Give hope to the hopeless

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11

image from: smallishblog.com

Children are the very picture of Hope. They represent all the bright possibilities of a life unlived, and dreams not yet realized. Their potential can never be accurately measured. They are the hope of their parents, the hope of a generation, the hope of a better future.

Hope is by definition a wish with an expectation of fulfillment. As Christians we have the ultimate Hope. Because of our Lord, we can Hope for the fulfillment of His Glory and to one day stand before Him in worship. It is a beautiful Hope. As Americans, we have the luxury of hope for a better tomorrow. We have opportunities and the resources to work for a better future for ourselves and our families. We plan for retirement, save up for college funds, dream of a better life for our children and grandchildren.

But hope is not a feeling everyone can share. There are families today surrounded by the harshest realities of poverty who can not imagine a better tomorrow. For them, there is no dream of something more – there is only the crushing struggle to survive another day. Things we take for granted: education, comfort, happiness are beyond their reach.

 image from: urbanchristiannews.com

“LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.” – Psalm 10:17

Christ has given us the ultimate Hope. And as His servants, we can extend hope to others.

Watch a video about the power of Sponsoring a Child with Compassion.

Right now you have the power to lift someone out of the dark and into a world of hope. When you sponsor a child with Compassion International you give them hope. You give them a reason to expect things will get better. You give them the tools they need to work towards a brighter future. You give them the opportunity to receive an education, nutritious food, health care, and most importantly you give them love. Hope can not exist without love. Through your sponsorship and your letters, you communicate a very real and active love to a child in need.

 image from: pensieve.me

No child should ever have to face the day void of hope. Visit Compassion International’s site and see the faces of children in desperate need of hope. It is a precious gift you can give. Share that beautiful gift today.

 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” – Revelation 21:4

You can change the world

This week has been an eye opening week. We’ve talked in the past about sponsoring a child. After reading David Platt’s Radical we know in our hearts our going-through-the-motions life of “being good” Christianity is hollow. God calls us to have a heart for the poor and a desire to give sacrificially. But as it often happens, our daily lives pushed aside those feelings as we focused again on the mundane.

Ways to Shine

graphic from creationswap.com

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” – Matthew 5:14

As Christians we are called to show God’s love to the world. How do we show love? Through actions. Not because we feel like we “should” – but because this love inside us is so great it spills out on the lives of those around us. Christ told us to love your neighbor. We are all neighbors. If you share this earth with me, you’re my neighbor.

CDFC: We did it!

We did it! A full month of using our cloth diapers regularly here at home – and four full Fridays of Cloth Diapers for a Cause.

All tuckered out after a full day of saving money

We successfully used our cloth diapers consistently here at the house to save $25 to donate to World Vision’s Clean Water Fund. Having a goal helped keep us on track during the days when it would have been easy to give in and use disposables.

Yes, Breastfeeding Moms Can Give Blood

Can breastfeeding moms donate blood?

Absolutely.

I’m currently breastfeeding twins and today I happily trekked over to the United Blood Services Blood Mobile to donate.

I’m just happy to get to sit down without someone climbing all over me

When I was breastfeeding baby number four, I rolled up my sleeves and donated blood. Breastfeeding moms can donate blood without worry about their milk supply being affected. Before you roll up your sleeve to do your part, there are a few things to consider:

Cloth Diapering for a Cause

^“… I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…” Matthew 25:35 (NIV)

Recently I posted our family’s method for cloth diapering to save money. We have three currently in diapers and the cost of keeping little bottoms clean can add up quickly.