30 Day Giving Challenge...What it means to me

I first heard about the 30 Day Giving Challenge back in November of 2010.  I actually saw something online after it had already started, but I jumped in anyway.  I love this kind of thing...purposefully looking for ways to give to others in order to meet their needs and fill their hearts. I was super pumped about the challenge...especially the timing of it...

The Fall of 2010 was a really rough time for me.  My marriage was hanging by a thread, my grandma fell horribly ill, I had two very small children demanding every extra ounce of energy I had, etc, etc, etc.  We all have rough seasons of our life, I know...but that seemed to be the season where everything came to a head for the Schafers family. 

And I wallowed in my own self-pity a lot. Too much.

I tried not to feel sorry for myself, I did...but I didn't try hard enough.  I let it get to me...I deserved anger, sadness, bitterness, and even laziness due to my circumstances.  I was in a place where I needed to take care of me and my family, not anyone else.

Then I got a kick in the pants courtesy of this 30-day challenge.  It was the perfect reminder...no matter what your circumstances are...no matter how much heartbreak and stress you're in the midst of...we ALWAYS need to give of ourselves.  It is what we are called to.  To be His hands and feet...to pour out His love from our life. We are where we are for a reason, and someone needs us to carry out that privileged purpose.

So that's what the 30 day giving challenge means to me.  An attitude adjustment.  A month of looking intentionally to serve others.  A month of finding creative ways to make even a little difference in the lives of others, no matter what's going on in mine and how I "deserve" to just worry about me.

So thank you to the ladies at the 30 day challenge for giving the rest of us a great reminder of what we should be doing every day!