As a cold front seems to have hit most of the East Coast my fb news feed is all talk of weather. Pictures of weather forecasts, thermometers, and memes about being cold. Talk of weather forecasters and how well they do their jobs. Will there be snow? How much? When?
Yes, it is freezing in a lot of the country. There are also a lot of people that do not have shelter, warm clothes or warm food for their bellies. Let’s keep our eyes open for those we can help as we go through our day. Those we can buy a jacket or hat and gloves for. Maybe get some blankets and leave them with a homeless shelter. Talk to your family about what random acts of kindness you can be a part of . Yes, it’s nice to buy the guy behind us a coffee at Dunkin’s it can make someone’s day, but they are in a car, getting ready to buy a coffee they can afford. Today let’s clean out our closets, grab some our extra socks, blankets, jackets and get to work.
If you want to do even more -start a campaign on GiveSendGo and raise money for your local shelters or to go and buy supplies to hand out. Make it a family, work or neighborhood project. Together we can make a difference. Together we can share hope.
Are you or someone you care about experiencing a life crisis? Perhaps a Christian
crowdfunding campaign could ease some of your stress. Although every day brings new challenges, there are times in each of our lives that could better be described as a crisis.
Oxford Dictionaries describes a crisis as “a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger…”
Are you feeling down and out right now? Do you feel like you need help? Here are some things to consider as you navigate a stretch of troubled waters and are thinking about Christian crowdfunding.
Should I Start a Christian Crowdfunding Campaign?
Crowdfunding is still relatively new. There are people in your circles who won’t be able to give you a solid answer to that question. Hopefully, you’ll have a few friends, coworkers or neighbors who offer input. Some may suggest you start a campaign without ever asking them. This is a good sign that you should consider a campaign. You can also ask the opinion of others if they don’t speak up. There’s a wide range of things you may need financial help with. Grief counseling, funeral expenses, a major vehicle repair and medical bills are just a few possibilities. Beware of the “No-Help Philosophy” There is a philosophy floating around out there that doesn’t reflect the heart of God.
It goes something like this:
“Never ask for help. You need to take care of your own problems yourself.”
The free gift of salvation God offers from our sin shouldn’t be accepted if that philosophy is fully applied. After all, salvation is all about God helping us out of a crisis
that we couldn’t get out of alone. Should we all be careful not to scam a system? To ask for help when we really don’t need it? Absolutely. But we must be equally careful not to reject a form of relief from intense trouble God provides.
Not only are there spiritual lessons for the one receiving the gift. There are lessons forthe giver. Life has a way of reversing roles, too. It’s quite possible that the roles of the helper and the helped will be reversed and it could be sooner than later. God grows us and tests us in both scenarios.
Pray For Discernment
God provides wisdom and answers through others around us. But to stop there would be shortsighted. Ask God for wisdom, peace and discernment about whether to start a campaign. God’s answer for everyone is a little different. It may be that others are suggesting that you start a campaign but you don’t have peace about that decision. Persistently pray for an answer. You may fear others won’t care about your crisis because it seems petty next to the extreme examples in the news. Again, ask God for wisdom. No need that God’s children have is petty in his sight. Remember, He cares for the sparrow. Certainly, your troubles are near to his heart. And He will provide a way out and relief at the proper time. Some of his help may come through Christian crowdfunding. It’s worthy of consideration as you walk a difficult road for a season.
A Final Thought
Although financial giving can be a huge help during trouble, it doesn’t heal grief. Nor does it provide the right perspective when things feel like they’re unraveling. That’s why GiveSendGo believes so strongly in prayer. May God bless you and your family during this hard time!
