We're eating lots of simple food, hitting Starbucks for our dinner date instead of a restaurant (and even then just buying a tall tea instead of a grande hot chocolate) and having friends pitch-in for lunch at our house on Sundays instead of going out to eat.
We're skimping on household supplies, home improvement is suspended for the month, our milk delivery and Netflix are on hold. No clothes purchases for the month, no miscelaneous/fun spending money.
This isn't an exercise in budgeting, it's about sacrificial giving.
It was surprising at how easy it was to say "I don't have anything to give" or "I don't have any expenses I can cut back on."
It ought not take long to see the sin in that. Has God not provided for our needs? Has God not commanded us to be generous? I was able to give money to church, even if it was only $1/week when I was in college and unemployed. How selfish is it to believe that God hasn't provided enough to me for me to be obedient to the command of generosity?
So, in addition to helping people by sacrificing this month, hopefully it will help us get away from believing the lie that we have nothing to give, and that we can't trust God so we have to hoard everything he gives us.
... hopefully it will help us get away from believing the lie that we have nothing to give, and that we can't trust God so we have to hoard everything he gives us.
I've been trying to say something about that, but can't get my words to cooperate. It's late, here, and my brain is shutting down. But I like what you've said here. 1. We always have something to give and 2. This issue is usually about trust as much as its about sacrifice.
ugh. make "its" "it's". good grief. I'm going to bed.
Jon, this is amazing. I love that you guys are doing this! I'm excited to hear how the month goes.