Compassion and The Great Commission

October 17, 2017

There are a lot of non-profit organizations doing a lot of good things in our world.

Our world needs people doing good things.

But just doing good things is not enough.

The reason I continue to support Compassion International is because of their commitment to partner with local churches in the 25 countries where they are working to release children from poverty in Jesus' name.

A couple of years ago, I read a book called Mission Drift by Chris Horst and Peter Greer. There are many non-profit organizations that started as Christian organizations. But over the years, many have drifted from their initial mission to become more 'politically correct'.

This is unfortunate.

Any organization can go somewhere and give people clothing, food, clean water, etc.

But without the hope of Jesus, people have no eternal hope.

If a Compassion child leaves the program, the local church is still there.

If Compassion has to pull its resources from a particular project, the local church is still there.

If Compassion has to pull its resources from a country, the local churches are still there.

The local church is a pivotal part of a sponsored child's participation in Compassion's program.

We have had children leave the program.

We have had children at centers that have had to close.

We have had children in India where Compassion had to stop working.

In each of these cases, I have found comfort knowing that the local church is still there, sharing the Gospel with each and every child, family member, and community member.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." - Matthew 28:19-20

Will you share the hope of Jesus by sponsoring a child today?

More Fall Photos

October 16, 2017

Practice, practice, practice...it is the one thing we should do to get better at something, right?

I am making an attempt to pick up my DSLR every day this month and photograph something, anything really. The things I have been photographing are pretty random, and most of them are things around my home right now. Here are the things I captured this past week:

Settings: f/2.2, 1/40 sec, ISO 1600 with 35mm lens

Settings: f/2.2, 1/160 sec, ISO 100 with 35mm lens

Settings: f/2.2, 1/40 sec, ISO 400 with 35 mm lens

Settings: f/3.5, 1/125 sec, ISO 800 with 35 mm lens

Settings: f/2.2, 1/125 sec, ISO 1600 with 35 mm lens

Settings: f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO 100 with 35 mm lens

Settings: f/2.0, 1/200 sec, ISO 100 with 35 mm lens

Along with trying to take a photo every day this month, I have limited myself to using my 35mm lens. Since I shoot with a cropped sensor camera, this lens works more like a 50mm lens would work on a full frame camera.

What is your favorite lens to shoot with?

My To Do List

October 13, 2017

As much as I love technology and all that is available to do with technology, there are a few paper things I still enjoy.

I prefer actual books over my Kindle.

I prefer to write out my grocery list on paper over any app I have found.

And I prefer a 'to do' list on paper over my phone.

I know there are many systems and apps out there.

I have tried many systems and apps.

Here is the thing...whoever created any particular system or app, that system or app worked well for that person. Maybe the person shared that system or app and it worked well for a bunch of people. Doesn't necessarily mean the system or app will work for you or me.

Maybe you have tried countless systems or apps, and none of them work for you.

That is okay.

Why?

Because you have to find what works for you.

Just because 'something' works well for 'everyone', doesn't mean it is right for you.

So why am I sharing about my to do list?

Because it works for me.

And maybe it might work for you.

It is simply a junior legal pad and a pen.

This is not a daily to do list.

I started this list on Monday, and today is Friday.

I added things to the list each day this week.

Some of these things I finished earlier in the week.

Some of these things I finished yesterday.

As you can see, I still need to do a couple of things on this list.

I keep a running to do list because there are things I need to remember to do, and I won't remember to do them unless I write them down.

So now that this blog post is written, I need to write letters to my Compassion kids!

How do you keep track of your to do items through the week?

My Current Book Stack

October 10, 2017

My current book stack is bigger than I thought it would be...

But then, I am actually not too surprised.

I sit down to read at least three times a day.

When I wake up in the morning, I sit down with my Bible and at least two devotionals.

After lunch, I read from at least one book.

Before bed, I sometimes read from one other book.

Right now, I am reading from the following books:

The MacArthur Study Bible - Back in June, I started a 90 Day Bible Reading Plan. Well, it is taking me longer than 90 days to finish this reading plan. Right now, I am in the middle of Isaiah.

Seize the Day with Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Charles Ringma - This one is a quick daily read in the morning with a Dietrich Bonhoeffer quote, a verse of scripture, and a thought based on the quote and the scripture. I started this one back in May. The entries may be short, but they are powerful.

New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp - Just added this one a couple of weeks ago and have been overwhelmed with how timely some of the readings have been.

Daily Acts of Kindness Devotional by Julie Fisk, Kendra Roehl, and Kristin Demery - I received this one from Tyndale House Publishers recently as an advance copy to review. I haven't read through all 365 daily entries, but I do appreciate the suggestions for putting others first each and every day. Our 'me-centered' society could use a good does of daily acts of kindness.

The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children by Stormie Omartian - Now that both of my children have graduated from high school, and I have been wanting to put more time into praying for others, I decided it was a good time to read this book. I haven't completely agreed with everything the author talks about in this book, but she does share some great content on the power of prayer for our children.

The Marvelous Mud House by April Graney - This is a children's book I recently received to preview from April, who is a Compassion sponsor and blogger. She wrote this book based on her family's travels to meet their Compassion sponsored child in Kenya. The book is a great reminder for all of us to be content, and that many of us have much to share with others.

Megan se muda by Jacqueline A. Wolfe - I am currently taking a Spanish class and our assignment this week was to check out a couple of children's books in Spanish so we can read them out loud in our next class.

Daring to Hope by Katie Davis Majors - I am hoping to save this one for my trip next week. As much as I am trying to use my Kindle, I still love to travel with an actual book.

So what books are in your current book stack?