World Vision: GIVE

       Week 3 has already begun! I was late sending out week 2 so now we are already beginning week 3 and the challenge to GIVE. Read the excerpt below and then get ready to start giving! And then read the bottom to find out what I decided to give...

What does it feel like to receive a gift that was personally chosen for you? 

What does it feel like to give a personally chosen gift to someone else?

This week, we’re focusing on giving. Often, when we think about giving we think about presents, charity, or giving money to the poor. This type of giving is important, but the most meaningful giving often requires sacrifice – someone putting extra thought and effort into how they show their love and appreciation.

Sometimes the greatest gifts don’t even cost money – but instead include us giving of ourselves.

What about giving meaningfully to God? Worshipping God can be an experience that is as unique as you are. He chose your unique qualities just for you. How can you worship God with the passions and gifts he has given you?

We each have unique interests, things we care about, skills, and talents. These qualities are gifts from God. But God did not intend for us to just keep them for ourselves; he meant for us to share them with others.

In Matthew 25 Jesus tells the story of three servants who are given bags of gold so that they can grow their master’s wealth. This parable has multiple interpretations of its meaning, but for this week we are focusing God desires to use the gifts he has entrusted us with.

The master is pleased with the servants who multiplied his gifts but angry with the servant who did nothing to invest what was given to him.

Using our gifts for others can be scary and requires risk, but when we use what God has given us to demonstrate his love we experience the fullness of life he intends us to.

This week’s challenge:

Practice using your gifts to serve others. Using the earlier activity, give of yourself – what you love to do, what you are good at, and to the people you feel called to serve.

Do you love playing a sport? Serve youth by hosting a skills clinic.

Do you enjoy cooking? Volunteer at a kitchen for homeless communities. Or make a meal for someone you know              who needs the help.

   This week I decided to give my time in two new ways. Starting tomorrow I am volunteering with Equine Assisted Therapy which works with disabled children riding horses. I LOVE kids and I LOVE horses so this is a perfect place where I see my God given gifts fitting right now. The second place I`ve decided to volunteer with next sunday is my local church, in their childcare classes,where they are truly in need of more volunteers. This is another perfect place for me because I LOVE kids and many say I am really gifted with working with them. I am SO thankful for two incredible places where I see my gifts fitting so perfectly. And I am really thankful for God, who has given me these gifts, and this time to be able to use them for HIS glory.