Day 20

   Do you have a phone? Do you want a new one? Do you have an ipod? Do you want a new one? Do you want the newest trend or electronic or game or gadget?
   Do you have one already?
   The world wants you to want. It wants you to do what you feel. It wants you to never be content. It wants you to give in to temtations.
   I'm not saying its bad to want, it's bad to want to the point where you feel like you need it, when it becomes an idol. If you want something, but realize you don't need it, and are fine without it, are content, and put God above it all, its okay.
   But that's a hard place to get to, if you ask most people if they are content, they'd probably say no. Some might say they don't know. Hows about you?
   What I find amazing is that, if you've ever heard a story about the Christians in Africa, or seen a clip about it, the people who go meet them are amazed at how content, how thankful they are. They, who have little to nothing, are content. Why? They have Jesus. And you can see it. They dance and sing and smile and show God's love.
   What a contrast to the celebreties, the rich, the people who turn to drugs, and everyone else in places of plenty.
   Imagine what we could do, the things we could accomplish, if we took that money to buy that phone or ipad or dress or hat or whatever it is that you want right now, and gave it away. Used it to build wells in Africa, buy clothes for the homeless, support missionaries, provide medicine for the sick. Just think, how much is this thing, what else could this money do. Look it up, maybe, or add up how much those things would cost and try to think how many $10 Bibles it could buy. Think of the power that money has to help someone else, how it could change tons of lives, or maybe just one.
   There are things I want, like a gecko and a pool, but those can wait. I don't need them. I need to help. So that's what I'm going to do. How's about you?
                                                                                          -T

Day 19

     Friends are people you enjoy spending time with. They influence you and encourage you. But are they encouraging you to do the right things?
     Though they might be fun to be around, if they aren't encouraging you to grow in you faith with the Lord, they're not helping you at all. If you surround yourself with friends encouraging you to go down the wrong path, you will begin to drift away from God, no matter how persistent you think you may be. That doesn't mean you need to cut off your other friends completely, just make sure you have some friends who guide you the right way. Who is holding you back from your spiritual potential?
-N

Update: A friend of mine, K, recently donated $10 to the Sudans. We are now up to $51! Thanks K!


     Have you ever thought of the ways we could change the world if everyone, or at least every Christian, tried? Have you ever wondered how you can help? N and I have wanted to change the world for a while, we've wanted to do something about the problems, but we didn't know how, or what, we could do. We would get into these intense conversations about it. The conversation would last a while, and it was hard to drop once it was started. It came up multiple times. We knew we wanted to do something big, like with Kony or building wells, a lot of Africa stuff. We would write down ideas, speeches, even logos, but always felt like we weren't doing anything. It was hard to get anything going, ideas changed, and we knew it would be hard getting support considering that we're "just" teens, early teens at that. We wanted sooo badly to do something, but nothing seemed to spark. Finally, something started catching fire. N and I were making jewelry in my room to raise money for African charities. Read the rest of that on the second post on Day 15.
     The flames have only grown. We've raised $51 for helping the Sudans, and we know that more is to come. Sometimes, I can hardly believe 2 teens raised $51 in less than a month, mostly off jewelry and donations. Only God can do that, and it makes me so excited!
     You can help. It doesn't have to be the Sudans, it might be, but it doesn't have to be through us. God can do anything, use anyone. Even a "kid". We are the next generation, the future of the world is in our hands!(to some extent, but God controls it all) So what will you do with it? We have the power to make things happen, good or bad, for better or for worse. Will you act now, or wait a while, which can turn into a long time? Will you do something, big or small, or nothing? Will you reach out, or take away? Will you help others, or make others help you? We can do anything! We are the children of God! But it's still your decision. What will you decide?
     I've made my decision, but it's not all up to me (though I'll admit, many times I wish it was). You have a choice. So, will you do something about it, or sit back and let God do all the work? He doesn't need our help, He made the universe! But you'll be missing out on something amazing. And I don't know about you, but I'm not missing a thing. down
                                                                                                  -T
   
Another Update: We're now up to $53 because I bought some earrings today. They were just so adorable, I couldn't resist! And it brought up the thought of more money going to Africa, so how can you say no to that?
-N

Day 18

    Have you ever noticed that one person who sits alone at lunch? That one person who cringes when a teacher instructs everyone to get into partners? When partner work is suggested, they are the ones looking down at the floor while everyone else is looking around.
     I have made it my personal goal to try to include people who are typically not included. These people are usually not bad people, they're just a bit shy. All they need is for someone to actually pay attention to them, and they will make friends easily. So many personalities go unrecognized just because they're not loud and sarcastic. Maybe they're really sweet, or have a fun sense of humor. You'll never know until you invest time and effort into forming a relationship. Next time you see someone sitting alone, I challenge you to go over and talk to them. All they need is a chance.
-N

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Day 17

   This morning, did you get out of a comfortable bed, change into fresh, clean clothes of which you have more of in your closet? Did you take a shower, eat breakfast, have a drink, probably something other than water, and throw away the leftovers? Did you take a lunch and a drink to the bus stop, or wherever you go to get to school, open it and wish you had something else? Or maybe you were "starving" when you got to lunch. Did you expect anything less?
   This morning, a child in Africa got up from where they slept on the ground, didn't change clothes, didn't have a good breakfast if they had one at all, didn't have anything to drink other than dirty water they probably had to walk miles to get, and if they had breakfast, it was probably someone's thrown away left overs. They certainly didn't have the luxury of a shower, probably didn't know when or where lunch is if they get one that day, didn't get to go to school, would be overjoyed at brussel sprouts and carrot sticks and clean water, and really is starving. And they hardly expect anything more, and many are so thankful for one square meal a day.
  And the Christians there thanked God for everything they were given.
  Everything they were given.
  Did you do that? Did you, with everything you were blessed with, thank God for everything you were given?
  I'm guilty of it, too. We all are, really. It's how our culture is and wants us to be. Our culture wants us to forget to be thankful, forget about the suffering people, and instead to be greedy and to want. And want, and want, and want. And so does the devil.
  I believe God blesses people so they can bless others, be a blessing to others. That's what He wants. So we should do our best to do just that. Be a blessing to others, bless them with your time or money, or in any other means you can!
  N and I have now raised $31 thanks to my piano teacher, who donated $15. We want to bless others, and are doing are best to be faithful to what God is calling us to do. Why don't you try to be a blessing to others today?

                                                                                            -T
Quick Update:
We are now up to $41 dollars thanks to a friend's Grandma donating $10. If you're reading this, thanks a lot!
-N

Day 16

     I sponsor a four year old girl named Salimata through Compassion and I am repeatedly
blessed with her letters. She lives in Burkina Faso, Africa. I recently recieved a letter from her that wished me a happy birthday and thanked me for the birthday gifts I sent to her. She also added the sweetest thing I have ever heard, "May God bless your fish". I couldn't stop smiling as I read the rest of the letter. In a letter I had written to her, I had mentioned my fish. I never knew she would pay that much attention to that little detail. She also shared with me that her father had gotten saved, implying that it was because of my sponsorship. Then, she said one innocent thing that sounded very sad to me. She said, "Please pray for my family to get rid of poverty!".
     It just breaks my heart that this sweet, little girl who blesses my fish would have to worry about her family's financial condition. She's four years old and she can already recognize that her family is in poverty. Little things like this are what drives me to raise money for Africa. They need our help, and I am determined to give it to them.
-N

Day 15: Sudan and South Sudan

     After the jewelry sale yesterday, T and I were looking into what African charity we should give the money to. We were thinking of Samaritan's Purse, because it works in Africa, but we weren't completely sure. When I came home, I found a letter from Samaritan's Purse waiting in my mailbox. It was a clear sign that this was the charity to give the money to.
     The letter explained about how South Sudan recently declared it's independence from Sudan and that they are on the brink of war. In fact, Sudan's President, Omar al-Bashir, has threatened to topple the government of South Sudan. Sudan's Air Force bombers often pass over South Sudan, not dropping any bombs, but just warning the people of South Sudan. There is nothing that the people can do to stop them. The President of South Sudan, President Kiir, is trying to avoid war to the best of his ability.
     The people in Sudan are not any better off than the people of South Sudan. Their villages are being destroyed, and nearly everywhere there are hastily dug graves. A lot of the people were hiding among rocks and caves, eating whatever they can to survive. These meals often include insects, grub worms, tree bark, and roots. Most of the children are weak with distended bellies and reddish hair from severe malnutrition. Can you imagine being so sick that it affects the color of your hair?
     Samaritan's Purse has been providing emergency relief for refugees who have fled to two camps in South Sudan, feed 120,000 people and provide life-saving therepeutic nutrition for malnourished infants and young children. They also assist in furnishing medical care, clean water, sanitation, shelters, and other aid.
     T and I have decided to raise money and awareness about the people suffering in Sudan and South Sudan. We understand that the more money we raise, the more lives we save and possibly change forever. If you look in the top right corner of your screen, you'll see a little box that shows are goal for how much money we would like to make, and how much we have so far. We have also added a page specifically for this issue.
-N



     N and I feel really strongly that this is something God is leading us to do. We have had some pretty cool experiences concerning it in the past few days. Yesterday morning, N had spent the night, and we were making jewelry in hopes of selling it to raise money for African charities, we didn't know which one, and going to give 50% of sales toward one or two. N kept saying we needed a yard sale, and moments later, my mom opened the door and said that today, our subdivision was having a yard sale and suggested we look around. There it was, an opportunity from God, and He might as well have said, "go sell jewelry at the sale, I want you to support Africa". N and I got soooo excited, we made more items to sell and got ready. We made $32 total, $16 for Africa, and were probably going to divide it between a few charities, but later that day, God spoke again. Today at church, I saw N, as always, and she told me what had happenned. She had gone to check the mail. In the mailbox was a pamphlet from Samaritan's Purse talking about the crisis in Sudan and South Sudan. God told her that that was the charity, and when I read the pamphlet, I knew it too. No one was doing worship, so we decided to ask if we could announce that we are raising money to help in the Sudans. The teachers said yes, so in 2 weeks we will collect money for this charity. Later, a bit after church, N called with big news. For every hundred dollars we raised, her dad would match it up to $300! We are both soo excited about what God has called us to do, because we know life is precious, and we might get to help save some.
    You can too. Look into it on the website. Help save a life, change the world with baby steps.

                                                                                                                                 -T

Day 14

I slept over at T's house last night, and we were brainstorming ways to raise money for some African charities. We talked about it for about two or three hours. Eventually, we both kept coming back to the idea of selling hand-made items at a yard sale. When we woke up the next morning, T's mom announced that everyone in the neighborhood was having a yard sale. I couldn't believe my ears.
     I had to pause for a moment just to admire how truly powerful and wonderful God is. This was obviously not a coincidence. We quickly jumped out of bed, and got started making some jewelry. About an hour later, we had made rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. We went outside into the front yard and set up our table, including a charity donation jar, and a sign that announced that 50% of the money would be going to charity. We had lots of fun setting up the yard sale, and it was for a worthy cause. We will definitely do this again.
-N


(Pictures coming soon.)