Christmas Gifts x2

Before you do all your Christmas shopping, think about this.

The last few years I've tried to spend a little less on gifts for my family & use the rest of what I would've spent to give a gift to someone else...someone who probably lives on the other side of the world & has a Christmas morning very different from the one that takes place at my house.

I like to pick something that is relevant to the lives of my family members & give money to that cause in their names.

I've done this through several organizations...Heifer International, Compassion, World Vision, & Samaritan's Purse. 

The last several years I've chosen Samaritan's Purse.  It is my favorite organization & the best for me to give to at Christmastime.  There is no set amount for each cause, so you can give whatever amount you have to give.

Example 1: My brother is probably going to Haiti for Spring Break this year.  And he's a sports fanatic.  Perfect cause to give to for him: "sports gear, equipping Christian workers to tell young people how to gain real victory in Jesus."  Ok, now that I look again, it actually doesn't say that it goes to Haiti, but I thought I read that, so in my head it does.

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Example 2: My dad bikes.  Perfect cause: "Remote villages untouched by the Gospel might never hear of Jesus if not for faithful believers who pedal bicycles, putter on motorbikes, or bounce along in trucks over miles of rugged trails."   

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So before you use up your budget allotted for Christmas gifts, consider a gift that you can give that will benefit another person, & ultimately, the Kingdom of God.