Thursday, June 14, 2012

Right where you are...

"Wherever you are, be all there."
 
That quote by Jim Elliot is a great reminder for me. Judging by Jim's life, he didn't mean be stagnant.  Instead, I believe he meant to serve intentionally, with all you have, wherever you may be.

 Here are a few ideas on how we can be more intentional in our living and serving.


25 ways to serve...

1. Pray that your eyes will be opened to what God has for today. Ask Him for wisdom. Be prepared to hold "your plans" loosely, ready to change them when necessary.

2. Write a family mission statement. Together. (I can't wait to do this one.)

3. Write a hand written letter to a friend letting them know what they mean to you. (Thanks for this idea, Rebecca.)

4. Make eye contact with people in the grocery store. Listen when they talk.

5. Call a friend just to chat.

6. Put your phone away when you are with friends or family. Be fully engaged. 

7. Sponsor a child through Compassion International or World Vision or another trusted sponsorship organization. If you don't have the money to be a sponsor right now, be a child correspondent. Those letters mean more then we could possibly imagine.

8. Visit a neighbor.

9. Serve dinner at a local homeless shelter. Learn the names of the people you serve. It matters. They matter.

10. Make an effort to meet neighbors you don't know.  

11. Sort food at a local food pantry. Talk to the other volunteers. I have learned about many new opportunities that way.

12. Give some stuff away, not just junk, but things of value that could make a difference to someone else.

13. Babysit for a single mom.

14. Visit a local nursing home. Listen to the stories that the residents have to share.

15. Find a relief organization that you trust and be ready to give or serve when relief is needed. Have a plan for the unexpected.

16. Make a meal for a family struggling with an illness or celebrating a new baby.

17. Become an prayer partner with an injustice fighting organization. Reece's Rainbow, The International Justice Mission and so many others offer these prayer partner programs.

18. Deliver new magazines, coloring books and crayons to the ER waiting room.

19. Look for little ways to make life better for others. Pick up trash on the ground.  Let some one go in front of you in line.  Donate the free items from your "buy one get one free" deals to a food pantry. Give up that up front parking space. Hold the door for the person behind you.

20. Mentor a kid through an organization like Big Brother/Big Sister.

21. Run errands for a new mom or a mom with sick kids.

22. Use words of affirmation often.

23. Have a yard sale. Give the money to a family in adoption process.

24. Encourage others to serve, but remember what they do does not have to look like your journey. In fact, it often won't.

25. Whenever possible, clear your schedule of busyness.  Busyness seems to be one of the biggest enemies of intentional living.


What are some things your family does to live intentionally? I'd love to hear your ideas.

3 comments:

  1. These are awesome ideas to not only help others but by doing them will enrich our lives just as much or more. Thanks so much for sharing.

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  2. 26. pray for and support a church plant :) ....

    + Be regulars at businesses and restaurants and coffee shops, get to know their names, story, etc.

    + Walk more than drive. If in suburbs, walk off your dinner in the neighborhood. Walk from ROSS to Wal-Mart instead of drive.

    + Bake cookies for anyone you see moving into the neighborhood.

    + Through a pancake breakfast in your driveway for the surrounding houses. Or a cook out.

    + Have one day of the week you are committed to fighting injustice and asking, "God, give me a vision today on how to fight injustice."

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  3. Awesome ideas.

    Step out of your comfort zone. Do something for someone else. The first step is never easy, it just needs to be made and the other steps will follow.

    ReplyDelete