Wow – this speaks volumes! I’d pin it, but I don’t pin. I’d tweet it, but I don’t tweet. I’m not sure what I can do with it – maybe just link to it from my blog!
I have been reading your blog for sometime…never commented but this post was a wow…I am glad we are not an average family…however..we did choose a child to sponser yesterday..so excited…I have been following your trips this year and finally just couldn’t justify not sponsoring someone any longer…thanks for the push and I am enjoying all the pictures and blogs on Tanzania.
Pinned-and it looks great!
We started sponsoring our child from Haiti last year. $38 a month-small beans to us in the grand scheme of things. Thanks, Shaun, for your faithfulness.
I like the graphic (especially the “loopy” font…I noticed it on your pics the other day, too!) and it makes the point about how little it really costs to do a lot of good and speaks of priorities in spending and what is truly necessary or can be given up/sacrificed.
I can honestly say that I am not average. I don’t even have cell phone service (just an old iPhone that has been reduced to an iPod touch). But, I wanted to say that not spending money on these things or not having these things can become a point of pride for me and cause me to judge others who do. Does anyone else struggle with this?
When I first saw the ‘are you average’ it was a sting because frankly we couldn’t afford to do the things listed above. This only stings when I compare us to other people, to ‘the world’. It never happens when I look at God and his wonderful gifts.
And yes, I have friends who drive a flashy BMW and live in a huge house, wear designer clothes and all that. First I think I was slightly jealous (they must earn several times our household income), then I was proud, thinking how we always try to give even though we have far less. It has taken me a while to realise my sin of pride (and self-righteousness) is just as bad, if not worse, than any sin of theirs (greed?).
The question then is how do we communicate, without judging, that there’s a difference between want and need and that as Christians, once the needs of our own family are met, we have to meet the needs of the most vulnerable?
You are correct. I recently got our cable bill down by about $40 a month just by one phone call. So I’m using that money to now sponsor Beatrice in TZ, I just completed the registration online and submitted it. Thanks for everyone’s hard work this week to rescue children from poverty in Jesus name.
Amen! It’s amazing how so many people work work work because they need more money…for more ‘stuff’, when across the country a mother feeds her children mud pies to ease their hunger pangs. Thank you for posting this friendly reminder of what poor stewards we can be.
I only bought two pairs of shoes last year and own 4 pairs total, 2 of which have seen better days.
We don’t buy soda in our house and drink it only at special occassions.
We don’t believe in paying for tv with all the garbage on it, so we watch netflix movies, which still cost money, but a lot less than a cable bill AND it cuts out a lotta junk.
AND we sponsor two Compassion International kids, one in Burkina Faso and one in Columbia.
I’d say I’m not average, having spent in the past year or two only $1.50 on any of the above items (I obought some gingerale when I was sick… haven’t spent money on cable or shoes though in much longer haha) BUT I’m not American either… Anyway, I’d much rather have another sponser child than any of these things. This is a great post and I hope people realise how easy it is to cut back if they are spending that much.
I am proud to say I am not average since I don’t have cable (or internet actually), don’t drink soft drinks, and only have eight pairs of shoes (I think). But then again, I’m also a recent-grad…
I can’t put into the words the experience of sponsoring a child and watching them grow up and age-out of the program. Today I found a little girl with the same birthday as my own little girl. I’m so excited to teach this aspect of giving to my daughter. My prayer is that when she’s 18, we can travel to meet her “twin.”
I’m a single mom and things get tough sometimes. But things like this really put it into perspective. Thank you for reminding me that we are still abundantly blessed with more than we need.
Michelle ~ Blogging from the Boonies says:
Wow. Spot on. This is a must share. Thank you!
Shaun Groves says:
Thank you, Michelle! I added a Pin It button beneath…in case, you know, you want to Pin It. ; )
Michelle ~ Blogging from the Boonies says:
I just joined Pinterest last week after a lot of foot dragging. So, I shall pin!
Teena says:
I am sharing too! Not sure how to do the Pinterest.. just joined Instragram…. loving the Compassion pics on there too.. from Keely!
Thank you for sharing!
grace~
Patricia says:
Love it! Great posts today!
Amy says:
Sometimes it bugs me that I am not average… in this case, it’s okay though.
Zoë says:
That’s exactly what I was thinking!
Jill Foley says:
Wow – this speaks volumes! I’d pin it, but I don’t pin. I’d tweet it, but I don’t tweet. I’m not sure what I can do with it – maybe just link to it from my blog!
Yvonne says:
Great info-graphic! Already re-pinned this today on Pinterest. 🙂
Zoë says:
I’m still thinking about the numbers of shoes and the amount spent on television… Where would you put them all?
Sorry, missing the point, I know.
You can’t change the life of a shoe.
You can change the life of a child.
Throw out the shoes! Sponsor a child! 😉
Jodi says:
I have been reading your blog for sometime…never commented but this post was a wow…I am glad we are not an average family…however..we did choose a child to sponser yesterday..so excited…I have been following your trips this year and finally just couldn’t justify not sponsoring someone any longer…thanks for the push and I am enjoying all the pictures and blogs on Tanzania.
Jenna B. says:
Pinned-and it looks great!
We started sponsoring our child from Haiti last year. $38 a month-small beans to us in the grand scheme of things. Thanks, Shaun, for your faithfulness.
Jen C. says:
I like the graphic (especially the “loopy” font…I noticed it on your pics the other day, too!) and it makes the point about how little it really costs to do a lot of good and speaks of priorities in spending and what is truly necessary or can be given up/sacrificed.
I can honestly say that I am not average. I don’t even have cell phone service (just an old iPhone that has been reduced to an iPod touch). But, I wanted to say that not spending money on these things or not having these things can become a point of pride for me and cause me to judge others who do. Does anyone else struggle with this?
Zoë says:
When I first saw the ‘are you average’ it was a sting because frankly we couldn’t afford to do the things listed above. This only stings when I compare us to other people, to ‘the world’. It never happens when I look at God and his wonderful gifts.
And yes, I have friends who drive a flashy BMW and live in a huge house, wear designer clothes and all that. First I think I was slightly jealous (they must earn several times our household income), then I was proud, thinking how we always try to give even though we have far less. It has taken me a while to realise my sin of pride (and self-righteousness) is just as bad, if not worse, than any sin of theirs (greed?).
The question then is how do we communicate, without judging, that there’s a difference between want and need and that as Christians, once the needs of our own family are met, we have to meet the needs of the most vulnerable?
Ashley says:
You are correct. I recently got our cable bill down by about $40 a month just by one phone call. So I’m using that money to now sponsor Beatrice in TZ, I just completed the registration online and submitted it. Thanks for everyone’s hard work this week to rescue children from poverty in Jesus name.
Shaun Groves says:
AWESOME! THANK YOU, Ashley!
Lesley says:
Amen! It’s amazing how so many people work work work because they need more money…for more ‘stuff’, when across the country a mother feeds her children mud pies to ease their hunger pangs. Thank you for posting this friendly reminder of what poor stewards we can be.
RaD says:
Yay! I’m not average!!!!
I only bought two pairs of shoes last year and own 4 pairs total, 2 of which have seen better days.
We don’t buy soda in our house and drink it only at special occassions.
We don’t believe in paying for tv with all the garbage on it, so we watch netflix movies, which still cost money, but a lot less than a cable bill AND it cuts out a lotta junk.
AND we sponsor two Compassion International kids, one in Burkina Faso and one in Columbia.
I love not being average! ;0)
teresadawn says:
I’d say I’m not average, having spent in the past year or two only $1.50 on any of the above items (I obought some gingerale when I was sick… haven’t spent money on cable or shoes though in much longer haha) BUT I’m not American either… Anyway, I’d much rather have another sponser child than any of these things. This is a great post and I hope people realise how easy it is to cut back if they are spending that much.
Katie Axelson says:
I am proud to say I am not average since I don’t have cable (or internet actually), don’t drink soft drinks, and only have eight pairs of shoes (I think). But then again, I’m also a recent-grad…
Katie
Tracey says:
All up in my face!
So good. So God.
Thanks, Shaun.
Meg @ Postcards from the Promised Land says:
How powerfully said! Thank you for putting in to catchy graphics that can hit even closer to home! Can’t wait to share ….
Ashley says:
I can’t put into the words the experience of sponsoring a child and watching them grow up and age-out of the program. Today I found a little girl with the same birthday as my own little girl. I’m so excited to teach this aspect of giving to my daughter. My prayer is that when she’s 18, we can travel to meet her “twin.”
I’m a single mom and things get tough sometimes. But things like this really put it into perspective. Thank you for reminding me that we are still abundantly blessed with more than we need.