2 Cor 9:7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
It’s a crazy thing, I wish I was one of those people who could make fancy cookies, or great fancy presents, I wish I could knit (and you can tell me I could, but everyone who knows me knows I do not sit still well so unless you can tell me how to drive and knit at the same time… forget it – I’m out).
I love to give! If you know me, you know that. I will surprise you with lunch delivered to your work (it might just be Jimmy Johns – but whatever), I love giving a meal, though I wish I had more time to do this… I wish I could find someone to do the delivery part… and I’ll do the cooking, what a ministry team we could be!
I started last year giving away homemade taco seasoning. I don’t have any idea if people actually liked it, well, I know one family did, but honestly, it’s one of my favorite things that I make, and I never buy taco seasoning because I like mine best, and it’s cheaper. I plan on doing it again this year (so if you hated it, well… sorry about that!). It's good & it's not expensive!
I was just listening to a podcast that talks about giving. What if we schemed to give more??? What if we gave more of our heart, and our money? What could we accomplish??
Let me tell you about one of my favorite things to do, it came out of necessity back in the day, but now I do it… well because I can and it’s smart.
If I know that there is something that I give to, like Joy to the D, I start shopping in January. I buy nice gifts for 50% (or more) off. Yes, it means I have to store them for a year but it means that I can give more.
It all started when I was a young mom. When your kids go to school, they get invited to birthday parties. And even if they say “no gift necessary” you know… your kid must show up with a gift. So… I had this thing, it was called “the magic closet”. It was the shelf that I stored gifts that I had purchased for half off (don’t forget the OR MORE part), and I could give an AWESOME gift for less than $10-$15 which was in my budget.
This summer I was in Target and a lot of their toys were half off (which is kind of weird to me because I have seen them lately for NOT half off – full price!) and I picked up a bunch of toys for Joy to the D because I knew it was coming! And it’s an awesome outreach at an amazing church!
I schemed to give more!
It means that now, I can still give. And give different things like wrapping paper, tape, bows (ok, not bows, I think bows are dumb), or I can give somewhere else that God calls me to give. It means that I can be even more giving! I love giving. It’s probably not something that comes from me, but it comes from God.
What if we always schemed to give more? What if we planned our meals that we prepare for others on what was on sale so we could bless them with two meals instead of one? Or we could bless two families instead of one? What if we started shopping for 7 for 7 in July by stocking up on noodles and those boxed meals and potatoes to give more?
What if we said “all I have is Yours” and we meant it?
Imagine how we could change the world?
I’m dreaming big today! Thinking of a world changed! Thinking of my world changed! All around me… changed. Lighter and brighter!
Deut 15:10 Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.
I love to give! If you know me, you know that. I will surprise you with lunch delivered to your work (it might just be Jimmy Johns – but whatever), I love giving a meal, though I wish I had more time to do this… I wish I could find someone to do the delivery part… and I’ll do the cooking, what a ministry team we could be!
I started last year giving away homemade taco seasoning. I don’t have any idea if people actually liked it, well, I know one family did, but honestly, it’s one of my favorite things that I make, and I never buy taco seasoning because I like mine best, and it’s cheaper. I plan on doing it again this year (so if you hated it, well… sorry about that!). It's good & it's not expensive!
I was just listening to a podcast that talks about giving. What if we schemed to give more??? What if we gave more of our heart, and our money? What could we accomplish??
Let me tell you about one of my favorite things to do, it came out of necessity back in the day, but now I do it… well because I can and it’s smart.
If I know that there is something that I give to, like Joy to the D, I start shopping in January. I buy nice gifts for 50% (or more) off. Yes, it means I have to store them for a year but it means that I can give more.
It all started when I was a young mom. When your kids go to school, they get invited to birthday parties. And even if they say “no gift necessary” you know… your kid must show up with a gift. So… I had this thing, it was called “the magic closet”. It was the shelf that I stored gifts that I had purchased for half off (don’t forget the OR MORE part), and I could give an AWESOME gift for less than $10-$15 which was in my budget.
This summer I was in Target and a lot of their toys were half off (which is kind of weird to me because I have seen them lately for NOT half off – full price!) and I picked up a bunch of toys for Joy to the D because I knew it was coming! And it’s an awesome outreach at an amazing church!
I schemed to give more!
It means that now, I can still give. And give different things like wrapping paper, tape, bows (ok, not bows, I think bows are dumb), or I can give somewhere else that God calls me to give. It means that I can be even more giving! I love giving. It’s probably not something that comes from me, but it comes from God.
What if we always schemed to give more? What if we planned our meals that we prepare for others on what was on sale so we could bless them with two meals instead of one? Or we could bless two families instead of one? What if we started shopping for 7 for 7 in July by stocking up on noodles and those boxed meals and potatoes to give more?
What if we said “all I have is Yours” and we meant it?
Imagine how we could change the world?
I’m dreaming big today! Thinking of a world changed! Thinking of my world changed! All around me… changed. Lighter and brighter!
Deut 15:10 Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.
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