21 Ways to get involved with the A21 Campaign (Suggestion 3 of 21): multiply your pennies & become a partner

Today’s suggestion (3 of 21) from the A21 Campaign to fight against modern day slavery and human trafficking: multiply your pennies & become a partner  (http://www.thea21campaign.org/21-ways-to-help.php&lang=en).

So many of us look at our modern day conveniences and excesses as necessities. We are far too quick to say “I need this” or “I can’t live without that” or “My life isn’t complete if I don’t have it”, when in reality, most of those things are luxuries! I know that I am personally guilty of this! And if you really need something, or even just want it, you will make sacrifices and put money aside to get it because it is important to you. Well, today I want to challenge you to thinks about it in this way…

If I don’t get the latest iPhone or the newest fashion trend, my life won’t end… If I don’t get a bigger house or a better car, I won’t have to sell my child or myself into slavery to provide for my family… If I don’t buy that new lipstick or a new Xbox game, I won’t die from an easily preventable or curable disease… If I don’t get my weekly take away my family won’t face starvation… But if we don’t give to those in need, they will not have enough food to feed their families; they will likely have to sell their children or themselves into slavery just to put food on the table; they will likely die, or have to watch their children die from an easily preventable/curable disease.

So today, set yourself a challenge to give up a luxury to provide for someone else’s necessity: be a lifeline today!

My suggested charity is the A21 Campaign, but it is up to you to select a cause that is near to your heart. If you do choose the A21 Campaign, as well as giving donations, they also have an option to Become a Partner of their fight against modern day slavery and human trafficking (http://thea21campaign.org/21-21.php).

What are you passionate about changing and who are you passionate to reach out to? Find that and give generously!

Blessings!

Ronell x

“Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you.” {Deuteronomy 16:17}

21 Ways to get involved with the A21 Campaign (Suggestion 2 of 21): fast on the 21st

Today we’re back to 21 ways to get involved with the A21 Campaign to fight against modern day slavery and human trafficking (http://www.thea21campaign.org/21-ways-to-help.php&lang=en). Suggestion 2 of 21: fast on the 21^st.

Every day millions of people are starving and unable to feed their families. I can’t imagine how it would feel to physically have no food at all available to eat or to give to your children to eat! But sadly, that is an every day reality for many around the world.

Today’s suggestion from the A21 Campaign is that, on the 21^st day of every month (today for example), you fast to show solidarity for the millions of people around the world who are going without food for many or even all of their meals each day. Fasting is simply giving up food for a period of time. During this time it is also suggested/advised that you pray for/about something specific. In this case, world hunger, poverty and abolishing slavery.

Fasting can sound like a scary concept, but really it is up to you how you interpret it. Some people might like to fast for one meal, two meals or all three of their meals. I find it easier to fast from after lunch through to the next morning, as I find that I can’t concentrate/work during the day if I do any more than that! (not good when you work with small children!). Some months, I may feel it is necessary to fast more than just that one meal, so I will.

Others may do specific fasts where they are only allowed to have certain foods over a period of time. An American contact of mine (Gina) has committed to over 100 days of this kind of fast on an extremely low calorie intake as a pledge of solidarity to those starving all around the world (so really one day a month is not so bad!). She is documenting this on her blog One Daily Serving: A challenge to raise awareness of world hunger—one daily serving for one daily serving Jesus Christ. Go to www.onedailyserving.com to check it out to see how she is doing!

Choosing to fast on the 21^st of every month is a way of showing your commitment to ending the injustice of modern day slavery and human trafficking. So make a start TODAY! Join people all around the world who are fasting to see and end to this injustice!

Blessings!

Ronell x

“This is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people.” {Isaiah 58v6}

New Year's Resolution.. in October!

It is 1^st October again…

A year ago today I found myself in a bar in London, tipsy and confronted with someone with some serious, deep-rooted emotional issues who was in desperate need of some answers about God and why bad things happen to good people.. I was completely unable to give them any solid/convincing answers because my mind was fuzzy from the alcohol. Desperate to help this hurting soul, I went to the toilets and tried to Google some scriptures on my phone, but alas- no internet. I was desperate and I cried out to God for help. His response was clear: “How am I supposed to use you to witness to others when you are in this state- an unclear mind and slowed speech?”. In this moment I felt challenged to stop drinking for a period of time. As the evening wore on, I kept feeling challenged that it should be for a whole year. I just brushed this to one side and thought it would be impossible, but the conviction just grew and grew. Today, it is exactly a year later- an alcohol-free year later- and you know what, I think I might just carry on with it. What a difference it has made!! I decided that I would give something up/change something different every year… a bit like an extended Lent!

This year at Soul Survivor week C (http://www.soulsurvivor.com/uk/ss2012/), there was a lot of talk about making a difference to our world and the fact that there are more slaves now than there have ever been!!! And NO, I don’t mean in third world countries! I mean right here, in Europe, in the UK! I knew I had to help make a difference!

So here I am again, 1^st October… This year, instead of giving up a bad habit, I have decided to form a positive one, birthed out of the passion I feel for making a positive difference in this world and in the lives of others. I want to be bold for God and to make a difference in this world that He has entrusted to us. Like my good friend @JamiePoch wrote on his Twitter bio: “I want it to be said of me:'He took risks, not eating raw cookie dough kind of risks, but risks that challenged himself &others to do something daring for God.'”.. well, I agree!

This year, I will be posting every day about the little (and big) ways that we can make a difference in our world. It will be useful links, tips, articles, scriptures, etc that will cost you (little or) nothing other than time and commitment to change. See how many of these you are able to implement!

Blessings!

Ronell x