Posted in General Posts by Danielle Contarino on 11/9/2011
A Day In The Life
As I am writing these words to you I have an infection on my skin from where I squeezed a worm out yesterday. I have a popped blister on the bottom of my foot. My face is breaking out and I have itchy infected eyes. I don't really feel like having a joyful spirit right now, and I don't feel like a good missionary. I am continuously learning, however, that It's not always about feelings, and as I press in deeper for the heart of my Father i realize I have a choice to make. I can either bask in the glories of what this day has held, or think of how I would rather be sleeping in air conditioning. I choose to bask in the glories!
5am: I am awoken by my roommate to go snorkeling in the indian ocean. I put on my classic Chacos and equipped with my snorkel gear I end up running for three miles through the city of Pemba. Although snorkeling never quite happened I had a wonderful opportunity to show case my goggles and snorkel through the streets. It definitely upped my cool points.
7:30am: Take a detour to cross the street around the construction workers. The entire road is closed as there seems to be a problem with the dirt 15 feet under the dirt road.
8am: Coffee with my good friends Jen and Jesus at the beach. Jesus is teaching me to breath back the breath to Him that He first breathed into me.
11am: Worship time to Jesus out under the Mozambican elephant tree with 300 other radical lovers of the Most High God!
11:30am: Heidi Baker taught us about the beatitudes. Jesus presented the good news looking like love. We are called to be poor in spirit. To be dependent on Jesus for our everything.
2pm: Went to do back-handsprings down the beach with my friend Anita. She had saved both of her bread rolls from breakfast and her rice and beans from lunch so that she could give them to two little village boys; Omar and marcello. That act of love is what good news looks like. Both Omar and Marcello came with us to tumble down the sand.
3:30pm: Small group time with Heidi in her office. We were greeted with an ice cold coke and an opportunity to share what Jesus was doing in each of us. She gave us all incredible encouragement and lots of momma hugs:-)
5pm: Making my way down to my housemates, I ran into three of my favorite Mozambicans. First I saw Brandon who is 17 and lives at Iris (meaning he has lost both of his natural parents and at one point in his life lived on the street). He can't be missed from a mile a away! There is so much joy of the Lord in that kids it is like a literal explosion! We made plans to do handstands tomorrow. Next I saw Mirandi who is training to be a mozambican pastor. He is missing all of his front teeth and doesn't speak one word of English. This hasn't stopped him though from showing off his missing teeth and saying "a bom" ("is good) everywhere he goes. Just as i was entering the gate I saw smiling Rafael who is 21 and just about to graduate from Bible school (5 semesters). His parents died when he was younger and his four younger siblings live with an abusive uncle in the deep south of Mozambique. All these sad sad stories completely unapparent on the faces and attitudes of these joyful men. What on earth do I have to complain about?
5:30pm: Meet up with the 12 girls that I am privileged to live with while here in Mozambique. We ate dinner and gathered on the back porch for chai tea and cookies as we talked of the divine nature of God.
9pm: Where I was about to sit down and say "woe is me", but then I realized what an incredible day this was!
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Posted in General Posts by Danielle Contarino on 10/22/2011
Neverland~ Where anything can happen
The evil Hook sits with his dreaded pirates thinking up devious thoughts on the glorious pirate ship off the coast of Neverland. Peter Pan flies with His invincible army of small children who believe that with some pixie dust and happy thoughts anything can happen! One of my favorite Disney movies has always been Peter Pan. I love the adventures of pirates, fairies, flying and triumph that the lost boys encounter. I love the idea of always being a kid, and that with my Heavenly Father there are no limits to the possible!
Yesterday I went on a treasure hunt with some of my new Mozambiquan, and international friends. Before leaving we had prayed that Jesus would give us specific words and images of people He wanted us to pray for. Among our list of treasures were: Knee pain, ankle pain, Right index finger missing, Empty water bottle, orange, deaf ears, blindness, headache and many more.
As we got out into the village, I could barely walk as children were hanging from me in all directions. Three children were hugging my right arm. Five small children were hugging my left arm. I felt like I was being pulled to the ground as children were trying to climb up my back and hold onto my shoulders so that their friends could fix my hair. Some children were laughing, some children were crying, they were all talking at the same time to me trying to speak louder than their friends so that I could understand their foreign words. Our team of five from the mission school could barely walk forward because of all the children hanging on to us. This didn't seem like quit the adventure we were looking for, but we decided to find the adventure in what God had brought us. We were after all seeking out the lost boys and girls of this mozambiquan village. We wanted to pour treasures into their hearts from their Heavenly Father. We asked the children if there were any among them that couldn't hear. Two children were pointed out by the others that they had hearing problems. We were told that one of these children couldn't hear out of either ear, and that the other child couldn't hear out of her left ear. So we asked the children who of them had faith that Jesus could heal their friends. The children that raised their hands were gathered around the deaf ears as we all prayed together. When we said "amen" the children that we prayed over told us that they could hear out of all of their ears! We told the rest of the children that Jesus had used them to heal their friends!
After watching Jesus heal a sore left knee, a stomach ache and a head ache, we rejoiced with the children as we all danced and sang. We told the children around us about Matthew 18 when Jesus talked about their incredible importance in the kingdom of Heaven.
When we got back from the treasure hunt, our team praised Jesus together as we all excitedly told stories of how He used us. One of the girls had gotten "sore neck" on her treasure list, and had still never found the sore neck. I told her that my neck had been very sore for the past week, where I could barely turn my head to the right side. I asked her if she would pray for me, and Jesus used her and some others who had joined in to heal my neck!
"Jesus replied. "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to this fig tree, but also you can say to his mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." ~Matthew 21: 21-22
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Posted in General Posts by Danielle Contarino on 10/22/2011
"He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free." ~Psalm 146:7
We will call her Amy for now. She is 14 years old and already prospering in a new business she started in a small town on the west side of Nepal. Her store consists of shampoos, soaps, little candies, and few other house items. She wakes up early in the morning and goes to school while one of her parents sits at her shop during the day. At school Amy learns about Mathematics, History, English and Science. Most importantly, however, Amy learns of the precious love that Jesus has for her, and that it is only through Jesus that she can completely be healed. When school is finished for the day Amy brings her school work to the floor of her business and studies while she waits to sell her goods throughout the rest of the day. She works until late in the evening, and then begins again the next morning. Life wasn't always so busy for her, but Amy's life was in fact much more complicated.
For one year Amy was a slave in the industry of human trafficking. Her body was not her own, but belonged to the countless numbers of men that would have their way with her day after day and night after night. Unlike many other captives who still await their freedom, Amy was rescued by an organization that loves Jesus. The heart of this organization is to rescue victims of human trafficking and to train them up as victorious leaders through the healing powers of Jesus Christ. It was started by a woman who was born into the top class of Nepalese society. She knew her life, as well as her money, were not her own. Very early on in her life she began opening her home to girls who were either at risk or rescued from human trafficking. After serving with her organization all week our team had the privilege of walking into her house and having dinner with her and her girls. I can tell you first hand that this precious woman does not own an orphanage or a center or a program, but a home. These lively beautiful girls are living proof of the redemption that flows through this home straight from Jesus. I formed an instant friendship with many of these girls because of The Living Christ, Who is mighty to save, that was in all of us! We had a had a wonderful evening together, just being girls, that was full of laugher and smiles and celebration!
Nepal is a huge arena for traffickers because of the high poverty rate. Nepal also sits on the border of India which is very prosperous in the industry of human trafficking. The life of captivity may begin for many of these girls with an initial "yes", however they don't have any idea of the details of their agreement. Maybe they have a disrupted home life with abuse and neglect, or maybe they are just looking for a better opportunity. Suddenly, an exciting offer comes along coated with compliments and lies about the unending loads of money they could have in India, or the Middle East for little amounts of work. They are told they don't even need passports, or papers, which many of them could never obtain anyway. This is how many of them become no more than a statistic, with the possibility of not even being known of as a number.
I'm unable to mention any names or places in this blog, but I hope my heart is expressed to you. There are still more girls like Amy who need to be rescued. And their are local, culture, language understanding, Jesus loving young woman, whom I believe will end this despicable trade in Nepal. Let them know that they are not fighting alone and that they have brothers and sisters around the world who are willing to rage this war in the power of prayer! If you have a heart to pray for this organization, send encouragement to these girls, or to send money contact "Free 4 Life" at: http://www.freeforlifeintl.org/safe-homes/nepal/ and simply mention "Nepal", either in the check or in the letter of encouragement. Free 4 Life will know how to get it to this organization in Nepal. Satan is being defeated as the sons and daughters of light arise and step out to do something about this terrible injustice.
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Posted in General Posts by Danielle Contarino on 9/18/2011
"Disturb me, Oh Lord, when I arrive safely because I sailed
too close to shore." ~St Francsis Drake
This has been my prayer for a long time now, I've been disturbed
before, but I'm not sure that anything has yet to match the disturbed feeling I
get when I think of the 27 million young people who are enslaved around the
world. This disturbed feeling rises up when I think of all the beautiful young
girls of Nepal, with visions and dreams just like me, who are enslaved in human
trafficking. They are taken to India, America, Thailand, and other parts of the
world forced to do things that are simply inhumane. I am not okay with sitting
on my couch and reading of their terrible fates any longer.
On September 22nd, I will be leaving for a short
trip to Nepal. I will be going with my family along with a medical team. We
will be bringing freedom to the captives of human trafficking. As I was praying
for Nepal yesterday, Jesus gave me a vision for them:
There were several girls without eyes who had chains wrapped
around their ankles. These chains were nailed to the ground in such a way that
the girls had no movement. After watching them reach out in attempts to escape
I see a picture of Jesus. He triumphantly comes to their rescue with a large ax
breaking their chains in half. He frees every single one of them from their
chains. He is not fooling around. Then I see a picture of our team coming
around these girls, and we are teaching them how to dance in the freedom of
Jesus. They will no longer be captives, but instead will be preparing for their
wedding day with their lover Jesus.
There are some things I don't understand about this vision,
but I hope to share it with you soon. I would love if you would join me in
prayer for this vision to come into reality.
From Nepal, I will be flying to Mozambique for a mission
school called Harvest School of Missions. This is a three month school under
the teaching of Heidi Baker and other pastors and missionaries from around the
world. I will be learning about what it is like to be a laid down lover of
Jesus. There will also be opportunities for me to help out with the medical
team, and hopefully to learn some more about bush medicine.
I would love it if you would join me in prayer over the next
coming months:
1. Pray that I will be sensitive to the words of
Jesus. I want to continually hear what He is saying no matter how loud things
are around me.
2 Pray for the people I will interact with
wherever I go. That they will be ready to receive the message of Jesus, and
that I will be ready to share it with them.
3. Pray that girls will be freed from human
trafficking.
4. . Pray for both of the teams protection
spiritually and physically.
Thanks friends for coming on this
ride with me. I have a feeling we will learn much on this journey together.
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Posted in General Posts by Danielle Contarino on 9/14/2011
I want to share with you about a dream God has given me, and about a voyage I am about to take. Last April I wrote this blog about a Kingdom Dream God had given me:
( http://www.kingdom-dreams.org/index.php/architects/nursesatwar-against-human-trafficking/)
Nurses+At+War
There is an army awakening. People are rising from every corner as Jesus calls them each by name along with their deepest passions. This is an army dreaming the dreams of the great High King who rides on the wings of the wind. These dreams are vibrantly colored as they are carried through darkness. The Lord has given me a vibrantly colored dream of seeing human trafficking being put to an end.
I never really knew the reality of human trafficking until last year when I was on theWorld Race. My team was in Thailand working with prostitutes in the bars. While many of the girls we met had initially chosen their current line of work, there were very few that wanted to continue their lifestyle. However, they felt trapped and saw no way out of prostitution.
At the time, I was also reading a book called "Not For Sale" by David Batstone. I was horrified as I read of the approximate 27,000,000 slaves that exist in the world.
This number wasn't even counting all those prostitutes I was meeting that felt enslaved in sexual commercialization.
On a Tuesday night after getting home from the race, I was reading a blog from a fellow world racer about the sexual exploitation of children. As I read the statistics, I didn't know how I was going to help to fight human trafficking.
The one thing I did know, however, was that Human trafficking is not okay. It's not okay that millions of children and young people are being taken from their homes and forced into sexual exploitation.
I prayed a simple prayer that night asking Jesus to use me to dream His dreams. Little did I know how quickly He would answer my prayer.
On the following Friday morning I was driving to a medical mission conference with my Dad and some of his friends. The man driving started telling me about this organization he started called "Doctors+At+War".
It is an organization providing healthcare to sexually trafficked victims. He said he wanted to involve nurses in the ministry as well, however, he needed someone to run with the idea. Immediately, I knew this was what Jesus had prepared me for the previous Tuesday night.
"Nurses+At+War" began to come into fruition that weekend at the medical conference. I received the opportunity to share my heart for sexually trafficked victims with other nurses.
The feedback was above any of my expectations, as I talked to nurse after nurse who wanted to do something about human trafficking. The more people I talked to, the more I realized that Jesus was sharing His dreams with an army.
Currently, "Nurses+At+War" is just in the beginning stages of website building. There is a large majority of trafficked victims that come through the healthcare system and are unknowingly released by the doctors and nurses right back into the arms of their captives.
Through the future of this organization, I want to provide nurses with human trafficking awareness. I want to provide material for educational courses in nursing schools on the subject. I also want to build connections between healthcare workers and other organizations who can release and shelter the trafficked victims.
All of these plans continue to remain in the arms of Jesus. He is the original dreamer after all, and He paints His dreams in all of us. As we are awakened to His dreams, Kingdom will arise.
This Thursday, September 22nd, I will be leaving with Doctors+At+War for a medical mission trip to bring freedom to the Captives of Nepal.
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Posted in General Posts by Danielle Contarino on 9/27/2010
Over this past year I went to 22 countries in all. I did things I never imagined I would do. I ate things I didn't even know people could eat. I saw things I never expected to see. I gained experiences I wouldn't trade for anything! I experienced hospitality from people, who in the common eye, had nothing to give. I started on this trip thinking I was going to share the love of Jesus with people. More than anything however, Jesus shared His GREAT love with me.
I remember back in Ireland on our first month, I had a vision of Jesus calling for me to get up on His white horse with Him. I got up on the horse and squeezed my arms around Him as He lead the way. Up ahead there were dark woods of uncertainty. Jesus promised me, however, that if I stayed locked on to Him, He would be my protection. He would lead me on a crazy love adventure with Him. At times, I definitely buried my head in His shoulders, but He proved faithful. Just like He always does. He showed me the world on the back of that white horse. From the unlovely and forgotten to the powerful and rich. And I am left changed.
I remember in Thailand, on our last month, days before I was to return home, I was hesitant to come back home, and I started praying about it. I didn't want to slip back into mediocrity, or find other things that were more important than spending time with my Jesus. Jesus was reminding me again, "Get up on the white horse with me, I have more to show you."
I just want to thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for your prayers and support. Because of all of you stepping out in faith, I am a changed person. I want to encourage all of you as well to answer the call of The Man on the white horse. For He has much to show us all!
Take The Leap of Faith from Danielle Contarino on Vimeo.
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Posted in General Posts by Danielle Contarino on 6/22/2010
Flipping In Poop
RUN, JUMP, FLIP, DISMOUNT!... into a perfect pile of softness. Maybe it wasn't exactly the way my coach taught me, but hey I'm in Cambodia, what do you expect?
 Our first day to our new Village home we were welcomed by hard pounding rain and kids full of energy eager to play. When we had first gotten to the village many of the children seemed scared of us. When we would try to hold one of them, they would shy away. A few hours later, I was making the journey out to the children in the swimming pool (Also known as the cow pasture) and began getting a full body skin treatment.
The second I stepped into that water I felt slimy muckiness under my feet. At that moment I knew exactly what I was about to play in, and I had to make a choice- "Am I going to make a bridge between myself and these precious children?" or "Am I going to save my feet from cow poop?" The decision was made for me as one of the village boys slid, splashing mud and water from my toes to my head. The majority of the team joined in, and we made an instant bond with those kids. For about an hour or so, we practiced mud sliding for our future fame in Baseball. We practiced our karate techniques as we kicked water at each other. With all that it was a given that we would practice our flipping as well. In the pouring rain, as we were slip'n'sliding in the mudpoop of Cambodia, our hearts began to melt for the adventures that were about to begin.
This decision to jump out in the mudpoop and get messy, got me thinking about my willingness to jump into this next month. Last month we were in Vietnam- indoor AC, Internet at my fingertips, cleaniness, and  local American food. I was almost home last month. This month, however, I am very far away from my old American home. It was somewhat of a shock to be ripped away from all that again into a village home way out in the country where I have one fan at night, no running water, and only fruit to represent America. I knew at the instant of the poop flip that this month was going to be a fantastic month, even if it did mean getting a little messy.
A few days later, the adventures of Rambo began! It was just like a Rambo movie. As the rain began to pour, I was pounding on our door pleading for one of my team mates to let me in. I could see the enemy approaching as as small children with with mud for bullets began surrounding me. My pleas got louder, but to no avail. Dun...dun...dun.... All fire broke lose, and it was time to get my rambo on! The mission was to be the cleanest and to throw the most mud. Girls versus boys with mounds of dirt as protection. I quickly learned that my training was not sufficient, as my aim was terribly bad, and I was an easy target. There are certain things that all girls have a common code in, even when they don't speak the same language. Two little girls and I were planning our next mission attack as three little boys came running over to me. The girls began to laugh as I received fire in the back of my head an in my ear, but when I received fire to the face all laughter quickly became astonishment. There was no turning back now, the boys stirred something up in the hearts of the girls. It was time for a counter attack! After our time of play, the children began to shout RAMBO as we victoriously marched for a picture.
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Posted in General Posts by Danielle Contarino on 6/7/2010
Cambodia Lovin'
I just got to the Internet cafe for the first time since I have been in Cambodia. I have so many cool stories, and I am so incredibly glad to just be where I am! We are staying with a super loving Cambodian family that has stolen my heart. We are living out in somewhat of a jungle. The electricity comes on at night providing wonderful fans:-) Shower time pretty much occurs as a must after the daily rain. When it rains in my village, its time for all the children to play at the theme park aka- mud slide/ mud throw. it's pretty much the best time of my day!
I came to Cambodia really having no idea what to expect, God, however, has a tendency of blowing all of my expectations out of the water anyway! This month we are working with a man with such a powerful vision for his village. We help him teach about 60 kids English everyday and go out to the village making friends and doing follow ups on any spiritual needs. Our Translator has a vision for building an orphanage and a youth home. This will be in essence for the kids that live on the streets in Phenom Penh. These youth homes will be for the young 10 year old prostitutes, it will be for the 8 year old boy drug addicts and it will be for the tiny babies who are orphans and have no one to take care of them. They will be learning a different life style at these youth homes. They will be learning about English and they will be learning about something far more greater than they ever knew exsisted! The guy is already in the making of buying land and started the actual process. My heart is so on fire for what God is doing here.
I feel like this month is God's grand finale for an incredible trip for me. My passions that I have loved working with are all together this month.
God Thank you for being so incredibly good all the time!
I love you!
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Posted in General Posts by Danielle Contarino on 5/25/2010
Standing In The Gap
Family and friends,
You've loved and supported me in my journey of obedience to God's call on my life and for that I am truly grateful. There will never, ever be words that I can share that give true meaning to who you've allowed me to become by faithfully contributing to my life. My life is forever changed because of your willingness to support me. And it's with a ton of humility and thanksgiving that I am sure I will be able to be the change in the world we all want to see.
There is another opportunity at hand and I believe we can come together and be the change in someone else's life. Someone's life who has supported me over the last year. Someone who you may or may not have even heard of. Nonetheless, they are someone I call family and I'm proud to be on the front lines with them this year.
Over the last year I have traveled the world and seen workings and miracles that I will never be able to fully explain. I believe another miracle is at hand. As we transition home we are believing to have everyone fully supported by July 1, 2010. We believe God for this and ask that you prayerfully consider how you can be a part of this miracle.
Below you will find pictures, names and support amount with direct links to online support accounts. Will you ask God how and who He would like you to partner with in being the change in this persons life. No one deserves to come off the field after serving the Lord's abundant kingdom with debt from a mission trip. And we believe God is asking us to step up, stand out and make a way for someone who will make a way for many others.
Will you join us in making a way? Will you join us in making a difference in someone's life who has impacted the world? Will you make a contribution, no matter how large or small, to a generation that will not stand for the sick going without, the homeless not being loved on or the orphans having no place to call home? Let us stand in the gap together as brother and sisters believing there are greater things in store for those who believe.
We believe in you and thank you for believing in us so that we may be life to someone else!
Please review names below and amounts. Click on a link to view that persons story and walk with God and ask God whom He wants you to partner with to make a difference in the world today!
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Posted in General Posts by Danielle Contarino on 5/22/2010
Just Call Me Dirty
It's me. I am the dirty one that has allowed terrible things to happen. It is I who have sat in my comfy home enjoying endless wealth, all the time very well knowing that millions out there have nothing. I have seen it with my own eyes. 
I am the christian that has sat on that despised fence not willing to be hot or cold. I am the one who has had the dead faith. I am the one who has looked at Jesus right in the eyes and turned the other way.
It was me who nailed him to the cross with my sins and then ever since have spit on him with all my hypocrisy. I have stepped on His very life, that He gave in place for mine, acknowledging Him with my words and then slapping Him in the face by denying Him with my life style. I am done making excuses. God is calling my soul to an awakening.
3,000,000
This is the average number of children who have died during the year 2010 from preventable diseases or starvation( www.emptytomb.org)
$47,000.00
This is the number the average American spends per year. (www.justanswer.com)
$1.00
One Dollar. This is the amount that over one BILLION people live and die on each day. Living their whole entire lives in extreme poverty ( http://www.brookhills.org/)
Matthew 25:31-46
"Then The King will say to those on His Right, 'Come you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritence, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothing and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers, you did for me.'
"Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
"They will answer, 'Lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick in prison and did not help you?'
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, YOU DID NOT DO FOR ME."
When Jesus says "I tell you the truth" in this last verse, it just makes my very core shudder. Whatever I did not do for that beggar in the street, or for that bare butted child in Africa.... I DID NOT DO FOR HIM.
It is I, Danielle Madeline Contarino, who am guilty of this more than anyone. I think back to all the times this past year when I have passed by Jesus on the street. He was sitting one legged, blind, without food, He was sitting there thirsty, having no money, He continues sitting there looking up at me asking me (who claims His name as my own) to help him. And how many times have I just looked straight at Him, right in the face! ... and just walked right on by.
 I have recently been reading the book of James which is all about Faith and deeds. You cannot have one without the other. I have read the book of James so many times before and just happily went along living my life. I was ignoring the things I didn't want to read, or just making intellectual reasons in my head why the things said in this book did not apply to my life. IT ALL APPLIES TO MY LIFE! The faith in my heart is evident by the fruit in my life. I know my deeds will not get me to heaven. But my deeds are the outward reflection of my inward heart. Faith that does not have fruit, is no faith at all.
In James it says that even deamons believe in God and they even have the emotions to "shudder" about it. I bet deamons have more faith than I have claimed to have at times. What sets me apart from the deamons that believe in God and shudder?
The faith that I claim to have is only evidenced by the deeds that come from an overflow of my heart.
The second greatest commandment is to love my neighbor as myself. This little girl in an orphanage in Asia is just as much my neighbor as my own brother is. I think back to that first number, three billion children who have died in 2010. Another estimate is three thousand a day. What if she was tomorrow's statistic?
Compassion International is an example of a mission that is doing a great work. For 36 dollars a month I could support a child. This would be one less child that would become a statistic. If I add that 36 dollars on top of what I am already spending. Maybe that's a lot. But what would happen if I, broke down that 36 dollars into the daily dollars I spend. 
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I would think twice about spending three dollars for lunch at burger king, verses saving that three dollars and eating left overs from last night
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I would think twice about buying that pack of gum to freshen my breath, or saving even that dollar and just brushing my teeth.
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I would think twice about buying that $20 dollar shirt from the store, just to add it to my 50 shirt collection, when there are hundreds of children around the world, even in my own hometown, who are blessed even to have one shirt.
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I would think twice about my two little friends here living at the orphanage in Kenya, drinking dirty water, barely enough food, and their only posessions being the clothes on their back.
David Platt is a Pastor at Brook Hills Church in Alabama. I have been listening to a series of sermons he did called "The Gospel Demands" . If anyone is interested in being challeneged to the core visit :
David Platt is challenging his church and I want to make a challenge, for myself, and for any other radicals out there. Start waging the dollars we spend and separate the necessities vs the luxuries. Find some charitable fund, missionary, homeless person, or start something of your own. Start being part of something that makes your heart beat. Be part of something you are passionate about. Be part of something great and start living the life Jesus has called you too. Start feeding those that are hungry in your city, start clothing those who have nothing, start living out the gospel. God is calling us to Radical obedience. He is calling us to a radical change in lifestyle. He is calling us to clothe Him. To Feed Him. To visit him while He is sick or in prison.
Whatever we did not do for the least of these we did not do for Jesus.
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