by Anna Trout, Restoration Church, Adel

When your church announces an offering and encourages the congregation to give to it generously, what is your plan to give sacrificially? Buy less groceries? Make less trips to conserve gas? Cut out daily coffee stops? What about sell something? Better yet, maybe you would be creative and make something to sell?

If you have been in the Baptist Church for any time at all you are probably familiar with the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering – funds collected to support missionaries that have been sent to the nations through the IMB. You know it’s coming, it’s part of the Christmas season within the local church, and you want to be a part of what the Lord is doing. While Christmas is a mixed bag for some – the season can be a tough time financially and emotionally – however, joyful generosity somehow seems to emerge in spite of difficulty.

This year at Restoration Church we announced the LMCO, set a goal of $1,000, and asked our people to give generously. Jubilee(7) and Mercy(5) Clark responded with a big idea and a big goal! They would sell Chocolate Spoons. They set a price of $1 per bag with 2 spoons per bag and a goal of $100. Currently, they have reached more than $150 with almost two weeks left of collecting. What a beautiful picture of the Lord multiplying what we can bring. He can use plastic spoons covered in chocolate for Kingdom work taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. He can use two little girls. He is good and generous and He WILL use faithful, sacrificial giving. We are grateful for the Clark family, their heart for missions and discipleship of their kids.