One of the best things we ever started at our church was the You've Been Gifted initiative. We use the holidays as an excuse to move out into our community with 5000 acts of random generosity. We will be releasing the cards next month. The stories that come back are amazing. Generosity is a powerful thing. I have used giving for years as a defense against the power of money. But generosity is something different. Giving is playing defense. If you are not giving regularly you are in trouble spiritually. You may or may not know it but you are. Generosity is playing offense. Being generous is like buying joy. Random generosity is like hitting a walk off home run. It is just exhilarating. One of the most generous people I know is my friend Tom Randall. The interesting thing is he is generous not just with his money, he is generous with his compliments, with his love, with his time, and with his life. It is not a coincidence that he is also one of greatest people to hang out with in all the world. Now, that is not to say you might not get killed hanging with Tom. I was nearly kidnapped in the Philippines. But I would have had the time of my life all the way up to the moment my life ended. I have decided I want to live life to the fullest. To do that requires a generosity of spirit. I invite you to do the same. I am writing about You've Been Gifted because the season has already begun for some people. This week I received two emails. One from a person who has never attended our church but has been gifted with groceries and help this past week while going through a really tough time. She felt compelled to tell me how great my people were and tell me she was coming soon to a service. The other email was from a husband requesting prayer for his wife. They are members of our church. She recently read an article about a man who needed a kidney and could not find a match in his family. She decided to go through the testing, is a match, and will be donating a kidney to a stranger in a week. She has taken gifting to a whole new level. Stories like that give me a glimpse of what God hoped would happen when he gave us his son. The hope was for a whole new race of people who are radically generous and filled with joy. Jesus said that he came that we might have life and have it to the full. I know one lady who will have more life with one kidney than most of the world has with two. Please hold her up in prayer on October 26th. And go begin living. Look for chances to be generous with your money, with your time, with your words, with your love, with your life. I have never known a single person who has regretted being generous.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
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The lovely men and women in assisted living and nursing homes most who no longer have the ability to get around by themselves anymore many more who have dementia in one form or another so desperately need love, someone's time, someone's gentle touch, along with supplies that are not covered anymore by their insurance. So, many of them rarely are visited by family members. Please let us not forget them. Jesus talks about these loved ones of his often. We are his hands and feet and as we near the holidays they need us even more.
Great suggestion anonymous!
I loved participating last year and I can't wait to do it again. I know we don't have to wait till the holiday season to be generous, and hopefully we don't...but there is something really special about reaching out to share the best gift we ever received during the season that celebrates His birth! No one should any trouble looking around this year to find someone to be generous with! Speaking of living life to its fullest...it was your mom Joe who told me to "run the last lap the best"...and I have made that phrase the desire of my heart.
Dear Pastor,
I read your blog about the lady from your church giving a man someone she does not know her kidney and felt compelled to comment. She is a savior just as Jesus was. That man is my brother and there will never be enough thank you's said to show her how much she means to all of our family. She has and will be in our prayers always.
I am the lady who recieved some food/prescription help from this church. I have chatted with Pastor Joe through e-mail. He asked if there was anything more they could assist me with. As I told him yes I could use a rent payment so that I may enjoy the Christmas season in the traditional way and to ease my mind that I will still have a dwelling to live in. But, I realized that the genoristy already afforded to me, a stranger, was way more than could have ever been expected. There are some other resources out there from what I have been told by Job Service center. I lost my job after 25 and 1/2 years of dedicated service have been out of work since February. As I told him I am scared, I am lost and at times I blamed God for my downfall. I knew it wasnt his fault, I just needed to release some anger. I am hoping that I do get to attend a service and that I can call out a member named Dan Shy who has been so instrumental in my help. I felt the Lord Jesus sent me one of his angels when Dan started giving me some help. We attended high school together and graduated 1980 sorry to age you Dan and have not spoke since. Til now. God Bless you all for generosity, sharing and caring. With much respect and Love.
Shelly
Hoorayyyyyy! 'You have been gifted' has become one of the most fun and loved traditions of this family! The kids are on the look out for someone to 'gift' and we try do so and not be found out, only our greetings and the 'You've been gifted' card which explains Jesus as the One True Gift. The kids will cheer later when home from school and I remind them that we start soon! Giving can be a blast and hopefully, our children will grow into adults who will love to give with excitement and joy!
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