sipping coffee by pre-lit trees

have any of ya'll read Jen Hatmaker's book "7"?

i cried my way through each chapter a couple weeks ago.  i couldn't put that darn book down.

she calls into question the consumer mindset that american christians have.  while the majority of the world begs for mercy, for bread, for clean water.....us christians in america are rich people praying to get richer.  "give us a bigger house, oh God" "let us take a super nice vacation, oh God". (big houses and super nice vacations can definitely be gifts from God, but that's beside the point...)

the world stands outside watching us sip our coffee by our pre-lit trees.

the good news is that we actually don't have to stand by and let that reality define us.


a few weeks ago i got my stove reports from last christmas from the adventure project.

one of our sponsored stoves was built in april and then nicole sold it to dina.
another one was built in may and martine sold it to jameson.
and there were a handful built in july.  myrlande sold one of those to miranda.

it was transforming for me to read the list of names.  people who now have jobs selling stoves.  people who now have stoves to safely cook their food.

the adventure project is remarkable.  they are selling gift cards this holiday season.  you can go purchase one for your aunt, your grandma and your brother and transform a community in their honor. Create a job in Uganda, Kenya or India, or help a family in Haiti get a new stove.


and mel.  mel works in india.  she is a part of community rescuing women from sex trafficking and teaching them to sew in order to find freedom.  saribari is a place where women create beautiful, sustainable, handmade products while making their lives new.   one of these handmade treasures would be a beautiful christmas present for a sister, a friend or your momma and it will help continue the transforming work my dear friend mel is giving her life to. 

it really is time for us to change the way we choose to spend our money at christmas. 

buy a gift card  from the adventure project here.
buy a handmade gift from sari bari here. 

trust me, your brother really doesn't need that toilet bowl coffee mug.

but the world? 

oh how the world needs Jesus.