Help Me Get My Happy On
Ah, Lord, it is November again.
I woke to a steely gray sky, green grass bowing to rain and winter’s chill.
Those of you who know me best know how much I dread the onset of winter. There is nothing in this southern girl’s DNA that hankers for darkness or cold. I was born barefoot and am happiest when I can kick off my shoes and still go about life barefoot. I am barefoot now as I write this, but my feet are cold and I really would be more comfortable in my house slippers but good, golly it’s only the first day in November, much too early to admit defeat and let cold have its way with me.
One of the questions I intend on asking God is why he gave me a November birthday. I mean I know the logistics of why – Valentine’s Day and Anniversary baby and all – but given how much I don’t like this month, why couldn’t I have been born in April or May. Spring babies come into the world when it is at its most glorious.
But since it is my birthday month, I thought you all might want to try helping me get my happy on.
Here’s how you can help celebrate my birthday and shower down some good cheer on some children in need.
I am partnering with my Louisiana girlfriend Shellie Rushing Tomlinson and a host of other writers and bloggers to raise funds to build a Hope Center for children in Nicaragua.
If you could donate the $10 it would cost you to take me out for coffee, or the $5 card you might purchase or the $20 book you might send me, I would be mighty grateful. But even more importantly, a child will be blessed, and y’all know how I feel about children any time of the year.
Below I’ve posted Shellie’s blog with links to donating but if you just want to hop on over to the donation site, click here. I will personally write each of you who donates in honor of my birthday & if you like, I’ll send you an autographed copy of Where’s Your Jesus Now?. After you donate just send me a note with your snail mail address (zachauthor@gmail.com) .
Shellie explains all about it in the post below. Or you can click over to her website here:
Writers and Readers Reach Out is a group of authors and bloggers who are setting out to BE a miracle together. Together with our readers we’re kicking off the holiday season with a commitment not to simply articulate our thankfulness, but to express our gratitude in a tangible way on behalf of those who could never in their wildest dreams conceive of the type of holidays we’ll soon enjoy. We’ll taking the next 30 days leading up to Thanksgiving to give and to help motivate our own circle of friends to give with us!
In prior years we’ve partnered with various organizations, including Life Today and World Vision. This year we’ll work with a foundation called HOPE WITHOUT BORDERS.
Hope without Borders is my daughter’s love child, birthed during a mission trip she took to El Salvador with International Cooperating Ministries. But here, I’ll let Jessica tell you about that fateful day…
Out of all the churches and orphanages we visited, one stop changed me forever. I saw children with so little act like they had everything. We were visiting their brand new Hope Center. Smiling children took me by the hand and showed me their dining table, box of toys, bathroom and musical instruments. Their joy was contagious. I knew in my heart that regardless of what I saw, those little ones saw HOPE in that cement center, hope to be someone one day, hope to change, hope to create, and hope that they are loved. And they are. They’re loved by our Lord and Savior and each one of them are so very special in his eyes. Each deserve a chance to experience His love and His blessings. My hands shook as I looked at the hope surrounding me and I knew I had to be a part of replicating it again and again, instilling Christ’s love and hope into children living in conditions the world deems hopeless. Will you help me?
It’s Shellie again. It was a pleasure introducing you to my daughter. (By the way, Jessica doesn’t play. Several years ago she felt moved to raise the funds for an orphanage in the mountains of Rwanda and she raised the $30,000 to do just that!) I’m excited about partnering with HOPE WITHOUT BORDERS for this year’s 30 days of thankfulness drive. I believe that together we can raise the necessary $20,000 and build a Hope Center in Nicaragua! We’ll have pics soon of the community our center will be built in, along with introductions to some of the children we will be helping, so please check back. Now, here’s how you can get involved.
Readers:
1) Donate here. Can you give a minimum of $20?
2) Send this page to your favorite author and ask them to join us.
Writers/authors:
1) Donate here. Can you give a minimum of $20?
2) Join us in our efforts! Email me at shellierushingtomlinson @ gmail.com and let me know you’re interested in motivating your circle of readers. I will send you further details. I promise the communication will be short and sweet and super easy to implement. Let’s give hope this holiday season!
Bloggers/columnists:
1) Donate here. Can you give a minimum of $20?
2) I’d love to have you join us in our efforts! Email me at shellierushingtomlinson @ gmail.com and let me know you’re interested in motivating your circle of readers. I will send you further details. I promise the communication will be short and sweet and super easy to implement. Let’s give hope this holiday season!
Hugs, Shellie
When you say a situation or a person is hopeless, you are slamming the door in the face of God. ~Charles L. Allen
Many thanks to the authors and bloggers participating in this year’s Writers and Readers Reach Out:
Lisa Tawn Bergen
Olivia deBelle Byrd
Kathryn Casey
Judy Christie
Deborah Coty
Dena Dyer
Leslie Leyland Fields
Patti Calahan Henry
Emily Gatlin
Jeff High
Rachel Hauck
Kathy Howard
Ann Ipock
Sherri Wilson Johnson
Denise Hildredth Jones
Joneal Kirby
Jessica Maher
Kathy L. Murphy
Jolina Petersheim
Nicole Seitz
Carla Stewart
Sarah Stirman
Carey Tomlinson
Shellie Tomlinson
Karen White
Whitney Lett
Brandi Fitzpatrick
Frank Viola
Renea Winchester
Lisa Wingate
Karen Spears Zacharias
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