Welcome to the last day of September and the first day of October, sweet sunshine! I am super excited to begin this challenge together!
In case you missed it, last week I was inspired from Jen Hatmaker’s book, 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, to rally Shine followers in our own “7” challenge. This is a mindful and intentional way of employing different practices to enhance our spiritual, physical, professional, emotional, and social wellbeing.
We’re not committing to seven months, or even seven weeks, rather a new and exciting challenge seven days at a time!
It’s quite simple actually.
As a Shine email subscriber, you’ll receive an email every Sunday evening throughout the month of October that outlines the upcoming week’s challenge. After reading and praying about how God wants to use you to complete this challenge, all that you have to do is find ways to do it!
Simple, right?! (It’s rhetorical.)
Right!
So let’s get started….
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So here we are–week one! To start the challenge off, this week we will focus on nurturing our spiritual selves by committing to an act of kindness everyday! Think RAKE–Random Acts of Kindness Everyday! And perhaps for some of you northerners, you might think rake, literally–and go and rake someone’s yard! 🙂
The sky’s the limit to what you can do, sunshine.
- Send a card of gratitude to a veteran.
- Make a homemade meal for a new mom.
- Drop a Starbucks gift card in the mail to a 20-something-college student.
- Return lone carts from the supermarket parking lot to the corral.
- Leave a note with a big tip for your server.
- Write an email to someone on your church staff to thank them for their hours of commitment.
- Bring cookies for your custodial staff at work.
While some of these are very deliberate and perhaps labor-intensive, you can do something as simple as hold the door open for the next person at church or ask the sales clerk about his day. Heck, smile at someone and tell them you like their shoes! All of these ideas and more are part of our week of random acts of kindness!
These are just a few to get you started, but as always, I’d love to hear what you’re planning. And I encourage you to slow down for a minute and pray about who God wants you to bless this week and how. What would really demonstrate His love to someone in need, not just be a check-it-off-my-challenge-list-item?
And if you’re able to see the fruits of your kindness, I’d love to hear how others responded to your thoughtfulness!
Now go, sunshine.
Be intentional.
Ready, set, RAKE! |
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“We love because he first loved us.”
1 John 4:19
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience”
Col 3:12
“Preach the Gospel at all times.
When necessary, use words.”
St. Francis of Assisi |
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