It’s that time of year when the pressure of guilt draws near with unrealistic or high expectations when it comes to giving gifts or who is on the list and who is not. Commercialism seems to sap the joy of the season right out of us as we are inundated with “the most wonderful time of the year”.
This is the time of year when people may get pink slips or their company moves out of state or closes down. These are the moments when people are more concerned about how are they going to pay their mortgage or eat, and even pay the mountains of credit card debt. It is wise to work a budget on spending.
Although gifts are a wonderful thing to receive, because we don’t earn or deserve them. They are given because of the thoughtfulness behind the importance of the person to you. I want to be a blessing to the person or family member. Having the presence of them in my life is more important than receiving presents. Relationships really do count!
I talk to my family on occasion how we can be a blessing to others, especially the people we don’t know or have dire needs. There are so many good causes, ministries, organizations like the Salvation Army, homeless shelters, etc. to make an impact even if it is a small token of our time or money. “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”Acts 20:35 NIV
Giving should not be a one time event or a guilt trip, but a lifestyle with our time, talents, or treasure. Jesus speaks of this in his parables. Maybe you play an instrument you could be a blessing to a group in a nursing home close by and play even sing a few songs to brighten up their spirits. Or visit a widow who is now alone even bake something for them. I could go on, but my post would be too long to read. Well you get my drift giving is more than just things.
“In this case, moreover, it is required [as essential and demanded] of stewards that one be found faithful and trustworthy”. 1 Corinthians 4:2 AMP
I want to challenge you to do something worthy this week and go the extra mile or out of your way to ‘BE A BLESSING’ even if you don’t feel like it. You may ask why? You will see because it’s a win win for everybody. Let God be glorified in it and I promise you that you will do it more often than you can imagine. You are special so reach out and touch someone. Use the gifts and talents God has blessed you with today!
Greetings! My name is Andy Provitola and I live in New England on the south shore between Boston and the beautiful Cape Cod region.
The purpose of my blogging and writing is to encourage you in your journey here on planet earth. Life is full of pressing issues and problems and my desire is to discover a place for peace, hope, healing, and contentment. I am a follower of Jesus Christ – God’s one and only Son of God and discovered these truths along my own personal journey.
Having discovered a personal relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ does not mean I have to be religious to attain the rewards of heaven. The fact is God provides grace for us and accepts us as we are in His image. In other words, we cannot attain heaven or life eternal on our own, but by God’s loving grace and no merit of our own.
My goal is to continue to find a balance of life from a spiritual and practical perspective with a purpose to please and glorify God in all that I do because of His ‘Gift of Grace’.
God is not transcendent and so far away that he is out of reach with humanity. God desires that His presence lives within us and not just in the galaxies and the universe. Experiencing the unconditional love of God has been so rewarding and while discovering the truth and purpose for my life. Moving forward in this life is not a sprint, but a marathon when it comes to this race here on earth.
I am blogging because I find it is a good way to connect in a much more effective and efficient way when it comes to communicating and interacting with with people that I do not know. Blogging and writing challenges me and also stretches me specifically in my thoughts, my mind, my emotions, and my spiritual life to live a vertical relation with God and a horizontal relationship with others.
There will be a variety of topics and subjects to address including youth, young adults, family, singles, seniors, relationships, etc. Some of the topics will include God’s creation and power, depression, loneliness, suicide, hope, healing, setbacks, financial matters, business, stress, anxiety, care, encouragement, and so much more
I would like to connect with all walks of life, ethnicity, culturally, other religions, socio-economics, and more
I am currently writing a book and several memoirs about my own life and journey . The journey begins at a young age growing up in Malden, Massachusetts, specifically Maplewood Square to where I am today. I became paralyzed from the waist down as a senior in high school and I share how my life changed for the better!
“But I do not consider my life as something of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus. To testify faithfully of the good news of God’s [precious undeserved] grace [which makes us free of guilt of sin and grants us eternal life]. Acts 20:24 Amplified Version
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The Watering Hole Journey 