Tonight I came across a really neat post on another website that I frequent. I requested the author’s permission to use the post here and she had no problem with me doing that, so thanks Gail M. for such a great post about such a great topic and for the permission to share it with others here on ARK2U. It takes one act of kindness at a time to make the world a better place. Here is her post:
Hmm… wondering what’s up? Don’t you love and appreciate when someone does something nice for you, especially when it is totally unexpected? And doesn’t it feel good to do good things for others, as well, especially those who are really in need? Well, that’s kinda what this is about!
Have you seen “PAY IT FORWARD”? (great movie, go rent it if you haven’t seen it!) Have you read The Kingdom Assignment, by Denny and Leesa Bellesi?
I just finished it, and would love to share it with you. The book is about a pastor who asks for 100 volunteers in his church , and this is what he says. “I have an assignment for you that will change your life. A Kingdom Assignment.
Before you say no, before you tell me that you are too busy, too untrained, or too ill-equipped to handle one more assignment - especially one for the Kingdom of God, think about this: If you accept the assignment, you will take a small amount of money and increase it up to a hundredfold or more. You will have the means to help countless people- some with food and clothing, others with medicine or the gospel message-and in the process, no matter how much money your investment turns into, no matter how many people you will help, you will walk away with more than what your investment will ever make and more than those you’ve invested in.
Interested?” -and then he gave each of the 100 volunteers a hundred dollars each. He also have them three rules: -the money belongs to God -invest it in God’s work -report back in 90 days The people in the church were nervous and uneasy, but then they got excited! Even those who were not in the original 100 did the assignment, or helped those who were.
This little assignment got the church buzzing, then the town, and even reporters for newspapers and tv were there when the 90 days were up and they all reported back to give their reports. What had they done? Whatever God led them to do!
Here are just some examples (if you want some full stories, read the book, they will really move you!) -books for the lonely -blankets for the homeless -Bibles for the spiritually hungry -food for the physically hungry -gifts for those with no means -care packages -oversees help -assistance for the JESUS film project -hours of ministry service -clothing and greeting cards to the sick -homes for homeless families in Mexico -grief packages for those who have miscarried or lost an infant -assistance to unwed mothers -medical equipment to those without -camp scholarships for needy children -a table for a family that had no where to sit at mealtime -a bone marrow drive -and many, many more!
there are some INCREDIBLE stories! -the story about Steve. He lost his precious little girl to a tragedy, and in the midst of his loneliness and depression, found this church and accepted Christ. What did he do? He got together with other’s in his neighborhood, and planned a wishing tree in the honor of his daughter, Alex.
The goal: to fulfill the Christmas wishes of needy families in the community who otherwise would have no gifts that year. After taking a paper ornament with a child’s name and gift wish on it, the $100 that Steve started out with turned into over $8,000 in gifts and touched hundreds of people. Steve didn’t have his daughter, but he had a new found happiness for the children that he helped, and he wrote “Perhaps the most profound impact from this project was that a man, after spending most of his adult life in darkness, stepped a bit further into the light”.
-Terry ended up using the money to help a woman who had left (with her two children) an abusive relationship. Lisa was then living in a safe house when she was assaulted and stabbed. All of this woman’s dignity was gone, but she was still trying to make a better life for her children, and Terry helped. Terry also became friends with Lisa, because Terry, too, had long ago been in an abusive relationship.
-Kim was talking to her friend who was taking a literature class and was reading to sick kids in the hospital. She remarked that for many, it was all they had to look forward to. Kim had her idea! She used the money (and received donations) to buy books to make a library for the kids, and then kept it going by donating books to a teen shelter, as well!
-Brooke used the money for boys that could not join the boy scouts because they could not afford the cost of the uniforms or the book.
-Julie used the money (and the donations of others) to throw a baby shower for a young, unwed mother whose family had rejected her because of the pregnancy, and who had no real friends. She got everything she needed, and most importantly, knew that she and her unborn baby were loved.
And what were the things that the volunteers said after it was all said and done? “We received more than we ever gave” “God answered prayer” “A little can go a long way” “Opportunities are all around us every day. “I discovered what’s really important”
After three months, the facts were unbelievable. $10,000 had become more than $100,000 and thousands of people had been clothed or fed or brought into a relationship with God. Whole communities were changed in the process, and now, everyone wanted to know about the Kingdom Assignment.
Pretty interesting and exciting, huh? I thought so! At the end of the book, it challenges the reader to do their own Kingdom Assignment. I have really been thinking and praying about what I will do. At first, I didn’t know what I could do, but now I realize, there are SO MANY ways that $100 can be used to help others, it’s so hard to choose.
So, here it is for you to read and ponder. Would any of you like to take on the Kingdom Assignment with me? Can’t do the $100? How about $50? $25? Even five dollars can buy a homeless person lunch, even one dollar can buy someone a card to cheer their day. (the amount is NOT what matters!) Or how about your time (much more valuable to many than money!) Instead of a hundred dollars, how about a hundred minutes? Are you reading this, thinking, “Kingdom Assignment, I DON’T EVEN BELIEVE IN GOD!” You can still do this assignment in your own way, you can still “PAY IT FORWARD”! I’m sure there are many worthy causes you can think of that you would like to help!
