Compassion International

I am very passionate about intentional giving - read more about that here.  In April, Caleb and I finally took the time to sponsor a child through Compassion.  It's $38 dollars a month to provide schooling, healthcare, nourishment and lessons teaching life skills to one child.  I find it a bit sad that it took us years of saying, "oh yeah, that's a great idea!" to actually do it.  It's cheaper than our internet/cable bill.


We chose a little boy from Peru named Enzo.  We've already exchanged letters with him twice - it's amazing how great Compassion is with connecting sponsors with children.  Only a small percentage of the sponorship is the monetary investment - much of it is the connection you make with the child and the encouragement you can pour into their hearts - even from miles and miles away.


Compassion encourages you from day one to begin active correspondence with your child as a way to invest in their lives - and the children write you back in response.  Below is a picture of Enzo with the pictures he has sent us :)

Many Compassion sponsors are given the opportunity to visit the child they sponsor.  Emily, from Chatting at the Sky went on a trip to the Philippines this summer and shared it beautifully here.  Life as Mom wrote about her trip to Honduras and how it changed her perspective here. 

I'm finding myself so frustrated these days.  Why do people purposefully block out the needs and pain around them? Go to a movie, sip their latte, and complain about the weather?  In this day and age, technology makes it so very easy for us to impact the world around us - all with a little feature known as "auto draft"  If you have been considering sponsoring a child and are sitting on the fence - just jump the fence. :)  The blessings to you and the child are immeasurable. 

Sponsor a Child Today

Vulnerable Me

Twice in the past several weeks I have had someone tell me how much they appreciate my realness.  They mean this as a compliment and I try to take it as a compliment - but a bit of fear always rises within me.

Am I too real?  Too open?

Do I share too much about myself?

Do others find my honesty to be disconcerting?

Should I be an open book?

Years ago, when I was just ten years old someone dear to me said, "Don't ever lose your emotion Courtney, it's what defines you"  To this day I think of that, whenever I question my vulnerability . . . I remind myself that this is what sets me apart.

What's interesting about being real is that you tend to expect real in return.  When I don't receive realness from others, I feel let down.  Our world does not cater to being authentic, our world encourages masks.  Christianity pressures plastered smiles and phrases such as "I'm fine" when our hearts are breaking.  Society pushes us to showcase success with what we own and how we look, whether we've found it or not.  Our culture expects us to like a type of music or buy certain clothes, because it is the in thing this week.  But years from now, when all these masks come tumbling out of our closets - will we know who we really are?

What did we fight for? Who did we defend? What did we invest in? Who did we love? 

Worship Through Action

Our church collected over 400 backpacks loaded with school supplies this past Sunday to be given to children in our church's neighborhood.  I love being part of a church community that makes it so easy to bless others in need.

Lift Up Your Eyes ~ A Lifestyle of Generosity

I believe that Do Something Now is one of the best places to start exhibiting your spirit of generosity.  DSN was started by the Passion Movement as a way for people to give to many various causes on the global scale.  This is what Passion 2011 contributed over 1.5 million dollars to!  In the past week, DSN has raised over $20,000 for the Japan relief fund!  You can give to Japan by clicking on the DSN picture above, every dollar helps.

Compassion International is a wonderful organization that enables you to support a specific child for $38 a month.  This provides schooling, healthcare, nourishment, opportunities to learn about life skills, and the chance to hear about the grace of God.  I love what this organization does, because it allows us to connect to children halfway around the world and participate in shining the love of Jesus into their lives.  Caleb and I have talked about doing this for months, but we are starting it this week!

For over 40 years Samaritan's Purse  has worked diligently to provide assistance to the hurting of the world.  They provide emergency relief for victims of natural disaster, war, disease, and famine. They also provide practical assistance, concentrating on skill development to help break the cycle of poverty. 

"Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions. One poor widow came up and put in two small coins—a measly two cents. Jesus called his disciples over and said, "The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all." Matthew 12:41-44  

"She gave her all" how wonderful it would be if this could be said about all of us.

Lift Up Your Eyes ~ Giving In Your Community

I wrote yesterday about how life changing the attitude of generosity can be.  I believe it is very common for people not to give because they do not know where to give.  

I want to say that I believe the  most important place for you to give is in your home.  It is so important that the home front is at peace and secure before you begin pouring your time, energy, or money into other places.  A firm foundation is the best place to start.

photo credit

Serve in your community 

For some this means their church, for others their school, or workplace.  Be observant to the needs around you and go out of your way to bless others.  Make it a habit of putting yourself in others shoes.  If you hear that your co-worker has two sick children at home, offer to make a meal so she doesn't have to cook one night.  If a friend is working insane hours just to make ends meet, ask them for a grocery list and do their shopping for them.  Be open to monetarily helping those around you as well.  By remaining aware of the financial needs around you, you can step in with $20 and turn a friend's week around.

Many people are uncomfortable with handing cash out to people living on the streets, for valid reasons.  Many times this money is not being used for food or housing, but for addictions.  I heard a great idea the other day of buying $5 gift cards from McDonalds or other local fast food restaurants and handing those out instead.  This gives you the joy of blessing someone with a warm cup of coffee or a meal and prevents the money from being used in a different way.  Do not allow fear of what might be, prevent you from touching someone's life.

Don't throw away unwanted items, give them away!  If you have old clothes, shoes, household items, etc please be sure you are never throwing these items away.  In my guest closet I have a giveaway pile going at any point in time.  This pile gets taken to Goodwill or local charity thrift stores  every 2 or 3 months.  If you have connections with a local homeless shelter, they are always accepting winter coats, shoes, towels, etc.


An awesome way to give on a regular basis is to build it into your grocery budget.  Because I coupon, I am able to get many items for free or low cost on a regular basis...some that we will use and some that we won't.  Every few months I take a box, go through my pantry and stockpile area, and I put together a box to take to the local food pantry.  This costs me only a few dollars and it helps feed families that are struggling.  Even if you don't coupon, you can still do this!  When you buy a box of spaghetti noodles for your family, buy an extra one and put it in the food pantry box.  Spend $2-3 each week on this and the box will be full in no time!

photo credit

The things that I have touched on today are  pretty painless ways to give.   Giving in these areas mainly requires developing an awareness of the needs around you and making a decision to meet those needs.  The monetary investment is very small but the blessing to others is unmeasurable.


Because today's post is much longer than I expected it to be, tomorrow I'll be posting on different organizations you can donate monetarily to for various global causes.  By opening your eyes to the global picture, your heart cannot help but respond.

If you haven't donated to the Japan effort yet, consider donating right now!  DealPulp is matching all donations up to $100,000 today only.

Lift Up Your Eyes ~ Giving

“Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” 1 Timothy 6:17-19

The experience of giving to others is a feeling that cannot top much else.  Stepping in to bridge the gap in someone’s life, whether by lending a helping hand, having a listening ear, or giving monetarily, the rewards are amazing.  

One of the highlights of my life thus far was watching 22,000+ college students give $1,167,249.24 at Passion 2011!  It is surreal to me what can happen when everyone does a small part.  If you divide the total dollar amount by the number of students, it averages out to $53 a person.  That is less than most people spend on eating out each month.  Amazing what a group of people can do to change the world!

This is what the money was used for: (the bold is what was actually given!)

Homeless//Towels and Socks for Atlanta area shelters. Given: 18,400 towels and 88,000 pairs of socks!

Clean water//$75,000 for 15 wells in villages in India. Given: 24 wells!

Micro-finance//200 small business loans for Afghan entrepreneurs totaling $40,000.

Given: 387 loans!

Bibles//20,000 New Testaments to unreached in Colombia at $20,000. Given:31,554 New Testaments!

Feeding Children//Feed 1,000 at risk children in South Africa for one year at $50,000. Given: Feeding 2,225 children!

Homes//Build 15 homes in Haiti at $54,000. Given: 39 homes!

Sponsor Children//Sponsor 150 children and provide family essentials at a cost of $100,00. Given: 442 children sponsored!

Human trafficking//Restoration and a future for 10 girls trapped in sex slavery in Bolivia at a cost of $36,000. Given: 22 girls rescued/restored!

Surgeries for Children//$50,000 to fund 50 Hydrocephalus surgeries in Uganda. Given: 141 surgeries!

Rescue women//$45,000 to fund 10 rescue operations to free sex slaves in the Philippines (each operation frees 15 women on average). Given: 29 rescue operations!

Plus, College fund for Haitian earthquake survivor, Therissa Leo. Given:$23,106!

It thrills me to know that through these gifts, the name of Jesus has been shared!  This is a picture of some of the children Passion 2011 helped feed in South Africa!

We live in a day and age where the needs of others are on display for us everywhere.  We aren't living in the United States unaware of what is going on in the rest of the world, unless we choose to be unaware.  

There are many different ways to give, the point is to start giving!  I'll be sharing tomorrow some ideas and resources that I have that make giving a lifestyle choice.

Be blessed!

Lift Up Your Eyes ~ Contentment

"I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am." The Message ~ Philippians 4:11


If only we could live this verse out as a lifestyle.  Where our level of happiness did not depend on how much we had, or what job we were working, or where we lived.  All too often, we let huge portions of our life slip by, while waiting for the next big thing to happen.  A friend and I were discussing this last week and we termed it "the holding pattern." My life can become so wrapped up in accomplishing my goals that I forget about the present. 


So today, on a Monday, I'm bringing myself back to the present.  Where I have an amazing husband, a loving family, incredible friends, a wonderful church family, a warm and comfortable house, a full pantry, a job where I can work from home, education that is semi-easily accessible, a home in the United States, and a future that belongs to my Savior.  I encourage everyone to sit down this week and write out atleast five things that they are thankful for in their lives.  I guarantee it will be refreshing.  


This past Saturday, Caleb and I had the privilege of putting together a Thanksgiving basket for  a refugee family.  

This was something our church participated in by partnering up with World Relief and over 85 baskets were handed out!  

Getting ready to hand out baskets http://www.passioncitychurch.com/blog/

We were given a family that consisted of a single mom and her two sons, all of which had only been in the states for three months.  There was a huge language barrier, considering she spoke absolutely no English and I didn't even recognize the country that she originated from , but her excitement and gratitude was contagious through her smile and eyes!  We were successfully able to exchange names.  When we turned to leave, she couldn't believe the entire basket was for her,  she was trying to give some of it back to us.   Caleb outstretched his arms and said, "no, all of it is yours" and her eyes just lit up.  She stood at the door and waved goodbye with the biggest smile on her face. 


Talk about someone who knows how to be thankful.  She has only been in the States for three months, a country that is completely foreign to her.  The apartments they put the refugees in offer the bare necessities, of a roof and walls, running water and some key household items.  In our case, nothing to write home about. In their case, a life changing opportunity.  So often, we compare ourselves to those around us with the nicer car, or the bigger house, or the newer purse...but we forget that there are people in the world that would love to have a roof over their head or a meal everyday.  It's all about perspective.


Before we left, she gave Caleb and I each a strawberry Fanta.  I thought this was beautiful, because it shows that so often when you are generous, generosity turns around and finds you. Many people handing out baskets experienced this, where the basket recipients were offering gifts  in return.  God at work is a beautiful thing!


Leslie Ludy (one of my favorite authors)  wrote a devotional this week on contentment that is worth a read. "An idol is anything that claims our heart, focus and attention above Jesus Christ." Read more here. 

The Gift of Giving

I apologize in advance for the nausea that might be caused by this picture.  The floral throw-up background is enough to make anyone dizzy.  How can you love a bedspread so much one day and hate it so much the next day?


I was organizing my pantry and stock-up closet today and put together a bag to take to a local food pantry.  I am always so happy when I am able to do this, because I am able to use the gift of couponing to bless other people.  Everything in this picture probably cost me less than $5, but if a normal shopper purchased it, the cost would be near $50! 

Less than ten minutes after taking this picture, I clicked on Southern Saver's website and say this blog post.  She shares some great ideas on "planning" to buy for others and making it a regular habit.  I feel blessed that God has given me the gift and the desire to coupon, so I try to remember to bless others with my gift.  

Another way couponing allows me to help people, is by allowing me to buy food at such a reasonable price that we can entertain on a regular basis!  Feeding 2-4 other people can cost quite a bit more, but by buying ahead, using coupons, and meal planning, we barely notice an additional cost.  Our cost of entertaining is included in our $40/week grocery/household budget.

With the holidays coming up and the state of our economy right now, I encourage you to take some time to consider what you can do to help others.  Remember, it is better to give than to receive. :)