Christmas in July

Do you receive year end appeals asking you to contribute to their non profit organization? Some donation appeals are targeted around the holidays and Christmas.  What issues are important to you? ... What about missions, evangelism, politics, crime, faith issues, justice, poverty, childhood hunger, women's issues, prison reform, early childhood education, death penalty issues, reproductive issues, drug and alcohol issues, breast cancer, diabetes, and so goes the list...

I remember drafting year end appeal letters for Reconciliation Ministries.  Prior to working in the school system, I was the Administrator for Reconciliation Ministries that served families who have a loved one in prison. As part of my responsibilities, I worked with donors, assisted in fundraising efforts, and coordinated our year end donor appeals.   Working with families who have a loved one is prison is not a popular cause. In some ways working at Reconciliation was a bit eerie. No longer textbook case studies, I began to develop relationships with  mothers, wives, girlfriends, and friends, who had a loved one who was incarcerated.  I sat with families who traveled long distances to attend a parole hearing or spend a few precious hours during visiting hours at one of the local prisons.  My time at Reconciliation prepared me for my next position in working with "at risk" children and their families in the school system.

If you have a passion and care about issues think about a spending time and resources with your family or make a Christmas donation in July.

Prayerfully consider the following organizations:
Cure
World Vision
Word Made Flesh