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Mission: Possible…
Your mission should you choose to accept it….. is participating in Intentional acts of kindness.
What? Don’t you mean random acts of kindness?
Nope, I mean intentional. Let me explain ….A random act of kindness according to Wikipedia is:
a nonpremeditated, inconsistent action designed to offer kindness towards the outside world. The phrase “practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty” was written by Anne Herbert on a placemat in Sausalito, California in 1982.
I love the idea of random acts of kindness, but shouldn’t we go about being consistent and purposeful in our actions. I believe, that God had more in mind for His people than us randomly going about being kind. I mean, doesn’t He call us to be kind all the time? (Col 3: 12-17) Shouldn’t we want to be an extension of Jesus’ love every day?
I believe He wants us to intentionally be loving, kind, patient, and … intentional about operating in all the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22. In fact, if you missed my video blog on Thursday, where I talk about putting on kindness, you can check it out by clicking on the picture below.
As I was praying over what to share with you today, I felt God remind me of a time when I had the honor of running a project I called “Mission: Possible” on behalf of a ministry I worked for many years ago.
The idea behind “Mission: Possible” was simple: intentionally target someone For good. The ‘someone’ could be a business, a person, a ministry, etc. The intentional target was usually someone who was in need, or who needed encouragement. The rules were simple.
- The “target” could not know we as a group had chosen to purposefully bless them.
2. Pray and do as the Lord would lead.
3. We had a period of time in which we would all at some point over the 2 -4 week period do an intentional act of kindness a minimum of 1 time for the individual chosen.
I got to pick who we would “target” for our mission. Then I would lead a group of up to 30 people in being purposeful to be a blessing and do things for the one chosen.
The first Mission: Possible target was a Christian business owner who ran a teriyaki restaurant in town. She was a single mom of a teenager at the time and was constantly at work. Her business was just getting by and she was having a tough time. She was always asking for prayer for herself, her child, or her business.
As I shared with our team of eager participants the rules of our mission as listed above, they were each excited to be doing something practical and intentional for someone in need. They liked that they were to pray and do as the Lord led and that they weren’t told specifically what to do. Because it was a business, I chose to have this particular mission extend a full month. Those 30 people purposed to be a blessing over a four week period and each felt led to bless this business owner in different ways.
Some of the team wrote out prayers and encouraging words and mailed them to her. Some sent her money in the mail. Some, went and ate a meal at her place, left big tips, prayers, or encouraging words. Some of the people who knew her personally stopped in to see if she needed any help doing projects, either around the business or at her home.
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For my family, we chose to go and eat at her business a minimum of 2 times that particular month and tell everyone we knew to go there as well. We would of course leave her a large tip. In the beginning, she let us do this, but over the years we ate at her restaurant, she would always give us extra food or a free meal. Once I left a large tip, and she actually called me and demand I come back and get it. She wanted to bless me. From that point on, I always left the tip on someone else table that had already left, so she would not know it was from me.
I don’t think this restaurant owner,or others ever knew they were specifically chosen as our Mission Possible for the month, but I know she was intentionally blessed beyond anything she could have ever thought possible.
This Mission: Possible project only lasted for a few months before, there was a change in my position and I was no longer in charge of it. But, I never forgot the impact it made, not only on the people who were ‘targeted’ but also for the people who participated in being a blessing.
What if you and I decided to be intentional about being kind – EVERY– SINGLE– DAY! Not just when the idea pops into our mind, to all of a sudden buy the person’s coffee who is behind us, in the drive through line. (Which by the way is an excellent thing).
Please hear me, I love the idea of random acts of kindness and even know it has its own movement, it gets people of all backgrounds, race, and religion doing good and kind things for others that they might not normally do.
But, what if….
What if you and I as Children of God, woke up every single day and asked for our God assignment for that day?
God, what is today’s Mission: Possible?
- Maybe its bringing coffee to the grumpy coworker no one talks to.
- Maybe it’s making a phone call to pray for someone God has laid on your heart.
- Maybe it’s mowing the elderly neighbors grass, because she can’t do it anymore.
- Maybe it’s saying a prayer for your pastors and leaders today.
- Maybe it’s sending a text to a friend you know is discouraged, or hurt, or sick.
- Maybe it’s babysitting for the single parent so they can have break.
- Maybe it’s a simple warm friendly smile. An acknowledgement really, that you see the tattoo, pierced teenager trying to go unnoticed, and yet as you smile at them, they see you aren’t judging them for how they look.
- Maybe it’s …… (fill in the blank ) Feel free to share some other ideas below in the comments.
Maybe, just maybe as we stop, pray, and hear what God would have us do, we will be able to intentionally spread the Love of Jesus in practical simple ways. Then maybe, just maybe, we will become the Bride that Jesus Christ longs to return for.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is ask: God, what’s My Mission: Possible for today?
Again Welcome and Thank you for joining me for #TuneInThursday it is an honor to have you here!
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Do you wonder if God still speaks today? Do you wonder if He would ever speak to you personally? Do you long to hear the voice of God in your life?
Have your read other books on hearing from God, but long for hands on practical application? or are you looking for ways to move you forward hearing from God?
If you answered YES to any of those questions, then I have exactly what you need. I now have an online e-course designed to equip you in understanding that God still speaks today, and He longs to speak directly to you, through His word, and others. He longs to encourage you, strengthen you and comfort you. The training on this site, is fully based on Scripture, and taken from my training manual Releasing God’s heart through Hearing His Voice.
I have been teaching these classes internationally for the last 10+ years equipping and training believers in discerning the Ways God speaks. God is speaking, Can you Hear Him?
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Balancing the Warrior & the Princess We’re Called to Be
Trusting God When it Seems Illogical
Will You Sit with Me? (Jesus is Calling.)
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Good morning, Debbie! Did you intend to launch the linkup at 8:00 p.m.? The site thinks you did! 🙂
sorry, it was supposed to go live a 3 am PST-it is now up –
Woo Hoo! Let the party begin!
Hahaha YES Michele! – Let the party begin – thanks for the heads up before and for coming back to linkup
It’s my first time linking-up and I noticed that too Michele. Does it start at 8 p.m.? 🙂
Checking back in later!
Julie, Welcome! – I am so very glad to have you join us. I am sorry, for the confusion, the linkup was supposed to go live a 3 am PST-it is now up – thanks for letting me know
Happy to linkup here on Tune In Thursday again…TWICE!
and I am happy to have you here Susan. Thank you so much for linking your two posts.
I love this “purposeful acts of kindness” thought! And, yes, if we intentionally ask God about it, then it is a POSSIBLE mission, not IMpossible because He will help us accomplish what He has in mind for us! Thanks for beautiful thoughts this morning, Debbie!
Thanks Bettie! Yes, Phil 4:13 – ALL things are possible with Christ! You are most welcome for the thoughts this morning. thanks for linking up today
I love this with the “random acts of kindness” and how we should do something to bless or pray for someone else. Thanks for hosting!
Jen
Jen – welcome and thank you so much for stopping by today to link up. I am so glad you enjoyed today’s thoughts.
I love that you brought out for our acts of kindness to be intentional and thought through. Deliberate. If we all did just one intentional act a day, can we even imagine the difference it would make? Limitless possibilities!
Thanks Joanne – I completely agree – one deliberate act after another would definitely make a difference. People would notice and it would change them and the ripple effect would go on and on. thanks for sharing your thoughts and linking up today.
Hi – I’m late but then I was born late. Love to you – and did you meet Nicole Philips at She Speaks? She’s all about the Kindness is Contagious deal and you’d love her.
Hahaha Sue – you crack me up… you aren’t late – just later in the day than normal. No, I don’t think I met Nicole at She Speaks, not that I remember anyways. Does she blog? I will see if I can’t find her 🙂 thanks friend.
Thanks for hosting and I try to be kind every chance I get.
You are welcome Patrick and – that is good, kindness is a fruit of the spirit that should be an overflow of our everyday life.
Yay!! Finally made it here and so happy you’ve started a link-up! I hear you heart here Debbie, and I love your intentional kindness ideas. In a world that expects to receive less than kindness, we can make such an impact! We have a thing here we do where we pay for the car in front of us at the coffee shop on Fridays. Fun and anonymous, which I love.
Double YAY!!! I am so very glad to have you join me here at the linkup. Thanks so much also for your kind words. I love your Friday intentional blessings – with paying for the car in front of you – that is way awesome – I bet you have some fun stories about people reactions to such fun and anonymous acts of generosity.
thanks for inviting me! I hope to check back soon and read some more posts!
Heidi – I am so very glad you could stop in, I hope to see you more in the weeks to come. 🙂
“What if you and I decided to be intentional about being kind – EVERY– SINGLE– DAY!” I like the way you think, Debbie. I wonder how many lives would be blessed if we all were intentional about being kind each day of our lives.
Blessings to you!
Thank you Gayl! I agree with you – if we were more intentional about being kind, our lives would be so much more blessed than they already are, because when we bless others, God in turn blesses us, it’s just His nature. thanks for stopping by and linking up with me this week.
Debbie, Excellent, God Glorifying, habit building exercise! What a wonderful way to show Christ to others. I loved your idea about the Christian restaurant owner.
Thanks for sharing this very edifying post.
Thank you Karen – it’s definitely a habit building exercise. You are most welcome for sharing the post. Please let me know if you decide to try something similar in your area.
I love this “intentional” acts of kindness. What a great idea. Thank you for hosting the link-up.
Thank you Maree! Let me know if you decide to implement the idea of intentional acts of kindness 🙂 thanks for linking up.
God gave me one of those assignments today, but I’d like to say I was asking Him for one. LOL. It was one of those things I did somewhat grudgingly. It wasn’t until I was there, that I saw the God-ordained ministry opportunity. Thanks for sharing and hosting!
Oh Donna – I love that you got an assignment today, even if it was done grudgingly at first, it was quickly turned around. God is so good at orchestrating such wonderful opportunities if we cooperate with Him. Thanks for sharing and for linking up.
Love these practical suggestions, Debbie!
Thank you so much, Lyli!
Thanks for linking up on Mondays @ Soul Survival, Debbie.
you are most welcome Donna
Love your thoughts on intentional kindness. 🙂 Thanks for linking up at Literacy Musing Mondays.
Thank you Brandi – I think there is something to us being intentional