Tomorrow I’m kicking off the first day of a twelve day series we’re calling “Twelve Causes for Christmas.” Wait! Before you run away singing “lalalalalaaaaa” with fingers in your ears — give me a listen.
First, we’re not writing to pile on guilt and manipulate you into supporting any specific cause. I’ve learned that the Holy Spirit doesn’t need my help telling you how to obey God’s commands to help the helpless. I just tell the stories because hearing them can help us find a cause that sings in our soul and burns in our bellies.
I didn’t know that my passion would be children with special needs until I had one of my own. I didn’t know I could love the homeless until I met Angela and, through her stories, the homeless of Portland, Oregon (more on that tomorrow).
For the next twelve days, we’re just going tell stories. We hope that you’ll read them, pray for the people you meet through them, and ask God to guide you to a charity that fits you (if He hasn’t already). We all can’t do everything. But we can do something.
Second, we want to combat the perception in North America that organizations compete with one another. As a blogger with World Vision, I was shocked to learn that people sense an odd undercurrent of competition between Compassion International and World Vision. I am amazed because nothing could be further from the truth. I saw myself the camaraderie and partnership between these organizations and with others – they work together to relieve suffering around the world. The truth is that we’re all on the same team – it just isn’t common knowledge… yet.
The bloggers participating in The Twelve Causes for Christmas are not content with this situation. We refuse to shake our heads and shrug. We are going to be the change we want to see, telling the stories of multiple organizations working on the same cause (like child sponsorship) on the same day. We will highlight all the ways they work together where we can.
Here’s the schedule for the twelve causes of Christmas (we actually have a baker’s dozen. Score!). Would you be willing to help by reading and sharing the posts and by adding your stories in the comments?
Also, if you are passionate about a charity that fits into one of these causes and would like to join in, write a post and add it to the blog-hop below. Be sure to click “get the code here” to add the blog hop linky to the bottom of your post.
- 11/25: Homelessness – www.joyinthisjourney.com
- 11/26 Sanctity of life/abortion – www.elizabethesther.com
- 11/27: Micro-loans/extreme poverty – www.alise-write.com, www.bibledude.net?
- 11/28: Foster care – canvaschild.blogspot.com, www.thetinytwig.com, www.sarahmarkley.com
- 11/29: Women’s issues/freedom – www.thepilotswifeblog.com, www.emergingmummy.com
- 11/30: Child sponsorship – sethhaines.wordpress.com, countingmyblessings.typepad.com, reflectionsofaprincess.com
- 12/1: Human/sex trafficking – www.sarahaskins.com, www.sortacrunchy.net
- 12/2: Justice/human rights – www.theoutdoorwife.com
- 12/3: Adoption – www.eloranicole.com
- 12/4: Disaster relief – turquoisegates.blogspot.com
- 12/5: Famine relief – www.ashleighbaker.net
- 12/6: Clean/safe water – www.seeprestonblog.com
- 12/7: Christian missions – www.ordinarilyextraordinary.com
***
Sponsor a child through World Vision
Sign up here to get Joy in This Journey posts in your email for free
Available for RSS readers and email
Thanks so much for hosting this, Joy! So happy to be a part of it, both to share about a cause that is close to my heart and to learn more about others’ favorites.
Alise recently posted..The Kid’s Table
I woke up this morning and found a new tweep, and had to come over and visit her joy filled blog – and YAY! I LOVE the spirit in this blog! And I love the concept in the 12 causes….but then I screwed up and added my blog to the charity list. #massive facepalm. I got so excited at the blog hop….dangit. How do I take my blog off?
All fixed! If you go here, http://joyinthisjourney.com/2011/11/23/, you’ll find the linky for life:unmasked. Also, make sure you add the URL to the actual post, not the main site URL. So glad to see you here!
Joy recently posted..Radical Love for the Homeless: Knowing Me Ministries
Hi Joy! Nice to meet you. Brandee Shafer sent me over here after she saw that I had posted on Hookers For Jesus last night. I guess she thought that fit in. This is a great idea that you have here. I’m looking forward to reading all of the posts. And as a Compassion Intl. sponsor, I am so glad to be working with you to change the world. Merry Christmas!
Carolyn Counterman recently posted..A Doll and a PSA