What I Have Been Reading

This year, I decided to tackle some of the books that I have acquired and haven't read yet. The hard thing is, that I am continually seeing new books coming out that I also want to read. For someone who loves books and reading, this is a constant struggle for me. I thought about not adding any new books to my stack of books to be read this year, but that would be like not eating...ever!

At the beginning of the year, I did make a list of thirteen physical books that I own, and sixteen books on my Kindle that I have set a goal to read. To date, I have finished reading seven books on that list, as well as a couple of books I borrowed from the library and five new books I purchased this year. 

I really wanted to work my way through some of the books on my Kindle this year. I kind of forget that they are there, which is why I made the list. Many of those books I downloaded for free or was able to purchase for just a couple of dollars. But when I feel like reading, my Kindle is usually the last thing I pick up for reading. So far, I have stopped reading two books on my Kindle from my list this year. I think I got a little too crazy with downloading some of those free books to my Kindle when they have been available.

What I Have Been Reading

When I am traveling, I still like to bring a physical book. There is something about holding a book, actually turning the pages. And if it is a non-fiction book, I love to be able to underline passages that I want to slow down and read over again.

One book that I read recently that I just absolutely loved is 'Love Lives Here' by Maria Goff. Some things I underlined in this book:

  • "God stretches each of our lives before us like a canvas. He hand us the brushes and the paint and asks us to make our lives look like our unique version of His love. Pick your own colors, not someone else's. He only creates originals, not copies, and expects no less from us."
  • " We all don't need to do big things, but we can do equally important small things."
  • "We're not our platforms or our positions, we're His people."
  • "The lessons we're learning never really end because all of us are still growing, changing, and becoming better versions of ourselves."

The tag line for this book is: 'Finding what you need in a world telling you what you want'

Don't you just wish we had all the time in the world to listen to His voice instead of what the world is telling us?

What have you been reading lately?

All About Me

Are you a new Compassion sponsor? Or have you added a new sponsored child to your family?

One of the first letters we receive from our Compassion sponsored children is an "All About Me" page where they share some of their favorite things. I loved receiving Emerson's first letter this past week. Emerson is our newest Compassion child. We added him to our Compassion family when I was in El Salvador in February. I didn't have a chance to meet him while I was there, but I am looking forward to getting to know him through letter writing.

Emerson from El Salvador

In his letter he shared that his favorite game is soccer, his favorite food is beef and chicken, and his favorite color is blue.

So I thought, what if I create a page sharing some of my favorite things to send to him?

Using Canva, I created this page to send to Emerson:

All About Me page

The page was fairly easy to create. I chose a background and selected a color that I liked. Then I started adding boxes and changed the opacity so the boxes ended up being a light blue. Next, I added photos and text to the boxes with some of my favorite things. Then I saved the creation as a jpeg which makes it easy to add to an online Compassion letter.

When you write a letter or send a card to your sponsored child, you can upload a full page 'photo' like this to your letter or card. 

Our sponsored children want to know more about us and what are lives are like where we live. I sure hope Emerson enjoys learning some of these things about me.

What have you shared with your sponsored child lately?

Sending Hope

You have been thinking about your Compassion child.

It has been a while since you received your last letter...and it has been quite a few months since you wrote your last letter.

You know you should write, but sometimes you just are not sure what to write.

Corresponding with a child growing up in extreme poverty is not like sending a text to a family member.

Corresponding with a child growing up in extreme poverty is not like commenting on a friend's Facebook post.

Corresponding with a child growing up in extreme poverty is not for what I get out of it.

Corresponding with a child growing up in extreme poverty is hard to do.

But corresponding with a child growing up in extreme poverty is an important part of building a relationship with that child.

When you find yourself at a loss for words when writing to your sponsored child, remember that all we really need to do is send them encouraging words.

Share a Bible verse.

Send a photo.

Click on this link to add this verse image to your next letter

Click on this link to add this verse image to your next letter

Tell the child that you love them.

Tell the child that God loves them.

It really is this simple to send hope.

What will you write in your next letter?

Will you say 'yes'?

Currently, on Compassion's website, there are 54,564 children waiting for a sponsor. That number is double the population of the town I live in. It is hard to even imagine that many children waiting for a sponsor.

Yes, I do share about Compassion...a lot!

But as many of you know, I have seen firsthand how amazing this organization is!

The work they are doing through the local churches in 25 countries is helping to make a difference in the lives of many children and their families.

But today, there are still children waiting...

Will you say 'yes'?

Today, there are children in Togo and Ghana who have been waiting over 6 months for a sponsor.

Will you say 'yes'?

Today, there are children who are celebrating another birthday, wondering when someone will decide to choose them.

Will you say 'yes'?

Today, there are young adults who are nearing their completion date and just want to finish well.

Will you say 'yes'?

Today, you can choose to give your heart away and say 'yes'! You can choose to invest in the live of a child growing up in extreme poverty. You can choose to pray for this child, encourage this child, and give hope to this child.

Will you say 'yes'?

Act for Compassion

Click here to sponsor a child today!

The Impact of Our Words

I have mentioned before, that when we first became sponsors with Compassion, we really didn't understand the importance of letter writing to our sponsored child.

It wasn't until our first child's family moved away, and we chose another child, that we made more of an effort at writing letters on a regular basis.

We followed the suggestions, shared some of our favorite things, talked about the seasons, added a Bible verse, attached a photo or two, and sent some encouraging words.

But it wasn't until I met Lina on my Compassion sponsor trip to Colombia that I learned about the impact of our words.

When I learned that my letters to Lina made a positive impact, how could I not want to continue to do this?

Sponsoring a Compassion child and writing letters seems like such a small sacrifice.

But the impact is much bigger than I may ever know.

Compassion children in Mexico

So many Compassion kids are learning about Jesus, because lots of people have decided to spend $38 a month on a child living in extreme poverty.

So many Compassion kids are staying out of gangs, because lots of people are sending letters with Bible verses to these kids.

So many Compassion kids are making a difference in their communities, because the impact of our words are making a difference to these kids.