10 practical things that have helped me to begin living for the eternal
…though note: i have a faaaaaaaaaar way to go but these have helped me a least make the first step.
1. Having God’s perspective or thoughts
i think it was at the Honor Academy, when i was 18 years old, when i first remember this verse being taught, after that study we did i remember a guy writing verses all over his work jeans so that while he was working he would see and read God’s words – very cool. The verse stuck and since then my houses, cars, and sometimes hands have been covered with God’s words. In fact if you want to see what the biggest thing God is teaching me or sin in the forefront of my mind, all you have to do is walk around my house and read.
On the following post there is a great collection of verses on God’s perspective of money, wealth, what to do with it, etc.… it is not comprehensive list or anything but it is a good start. His words are what have been transforming my heart.
2. Having a Goal
Simplifying for simplifying sake isn’t enough motivation for me. i knew it was an obedience thing for me but i asked God for goal. It has helped. Last year for us it was the water well. $2,500 to build a good one in India. So we went through every room/ closet/box/self and found $2,500 worth of stuff. We sold a lot of our stuff on ebay, craigs, and at our big Proceeds for Poverty sale last June with a lot of other donations from our church.
Fact: 2.2 million children die every year because they do not have access to clean water. Knowing that every penny we sold was going to help a village in desperate need and generations of lives really is motivating and helps you decide quickly what you really could live without.
3. Having a Question
“What could I live without so that someone else can live.” …ask yourself that question and it is a lot easier to get rid of the fluff! i am still asking myself that question. There was a recent fire that destroyed the homes of 280 families in a poor village that we know well in India. When Jonathan told me… I started searching the house thinking of what I really could live without so these families can live and a kitchen island is about to go on Craig’s list this week.
4. Having a Guard
In the bible it says to guard your hearts (Prov. 4:20-23) and your eyes (1 John 2:15-17). Several years ago I turned off the T.V….it wasn’t that easy…I was addicted to a few shows… I knew that it was not teaching me God’s thoughts, in fact it was teaching me thoughts that were opposite of His, I also knew that it was a waste of His time… life is short… and there is a world to change out there.
T.V. makes you not only see God differently but makes you think you need things you really don’t. I started with a 30 fast from it, and then a 40 fast, and then a fast with friends that also wanted to fast T.V… and well now.. it is easier to see that it is a waste and damaging to my brain… and honestly I have no desire for it. Other things got the boot too…..
- Cut off the T.V. and narrowing the movies to pro Jesus/God thoughts too.
- Throw away the pottery barn/ etc. magazines….yes that was hard…but I don’t even care now… however my latest temptation: pinterest.com – I am using it mostly for teaching ideas for the kids… but I do narrow my viewing on that… because well I can easily get sucked in to things like that.
- Band the Mall or any shopping… yes that may seem extreme…but I am a sucker for a “good deal” so if I stay away… they are missing God’s money from my pocket and I am not missing out on anything that I really didn’t need anyway.
You may be able to do all of the above and it not affect your thoughts and what you spend God’s money on but i am not that strong! If i need a gift for someone… mostly I am looking for something that will either meet a basic need (wal-mart) or draw them closer to Him (I can find those online).
5. Having a budget for EVERYTHING
Cash budget really helps us with this… if there is no cash in the envelope… there is no spending. It helps you to consider “do I really want that?” It helps you save more and have more money to give to those who have real desperate needs.
We put our food and other spending all together so that really helps. We have a budget for gift giving too…. because I need one… i like to spend money on others but something has changed in my thoughts recently… why spoil the spoiled when there are so many out there without the basic needs to live… and without the basic need of knowing the God that created them.
We are blessed that we have never been in debt and have stayed away from the temptation of the CCs. We haven’t paid off our house yet but… i am okay with selling it and moving to some other country anyway. When we did look for a home we looked for something well within our means…and I feel so blessed… i feel like we live in a mansion… we have much more room than we really need. i do wish when we were fixing it up I had God’s perspective. Ashamedly i wasted a lot of money on things that really don’t matter.
6. Having a Challenge
It is all about Him, why do i want to live simpler so i can give more away? Because that is HIS heart and He truly is all i need. There is NOTHING good in me… i am selfish, i am greedy, i am materialistic, did i mention i am selfish? He is the one who gave it all for us… and we are still not worthy or even understand that kind of love.
It needs to be for Him and through with a real perspective of what we really need. Friends that challenge me have really helped me get back on course.
I was in China one summer about 10 years ago with 6 young Chinese; they had become believers and went to share God’s love with an unreached people group my church in TX had adopted. Everything they owned was in their back packs.
Before we left for the trip we stopped and picked up a few trinkets for the girls at Target, a journal, a smell good candle, and a necklace. Shortly after arriving and meeting with them we gave them their gifts… they looked really confused… so we thought these must be silly gifts for someone who lives out of their backpacks. So we asked them “what do you need or want? New Shoes, a new backpack… perhaps?”(yeah… dumb question… I see that now) they replied…
I sank heavily into my seat… I really don’t remember what else was said that night. But it was like I had never heard that verse before…the words kept echoing in my head.. i think it hit me so hard because they really believed that… it wasn’t like “well Jesus is all you need, but you do need food to eat, or Jesus is all you need or want but you need or want that new whatever too”
He was and is ENOUGH for them.
i want Him to be ENOUGH for me. i want to know that and live it. Thanks for the reminder my friends where ever you are… i will never forget your faith
7. Having Children
Getting kids involved in the giving is a great way to teach yourself what really matters. We do several things:
GO THROUGH: i share with them and show them pictures/videos of people with a basic need, no food to eat, no home because of the fire, that people are sick because they have no clean water, then i ask them, “What would God want us to do to help?”… “Well we need to sell some things to get money to buy them that food/etc.”… “Would you go through your toys and think of what we could sell” Percentages helps with this too…. “We are going to keep half of your toys and we are going to sell the other half to help these people in desperate need. You chose what we should keep” My kiddos are remarkable about this… they have an easier time of letting go that i do. (P.S. I have the same percentages for me… so i can show them what mommy and daddy are doing)
IN THE LUGGAGE: Before every trip daddy goes on… and as most of you know he goes on a lot… i have the boys pick out a toy to send with daddy to give to a child in need. i ask them to pick something they like, “God wants us to give our best.” And surprisingly a few times i cringed as i saw something i really liked go in the luggage… but what do you say to a willing child with a giving heart. You really can’t ask “are you sure?”
For those who are wondering… they never miss the toys…even when we have showed them pictures of the toys with the children that received them…they were happy little fellows excited that their toys flew all the way to wherever to “help” some child without toys.
(Ugandan girls with their teddy bear)
8. Having Creatively Cheap/Free Ideas
Selling my island means i needed to think of a place for my spices, pots and pans, trash cans and junk drawers…. so i need to find free options that make it feasible. Note below: Diaper Wipe plastic boxes screwed into the back of pantry door, the pots and pans are on top of the fridge, and i really just cleaned up my junk drawers, i put all that random hoop la where it actually belonged.
For the most part i am thinking of everything that way. i am asking others if they have something i can borrow or share instead of buy, i am thinking creatively and simply. i know some people don’t feel comfortable asking others but isn’t that what the body of Christ is supposed to be doing anyway?
Recycling and repurposing things really helps. Some of my recent repurposes.
Painted free finds (desk, chair, little guy table and stool)
Free Pallets turned into a bed/box springs
9. Having Reality before my Eyes
In my kitchen i have posted a picture of an Indian kitchen to remind me of how really RICH and WEALTHY we are and for me to count my blessings and be content.
We have MUCH MUCH more that we need to survive. Seeing reality in pictures, watching movies about the majority of the world, and going and meeting those in great poverty puts a lot into perspective.
This site helps you find out where you rank in wealth in the world… that reality can really help you see things differently… check it out and see where you rank percent wise in the whole world. You will find out that you are among the top 11% of the wealthiest people in the world.
10. Having Conversations with my Maker
Talk to Him about what He wants you to do with His money and ask Him for His heart for the world. He answers prayers. He will draw us closer to Him and His thoughts… He loves us. Admit where you have not been thinking like Him and ask Him to forgive… i do that.. many times… hourly!
Prayer … true talking to God and listening to Him as well… being silent in His presence… reading His words really is my source of joy. True Joy… not just a little happiness. Joy is something that doesn’t depend on your circumstances or stuff… it can only come from Him… He is the source of limitless joy.
He is the only one who can turn us into joyful givers. Only He knows our hearts and our motives for giving. i remember my student pastor, ol’ Steve Witt, after teaching us about this verse and principle asking us to laugh out loud next time we gave in the offering plate at church… all the students did it… until we had the whole congregation laughing… cheerful giving is more fun.
Remember this, a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
God blesses a man who gives cheerfully, but his worthless deeds will come to an end. Proverbs 22:8
