Lent: Day 6 // Extend Your Reach

-------------------------------------------------------------------
{Lent} Day 6:

40 acts // Reach // Whether you’re the pastor of a church, a single parent, a Twitter superstar or a self-confessed technophobe, the fact is that to someone, somewhere, YOU are an important voice and what you say and do matters. Consider your 'reach' today, and write a list of the spheres of influence you have in your journal. Pick one sphere (it might be your church, your child’s school, or an online community) and choose a positive message of generosity, love or kindness to share with them today. You might pick a YouTube video, or a story that inspired you. If you share it online, share with us too using #40acts.

Live Free // Read Philippians 4:11-13. Think about everything you own; pray you will be satisfied with what you have and not craving what you don’t have #LiveFree.

{photo credit: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/how-to-live-generously-in-a-fearful-world-tickets-10190842083}

I chose my online sphere of friends and followers to share this message with (both on here and sharing this post, and on http://mandelaproject.com/ronell1984) and luckily my 40acts challenge links nicely with my Live Free challenge! Result! :)  

Philippians 4:11-13 challenges us about the differences between need and want and greed and generosity and refocussing the balance of these things firmly on God, rather than ourselves and our own insecurities.

Here are some ways in which you could choose today to live generously, rather than living selfishly:

- Check out this blog for hard hitting views on our new 
'normal' consumerist culture: http://rth.ms/14drQf5

- Buy Samaritan’s Purse gifts to give that will literally help change 

the world, rather than just filling it with more 'stuff': 

http://www.givingcatalogue.org.uk/

- Or buy Oxfam Unwrapped gifts to give that will also help change 

the world, rather than just filling it with more 'stuff':  

https://www.nectar.com/spend/oxfam-unwrapped.points 

- Set yourself a new year's resolution (any time of the year!) to

be more active in your generosity. Choose a charity (I have chosen

Operation Christmas Child and The A21 Campaign), 

set yourself goals, and get fundraising, 

volunteering or donating!

- Reach out to a neighbour, friend, co worker, etc who you 

know is struggling or has a specific need and be

generous! 

- Start a generosity jar for a specific person or cause and save up

money you would have spent on something frivolous or unnecessary.

Living generously does not have to be a big financial commitment. Generosity can simply be reaching out when you see someone in need or despair, and giving of what you have: time, money,  food, clothing, belongings. 

Don't cling to things, for they have no eternal value! Start seeing all your belongings, including yourself and your time, as being at God's disposal for doing  with as He pleases. The reality is, they are: He has given  each of them to you in the first place! 

So be a faithful and grateful steward, and give them back.. you'll be surprised at the challenges and blessings you will encounter along the way! :)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope your Lent efforts are still going strong!

Blessings!

Ronell x

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives

    and release from darkness for the prisoners"

{Isaiah 61v1}

Lent: Day 5 // Attitude of Gratitude

After the first Sunday break yesterday, we are back with the next installation of the Lent challenges!

-------------------------------------------------------------------
{Lent} Day 5:

40 acts // An attitude of gratitude // There’s something rather wonderful about genuine gratitude: it impacts both the person who says thank you and the person who hears it. Try this before you do anything else today: grab a pen and write a thank you note to someone. Thank someone who doesn’t usually get thanked: your bus driver, local postman, that one guy that always puts a fresh pot of coffee on or empties the dishwasher at the office. These people need to be appreciated, and being thankful is a great way to start the week! Show us your thank yous using #40acts.

I decided to write a note to my TA and friend, without whom 
I couldn't do what I do at school. Thanks Loubie Loo! :)

Live Free // Swearing, picking your nose, biting your nails; everyone has a bad habit or two. Try to donate £1 every time you (or someone else :/) catch yourself doing it #BeFree #LiveFree. This one could fit in nicely with the Generosity Jar from day 2!

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope your Lent efforts are still going strong!

Blessings!

Ronell x

"15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which 
indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and 
admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns 
and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 

17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name 
of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

{Colossians 3:15-17}