I’m reading the book 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker right now.

I laugh out loud reading it in the middle of the night feeding Double J. Seriously – that Jen is one funny gal.

But this book is messing with me as well. If the book wasn’t so funny, I would be locked in my room, in a puddle of tears, unable to move because it has made me confront a lot of uncomfortable things.

Poverty.

Our life of excess here in America.

My own selfishness and self-centeredness.

Blech. Blech. Blech.

I want things to change. I want to be part of the change. I want to live my life differently than the “world.”

The trouble is I just don’t even know where to begin.

Remember that post I wrote about being in mom survival mode? I’m there. Just figuring out how to get through a day homeschooling two boys and taking care of a baby. Trying to not let the laundry pile get too high {which I’ve failed at miserably this week}. Attempting to have even an ounce of energy or time left for The Hubby at the end of the day {another big failure lately}.

I’m so stuck in this mindset of making it through the day, I can’t even move towards helping the marginalized in our society. I feel paralyzed.

Despite my lack of action, I AM thinking and praying. The poor, the orphans, the widows…they are on my mind and my heart. And they are making their way into many conversations between the boys and I.

A story about children without beds in Kenya comes on the radio and Big J wants to know, “Do they REALLY not have beds?” I take the time to talk with him about these children – about their living conditions, how he feels about what he is hearing, how he would like to help them. We get so deep in conversation, I miss my turn to the Bible study we’re headed to and I’m ten minutes late.

Totally worth it.

Tropical Storm Isaac heads toward Haiti. I hear that 400,000 people are still living in tents after the earthquake that hit TWO years ago. We get out a globe and find Haiti. We pray that the storm will miss them. Big J decides those 400,000 people should move into the new houses being built across the street from us. I hold back tears, moved by his desire to help.

And I know – this is what I can do now. I can do my part by raising children who are aware that life is not the same for everyone around the world. I can nurture those desires they have to serve and give to others. And we can help others side-by-side in the name of Jesus.

There ARE things Jesus wants me to do – things I need to eliminate or re-prioritize in my life and things to change about how we live – but those things aren’t completely clear to me as I write this. He is stirring me. I will continue to pray and seek His will and let Him know…

I am willing. Lord, use me according to Your purpose.

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One other thing I can do is share my heart here with you. September is Blog Month with Compassion. I’ll be sharing more with you about Compassion each week as will many other bloggers, all with one goal:

To see 3,108 children sponsored between Sept. 1 and Sept. 30.

If even one child is sponsored because of something I posted here, I will be humbled to have been used by God to help that one precious child.

And you can join Blog Month as well – just join the Compassion Blogger Network by clicking on the widget over there on the left! If you have a blog, you have an opportunity to make a difference by using your platform to save children from poverty!

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If you want to read and process 7 with a lovely bunch of women, the (in)courage Bloom Book Club is reading through it RIGHT NOW! Get all the details on the Bloom page and start reading – you will not regret it!