Happy Independance Day! I hope you all have a safe and fun time celebrating!
So, I've been thinking about a "game plan" for how I hope to live a more socially responsible life. It's pretty overwhelming.
I have a friend who shared some hard-hitting scripture verses about living simply so that we can share more on her blog.
I believe that's the perfect place to start, and it's what we're going to be doing at house in the coming days. We are going to make a greater effort to live on less so we can give more.
How does that work out practically? Well, for one thing, I think it's a great idea to find a charity that can put your extra things to good use. I used to work for a crisis pregnancy center that helps out women in need. They work in conjunction with a thrift store that provides free items to families in need. So, I'll be cleaning out our unnecessary things and sending them somewhere they will be put to good use.
Do you have some extra clothes, toys, linens that your family could part with to provide for someone else? I'm going to do my best to give sacrificially, so that I'm not just giving people my "castoffs".
While we're talking about giving to charity, I'd like to make a suggestion. Like I said, I used to work for an organization that helped out women who found themselves pregnant and in need. I was the volunteer coordinator, so I know how important volunteers are!
It's good and necessary to recognize injustices in other countries and do what we can to fight them, but it is important not to forget the need right where we are. I think that it would be amazing if every family adopted a local charitable organization, and made it a mission to support them in any way possible. This could be monetary, but it could also be with time spent volunteering.
Do you know of a place nearby that you and your family could invest in? What are your gifts and passions? How could you use them to meet a need in your community? If you have a certain place in mind, give them a call and see what their needs are. If you don't, start looking around. Visit and call a few places until you find one that's a good fit for you and your family. Invite that ministry to be a regular part of your life. Pray for it. Spend time there. Recruit your friends.
A few ideas: Homeless shelters, food pantries, children's homes, crisis pregnancy centers
Some churches have great community outreach programs, and that's a great place to invest.
What other kind of charities might be a good place to invest?
Come back for my next post of living simply when it comes to our money!
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