More or Less by Jeff Shinabarger: Choosing a Lifestyle of Excessive Generosity

I read a lot of books…  And it seems like they all try to sell you on something.  Follow these three steps and you will be….. you name it.

So when I received a copy of MORE or LESS by Jeff Shinabarger back before it released it ended up on my stack.  I really ‘wanted’ to read it but just assumed it would be like all the other books that challenge you, leave you feeling bad about yourself because you don’t live in a shoe box and give your house and entire income away to others.  As a father of 6, two of whom we have adopted, I don’t have a lot of access in my finances.  Just coming off the Adoption 7 months ago, Hearing aids over the past 4 (Which Insurance doesn’t cover) and now Cochlear Implant Surgeries I don’t see extra money on my ledger sheet anytime soon.

So I expected to start this book and then put it down… you know, one of those SKIM reads.  Well, I started this book with the introduction by Bob Goff whose book I really enjoyed.  His honest words came through sounding genuine and not showing the typical air of “I really only read 4 pages of your book, but let me make a catchy and ironic statement about this title being as good if not better then my book…”  He gave a heart wrenching applaud for this book.  So I was curious.

In one sitting I read 5 chapters.  I couldn’t stop reading.  Jeff writes in a simple way that helps to steer you without prodding, to guide without shoving. 

When you look at our lives if we look truthfully we can find access.  This book gives you examples of how people took the simple things in their lives and made them extraordinary.  The topics all hit home and leave you with a ‘I CAN DO THAT’ feeling.  Making life change simple and compelling!

Some of the topics are finding excess in: your Junk (those items you really don’t need); your kitchen Pantry; Your Clothing; Your gift giving and getting; your time; Transportation; Access; Gift Cards; etc…

Have you ever thought of simple things you could do to raise awareness and funds for a local ministry?  What if you had a Game night and charged a Gift Card (Used one at that) as the admission fee?  20% of gift cards go unused!  Yet for example the local Pregnancy Resource Center could use them to supply needed Bottles, Formula etc. to their clients.  Maybe your kitchen… ever look at your pantry and fridge and say “There is nothing to eat?”  yet you have multiple can’s etc.. staring back at you.  What if you took the challenge to eat only what you have in house (getting milk, bread and eggs occasionally)… how long could you go and how much could you save to give to a Food Pantry or homeless shelter? 

The ideas that Jeff shared REAL examples of are endless.  He has saught to create a new culture in giving.  It is not just about FINANCES.  You don’t have to be rich!  Just use what God has given you!

I am drawing my lines on the ENOUGH scale.  I am personally looking at my closets and giving away.  I am personally looking at my income and setting a ENOUGH level.  I want to be the one to set the level on what ENOUGH is in my life, not the media, culture etc..

So why don’t you take this challenge with me!  Check out this book and then take the challenge in the area God is calling you to take it in!  Together we can make a difference in our communities!

Lessons from a Drummer (boy)

It is that time of year again. The news can only talk about if the Money is flowing or not. On rare occasions you hear the story of some church or business who is giving Money to people in their community etc… But the real story is lost in the midst of it all. As well, we who work in the middle of it too easily get caught up in it, people’s rude attitudes, crazy drivers, bad weather… and the entire time we are planning our next 2 months out for after Christmas, just waiting for it to be over so we can have some vacation time.
I am one of those people some days. But not today. Today I want to share some thought with you about Christ and this wonderful season.
I heard the song ‘Drummer Boy’ in my head today (Yes, not on a radio or CD just in my head.) and it got me contemplating the story. This young boy represents how we should all come to Christ during this season, as a child. We see people giving their gifts of expensive worth that we can’t do, their gifts of large donations of money to groups etc… Yet not all of us can give one Million to their local charity. But we can do just as that drummer boy. Give what we have, our time, and our love. Remember the Widows Mite? She followed those who gave of their wealth and out of vain reasons, yet she quietly gave it all and God praised her.
Look at the entire Biblical story, God wasn’t doing anything to what we would have expected. There was no palace, just a small cave hole in the wall where the poop and hay mingled together. Where the animals slept everywhere. There was not a large announcement from Heaven proclaiming ‘Time’s up! I sent my son and your in trouble!’ Instead, the most beautiful song in the entire world was ‘wasted’ on a few small, dirty, lowly shepherds the gypsies of their day. I could go on; the town was a small town of no significance. The father and mother were not known by kings.

Jesus did not come into this world to use the rich and wise things. He even said I choose the foolish things to confuse the wise. So when your gift to God seems foolish, when spending time with the local homeless shelter, or the local battered Women shelters, or even just ringing a bell outside of a store this holiday, DO IT and do it all year round! God will be pleased with your gift of sacrifice.