to buy medical supplies to send with our friend as she headed to Haiti on a mission trip.  For my son’s birthday every year, we take cookies to the local fire station because he is infatuated with firemen. I love my children’s desire to serve.

Here are a few suggestions for service opportunities this holiday season:

• serve at a local mission or homeless shelter
• make holiday goodies and take them to family, friends, neighbors or your local police station/fire station
• visit a nursing home in your area and spread love and smiles to someone who may not have family to visit them
• Gather Thanksgiving meal items to give to a needy family.
• Adopt a family and  purchase Christmas gifts for them. One great way to get involved with this idea is through Operation Christmas Child. For more info: Samaritan’s Purse

I would love to hear all about how you and your family enjoy spending time-serving others.  I know there are many ideas that you can add to the list above! Let’s encourage one another through service.