Blog Update

Happy New Year!! I hope 2009 is going well so far, for you and your family!

I just wanted to update you on the blog spruce-up. Well, the blog has a new domain: ALifeOfBenevolence.com. And I have a fabulous blog theme, that I am so excited about! I just have to learn how to customize it. You can visit the new blog, and watch, in real time, its progress- I was going to wait until it was all done, and pretty to share with you all, but I am just too excited to wait!

I do not plan on adding anymore posts to this blog- this was basically my practice blog, where I learned and got a feel for blogging. I am not the best writer in the world, but that is alright- I am just me, a girl with a big heart for God, who wants to share! However, I do plan on stepping up the content quality over at the new blog- I have so many ideas!!

I will update you all in the coming weeks, and know that I am working as much as I can, however my hubby and my kidders get my attention first. I wish I could go on a month long vacation, just me and my laptop, so I could get all of my techie stuff done without interruption- oh, a girl can dream, ya know!

God bless!

Under Construction!

I just wanted to let you all know that I am doing a little housekeeping, here on A Life of Benevolence. I have renamed the categories, and will add the content over the next couple weeks, as time permits. Thanks so much for your patience!

Humanitarian Gift Giving Guide

 

6 Humanitarian Gift Giving Ideas That Give Back So Much

A humanitarian is defined as someone who is devoted to the promotion of human welfare and the advancement of social reforms; a philanthropist.

 

Living Water International– LWI exists to demonstrate the love of God by helping communities acquire desperately needed clean water, and to experience “living water”-the gospel of Jesus Christ-which alone satisfies the deepest thirst. Provide a cup of water in Jesus’ name.

 

Catholic Relief Services– Through the Work of Human Hands program, Catholic Relief Services and our nonprofit partner, SERRV, offer you the chance to buy high quality, fairly traded handcrafts and gourmet food items from disadvantaged producers all over the world. Buy directly for yourself and your loved ones.

 

Heifer International– Choose a meaningful gift to give a loved one and help children and families around the world receive training and animal gifts that help them become self-reliant. By making an animal gift, you will be giving those in need an opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty, with a gift that also honors your friends and family.

 

In light of the necessities of life, walking barefoot may seem minor. But for millions of children around the world, their bare feet are subjected to infections that can lead to crippling consequences, disease and even death. Your gift of $32 will help provide 10 pairs of shoes, or a gift of $64 will help provide 20 pairs of shoes- give a child the gift of shoes this Christmas.

 

Trivani– The Trivani Foundation reaches out to the sick, hungry, and impoverished of the world, focusing primarily on humanitarian aid in underdeveloped areas, to those who need it most. Some projects include schools, clinics, water storage tanks, microfinance loans, biogas digesters, and facial reconstructive and cataract surgeries.

This Christmas, become a Child Guardian, and give a special child the gift of all of the food, clothing,

education, and medical attention he or she needs. To become a Trivani Child Guardian is to become a protector of life, a provider of hope, and a guardian over a brighter future- all for one little child in need. Or give a loved one the gift of safe health and personal care products, that will protect the world’s people, the environment, and help feed, clothe and educate my sponsored child, Sujan.

 

Manna– MANNA delivers care and hope by nourishing people who are at acute nutritional risk due to a life-threatening illness. Support MANNA by participating in the Pie in the Sky program- no Christmas feast can be without a delicious pie. For every MANNA pie that you purchase for your holiday meal, every pie provides three meals to one of our clients, and every helping helps! If you live in the Philadelphia area, purchase a few pies, but hurry- you only have until December 21st. (Be sure to try the apple crumb pie- so yummy!)

 

Feed The Hungry

READ Isaiah 58:1-14 
“Feed the hungry, 
      and help those in trouble. 
 Then your light will shine out from the darkness, 
      and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.” 
Isaiah 58:10

According to Bread for the World, a leading organization in the effort to end hunger, 923 million people in the world today are chronically hungry. Every day, almost 16,000 children die of hunger-related causes. While most in the United States do not suffer from extreme hunger, millions are unable to afford the food they need for a healthy diet.

As God’s people through Jesus Christ, we cannot ignore the reality of hunger in our world. Nor can we sit by while millions starve. Simple compassion, not to mention Christ-like love, calls us to act. 

In the time of Isaiah, God promised that if his people would feed the hungry and help those in trouble, then their light would shine out from the darkness. The same is true today. If Christians band together to fight hunger, not only will millions receive the help they desperately need, but also the world will see the light of Christ shining through us. As Jesus said, “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matt. 5:15-16). 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How are you contributing to the effort of God’s people to feed the hungry? Are you planning to do anything extra in this special season? 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I must confess that it’s easy for me to forget about the hungry. I don’t see them very often. There aren’t many news stories on children dying from hunger. It’s easy to be insulated from the reality of hunger in our world. Forgive me, Lord, for my narrow vision, even for my hardness of heart.

Today I pray especially for your church, that we might be mobilized even more to feed the hungry. Thank you for organizations like Bread for the World, World Vision, and others that help us to meet human need in an effective way. Thank you for thousands of individuals who are using their knowledge and skills to help the poor overcome poverty. Use these efforts and so many others to bring an end to starvation.

Finally, Lord, help me to find my role in this work. Show my family and me where we should direct our giving. Help us to grow, not only in our giving, but also in our personal involvement in efforts to help the hungry.

O Lord, may we shine with your light into this dark world. Amen. 

 

Mark D. Roberts, as Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, is an advisor and frequent contributor toTheHighCalling.org. A Presbyterian pastor, Mark earned his Ph.D. in New Testament from Harvard University. He has written six books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005). He blogs daily at www.markdroberts.com.