The Ten Dollar Blessing Challenge

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Last week I read a post by Billy Coffey entitled The Ten Dollar Blessing and A Lesson in Circles. (Go there and read it now!) The story touched me deeply. I couldn’t just read it, leave an encouraging comment, and move on. I pondered what I should do for the next couple days.

In the meantime, I also learned more about the Advent Conspiracy.

Financially, life is difficult. The market is crazy, budgets are tight . . . we feel unstable and insecure. And yet, I still have much: a car, a home, a family, a meal on the table, etc. How do I let stories like Terri and her mother’s and projects like the Advent Conspiracy change me? Change how I act? Change how I love others?

As I explained my heart to my mom, the answer came to mind: Take two, ten dollar bills and put them in my purse. Pray for an opportunity, and when it arises, give a ten dollar bill to someone who needs it. Repeat.

A simple action. A small amount of money.

And while it doesn’t feel like much, in God’s hands that ten dollars has the potential to change someone’s day. Or his or her week. Or life.

And I’m willing to bet that the life that is changed will be mine.

So, friends, beginning December 1st, I want to extend the challenge to you. Here’s what you do to participate in the Ten Dollar Blessing Challenge.

1. Get a $10 bill (or 2 . . .or get a $5; whatever dollar amount works for your budget – but I do encourage you to stretch a little), and put it in your wallet or purse.
2. Pray for an opportunity.
3. Give the $10 bill away . . . to someone begging on the side of the road, to cover lunch for the person sitting alone at the table next to yours, to pay for something the person behind you is buying, to the single mom in your kid’s class who’s struggling to make ends meet.
4. Write about your experience. If you have a blog, please post your thoughts and leave a link in the comments here. If you don’t have a blog, post your experience in the comments or email it to me.

Your experience may be life-altering, or you may not see the effects of it yourself. Either way, I’d love to hear about how you chose to give. If you write about your experience before December 5th, you can also include it in Robert Hruzek’s What I Learned From . . . December writing project. Otherwise, let’s aim to round everything up by December 19th.

Will you join me in the Ten Dollar Blessing Challenge?