Backpacks of Hope and Limited Time Digis for YOU.

"For I was hungry, while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water. I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported. I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes. I was sick, and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness. I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved. "
~modern paraphrase of Matthew 25:41-43 from The Hole in Our Gospel
Page 59. The Hole in Our Gospel. Broke my heart...Clearly showed me the hole in my life... And altered the course of my future.
I cried. And told Phil I was a goat. (see verse 33) And Jesus must be disgusted with my 33 years of spotty "Christian" living. (I am never under-appreciative of a husband who understands God's grace better than me. And so picks me up from self-loathing fits and reminds me that I am loved and accepted in Christ.)
But you get the point~ I was smacked in the face by that book. That paragraph. I've said those very things. Thought those very words. And then proclaimed that I loved Jesus.
My Gospel story changed.
I don't know what my heart is most passionate about. I love when a person is an 'advocate of_______'. I've read so much this year, my eyes hurt. But I don't know if I can nail my heart down to 'a cause.' I would move to Haiti tomorrow. But so far, I do not think it is God's timing for me to ditch the USA and move. I know he is working out something for us. But I am not suppose to know the goal yet~ That's not how it is suppose to be. Because I'd go hog wild and try to get there all on my own...
God wants us to rely on Him. Lean into his plans. His moments. His timing.
In this process, I have found that I am drawn to certain issues. My heart leaps when I hear the word "education". For all the reading I've done, that word stuck out the brightest as the bridge away from poverty, disease, and trafficking. Education is key.
Many charities champion education initiatives all over the world. Help One Now is just my personal favorite. Transparent. Holistic. Creative. Informative. I love these aspects of their organization. Even more, I love their focus on schooling for children. And empowering the local leaders to sustain that education for years to come.
Their Legacy Project 2013 is called Backpacks of Hope. I am hosting a fundraiser through Pure Charity. That is where you and I can join together for good. You donate (at least) $3 HERE. And my thank-you to YOU is a gift of art~ limited-time, not-ever-for-sale digital stamps. And a 40% off coupon good for the entire month of December to my shop.
Please watch the video. And then click over and donate. Follow the directions... And I will send you the special digis. This will last through *Friday, December 13.* So hurry. Because after that, I retire that art from stamping.
For those of you who want to rally around something...
But, like me, have trouble pinning it down to one thing for a cool tshirt,
Go. Love. Serve.
Find something~anything~ you connect to.
Like education.
Or children in Zimbabwe.
Or backpacks of hope.
And just know FULLY that God will work it out in and through you.
Even if it takes a lot of reading and a bunch of tears.
And your husband trying to stop you from blubbering the words,
I am a goat. God help me, I'm a goat.
Because we are all a simple, easy step away from being the hands of Christ to a world in need.

"Mother Teresa once said, 'I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.' She had it right. We're not authors, any of us. We are just the "pencils." Once we understand that, we might actually become useful to God."
Check out the stamps (colored up) at the following awesome blogs:

Lou
Joni
Rebekah
Jane
Silvie
Maria Therese

NOTE,
If you need to donate to this project using a Paypal account, I get that:). My mom won't use her debit card online either. So, paypal your donation as a gift to [email protected] and MAKE SURE YOU ADD A NOTE THAT IT IS FOR HELP ONE NOW. I will make a bulk donation of those funds Saturday, December 14. And post the receipt on my Facebook page.