30 Day Giving Challenge - In Conclusion....

It's hard to believe that today is Day 29 in the 30 Day Giving challenge!! I have to admit that I was a little worried about finding giving opportunities for every day of November, but God provided ideas around every corner!!
I was able to give time, small amounts of money, e-cards, encouragement, and gifts to friends and strangers alike. I was also surprised that nearly 1/2 of the opportunities I had were not planned in advance. They came from a newfound awareness of those in need around me!

Instead of sharing my specific giving for each day in this last week, I wanted to share a principle that hit me recently. Read what God's Word says in Luke 14....

"12 He said also to the man who had invited him, When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."


Whether we mean to or not, it's easy to give while hoping to receive something in return. We all appreciate a "thank you" or an expression of gratefulness in return. However, according to this passage the true spirit of giving expects nothing in return - not a hug, not a thank you note, or a reciprocal gift!
There is nothing wrong with these sweet blessings that often accompany giving, however it should not motivate our giving. I'd much rather receive that blessing when I stand before my Lord at the "resurrection of the just"!! 


Thank you to all the wonderful bloggers who coordinated the challenge this month!! God used it in my life in great ways, and I'm excited to continue the "awareness of giving" in my life! 

How have YOU been able to give lately? 

Anonymous Giving....

When I was small, I had a favorite book entitled, Sweet Surprises. In it, a little girl set out one morning to accomplish 10 surprises for her family and friends without revealing her identity as the "giver". It taught me at an early age that there is SO much joy in giving....especially when the recipient has no clue who gave them the gift! I'm praying this week for some giving opportunities in which I can be anonymous. I don't want the glory for any part of this challenge. Instead, I want my Lord to be blessed and praised!! Giving anonymously is a great way to accomplish that!!

Here's a quick summary of Week 2 of the 30 Day Giving Challenge.....

Monday ~ Sent a card to my sister-in-law to encourage her
Tuesday ~ Organized my husband's office at church (it needed it!)
Wednesday ~ Gave a card/gift to a sweet friend of mine
Thursday ~ Sent a card to my military cousin for Veteran's Day
Friday ~ Spent a little extra time making a special meal for my guys!
Saturday ~ Donated some canned goods
Sunday ~ Brought a gift to a young mom at church

Have you been able to give in any way this week? I'd love to hear about it!!

Intimidated Giving....

Mark 12 tells the story of a poor widow who arrived at the temple with a heartfelt offering of 2 silver coins.  Jesus has great things to say about this generous woman who gave all she had!
I wonder what went through that woman's mind that day as she stood behind the Pharisees and other religious leaders as they gave grand offerings to God!
Was she intimidated by their proud gifts??
Did she hesitate before putting her coins in the box, thinking, "My gift is just not good enough!".
Did she try to secretly put her gift in the offering without anyone noticing?

I don't think so! I think this humble woman realized that although her gift was small, it was her heart attitude that mattered!
It is possible to give a small gift with a big heart!!

As a family in the ministry, we live on a pretty small budget! I have been amazed, however, in the last week at the small ways God has allowed me to give!

Here's a quick summary of my first week of the 30 Day Giving Challenge......


Monday ~ Gave a small donation to the Autism Spectrum Society (our neighbor just "happened" to ask for help)
Tuesday ~ Our small group signed a card and took a collection for a gas card to give to a family who's been struggling with some medical issues
Wednesday ~ Sent an e-card to a struggling friend
Thursday ~ Collected clothing and blankets to donate
Friday ~ Wrote a handwritten note to my grandma
Saturday ~ Spent some extra time in prayer for some of my friends with very specific needs at this time
Sunday ~ Brought some toys to donate to our church nursery

I have been amazed at how God is opening my eyes to so many areas I can give !! How was YOUR week? Are you participating in the challenge? If you are, make sure to link up a post about your week at the 30 Day Giving Challenge site. If you're not, I'd love to hear a way that you were able to give this week!! Let me know in the comments!!

Have a great Monday!!

30 Day Giving Challenge....

While I was at Relevant last weekend, I was approached by a few of my blogging friends about an awesome opportunity in the month of November.....

It immediately peaked my interest as a way to consciously and consistently give of my time, energy, and resources. According to the 30 Day Giving Challenge website , the challenge is to follow Acts 20:35: 

"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive' "

They also explain:

"If you have a heart for giving, we invite you to join us from November 1 – 30, 2010 as we take giving to new heights, combining the efforts of thousands of people. We’ll be working together to bless our friends, family, neighbors, and complete strangers by making a conscious effort to give each day of November. And we’ll do it all for God’s glory!"

I took a few days to pray and think about getting involved, and I felt that this was something that God wanted me to commit to this month!! I plan on recording my giving throughout the month on both a special calendar I downloaded from the website and occasionally here at A Steady Rain. 

I'm sharing this here for a few reasons.....

1. I have signed up at the 30 Day Giving Challenge website, followed @30daygiving on Twitter, and "liked" their Facebook page, BUT I felt as if I needed one more avenue of accountability. I know how life can get away from me, and knowing that I have committed to it publicly will help with my consistency. 

2. I wanted to share the opportunity with you too!! Maybe this is something that the Lord will prompt you to do as well (whether you blog or not!!) Giving is not some new, groundbreaking concept, however sometimes we need to get very practical about living out the fruits of the spirit in our lives! 

3. For the next month, you will not see any Friday Feedback posts here at A Steady Rain. Instead you will see occasional posts about the giving opportunities I've had in the last few days. I would encourage you to share how you have given of your time, talents, and money in the comments section of those posts. It will be encouraging to see how the Lord is using this challenge in your life!