Join Me and I'll Send You a Free Book

Image from Kiva.org

Someone I greatly admire once said, "You cannot change the world, but you can change one person's world." 

Today I'm going to share an opportunity for you to change someone's world and also get a free book out of it. No catch.

WHAT IS KIVA?
In the last two years, I've become a big fan of Kiva. This organization helps organize microloans for people around the world. At $25/each, you can research the loan you'd like to offer and then share it to an entrepreneur who will use it to grow his or her own business.

You know what I love about it? It works. Kiva has  98% repayment rate, which means these men and women are serious about using your loan to build their business and provide for their families long term.

Kiva is running an amazing promotion through 6/30. If you join during this weekend, they'll give YOU a $25 credit you can use to make a loan to someone else. Free. No catch. They're betting that if you make your first loan, you'll become as hooked on them as I have.  You have to join by 6/30 and you need to join using this link.

When you join, you'll receive a $25 credit to use. They will also add a $25 credit to my account so I can make another loan as well. (No, I don't gain anything personally from this.)

Is this a Christian organization? No. But it offers a chance to help extend the Kingdom of God in a tangible way by helping someone in need. In a real way, you can bring peace to someone else by extending a gift that will improve their life. And while it's not a Christian organization, you'll find there are some loans for people who love God, love Jesus, and love the Bible. You might choose to select one of those for your first, free loan.

And a Free Book for You
I believe in this cause so much, I'm going to give a free copy of The Bible: 50 Ways It Can Change Your Life to the first 100 people who sign up and make their first loan through this link. This is at my expense but it is worth it to see you become involved. I hope I have to buy and pay shipping on 100 of these books!

Send me a message through Facebook when you've completed your loan and we'll make arrangements. To receive the free book, you must sign up and complete your first loan by June 30. (Also, your shipping address must be within the USA or Canada.  Outside of these two countries, I would be happy to share a free book with you if you are able to pick up the cost of international shipping, which is $10-15 in many cases).

I'd love to have you join me in this important cause. Thanks for considering it!

Be Unstoppable

"Don’t get tired of helping others..." (Galatians 6:9)

What does it take to stop you? What is the kryptonite to your Superman? What, besides death, could halt your forward momentum in this world? Knowing the answer to this question could mean the difference between a life well-lived and one spent wondering what might have been.

The apostle Paul understood the importance of endurance. You can almost hear the pleading encouragement in his words to the Galatian church: “Don’t get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9). In order to live well, you need to be unstoppable in helping others. You will get tired; you might even want to quit at times and only focus on your own needs. Be aware of your vulnerabilities, and figure out how to keep your involvement fresh and interesting. A little preventive maintenance now will go a long way toward keeping you viable later. Caring for the needs of others can be demanding, but it can also be immensely rewarding—both now and for eternity

This article is taken from the book my writing team and I created for Time called 100 Ways the Bible Can Change Your Life. Time Home Entertainment, Inc. New York, New York: 2013. p. 148.

Be Bold

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three young Jewish men, were taken into captivity when Babylon conquered Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, recognized the extraordinary potential in the three men and appointed them to important posts in his government. King Nebuchadnezzar had created a giant gold statue and commanded everyone in his kingdom to bow down and worship it. Anyone who didn’t bow down to the statue would be thrown into a fiery furnace. On the appointed day, the statue was unveiled, and everyone in Babylon bowed to it, save for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This was the Babylonian advisers’ chance to do away with the Jews. They knew that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were forbidden by the God of Israel to bow down to any idols. So they alerted Nebuchadnezzar to the three Jews’ disobedience. Enraged, the king sent for them. He gave them one more chance to bow down to his idol and escape certain, painful death in the furnace. They politely declined his offer. No threat could make them disobey the God who had taken care of them throughout their captivity.

The essence of their faith is found in the words, “But even if he doesn’t.” They knew God could save them but didn’t know if that’s what he would do. It didn’t matter, though. What mattered was obedience.God did miraculously rescue Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from their fiery fate. Yet that’s almost a coda to the real story. The point is that all three men stood ready to give their lives for what they believed in.

Perhaps you’ve never faced a life-or-death test of your faith. Perhaps you never will. You may, however, face tests that pull you out of your comfort zone. You may be asked to risk public embarrassment and vehement opposition for Jesus’ sake. You may be put in uncomfortable positions. How will you respond? Will you draw on the strength and courage that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego drew on to take your stand?

This article is taken from the book my writing team and I created for Time called 100 Ways the Bible Can Change Your Life. Time Home Entertainment, Inc. New York, New York: 2013. p. 148.