A Hungry Baby

I have not posted my '$15 or Less' weekends these past two weeks! I have completely forgotten... so sorry.

With that said, I would like you for a moment to please think of the worst sound you can imagine. For mothers, I would imagine that there are few sounds that are worse than that of their hungry baby's cry. The cry of a truly hungry baby is something that plagues many areas, even today. For $9, one can provide food for a starving child for a whole week through Samaritan's Purse International Relief.
(Photo credit: Samaritan's Purse International Relief: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Giving/gift_catalog/)

God bless you all!

God's Word-- Our Light

I'm sorry I'm a little late on my '$15 or less' weekend post over here! But for most of you, it still is the weekend so I guess we're okay. :)
Did you know that there are more Christians imprisoned in China then in any other country in the world (Voice of the Martyrs Global Report, 2010)? Believers in China are in constant danger of losing their lives or going to prison and never seeing their families again. Chinese Christians present such a wonderful example of following Jesus, no matter the cost! Voice of the Martyrs, a Christian organization dedicated to assisting the persecuted church world-wide, has a program called "140,000 Bibles for China," in which they are trying to raise Bibles for the world's most populous country. For only five dollars, you can go here: https://www1.vombooks.com/qry/qe_sf_donatenow.taf?_id=A373551896&_function=donate and give one of the most precious gifts to a believer-- God's perfect word. How can we know the God that created us if we do not know the Word that He is written? Let's share God's perfect word!

God bless you all,

Rachel

I will lie down and sleep in peace

For my first edition of $15 or less weekends, I thought I would suggest a gift that most of us use every day. A blanket.

I don't know about you, but for me, especially during the winter, it can be difficult to sleep without a blanket-- even inside my house! I can't imagine sleeping every night in the dead of winter outside without a blanket. I think a blanket is one of those small things that we don't really appreciate until we think of life without it.

The Samaritan's Purse gift catalog reads: "Imagine how good a thick blanket would feel on a cold night to someone left homeless by war or natural disaster. For $6, we can provide a warm blanket as a comforting reminder of God’s love. 'I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety' (Psalm 4:8, NIV)."

For only $6, you can not only give a blanket to someone less fortunate, but give the people at Samaritan's Purse a way to start a relationship and share the gospel with some of the world's most hurting people. If you'd be interested in giving this gift, simply go to: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Giving/gift_catalog/ and click on gift n. 18.

Grace,
Rachel

The Light of the World

In the book of John, chapter nine verse five, Jesus says, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." And in John 12:46 He says, "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." What we often forget, however, is that we as Christians are commanded to do the same! We are to be the light of the world. Jesus says in Matthew 5:16, "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven." Recently, I've been very convicted about not being enough of a light. I've been working on a speech about the persecuted church-- and realizing just how afraid I am to share the gospel sometimes. Sometimes I don't tell people the good news of Christ because I worry about what people might think, or I worry that I won't do it right. Both these things are sins. They are sins because they show that I am giving into fear. How many thousands-- no, no, millions-- of Christians around the world share their faith knowing full well that it will cost them much more than someones opinion of them? There ARE many! Yet I feel afraid sometimes, safe as I am, to do the same. And this doesn't just go for sharing the gospel, either. This just happens to be a fear/sin that I've been struggling to overcome more recently. But, there are other fears that can keep one from serving Christ. Financial fears (which keep us from giving), prideful fears (which can keep us from sharing the gospel or discipling and helping each other), safety fears (which may keep us from doing hard or even dangerous things that God is calling us to), and the list could go on and on. I'd like to share with you a section that I'm using in my speech on the persecuted church. It's a quote from Brad Konneman, the Voice of the Martyrs youth director in Australia, after he had recently visited Columbia:


"The call to follow Jesus is by definition a costly call-- we must deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. Whereas we often seek comfort, security, wealth, greatness, and power, Jesus calls us to forsake all this and trust in Him as the only path to life and joy. Colombian evangelists present a fantastic example of what it looks like to follow Jesus, bearing the cross with joy."


This is what the cross should look like, my friends. Denying ourselves and taking up the Cross of Christ to follow in His steps. How will people know that we are Christ's disciples? The answer isn't hard: through self-sacrifice. If we are willing to sacrifice everything for Christ, people cannot help but see that we are His disciples! Thinking on these things the last few days, I decided to start a new series of blog posts. (I know, thrilling! ;) One post in this series will come every weekend! I've actually never done this before, it's kind of a big commitment... just kidding! It's pretty simple, really. And it wouldn't be a hard thing for any of you to do on YOUR blog either (hint, hint...) Here's how it will work.

1. The theme is Christian giving (self-sacrifice).
2. The goal is to show people how a seemingly 'small' gift can make all the difference in the world.
3. Every Saturday, or maybe Sunday, I will post about one gift-- $15 or less-- that, if you are interested, you can give to a Christian organization.
4. I'm calling it '$15 or less weekends.'
5. I will start today!


I realize that you might not be in a position where you can give a gift every week. But I thought that as long as I am trying to learn to be more giving, I could include you all in this adventure, too. Sometimes it's almost ridiculous how flippantly we spend $7 or $8, wouldn't you agree? But that could make all the difference in the world to some people. I realize not everyone can give every week, but I know that God will show you where you can give; just like through His grace He will show me how I can give. Because I can guarantee you this: He is calling you to self-sacrifice.

He is calling you to change the world.