Where You Are Now

Our format is going to change a little. Lindsay’s schedule with her job and school is getting busier and she is now unable to record this podcast as often as she would like.

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-to keep you interested, I am not going to keep the format that we used when we recorded together. I am going to try and keep them short and to the point. The show notes will be a great resource for you.

compassion international

-helping others

-Lindsay wrote a post on her getting started with compassion international (http://www.whereyouarenow.com/blog/2009/02/13/compassion-international/)

-it has been receiving some good conversation and i wanted to bring it to light

-you’ve heard it said that it is better to give than to receive. i’d like to say it again, it is better to give than to receive.

-as I was thinking about this podcast and this topic, I was reminded of the passage of scripture that is found in Mark 12:41-44…

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

-we need to give like the widow. out of our heart not out of our abundance.

-with compassion international, which Lindsay donates to, $32 every month provides her child with:

# Food and clean water
# Medical care
# Educational opportunities
# Important life-skills training

-even if you cannot find that EXTRA $32 every month I encourage to dig deeper than you ever have before and help someone who is in much more need than you ever have been before.

-such a small amount can change a person’s life.

-on our website we have a interactive widget to help connect you to children who need a sponsor. it is on the left sidebar. You can go to www.compassion.com to get started.

-other opportunities

-i’m a huge fan of Twitter and love how it connects me with others around the world. Before i started working on this podcast I asked my followers for other organizations that are aimed at helping those around the world who are in need. I received the following responses:

-@shawn – World Vision (http://www.worldvision.org/)
-@jamiebently – Kiva (http://www.kiva.org)
-@jbairy – Extended Family International (http://extendedfamilyinternational.org/) [note: VERY new. Not yet tax exempt, first board meeting is today, Monday Feb. 23rd. Will keep you informed as it progresses]

-@kmueller62 -
ONE Campaign (http://www.one.org/),
U2’s (RED) (http://www.joinred.com),
Save Darfur (http://www.savedarfur.org),
Invisible Children (http://www.invisiblechildren.com), and
Blood: Water Mission (http://www.bloodwatermission.com/)

-make sure you look at their financial reports before donating

if you are a blogger, consider signing up to become a compassion blogger at
-http://compassionbloggers.com/
-they will provide you with a topic to blog on every month that will help raise awareness of this need.

Follow us on Twitter @whereyouarenow (http://www.twitter.com/whereyouarenow)