Lumping & Loving Giveaway

Thanks for stopping by today! Many of you have found your way here via the Encouragement for Today devotion I have running at Proverbs 31 and on Crosswalk.com. If you haven’t read it yet, you’ll be lost here today. So, to take a look at it, click here. Don’t forget to come back for the giveaway!

Also: I am currently gathering a group of women who will be my cyber circle of friends who will help my ministry by praying for requests I send them and by being gals off of whom I can bounce ideas  or perhaps  ask for feedback on book titles, stories or examples that go with my content. It will be done by email.

If you are interested, please send an email to [email protected] with the words “Cyber Sisters” in the subject line. The actual email can be blank if you are in a hurry. Thanks!

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Well, what ways do you see believers being “lumped”?

Besides the examples I gave of the waitress, the college student and the teenaged girl, can you think of specific times where someone has held a belief about Christians in general? Was there truth to the view?

What instead are some ways we can live out the Bible’s command to be “considerate in all you do”?

Well, to enable one of you to be considerate and scatter some kindness to a stranger, I’m offering a giveaway today. One commenter will receive the following:

~Two $10 Target gift cards, each bundled with a pretty ribbon and a dark chocolate bar. One is for you and one is to give to a complete stranger.

~A signed copy of my book A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart and Home To Others.

Now, it is simple to enter. Just leave a comment on any aspect of the topic of this devotion. Or, if time is tight, just say, “I’m in!” You’ll be entered in the random drawing.

There is just one slight hitch, you must be willing to give one Target gift card bundle to a complete stranger and then email me a report. Who did you give it to? What was their reaction?

Good enough?

Comment away! Winner announced Monday–on Labor Day–when I’ll have the last giveaway of the summer!

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NOTE: Congrats to the winner of Rachel Olsen’s book It’s No Secret. Here is what she had to say when I asked her who the lucky gal was:

“Karen, Let me first say that it was such a delight for me to hear which chapters interested each of them, and what they would order. I seriously do want to meet each of them at Starbucks – just so I can sip and try all those yummy sounding drinks! I normally do the random number generator to pick winners so it’s totally fair.  But tonight I did something different on a prayerful whim. I asked my husband to choose a winner.  And he chose Norene Bartkowski.

Please, all the rest of you sweet ladies, don’t’ hate him – he’s a good man!”

Okay Norene, send your mailing address to me at [email protected] so we can get you you prize!

Okay ladies….leave your comment and you too could be a winner!

NOTE: If you would like to receive my posts via email, enter your email address in that little box on the right above where it says “subscribe” :-)

345 Comments

  1. s? nieodporne wyimaginowa? pe?ni? hec matrymonialnych, zupe?nie
    spo?ród intymnymi, je?li dodaj? ?e wezwanie si? na nie przyniesie im szczegó?ow?
    pociech?. S? specjalnie zdradliwe dodatkowo je?li
    ano ostatnie umiem zatrzyma? – srogie. W 4 sukcesach
    na 5 osobi?cie zainteresowane podej?ciem wspominaj do uzbieranego kapitale.

  2. God’s timing is wonderful, as I have finally found my way to the devotion from Friday now, on Sunday night, after I’ve had a difficult lumping from a friend. And I long to right the wrong, but my offer to talk, mom to mom, has been rebuffed.

    So I offer this: I am sorry, LC, that my child treated your child badly. I am sorry that I did not know what was happening until this morning. I am sorry that you didn’t give me the opportunity to act sooner by telling me what was happening. But mostly I am so very sorry that this situation has driven a wedge between you and God again. My prayer is that we all learn the lessons God has for us in this situation: I need to be more vigilant in my teen’s behavior; he needs to be aware that words hurt worse than almost anything else, and that he needs to use them sparingly and with discernment, and that you and your child learn what God has for you.

    I wish you blessings; I wish you peace.

    AW

  3. My Grandmother said if you stir the batter in one direction you’ll get the lumps out quicker…..if we Christians would stay in God’s Word maybe we wouldn’t be so lumpy. Loved this post. Thanks.

  4. Thanks for this devotional! What a great reminder to take joy in being lumped in with Jesus Christ and to choose to live his ways
    out in this world (and not our own) …all for his glory and to further his kingdom!!

  5. Lumping FRUSTRATES me- well unless it’s good-let’s be honest. After loosing my brother in a car accident, my husband and I decide to “get out of Dodge” and had always wanted to travel to Europe before we had kids. At 5 months pregnant, no time like the present, we took off. We were rapping up our trip in Italy when we were headed to the train platform to return to our hotel when we saw an older woman struggling with 2 full size suitcases up a mountain of stairs. She looked so defeated.

    Aaron grabbed one suitcase and I the other and got her on the train, settled into her chair and promised we would be back before her stop – which happened to be ours too!-so she could take a nap and relax knowing we were taking care of her.

    Our payment? A box of chocolates-which to a pregnant woman was music to my ears, can I get an amen!?! Anyway, I still remember that day when we were prompted by the Holy Spirit to take care of His child, one that was frustrated, alone, defeated and scared. I’ve been there, it’s no fun and no matter the earthly reward, which doesn’t mean much to us, we knew that she felt no so alone. That’s a great feeling!

    Full circle: we live in Tokyo now (husband is Military) and the train/subway system is the most complex in the world. I have felt many times lost, alone, confused, frustrated and because the Japanese are so gracious, we’ve been helped, guided, and taken care of, and it reminds me of the time we took time out of our day to help someone else.

    Writing not to win-although it would be fun to online shop with a friend at my favorite store!

  6. Sadly, I think people “lump” Christians as critical. I would love to win this give away. Blessings to you this long weekend.

  7. Lumping and Learning…Hmmm.. I think that has been part of the world forever. If people see a Christian that has a very negative outward reaction verbal or nonverbal, you better believe that is the mark that they will remember about who this Jesus is and who would want to worship such a negative God? We need for all people to know that we are all barely worthy of God’s grace and we all fall short and have no right to condemn another. When we do, then ALL Christians are seen in the same way–LUMPED.

  8. I googled Daily Devotional for Women today because I hadn’t been doing my homework (although homework generally rhymes with burden, but that’s not the case). I haven’t been praying or reading my Daily Bread, but I know that reading devotionals always help me. I’m glad I came across your site: Provebs 31. I’m a fan now :) Thank you Jesus!

  9. I’m in . Been lumped, (not persomally) Now I’m definately challenged to make sure people see a difference in ME. I really feelburdened about this, and would LOVE your book so i can learn how to to TRULY open my heart and home to strangers and unsaved people.

  10. What a GREAT devotional!! Thank You soo much!! I hope the person who wins the basket gets GREAT joy out of giving the second basket to a complete stranger!! What a BLESSING I love it!!!!

  11. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all followed your ideas! I’m a new reader and think you’re wonderful. Keep up the good work please

  12. My 20 something son picked up an elderly woman walking home from the store with Christmas packages one December. That he would do such a thing make me so proud of him and a but delighted as a mother!

  13. I really enjoyed reading your message in the Encouragement for Today.
    I try not to “lump or be lumped”. It’s a daily struggle for most of us in some way.

    I like surprising people with kindness – it can be contagious and it just feels good!
    Keep up the great work!
    Jessica

  14. Hello Karen,

    Tonight I was reading a blog of a family member of mine (2nd cousin) that I don’t know very well but would like to. When I was done I hit the button that lead me to your blog as “the next entry”. I am SO PLEASED to have found you! I have been feeling a little low in my walk with Christ and how my husband and I are struggling financially etc… I ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE WHEN THEY DON’T EXPECT IT And I NEVER MEET A STRANGER!!!

    This Give-a-Way would BE A JOY FOR ME TO DO and I Sincerely HOPE you will read my post and consider me as your winner! (I Know you have over 300 entries but I Still HOPE you see me!) : )

    I Look Forward to viewing your blog and website and having my spirit lifted through what you do – May God Bless You in Rich and Unexpected Rewarding Ways!!!

    Love You, Teresa in South Carolina

  15. I feel Christians are generally held to much higher standards. Many times I am reminded of how a good Christian woman is expected to act, then inevitably something happens that makes me reflect on if I did the right thing in front of people to show them Jesus. It is important for us to let Him shine and just get out of the way when He needs through, especially when we aren’t expecting it.

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