I know that I said I was only going to do 1 Impact Opportunity each month – but I have very good reason for doing this now! 🙂

Christmas is FAST approaching. With Thanksgiving next week stores have already begun posting their Black Friday sales, and their Black Friday Pre-sales and of course there is Small Business Saturday (which I love by the way) and Cyber Monday.

Plenty of opportunity to shop and get some great deals in the coming weeks.

I really like shopping for Christmas presents. I often help my mother-in-law pick out the gifts for our kids. She loves it because she doesn’t have to get out and try to pick something out and we both know the kids will love what they get! Win win.

But for some families this time of year is especially tough. All the ads on TV and in the paper can be a reminder of what they can’t do. Maybe it is a single mother doing her best to just work to pay the bills. Or a single income family with small children that struggle to keep food on the table, much less by the “extras” of Christmas.

There are so many families out there in need. Many of them in our own community.

And it can be easy to push that out of our minds. Yes maybe we buy a gift for the Angel Tree, or Toy for Tots…all great organizations and doing so much for others. Hear me on this – giving in that area IS important and so appreciated.

But this year I really had to ask myself if we were doing enough?

For the past several years we have sponsored a family in our local community. For us we just started by asking at our church if the staff knew of a family that was going to be struggling that Christmas.

I am guessing if you ask you will find there is a need.

Last year we set a budget, one that honestly was a little “safe”. I am not condemning that, just saying that this year it was put on my heart that maybe we needed to trust God and really give.

Dominic and I recently went to Virginia for a little vacation. A first for us really. We spent $700 on plane tickets at at least $300 on food etc….Just on us. It wasn’t a trip of necessity (although much appreciated), it was a splurge because we have been blessed this year.

On our flight home I got the email from our church secretary with the “wish list” for the family I had asked about this year. At the bottom of the list they wrote this...”This is our list but just know that you don’t have to get any of the items on here, we will be thankful to receive whatever God puts in your hearts. Our family is forever grateful for this blessing.”

That hit me like a ton of bricks.

We have so so much. It is embarrassing really. When I look around my house and see the used toys and thrown away food…..compared to so many we are rich and yet we always want more.

I shared the message with Dominic and he felt the same way. We started talking about what items we should get on the list and he said “Let’s just get them all!”

I get goosebumps even thinking about it! I was so excited!!

If we can spend $1000+ on a vacation, we needed to give and give big. This was our opportunity to pay forward all the blessings God has showered on us.

And added bonus, I got to do what I love and start shopping!!

The Fed Ex and UPS men must wonder what is going on with the stream of packages they have delivered this week.  The kids have had fun seeing what is coming and asking who it is for. And we get to show them that we can be a blessing because of God’s provisions.

Please understand this – I don’t want us to take ANY of the credit here!! This is ALL GOD. He made it possible for us to give big this year and I am just getting the pleasure of enjoying this process myself. I am giddy over the packages that are coming as well. Knowing that these gifts may be appreciated more than the gifts our own kids will get, just makes me smile.

I know some of you may be struggling yourself this year. Maybe you are that family in need. If so, I encourage you to reach out to your local church. There just may be someone hoping to find a family to sponsor as well.

And if you are walking in the land of plenty right now I am going to challenge you too. Look at what makes you “comfortable” and pray about God helping you get a little uncomfortable. I guarantee it will be worth it and He gets the glory!!

And with all these amazing sales coming up next week – now is the time to get shopping!! 🙂