Happiness in Hope

Our hope rests in God alone.  Not in you, not in me…in Him.  This can sometimes be difficult to remember – especially if you’re like me and like to (pretend to) have control.  I like to be able to have my list of things to accomplish, cross them off, and move forward towards achieving my goal.

This adoption journey that I am on has been a great exercise for me in letting go of the details and trusting that God has a plan and is in control.  I have been working on focusing on the happiness that is in the hope that God has for me, for the sweet little girl that I can’t wait to welcome home, for those who love Him, and for those He calls His own.

Everywhere I look – and even when I try not to – messages of all that is wrong with the world bombard me.  We see people who serve Him, who serve others, who love on the widows and the orphans, and who simply proclaim their love of God persecuted.  It seems that it would be easier to just toss up our arms and give up.  If we let ourselves, it would be so easy to lose hope, to lose happiness.

 

But this is not how we are called to live our lives.

“Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us even as we hope in you.” Ps 33:22

"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Ps 44:11

"But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.” Ps 71:14

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

On January 1, I began reading “"The Happiness Project” and using the associated journal.  Each day (I admittedly have missed a few) I make a one sentence entry.  Between the pace with which life is passing and the negative messages surrounding our lives, it is really easy to lose track of the happy moments.  This has been a great exercise for me to be intentional about acknowledging and capturing the hope and happiness that can be found each and every day no matter what else is going on.  I would encourage you to consider joining me in capturing the hope and happiness that surrounds us.  I trust that you will be blessed as I have.

I know - and fully believe - that my hope and happiness are found in my Lord and I believe that He wants us to recognize and celebrate it.

 

Thankfulness Brings Joy

Like many, I have tried to spend November focusing on things for which I am thankful.  I have tried - not always timely as I'd like - to each day acknowledge at least one of the many blessing in my life.

 

One of the things that I've discovered is that it is (virtually) impossible to be thankful and NOT be joyful.  Have you ever noticed that? 

 

When we spend our time looking at the world around us and thinking about all of the things that we'd like to have, it is easy to get distracted and even sometimes envious of others.  It is easy to find oneself sneaking into that "bad" place of greed and wanting more.  But really, who of us reading this REALLY needs more?  There millions around the world who would give their lives - and many do - for the opportunity to have a roof over their heads, clean water to drink, food to eat, clothes to put on, a blanket to curl up under...the list of the basics goes on and on.  And yet we, who live in a place of abundance, think that we don't have enough and that we NEED more.  Our culture and our society tells us we do, but do we really?

 

The focus on our "need" can take us to feelings of inadequacy, insufficiency, and, sometimes, sadness.  We wonder why we can't/don't have a bigger house, a newer car, trendier clothes.  This focus can really mess with our heads and our hearts.

 

But when we pause and focus on the innumerable blessings in our lives, give thanks for the gifts that we so often take for granted, joy comes into our hearts.  And the more frequent acknowledgement of our thanksgiving, the greater the joy. 

 

How beautiful would it be if each of us lived life in a perpetual state of

joyful thanksgiving?

 

I have two new goals in my life.  1.  Each morning, before I roll out of bed, I will intentionally pause and give thanks.  2. If I ever feel myself start creeping into the "I want/need/"woe is me" mode, that I again pause, and give thanks.  I am excited to see what happens to the level of joyful expression in my life!  Join me?  Let's create an explosion of joy and give the world around us a lift!

 

 

 

Empowering Generosity

I am blessed.

 

I know that much of our world, our society, is surprised when people show kindness to one another.  I'm not.  I am surrounded by people for whom kindness and generosity are part of their DNA.  I am not surprised when I witness friends go out of their way to care for friends and strangers alike.

 

I consider myself blessed to see and experience this selflessness on a regular basis.

 

So when I learned about Pure Charity and what they're doing, I thought, "Wow!  Another way for people to give back and encourage others to do the same!"

 

Simply (and it really is much more than this), Pure Charity serves nonprofits and individuals by using technology - specifically social media - to encourage generosity.

 

Invited and approved nonprofits (Into the Field is excited to be one of their "field partners") are able to create a profile and post projects (including videos) that are needing funding.

 

Individuals create their FREE giving fund and download the browser widget.  Then, whenever they shop at 2000+ online stores (from Priceline to Barnes and Noble to Best Buy to Ann Taylor), a % of the sale will be donated back to their giving fund.  Individuals then get to decide which of the posted projects they want to allocate the dollars to.  How simple!  How cool!  Free money making a difference in the lives of people around the corner and around the world!

 

From October 1-5, Pure Charity is running a contest to encourage the addition of advocates (free giving funds established by friends of field partners).  Every field partner (like Into the Field) who adds 250 advocates will receive $2 per advocate (that is $500 of much needed funding!).  They will also be giving a bonus to the partner who adds the most advocates!

 

Would you please take 5 minutes and set up your FREE giving fund as an advocate for Into the Field?  Because of the already existing generosity of the people who will be reading this, I want to note that setting up your fund via the Into the Field link does not keep you from showing your generosity and allocating your funds to other nonprofits.  You can allocate your giving fund funds to any of the projects that are setup.  (Of course we'd love them to come to us, but understand that there are many people doing great work worthy of your support!

 

Thank you!

A Humbling Reminder: Don't Judge a Book By It's Cover...

I confess.  I am guilty.  I made a quick judgement based upon appearances without knowing the full story.

My friend David received a call from his former pastor who was now shepherding a congregation outside of Beijing, near the Great Wall.  He said that the congregation was poor and that many of its members could not afford Bibles or Hymnals and that the Church could not afford to purchase them.  Did David know anyone who might be able to help?

My immediate response when I was asked, "Of course!  We'll make it happen!"

So after trudging up the Great Wall and trying to share its incredible views with the team on a day when visibility was slightly less than 0, we set off for the church.

As we came down the street, I looked up and there was an immense church, one that stood prominently on the corner with one of the tallest steeples I'd ever seen.  Surely THIS was not the church that we were going to...surely THIS was not the church that couldn't afford the $5 per Bible for the poorest of its members.  But it was.

I confess, the thoughts in my mind and some of the words that came out of my mouth were probably not what they should have been.

We met the pastor and some of the members, and they took us into a meeting room in the church, and they shared their story.

The property for the church was donated by the local government.

The building for the church was paid for by a church in Beijing.

Many of the members of the church live up in the mountains, some without electricity and running water, and travel up to 3 hours by bus on a Sunday morning.

To help cover some of the operating expenses of the building, they allow other groups to use/rent space.

With tears they accepted blankets and sweaters that had been knit by friends back home.  They will be delivered on home visits to members who can't afford the bus ride down the mountain to church.

They don't have ANY extra funds...for anything...including Bibles.  But fortunately we did.

With a humble (and humbled) heart, I am glad that we received the call, that we said, "of course", that we have people who walk alongside Into the Field with their love and support which helped to make the gift possible, and that we are given reminders of how blessed we are and how easy it is for us to make a snap judgement based on appearances.  God is good.