Friday, April 17, 2009

Great ideas

I just read this post on Jody's blog. SO inspiring. I've seen lots of lists of people's ideas and the great things they are doing across the country. . .but these people are CREATIVE! And a lot of them are DOABLE! Go ahead, be inspired to think of what YOU do well and how you might use that gift for HIS kingdom!

by Jody Landers, freaking cool girl who co-founded the infamous Water 4 Christmas!

I am so encouraged. So challenged. So inspired by the stories of friends of mine. All attempting something. Taking leaps. Allowing God and the people he loves to disrupt their lives. To affect their schedules. To control their pocket books. To use their time. And their talents.

(In no way an exhaustive list–)

*Like my new friends, the Hewitts, in Colorado who have spent their early mornings having coffee with the men who live in the park and handing out back packs with granola and blankets and toothpaste.

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*Or Tammy who has started stocking the cupboards of the local NICU, understanding that this is the darkest hour for many families and feeding themselves often gets overlooked.

*Or my sister-in-law, Kari, who for many years has loved on and cared for a widow she met through a job that she has long left. Every possible holiday, weekly phone calls, countless hours.

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*Or Jennifer who is working tirelessly to advocate for HIV positive children, support their families, and find homes for the forgotten. ‘Make Hope‘ is their tag line and it alone captures my heart.

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*Or Naomi who uses an incredible artistic talent to break down barriers and communicate to skater teen-agers in her area. Lots of time. Lots of effort. And impact immeasurable.

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*Or Courtney and kids who delivered cookies to the “service men” one day…trash man, mailman ect.

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*Or Steffany and Brandi, who are working on getting birthing kits to parts of the world where way too many mothers and babies die from preventable childbirth complications. ‘Because every mother matters.’ (PS Steff is doing most of the work! I just get to hear the cool updates!)

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*Or Holly and friends who are making trips to the local homeless shelters to take professional family and individual photographs of the people who live there. Helping to bring a piece of dignity and pride and healing into their lives.

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*Or Sheila and John, Alissa and Drew and James and Cheryl–foster care parents–who have allowed their lives to literally be turned upside down for a season while they care for deeply wounded and broken children. While at a safe distance from the tragedies and suffering of birth families, these foster families enter in, willingly taking on the pain. And offering love. And family.

*Or Sarah, who will take another team of teachers to spend much of their summer training teachers in Sierra Leone.

*Or my father-in-law, who quietly visits and prays for and sits with the sick. The unglamorous and unnoticed work of a man wanting to ensure the people do not die alone– that we do not forget, we do not overlook the aging and the elderly.

And there are so many, many more. As time allows, I will keep telling them.

Because the better we tell our stories, the better we want to live them.

Thank you. To those mentioned. And those not mentioned.

Thank for you attempting something. Something dangerous. And inconvenient.

Thank you for making hope. And bringing value. And taking on suffering.

Thank you for inspiring me."


Leave me your thoughts. . .and anyone you know who is inspiring you. I'd love to have a list like this (with blog addys) to post on the new Red Letters Campaign site in our RLC @ Home section!


5 comments:

Vanessa said...

It's so wonderful to see so many people stepping up and out of their box to help those in need!! God truly blesses our lives with so many amazing and wonderful people!

rkcorn said...

Thank you Brandi for challenging me personally to extend the hope Jesus gave me to others--to think outside the box of how Jesus may ask me to be His hands and feet, today it was to my fussy baby, he needed me to hold him, I just wanted him to be quiet so I could get stuff done, I needed to stop and love on him. I'm HOPEFUL of how He might use me tomorrow. I love our journey.

jena said...

I love THE CHURCH!

Brittani said...

what surprised me about this list is that more than a couple of the things you listed are RIGHT INSIDE my comfort zone and giftedness. why am I NOT doing theses things, yet?! What creative friends you have... I am going to start praying today for God to tell me what service project He wants me to do first. i am totally inspired, Brandi. Thank You

annNEE said...

Thanks so much for this post, Brandi. I really needed to read this.