Would you be mine, could you be mine, won't you be my neighbor?

Would you be mine, could you be mine, 

won't you be my neighbor? 

Whether you live in an apartment building, or on a farm, in the suburbs, or in the city, there are people around you. People  like you. People who were created for relationship. Unfortunately, society has scared us into isolating ourselves. Into fearing those around us. This is not the life God wants us to live.

So, this weeks GiveSendGo challenge is to make a new friend- your neighbor.  Find a person that lives in the same general vicinity as you and pay them a visit. Maybe bake them cookies or bring them a candle (I know kind of random but who doesn't like candles?)  Introduce yourself. Be friendly. Have a conversation letting them know that if they need anything - eggs, butter, a listening ear, someone to pray for them, that you will be more than happy to be their neighbor and their friend. I think you will be surprised at the response.  

We hope our GSG Challenges have been encouraging you to step out of your comfort zone and create a new story for your life this New Year. 

Life doesn't have to fly by while you do the same routine over and over. Make it meaningful. Make a difference. 

Give.....Send.....Go  

Visit our fb page to share any stories that you have experienced while creating your 2015 story. 

https://www.facebook.com/Givesendgo

What is your threshold of pain? Take our Quiz!

"When it comes to giving until it hurts, most people have a very low threshold of pain."

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Matthew 6:21

Giving.

We all have heard "it is better to give than receive," and we all probably have even experienced the thrill of giving to someone who least expected it, but would you consider yourself a GIVER? 

Or better yet, would the people that surround you, the ones that know you the best, would they consider you a generous giver? 

Don't worry ... you can ask them. We will wait right here.... 

Ok, so you are back. 

If you are still not sure you can take this 

Giving Quiz :

1. When is the last time you gave something to someone in need? 

2. When is the last time you gave something to someone without expecting anything in return?

3. When is the last time you felt God prompt you to give to someone and you obeyed?

4. Have you ever given to someone above what your financial comfort level would have dictated? 

So, are you feeling uncomfortable yet? Did you have to answer no, or I don't know to some of those questions?  Then this challenge is for you! (actually it is for all of us)

This week's GiveSendGo Challenge:

January 18-25 

This week our challenge is a GIVING challenge. Spend some time praying with your family (include your children, even young ones so they can start to experience the joy of giving) Ask God to show you a need He would like you to fill. Then be obedient, even if it is uncomfortable.  Allow yourself to be stretched into the discomfort zone.  God has placed you where you are and He wants to use you to show who He is to those around you. 

Remember God has given way more abundantly to us than we can imagine, you will not be able to out-give God.  

Let the life changing stories continue!

https://www.facebook.com/Givesendgo

"....Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier."

This weeks GiveSendGo Challenge:

January 11-18  

This week our challenge is spend some time praying for God to put someone in your path this week who needs to hear how much God loves them. Then actually do it! Approach a person you do not know and let them know God loves them.  Step out with courage knowing God wants to use you to spread His love. 

Then come back and share your testimony with us. 

Let the life changing stories continue!

We would love to hear your story. Who have you shared God's incredible love with this week? Write on our FB page and let us celebrate with you what God is doing. 

https://www.facebook.com/Givesendgo

Join in prayer with others , right from you own home

Join in prayer with others , right from you own home

My Mama always told me not to talk to strangers..but today I did.

Soooo here is my really cool testimony. I'll try to make it short. 
I was hanging out with my mom and sister Weslea, we were talking about how important it is for Christians get out of their comfort zone and just tell people how much God loves them. We talked about how we should start telling people..anywhere and everywhere.
I had to leave to go grocery shopping... so we decided that I would try it, just stop some random person at the store and let them know the truth about Jesus and His great love for them. As I was leaving, Weslea said she got a picture, she described a woman and said she had a red hat and said that if I see her, I should tell her how much God loves her.

So I went, very nervous but excited. I prayed for courage the whole way to the store. God kept bringing to mind that I should pray for her son?? Weird, but its what kept coming to mind. I walked in the store. No one with a red hat on..I shopped. Still no one that fit the description. I went through check out..still couldn't see anyone. 
The whole time in my spirit I kept praying that the Lord will give me someone, a lady in a red hat or not. 
I headed to my car..no one. 

As I put my groceries in my car I was staring at all the strangers that passed by. I was wondering who it would be. Finally, after not seeing anyone with a red hat I decided that I would talk to the lady putting her groceries away in the car next to me. With a Godly courage, I went up to her and told her how much God loved her. How He wants relationship with her. How even in her darkest moments, He was with her. She nodded politely and smiled.  I asked if she had a son. Nope. 3 daughters. I continued to let her know how much Christ adored her. ( I mean, even if I was wrong about the person, who doesn't love hearing that God loves them.) 

 Finally, I went to put my cart back in the corral and out of the store walked a woman that fit Weslea's description...exactly! So crazy!!

Here it goes again!
Went up to her, she was a bit surprised. I said  "you know something funny, my sister and I were praying this morning and she got a picture of you. She said if I saw you at the store, I needed to tell you something." She  just stared at me. I said "do you know God loves you so much! He has me here today to tell you how special you to Him. He watches you every second and is absolutely in love with you!" 

Tears rolled down her face. She explained her son (!!!!) just had open heart surgery and had become a Christian. We prayed healing right there for him. I told her to go home and tell him how much God is pleased with him. As she grabbed my hand She cried some more and talked about how this made her day. We talked for a couple minutes more as I just tried to convey how deep her Heavenly Father's love was for her and how He wanted a personal relationship with her. It was amazing. God is so good.
How could I ask my kids and youth group kids to spread Gods love if I wasn't even doing it!!! Here is to 2015 and making a commitment to being available to God to be used. Not just talking but praying and maybe financially giving to whomever we are led to! 
If you want change in your community or nation.... start it yourself. ‪

E. Arvidson
GiveSendGo


This weeks GiveSendGo Challenge:

January 11-18  

This week our challenge is spend some time praying for God to put someone in your path this week who needs to hear how much God loves them. Then actually do it! Approach a person you do not know and let them know God loves them.  Step out with courage knowing God wants to use you to spread His love. 

Then come back and share your testimony with us. 

Let the life changing stories continue!

visit us on our fb page  to find out about our upcoming launch or sign up for our email blast at www.givesendgo.com

Insert interesting title here.....

So it is the end of week one's GSG Challenge. How did it go? Did you choose to speak life and love into any family member's lives? Sometimes those closest to us are the ones the hardest to be kind to.

 

 All over my facebook news feed there are blogs being shared, going viral. The topics trending are , "how to respect/love/ care for/ treat your husband/ wife /children." 

 I  let the headlines draw me in -   I click on it to read and there is usually some great reminders ... but they all say the same thing. 

BE KIND. PUT OTHERS FIRST.

I guarantee that if you do those 2 things your family life will be changed.   Now easier said than done. BUT we hope you did take the challenge and use your words to build up your family and don't let it stop this week. Make this a year of bettering your relationships. Saying I love you, I am sorry, I forgive you. Write a different story for your family .  We know you can do it. 

Our next challenge starts tomorrow , and we promise this next challenge, if you chose to accept it, will leave you with a story that will continue to change the course of your life and someone elses long after the challenge is over.  

See you tomorrow!

And as always invite people on the year of challenges with you. Accountability is always good!
God bless!

https://www.facebook.com/Givesendgo 

Start Your Resolution New Every Morning!

7 days into the New Year.

Have you given up on your Resolutions yet?     

Still going to the gym?

Staying off Facebook?

Eating Healthy? 

All the great things you resolved to do?

I often wonder where my motivation comes from, and why it fades so quickly, almost as fast as it came.  What is driving me?  This year I do not want to have broken resolutions/ motivation.  I want to have a life changing year for both me and the people I come in contact with. 

A couple days ago I saw a clip of someone asking one of the trainers from the show the biggest loser what he thought of people making New Years resolutions. If he liked the idea of resolutions, especially the diet and work out ones,  and I loved his answer.  He said "make daily resolutions".  Simple. Commit to something for one day.  I am going to not complain today.  I am going to walk 10,000 steps today.  I am going to do a random act of kindness today.  Then guess what? If you forget or something happens you don't throw in the towel. You start again in the morning. 

Lamentions 3 says :

22Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

God has compassion on us, and it is new every morning. 

Every Morning it starts fresh. 

Let's have a year of Resolutions that start fresh every morning. 

Join with us on making a unforgettable story this year. Not giving up when we fall down or lose motivation.  Starting fresh and making a difference in the world around us.  

Here is this weeks Challenge. 

Let us know how it goes! We would love to hear how God is using you! 

Week 1 GSG Challenge: January 4-10   

This week starts at home. Each day this week pick one person that is in your family. Have a face to face conversation (if possible) or phone call,  of how much they mean to you and what you appreciate about them. Now there are easy people on your list - and I say definitely speak words of life and love to the 'easy to love ' family in your life. But,  also step out pick the person you might not have the best relationship with, or maybe just someone you aren't normally that "affectionate" with, the person that will be slightly more uncomfortable, and encourage and love on them.  Can you do it?  

I double dog dare you! 

 visit us on our facebook page to see all the news about our upcoming launch www.givesendgo.com

So who's it going to be?

That's right, We double dog dared you. 

What are you going to do about it?

Have you decided to take us up on the challenge?  

Have you started making the list of who you are going to talk to and encourage this week? 

 Share  this challenge with your family,  neighbors, your Facebook friends , your small group. 

Choose to make some big steps and tell a great story this year! 

Starting on Sunday Jan 4th here is your first challenge.

Week 1 GSG Challenge: January 4-10  

 

This week starts at home. Each day this week pick one person that is in your family. Have a face to face conversation (if possible) or phone call,  of how much they mean to you and what you appreciate about them. Now there are easy people on your list - and I say definitely speak words of life and love to the 'easy to love ' family in your life. But,  also step out pick the person you might not have the best relationship with, or maybe just someone you aren't normally that "affectionate" with, the person that will be slightly more uncomfortable, and encourage and love on them.  Can you do it?  

I double dog dare you! 

I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU!!

It's 2015. Can you believe it?  Another year gone.  So what was your best adventure of 2014?  Anything stick out to you?  I have a couple highlights of the year , but most of it went by in a blur. Week by week, helping with homework, driving to sports practices, cleaning the house, holiday after holiday, making dinner, cleaning up after dinner, and the laundry, need I say more. Most of my year just flew by, It feels like I just blinked and it was over. 

I don't want that to happen again. Oh yes, I know I will still have homework, sports, cleaning etc, but I don't want to end 2015 wondering what difference did I make, if any at all.  On our  GiveSendGo facebook page we recently posted a picture we found, this image got the most views/ likes/ shares we have had in a while, What did it say? 

 So I am thinking you might be feeling the same way. 

So what are we going to do about it? We are going to dare you to make a great story this year. To step out each week and put yourself in the place of having an adventure. Sound scary?... it does, but we will be doing it right along side of you. We will be asking you to join us in a challenge each week then come back and let us know how your story went.  At the end of the year you will have 52 stories that will have changed your life and hopefully the lives of the people around you. 

Post your  weekly story on our fb page https://www.facebook.com/Givesendgo or come back to our blog and write it in a comment. Encourage others to do the same.  If you miss a week or don't catch this post for a few week , no worries, just jump in where you are. 

So here we go. 

Week 1 GSG Challenge: January 4-10   

This week starts at home. Each day this week pick one person that is in your family. Have a face to face conversation (if possible) or phone call,  of how much they mean to you and what you appreciate about them. Now there are easy people on your list - and I say definitely speak words of life and love to the 'easy to love ' family in your life. But,  also step out pick the person you might not have the best relationship with, or maybe just someone you aren't normally that "affectionate" with, the person that will be slightly more uncomfortable, and encourage and love on them.  Can you do it?  

I double dog dare you!